Tomorrow I head for St. Louis and the Big Tent. I will be co-leading a seminar with my friend Sam…

IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that two major contributors to improved health are being social and doing nice…

SHARING IN PARABOLIC STORY TELLING   We live in a society that often finds it easier to speak past each…

WELCOME HOME It is a wonderful gift for a congregation to provide their pastor with a sabbatical. It has been…

The Tension between Fear of Death and Hope of Faith In Hebrews 13:5, we read: “Keep your lives free from…

MORE THAN BLOODLINE Given our societies current confusion about the definition of family, it might be good to reflect on…

now let us focus on our position of ministry CHURCH/ POSITION OF MINISTRY In some ways, you are going to…

KICK BACK AND REFLECT Summer is an opportunity to schedule some “what if” and “just imagine” times and have some…

THIS IS OUR PRESBYTERY Last week I wrote about how you could sample the spiritual life of a congregation by…

INVITING REFLECTION As the spiritual leader of a people, you preach, teach, counsel, and pray with your people. What do…

as we enter the summer season, let us remember god’s gift of rhythm GOD PAUSED Coke has popular claim on…

UNASHAMED OF GRACE The Gospels never celebrate the failed behaviors of Peter and the other disciples but they do not…

Mashables One of the fun strategies in comedy is called mashables. You take two different subject matters and try to…

The Pastor’s Spouse When we think about caring for clergy, we need to include in that care a concern for…

WORSHIP CAN SAVE US Even as you enter a sanctuary or place of worship, often the very accouterments are a…

(The dialogue continues between a Church Member and a Believer but Not Belonger.) B/NB: I have another problem. If the…

IS THE CHURCH ALIVE AND WELL? Is the church dying, shrinking, being transformed, or becoming irrelevant? Something is clearly happening.…

The Saving Nature of the Body of Christ Consider the following dialogue between a church member (CM) and a one…

Is There Salvation in the Church    complete this conversation   Eric:       Heh, Bryan, have I got some good news…

HOW DOES THE CHURCH SAVE US?   If Jesus saves us from our sins and it is clear that we…