Blog
- October 1, 2014
SIGNS TO NOTICE Below are listed several possible negative SIGNS in the life of clergy. Think about clergy you know…
- September 26, 2014
LONELINESS HAS ITS VALUE I have explored some of the toxic features of the loneliness experienced by pastors, but here…
, , , - September 24, 2014
A UNIVERSAL LONGING There is something in human nature that yearns to be part of something more. Even if you…
, , , - September 19, 2014
AN AGE OF SPLINTERING We live in an age of fractured community. As sociologist Brene' Brown suggests, it is a…
, - September 15, 2014
EMBARRASSED BY RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE Think about it. You are called by God to offer a faith perspective from which to…
- September 10, 2014
The Presbytery Pastoral Care Network 15th Annual Conference Rediscovering the Beloved Community: Overcoming Isolation October 27-30, 2014 First Presbyterian Church…
, - September 8, 2014
The Presbytery Pastoral Care Network 15th Annual Conference Rediscovering the Beloved Community: Overcoming Isolation October 27-30, 2014 First Presbyterian Church…
, , - September 5, 2014
IT HELPS TO LAUGH By late September I will be releasing on Amazon a new book for the pastor, God…
, - September 3, 2014
48TH ANNIVERSARY Today will be a short post celebrating an event that still amazes me. Today I celebrate the 48th…
, , , - August 29, 2014
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT EXPANDED We need to reinterpret the fifth commandment. "Honor your father and your mother, so that your…
, , - August 27, 2014
WORDS CREATEWORLDS In Walter Brueggemann's Israel's Praise, he develops the idea that words create worlds. It is not the objective experiences…
, , - August 25, 2014
BEING DRAWN INTO ANXIETY A challenge for any pastor in this anxious age is to not absorb the anxiety of…
, - August 22, 2014
I want to emphasize 3 of the 10 commandments as an antitoxin to anxiety. NO OTHER GODS It is the…
, - August 20, 2014
(CONTINUING TO LOOK AT VULNERABILITY AND ANXIETY FROM TED TALK BY BRENE' BROWN as applied to the pastorate.) HIDING FROM…
, , - August 18, 2014
BEFORE THE BEGINNING Consider what has happened before the new pastor arrives at a congregation. Let me describe some of…
- August 15, 2014
DO YOU LIVE IN AN ANXIOUS SOCIETY? (I am continuing to draw upon Brene' Brown's work on vulnerability and applying…
YOU CAN WRITE A PARABLE
July 6, 2018
I’m away for a few days, but I offer you this outline that I recently offered a writing class that…
DOES THE CHURCH HAVE A PROBLEM
June 27, 2018
CAN YOU SAVE THE CHURCH? As the early church discovered, you can’t do it alone and you can’t do it…
THE GIFT OF LISTENING
June 22, 2018
THE COST OF LISTENING Most churches would agree that they value a pastor who can listen with sensitivity to people…
Presbytery Support of Spirituality
June 20, 2018
DIFFERENT GIFTS BUT SAME SPIRIT As part of Presbytery’s support of our pastor’s spiritual journey, we can build on…
A Presbytery Breath that Refreshes
June 15, 2018
A Sabbath Presbytery Pause in the normal work of a presbytery meeting and ask people to spontaneously respond with a…
GOD’S BETTER IDEA (PART 2)
June 13, 2018
Think about how a human church does evangelism. UNASHAMED OF GRACE The Gospels never celebrate the failed behaviors of Peter…
HOW GOD BUILT THE CHURCH or GOD’S BETTER IDEA (PART 1)
June 8, 2018
BEGIN WITH THE WISDOM OF JESUS Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with an image of the type…
Laughing at Ourselves is the First Sign of Health
June 6, 2018
A slightly revised version of a joke sent to me by my cousin The Presbyterian church called a meeting…
ONLY FRIENDS AND NICE PEOPLE NEED READ THIS
June 1, 2018
my theological rant NOT ALL TRUTHS ARE TRUTHFUL In an era of increased individualism and the ease of broadcasting hyperbole…