Blog
- August 28, 2020
IS JESUS BEING REALISTIC? Jesus has been traveling across Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying, “The time…
, , , - August 26, 2020
Healthy Clergy Make Healthy Congregations is a 9-volume series that recognizes the increasing stress involved in responding to God’s call…
- August 21, 2020
Clean Swearing It’s hard to be pious as a clergy. You find yourself in so many situations when most people…
- August 19, 2020
CONSIDER THE VALUE OF LAUGHTER Probably all of us have experienced how a well-timed joke has broken the tension in…
- August 14, 2020
INTERIMS CAN SHAPE HEALTHY CHURCHES Churches without pastors face uncertain futures. Congregations feel like they are treading water. How do…
, - August 12, 2020
WHAT MIGHT NOT HAVE HAPPENED I have found comfort in occasionally reviewing the many “what might not have happened” events…
, - August 7, 2020
HEALTHY VS. UNHEALTHY Test yourself and then take the risk of inviting your governing board to take the test to…
, , , - August 5, 2020
HONORING THE PAST Consider the power of the fifth commandment as an example. “Honor your father and your mother, so…
, , - July 31, 2020
Make Laughter a Habit Laughter is about being present. When you laugh you enjoy the here and now. There are…
, , , - July 29, 2020
GO LAUGHS—WHY DON’T YOU? Volume 3 of Healthy Clergy Make Healthy Congregations This third volume of the Healthy Clergy Make…
- July 24, 2020
Remembering the Interim Sometimes it is your final actions that most lingers in the minds of people. Sometimes an interim…
- July 22, 2020
AVOIDING A PARALLEL PANDEMIC We are very aware that there is a pandemic that is sweeping the world. It is…
, - July 17, 2020
BUILDING CONNECTIONS AMONG THE CLERGY All General Presbyters/Presbytery Executives know the challenge. First, we live in an age of institutional…
, , - July 15, 2020
IF YOU ARE A GOOD PASTOR, OR IF YOU KNOW ONE Have you thought about why the ministry of the…
, , , - July 10, 2020
GOSSIP IS NOT ALL BAD I know the Bible is pretty hard on gossip and most churches generally condemn it…
, , - July 8, 2020
AN INVITATION TO TRUST A REDEMPTIVE GOD Using the cross and the resurrection as our template for how God works…
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A GUILT FREE DAY AT THE CHURCH
March 2, 2022
RACISM AND THE CHURCH I think one of the paralyzing features of modern Christianity addressing racism is their inability to…
IMPERFECT CHURCHES AND CLERGY HAVE A CALLING
February 25, 2022
GOD IS NOT DEFEATED One of the continuing stresses of being a pastor is to watch a member choose to…
CONFESSING HYPOCRISY AND DISCOVERING GRACE
February 23, 2022
BEING A HYPOCRITE Have you considered the importance of a hypocritic oath for pastors. Its important to recognize the hypocrisies…
ENGAGING THE WHOLE MEMBERSHIP
February 18, 2022
We continue the guide for anti-racism ministry in the local church. In the previous blog, I spoke of how to…
A PLAN FOR A PASTOR
February 16, 2022
IDENTIFYING AND INVITING SOME CLERGY COLLEAGUES: FIRST STEP FOR A PASTOR OF A CHURCH Identify five or six other clergy…
THE PROBLEM WITH PERFECT CHURCHES
February 11, 2022
When churches set out to be perfect, they encounter similar problems to those faced by humans who try to be…
DID JESUS ASK WHO WAS COMING TO DINNER?
February 9, 2022
THE POWER OF FOOD TO DIVIDE Who is it that you would rather not share a meal with? No, think…
MY GIFT TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH
February 2, 2022
THE PROBLEM WE FACE AS CLERGY I have spent over 50 years as an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church…
Black History and White Privilege
January 28, 2022
RESPONDING TO WHITE PRIVILEGE When Whites hear the term White Privilege, they usually have one of two reactions. 1. They…
WHITE PEOPLE AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH
January 26, 2022
WE HAVE WORK TO DO February is Black History Month. In addition to the emphasis in our school system and…