Blog
- March 21, 2012
Yesterday, you clarified some of your projections of what each of you expect of each other as a spouse within…
, - March 20, 2012
A major pressure on clergy families are the expectations, real and perceived. Expectations of others can be difficult to respond…
, - March 19, 2012
I once heard a Catholic priest say that the church considered the family our domestic church. I've always loved that…
, - March 16, 2012
Several lessons in experiencing and expressing appreciation are: It is best if it is specific and not general. It is…
, - March 15, 2012
Most clergy are committed to their calling and recognize that it is going to include long hours and modest salary…
, - March 14, 2012
Yesterday, I raised the issue of the impact of under-appreciation in the ministry. I think it began as an idea…
, - March 13, 2012
If you are looking for reasons that people drop out of the ministry, high on your list should be feeling…
, - March 9, 2012
Since we are facing some rather shocking statistics on the decline of clergy health, it is important that judicatories, in…
, , - March 8, 2012
Yesterday I mentioned near the end of the piece including your congregation in your care for your physical health. Today,…
, , - March 7, 2012
Some more ideas about how to find exercise in and around your daily activities. 11. There are some great workout…
, - March 6, 2012
We need to be intentional about getting some exercise and look for ways to do it in and around our…
, - March 5, 2012
Sometimes we overlook the obvious. Among the many reasons that we are examining about the early drop-out of clergy is…
, - March 2, 2012
The church statistics are overwhelming that the drop out of clergy in the first five years is increasing exponentially. It…
, , , - March 1, 2012
An Examination of Loneliness A major challenge for good pastors is how to handle the loneliness inherent in the pastorate.…
, , - February 29, 2012
Once we have acknowledged the challenge of loneliness in the pastorate, we need to identify some additional steps in coping…
, , - February 28, 2012
As a basis for this reflection, let me tie together two separate passages. The first is from Genesis 2:18, "Then…
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WHEN JESUS CONSULTS HIS ADVISORS
February 24, 2016
HELPING JESUS FACE REALITY Jesus has been traveling across Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying, “The…
A FUTURE FOR DENOMINATIONS
February 19, 2016
One Future for Denominations In reading Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat I was struck with its implications for denominationalism.…
IS THERE SALVATION IN THE CHURCH?
February 17, 2016
An Imaginary Conversation in a Cynical Society Another seismic change has occurred in the way we experience the church. At…
An Experiment in Modern Parables
February 12, 2016
FEBRUARY 15 DEADLINE On Monday, February 15, the final phase of our three phase contest, AN EXPERIMENT IN MODERN PARABLES,…
MY 75TH YEAR AND 48TH YEAR IN THE MINISTRY
February 10, 2016
I CELEBRATE GOD’S GIFT On February 4 I celebrated my seventy-fifth year of life. In September I will have been ordained…
A Pastor’s Lenten Journey
February 3, 2016
Pastors Need Their Own Lenten Experience Ash Wednesday comes very early this year. February 10 seems to be arriving before…
Adjusting to Your Return
January 29, 2016
POST SABBATICAL It is not unusual for a pastor and a pastor’s family to experience what I can best describe…
Litany on return from Sabbatical
January 27, 2016
WELCOMING PASTOR BACK FROM SABBATICAL I thought you might like to see a sample of a litany that a…
SABBATH AS CONGREGTIONAL OPPORTUNITY
January 22, 2016
An Experiment in Sabbath Time Recently, while discussing some sabbatical plans for a pastor, I began imagining with him a…
Sabbaticals, Our Humanity, and Presbyteries
January 20, 2016
PRESBYTERY WITNESS Since we live in a secular society that has lost its appreciation for the Sabbath, and churches…