I had a first-ever experience recently flying out of New York’s LaGuardia airport. The weather was deteriorating, but we boarded our flight on time, … [Read more...] about Headwinds Help Us Fly: Can resistance in church be an asset?
Where Is Your Parish?
One of the polarities every minister must navigate is between ministry within the congregation, and ministry in the surrounding community. Is the … [Read more...] about Where Is Your Parish?
Success or Signifigance?
The novelist Walker Percy often said that the trouble with most people is that they are not up to anything significant. Bob Buford once wrote a book … [Read more...] about Success or Signifigance?
Christmas lessons
Our current Christmas celebration habits are a uniquely post-WW2 phenomena. Much of the excess we experience stands at odds with the way Western … [Read more...] about Christmas lessons
Describe a healthy pastor search process, please
The search process for a new pastor is both and exhilarating and a risky time for a congregation. Healthy congregations go at this task from the … [Read more...] about Describe a healthy pastor search process, please
Our Hidden Addiction
You know all too well that our society is prone to addictions. We do nearly everything to excess. Not just the obvious culprits: alcohol, gambling, … [Read more...] about Our Hidden Addiction
The Rise of Church Discipline
Have you noticed our tendency to try and control others with rules? We started with Ten Commandments. That led to Jewish scholars noting that the … [Read more...] about The Rise of Church Discipline
New Clergy Deserve a Chance
A recent column on the surge of churches calling pastors in their fifth decade evoked a wide range of responses. Many came from mid-career clergy who … [Read more...] about New Clergy Deserve a Chance
Prime Time
One thing that is predictable about pastor search committees is that they all want something similar: a great preacher, an amazing administrator who … [Read more...] about Prime Time