There is a theological sense in which the whole future of ministry and the health of both clergy and churches…

REDEMPTIVE POWER OF GOD Continuing with the model provided for us by Alcoholics Anonymous, the second step of the process…

HEARING OUR STORY NEEDS COMMUNITY One of the powerful discoveries in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa was…

TRANSFORMING ROUTINE INTO LIBERATION Far too often we move through the liturgy of a worship service waiting for an anthem,…

Anger in Ministry (2) ANGER GENERATED IN MINISTRY Our culture does not usually associate ministry and anger. Yet many clergy…

WHAT OUR CULTURE TEACHES US Our culture has a bias against anger. As a child we are told not to…

AFTER REFRESHMENTS OK, you have played the first phase as described in the previous blog, and you have taken time…

_______ PEOPLE OF THE BOOK Because we are people of the Book, it is good to call on Scripture as…

IS JESUS BEING REALISTIC? Jesus has been traveling across Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying, “The time…

THANKSGIVING FOR THE FUTURE In Psalm 138, we reflect on the power of thanksgiving as it reminds us of God’s faithfulness…

YOUR PRIVATE LAMENT What I offer you here are guidelines to exercise the healing power of lament. Take some time…

MEETING WITH YOUR RESPECTIVE LEADERSHIP Explain to your leadership how you have arrived at this area of interest. (In mycase,…

CONFESSING SINS OF DISGUSTING NEIGHBORS MY NEIGHBOR IN THE BODY OF CHRIST What is my responsibility for my neighbor’s sins…

Ten top Reasons to Refuse to Hear God’s Call In the Reformed faith, we believe that all people have a…

An Enemy Within the Church Almost every pastor has the experience of having some person or persons within the membership…

An exercise in exploring White Privilege When Whites hear the term White Privilege, they usually have one of two reactions.…

Cost of Listening Most churches would agree that they value a pastor who can listen with sensitivity to people who…

JUDICATORIES WHO CARE FOR CLERGY  PREVENT THEOLOGICAL BURNOUT Most of the pastors in your judicatory have had at least three…

MARRIED TO THE BODY OF CHRIST–part two The parable continues Abigail enthralled his adult class with her description of her…

PART ONE MARRIED TO THE BODY OF CHRIST Stephen McCutchan Part one David Benedict, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran church,…