EMBARRASSED BY RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE Think about it. You are called by God to offer a faith perspective from  which to…

The Presbytery Pastoral Care Network 15th Annual Conference Rediscovering the Beloved Community: Overcoming Isolation October 27-30, 2014 First Presbyterian Church…

The Presbytery Pastoral Care Network 15th Annual Conference Rediscovering the Beloved Community: Overcoming Isolation October 27-30, 2014 First Presbyterian Church…

IT HELPS TO LAUGH By late September I will be releasing on Amazon a new book for the pastor, God…

48TH ANNIVERSARY Today will be a short post celebrating an event that still amazes me. Today I celebrate the 48th…

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT EXPANDED We need to reinterpret the fifth commandment. “Honor your father and your mother, so that your…

WORDS CREATEWORLDS In Walter Brueggemann’s Israel’s Praise, he develops the idea that words create worlds. It is not the objective experiences…

BEING DRAWN INTO ANXIETY A challenge for any pastor in this anxious age is to not absorb the anxiety of…

I want to emphasize 3 of the 10 commandments as an antitoxin to anxiety. NO OTHER GODS It is the…

(CONTINUING TO LOOK AT VULNERABILITY AND ANXIETY FROM TED TALK BY BRENE’ BROWN as applied to the pastorate.) HIDING FROM…

BEFORE THE BEGINNING Consider what has happened before the new pastor arrives at a congregation. Let me describe some of…

DO YOU LIVE IN AN ANXIOUS SOCIETY? (I am continuing to draw upon Brene’ Brown’s work on vulnerability and applying…

I’m not so sure That God called me I am a pastor The Spirit is gone The elders are boss…

CLERGY DON’T HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER Clergy, like all humans, come to their work with all the wounds, hungers, insecurities,…

(Thoughts derived from reflecting on 2 TED talks by Brene’ Brown www.ted.com/talks/brene’_brown) as applied to churches .) This is the…

THE SHAME OF IT ALL (A continuation of reflections on Brene’ Brown’s TED talks on Vulnerability and Shame.) Brown suggests…

CAN OTHER CLERGY BE MY FRIEND? In my work on the issue of loneliness and isolation among clergy, I have…

CONSIDER WHAT WAS ON GOD’S MIND   God said: “I’ll create humans with free will.” Satan sneered: “I’ll defeat you…

These reflections on the church and clergy are drawn from my new book, A Company of Pastors, that will be…

1 CORINTHIANS 13 FOR CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS (May be prayed in unison or in alternating parts.) If clergy speak in…