Blog
- August 11, 2014
CLERGY DON'T HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER Clergy, like all humans, come to their work with all the wounds, hungers, insecurities,…
, , - August 8, 2014
(Thoughts derived from reflecting on 2 TED talks by Brene' Brown www.ted.com/talks/brene'_brown) as applied to churches .) This is the…
, , - August 6, 2014
THE SHAME OF IT ALL (A continuation of reflections on Brene' Brown's TED talks on Vulnerability and Shame.) Brown suggests…
- August 4, 2014
CAN OTHER CLERGY BE MY FRIEND? In my work on the issue of loneliness and isolation among clergy, I have…
- August 1, 2014
CONSIDER WHAT WAS ON GOD'S MIND God said: “I’ll create humans with free will.” Satan sneered: "I’ll defeat you…
, , - July 30, 2014
These reflections on the church and clergy are drawn from my new book, A Company of Pastors, that will be…
- July 28, 2014
1 CORINTHIANS 13 FOR CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS (May be prayed in unison or in alternating parts.) If clergy speak in…
- July 25, 2014
SPIRITUALLY HUNGRY BUT DISTRUST INSTITUTIONS The polls all show that the numbers of those who want to be spiritual but…
, - July 23, 2014
A THEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK No one wants to appear like a wimp. If a clergy person starts talking about how people…
, - July 21, 2014
AN INTERIM’S VALUABLE ROLE In recent years, the role of interim pastor has become almost a norm for vacant churches.…
, - July 16, 2014
God's Been There Done That God, I can't afford to give up the security of my profession to answer your…
, - July 14, 2014
A VARIETY OF IMAGES FOR GOD There are a variety of images for God in the Bible and in the…
, - July 11, 2014
PLAYING WITH SCRIPTURE: Keep a list of Scriptures that if people took them literally it would transform their lives. Leave…
- July 9, 2014
HUMOR SHOULD BIND AND NOT DIVIDE Humor can be an effective tool to transcend differences and remind people of their…
, - July 7, 2014
A FUN EXPERIMENT WITH COLLEAGUES Try this experiment. Choose a couple of colleagues and invite them to participate in an…
, - July 2, 2014
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT JUST HAPPENED In other parts of my forthcoming book, I will share how humor can…
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GOD’S BETTER IDEA (PART 2)
June 13, 2018
Think about how a human church does evangelism. UNASHAMED OF GRACE The Gospels never celebrate the failed behaviors of Peter…
HOW GOD BUILT THE CHURCH or GOD’S BETTER IDEA (PART 1)
June 8, 2018
BEGIN WITH THE WISDOM OF JESUS Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with an image of the type…
Laughing at Ourselves is the First Sign of Health
June 6, 2018
A slightly revised version of a joke sent to me by my cousin The Presbyterian church called a meeting…
ONLY FRIENDS AND NICE PEOPLE NEED READ THIS
June 1, 2018
my theological rant NOT ALL TRUTHS ARE TRUTHFUL In an era of increased individualism and the ease of broadcasting hyperbole…
TEN REASONS TO GO TO CHURCH
May 30, 2018
COMPARE MY LIST TO YOURS In a world that only listens to others make music; the church invites us to…
TEN REASONS NOT TO GO TO CHURCH
May 25, 2018
YOU’VE HEARD ALL THE EXCUSES AM I MISSING SOME? Once when I was sick, the church didn’t visit me,…
An Invitation to Touch the Eternal
May 23, 2018
WHY INVITE PEOPLE TO WORSHIP We are inviting people to step aside from their daily routines to touch and be…
Are You in a Book Club
May 18, 2018
BOOK CLUBS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR SOCIETY Back in the late 60’s, James Naisbitt wrote a book, Megatrends,…
BUILDING RESPECT FOR CLERGY ONE STORY AT A TIME
May 16, 2018
CONSIDER USING FICTION AS A MEANS OF WRESTLING WITH REAL ISSUES THAT FACE THE CHURCH. clergy or lay people can…
Nurturing the Spirit in the Congregation
May 11, 2018
THE SESSION LEADS Having discussed this together as a session and with the pastor, on a given Sunday an elder…