Consider what it might mean if the following assumptions are true. God is real. God does care about what is…

As I was beginning to type this, my laptop ran out of power and shut down. Fortunately my computer is…

We often speak of God’s call as a reference to an individual. Would their be value in discussing what God’s…

Too often we don’t take the time to share our appreciation of each other in the family. We all need…

We all know that we should spend more time with our families. We may feel guilty that the demands of…

Taken from the ECLA Board of Pensions’ website which has excellent suggestions in a variety of ways to nurture your…

At the same retreat that I mentioned on Friday, I also led a session on how to guide a congregation…

I recently led a Community on Ministry retreat on the care of clergy. During that time I led the following…

When a pastor is speaking hard truths to a congregation, s/he needs to recognize several things. First, there is a…

When you study the prophets, it is clear that they were not just criticizing conditions in their society. Certainly that…

On this day when we celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday, it is interesting to reflect on the role of churches…

A new pastor arrives and s/he has been called to be a spiritual leader of this congregation. It is so…

If you overemphasize the message that the congregation needs to care for the pastor, it begins to feel like the…

Your new pastor is about to become the church’s pastor. Everybody wants this to be a healthy and productive beginning…

A major challenge for not only the pastor but the pastor’s family is how to get a sense of the…

OK, you’ve completed the process of identifying a new pastor for the congregation, making the offer and having it accepted,…

An important message that you want to convey to the prospective pastor is your acknowledgment that stress in the ministry…

A PNC can convey from the beginning that they are interested in supporting the pastor in having a healthy pastorate.…

The church, like most other professions, is increasingly faced with the complex dynamics of the family in our society. It…

A second phase of your conversation with your prospective new pastor needs to be around salary expectations and benefits but…