Blog
- April 17, 2009
If your bishop, presbyter, or judicatory staff person called you up and asked you to go to lunch, what would…
- April 16, 2009
Mission Presbtery in Texas has developed an intriguing way to demonstrate appreciation for the work of the pastor. Twice a…
- April 13, 2009
Recently, while discussing some sabbatical plans for a pastor, I began imagining with him a way to help his congregation…
- April 10, 2009
In some form or another a congregation, when they call a pastor, promises to "pay him (her) fairly and provide…
- April 7, 2009
Very few clergy or educators are under any illusion that they will make a lot of money in their profession.…
- April 6, 2009
Over the next few days I want to look at some of the ways that a congregation or judicatory could…
- April 3, 2009
Another means of being addressed by God is Scripture. So often we are engaged in Bible Study and reading for…
- April 2, 2009
Staying in touch with the source of our call is not a case of dialing into eternity. It is, however,…
- April 1, 2009
From the Reformed theological perspective, God's call can be present in all walks of life. An electrical engineer, a secretary,…
- March 31, 2009
As I talk to others about their call, I repeatedly hear them describe their initial resistance to the call. I…
- March 26, 2009
There is a sense that your call is not a one time event but is a continuing experience. In many…
- March 25, 2009
One of the great mysteries of call for me is why God calls who God calls. Can anyone explain why…
- March 24, 2009
Historic Presbyterian theology would declare that the Sovereign God, who is Lord of the world, offers a call for all…
- March 20, 2009
As I continue to explore how we practice the love of God, I am struck with the fact that the…
- March 18, 2009
Dietrick Bonhoeffer spoke of the psalms as a school for prayer. It is interesting to take seriously that possibility in…
- March 17, 2009
While prayer is a central way that we might focus on loving God, another might be receiving God's gift of…
First Thought in the New Year
January 2, 2013
Allow your imagination to dream about the ideal faith journey for your congregation through this Lent-Easter season before you get…
Slaughter of the Innocents (3)
December 21, 2012
Violence is often the result of distrust. The Challenge of Trust in building a safer society.
Slaughter of Innocents (2)
December 19, 2012
What any of us can do in response to the horror in Newtown, Conn.
Slaughter of the Innocents
December 17, 2012
The slaughter of the innocents in both Bethlehem and Newtown Connecticut are real pain even as we celebrate the birth…
Hypocritic Oath for Pastors (4)
December 14, 2012
In recent blogs I’ve tried to identify some dimensions of ministry that can cause pastors to feel like hypocrites. Sometimes…
Experiencing Loneliness
December 12, 2012
I think I have shared an earlier version of this exercise before, but here is an updated version. An Examination…
Emotional Roller Coaster
December 11, 2012
If you want to know why you sometimes feel overwhelmed and exhausted, take a moment to reflect on the emotional…
Hypocritic Oath for Pastors (3)
December 7, 2012
In the last blog, I asked you to name some of your own hypocrisies. I suggested you try to identify…
Hypocritic Oath for Pastors (2)
December 5, 2012
The first step in following the Hypocritic Oath for Pastors, is to name some of the times when we are…
Hypocritial Oath for Pastors
December 3, 2012
I once saw a sign outside of a church that read: “The church is full of hypocrites; You too are…