by Barry Howard | Aug 15, 2017 | Jesus
Just prior to closing the door, I noticed it. “JESUS” was upside down. A few days ago, an unexpected wave of emotion swept over me as I was preparing to leave the pastor’s study of First Baptist Church for the final time as the senior pastor. With an open Bible, an...
by Barry Howard | May 30, 2017 | prayer
During my years as a pastor, the question I have been asked most frequently is “Where is God when bad things happen?” The question may follow a devastating storm, an unexpected diagnosis, or a catastrophic event. The contexts vary but the query is the same. This...
by Barry Howard | May 16, 2017 | Uncategorized
One of the most enriching and fatiguing things about church life these days is the vast diversity within most local congregations. During some recent days of self-reflection and ministry evaluation, I spent some time thinking about why I feel more fatigued these days...
by Barry Howard | Feb 7, 2017 | clergy, spiritual discernment
While searching for a particular volume in my library, another book caught my attention. The Pastor: A Memoir, by Eugene Peterson, is an inspiring autobiographical account of what it means to be called to pastoral ministry and to live out that vocation in a unique...
by Barry Howard | Nov 8, 2016 | Christian, church disciplines
A few years ago, as I welcomed a first-time visitor to our worship service, he said to me abruptly, “I am looking for a church where the preacher preaches the Bible and doesn’t talk about theology and all of that kind of stuff.” I knew then I was in trouble because I...
