Blog
- November 2, 2009
Too often our institutions, be they a church or a judicatory, assume the spiritual life of the clergy is left…
- October 30, 2009
I think the idea of structuring your freedom is so important as you begin your retirement that I want to…
- October 29, 2009
Almost any one who has retired and has the health to be active will tell you that one of the…
- October 28, 2009
As you begin thinking about retirement, it is important to think about your platform. That is, who are you? In…
- October 27, 2009
Recently I have talked with several people who are anticipating retirement in the near future. It has caused me to…
- October 26, 2009
A colleague of mine has recently written a piece for the internet service, The Immediate Word, about how we respond…
- October 23, 2009
I have often been struck with how hungry we are as clergy for someone to ask us about our ministry.…
- October 22, 2009
Yesterday I suggested that a Presbytery or judicatory should identify and celebrate the ministry of their pastors that extends beyond…
- October 21, 2009
As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, most pastors understand their call to ministry as extending beyond just the activities of…
- October 20, 2009
John Wesley is quoted as saying, "The world is my parish." Most of us, when we sense a call by…
- October 19, 2009
With the release of the Shriver Report, we are again engaged in a discussion about the effect of women in…
- October 16, 2009
In a recent article I co-wrote for Presbyterian Outlook, (Vol 191 No. 28, August 17, 2009), I tried to imagine…
- October 14, 2009
Presbytery, or any denominational judicatory, needs to strategize about how to offer support to a pastor's family. I'm certainly thinking…
- October 13, 2009
Let me identify some theological assump[tions undergirding this idea. First I believe that the church is the Body of Christ.…
- October 12, 2009
I was recently at a church service while the pastor was away. During the service they announced that during the…
- October 9, 2009
There has been a lot of talk lately about the need for creative leadership in the church. Recognizing that in…
A Pastor’s Grief (6)
June 10, 2013
A major component of a pastor’s grief is the disconnect between the ideals of faith shaped by his or her…
A Pastor’s Grief (5)
June 7, 2013
As we continue to explore the forms of grief experienced by a pastor, we need to recognize the grief a…
A Pastor’s Grief (4)
June 5, 2013
We have been talking about a pastor’s grief that is frequently unrecognized as the best of pastors engage in ministry.…
A Pastor’s Grief (3)
June 3, 2013
As clergy, we continually assist others in working through their grief at painful moments in their lives. Books have been…
A Pastor’s Grief (2)
May 31, 2013
As you stand before your congregation on a Sunday morning, how frequently do you gaze out and recognize how many…
A Pastor’s Grief (1)
May 29, 2013
Luke tells us of Jesus’ grief as he neared Jerusalem. “If you . . . had only recognized on this…
Truth & Consequences (Conclusion)
May 27, 2013
We come to the conclusion of this story. If you have enjoyed it, I would like to hear from you.…
Healthy Clergy Make Healthy Congregations
May 24, 2013
There is a lot of scary news about declining churches, splitting churches, scandals in churches, bankrupt churches, and despairing churches.…
Did God Make Mistakes 50% of Time
May 22, 2013
The Schaeffer Institute, who has studied the life of clergy for several decades, recently reported that 50 % of clergy…
Truth & Consequences: A Pastor Confronts Sexuality (Part 7)
May 20, 2013
Part 7 — The pastor tries to refocus the conversation. ********************** “The real issue that we need to deal with…