Blog
- May 23, 2008
A critical change in attitude occurs when we come to a full recognition of the fact that the church is…
- May 22, 2008
Perhaps this slow dissolution of the power of the church and of the clergy of the church can offer us…
- May 21, 2008
This change in the authority of the church can be very frustrating to those who have devoted their lives to…
- May 20, 2008
It may be that God permitted the institutionalization of the church and even used it to protect the church and…
- May 19, 2008
Elmil Brunner interpreted the history of the church as moving from a fellowship of believers to an institution that preserved…
- May 16, 2008
It is interesting to reflect on Emil Brunner's analysis of how the church moved from an egalitarian fellowship under the…
- May 15, 2008
Let me suggest an example of how it might look to see the church as the church through which God…
, - May 14, 2008
Being the humiliated God-community, the first task of a congregation and its pastor is to listen for the Word of…
- May 13, 2008
This mark of the church is a dynamic one. The writers of the epistles, both those of Paul and the…
- May 12, 2008
Jesus laid down the criteria for discerning the true from the false prophet, "...you will know them by their fruits."…
- May 9, 2008
Bonhoeffer adds community to the marks of the church. The church, as the Body of Christ, requires a corporateness. This…
- May 8, 2008
Without denying the sacramental quality of many aspects of life, the church has set forth certain sacraments that are based…
- May 7, 2008
The Reformers also identified as a mark of the true church the sacraments that were rightly administered. Augustine defined a…
- May 6, 2008
In almost any gathering of Christians, the proclamation of the word, often in the form of a sermon, has been…
- May 5, 2008
When we think of the church today, most Christian thinkers recognize the importance of continuity with the past. While the…
- May 2, 2008
We are still faced with the challenge of distinguishing the true church from a false church. While it is true…
The Wimp Factor (2)
May 8, 2012
A first step is simply an honest recognition of the challenge inherent in ministry. Most good clergy accept that they…
The Wimp Factor (1)
May 7, 2012
Especially when we speak about congregations taking care of their pastors, both from the perspective of the pastor and that…
Addressing Staff Lay Offs (2)
May 4, 2012
OK, so in the wisdom of the council, given financial realities, a member of the presbytery staff has to be…
Addressing Staff Lay Offs
May 3, 2012
We are increasingly hearing that a number of presbyteries, synods, and positions at the General Assembly level are laying off…
CLP (4)
April 27, 2012
Ironically one of the major areas that is often neglected in the pursuit of our calling to ministry, whether that…
CLP (3)
April 26, 2012
Yesterday we considered the blocks of time available in your life each week and how many of them are available…
CLP (2)
April 25, 2012
As a Certified Lay Pastor, (CLP), you need to recognize that you are entering a phase of your life that…
Certified Lay Pastor
April 24, 2012
As I understand it, there was a moment in church history in which the Presbyterian Church made a momentous decision…
Retirement (6)
April 23, 2012
There may come a time when you are unable to engage in forms of public ministry. There is a profound…
Retirement (5)
April 20, 2012
Sometimes, as we age, we develop physical problems that restrict what we can do in ministry. That doesn’t mean that…