Blog
- April 25, 2012
As a Certified Lay Pastor, (CLP), you need to recognize that you are entering a phase of your life that…
- April 24, 2012
As I understand it, there was a moment in church history in which the Presbyterian Church made a momentous decision…
- April 23, 2012
There may come a time when you are unable to engage in forms of public ministry. There is a profound…
, - April 20, 2012
Sometimes, as we age, we develop physical problems that restrict what we can do in ministry. That doesn't mean that…
, - April 19, 2012
Retirement can mean a new freedom to focus on an area of ministry that was often neglected because of the…
, - April 18, 2012
Particularly in this time of economic stress among mainline churches, the presbytery wastes a powerful resource in not availing themselves…
, - April 17, 2012
It is interesting for me how many otherwise very intelligent and sensitive pastors, upon retirement, are not able to separate…
, - April 13, 2012
A game to encourage family conversation about their experience of the ministry. Divide your family into two teams. One team…
, - April 12, 2012
Many people who live under pressure also feel that others don't appreciate the sacrifice that they are making. While the…
, - April 11, 2012
While we may read with horror the story of Abraham's near sacrifice of Isaac, most pastors know that there is…
- April 9, 2012
On this Easter Monday, when we have just celebrated the resurrection and new life, let us begin building a list…
, - April 6, 2012
If you accept that the profession of being a pastor is stressful on both the pastor and his or her…
, - April 5, 2012
In the past several blogs, I have dealt a lot with expectations from the congregation, the session, each other, and…
, - March 26, 2012
When I return, we will again reflect on the pressure of the ministry on clergy families and how we might…
, - March 23, 2012
Sometimes when expectations are named, people will recognize that they are unreasonable and the expectation is altered or discarded. I…
, - March 22, 2012
From family therapy, I learned that problems can either bond or divide a couple. If, for example, long hours at…
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HOW CLERGY FACE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS
March 30, 2016
NAMING THE DEMON If you read the last blog, you know I believe there is no shame in having a…
HAVE A BLESSED GOOD FRIDAY
March 25, 2016
ON THAT FIRST “GOOD FRIDAY” IT LOOKED ANYTHING BUT GOOD FOR JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES. BUT GOD WAS ALREADY AT…
IF YOU JUST HAD ENOUGH FAITH
March 23, 2016
THE MYTH THAT WON’T DIE No one who has been called by God believes that ridiculous myth that because you…
A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER: When Faith Confronts Violence
March 18, 2016
I’m completing the draft of a new novel that involves many of the characters of my first novel, A STAR…
A PASTOR’S FINANCIAL HEALTH
March 16, 2016
It is important to occasionally take time to have a checkup. Of course the annual physical is important, but so…
SMART CHURCHES CARE ABOUT CLERGY HEALTH
March 11, 2016
In the last blog, I shared a check list for a pastor to use for measuring how s/he cares about…
Do You Care About Your Physical Health as a Pastor?
March 9, 2016
Let me offer you a check up sheet to measure how you are doing in caring for your own physical…
SPIRITUAL CHECKUP CONTINUED
March 4, 2016
PREPARATION FOR THE CONVERSATION See the previous blog for more information on how to engage your congregation in a spiritual…
A SPIRITUAL CHECK UP FOR YOUR CONGREGATION
March 2, 2016
A SPIRITUAL CHECKUP I want to suggest a way for you to engage your congregation in a spiritual conversation that…
SPIRITUALITY FOR BUSY PEOPLE
February 26, 2016
Contemporary Spirituality for the Busy Professional Purpose: To design a contemporary discipline that would enable a busy professional to…