It was early in my pastoral ministry. I still thought my primary job was to please people and make them happy, ensure their comfort, and leave them … [Read more...] about Agreeable disagreement
The Opposable Mind
Our culture is polarized in almost every sector of life. Recent data published by the Pew Research Center suggests that the trend towards entrenchment … [Read more...] about The Opposable Mind
Learning from Politics?
People are going to the polls today, and this election day starts the one-year countdown in a presidential campaign which seems already to have gone … [Read more...] about Learning from Politics?
Pastoral Care: Ministering to the pastor
Have you ever been in a church whose pastor resigned to leave the ministry? It’s an unsettling proposition for all involved. Yet, too often, it is the … [Read more...] about Pastoral Care: Ministering to the pastor
Belonging and Believing – Healthy Churches and Healthy Dialogue
A Continuing Fragmented Reality During my days in seminary, I passionately uttered the following phrase in the middle of an evening class on … [Read more...] about Belonging and Believing – Healthy Churches and Healthy Dialogue
Three Signs of a Healthy Church
After thirty-seven years of working in and alongside churches, I believe church health may be the best lens available to assess the culture of today’s … [Read more...] about Three Signs of a Healthy Church
Healthy Beginnings Matter for Pastor Search Process
In a recent training event for congregational conflict interventionists, one of our CHC team members heard Richard Blackburn, a Lombard Peace Center … [Read more...] about Healthy Beginnings Matter for Pastor Search Process
There’s no excuse
Are you an excuse maker? When someone makes a compelling case for action or movement, are you prone to start your response with the phrase “Yes, … [Read more...] about There’s no excuse
Put your heart into it!
Recently, our staff was talking about things our parents would tell us that we find ourselves repeating to our children or ourselves. We had to admit … [Read more...] about Put your heart into it!
