A few things have converged to bring this post about: I’ve heard an increased chatter on bivocational pastors – pastors who have a full time job, and a church. A friend and I had a discussion on how it is assumed that women with children don’t have the time or energy to do anything that […]
Some people hate to say “I’m sorry” or “I was wrong” Those aren’t my thing. It is easy for me to admit fault in those ways. However, even typing this next sentence is emotionally trying. I hate to say “I don’t know.” And, I’m married to a very inquisitive man. He asks questions – usually […]
Something is in the air. You can sense it on Sunday, you can sense it in the workplace. Even the vast drop in church attendance in the last decade is evidence. We can look at what is changing (technology, split families, recession) and find reasons why things shouldn’t change, or we can look for what […]
Wouldn’t it be great if your community knew that your church is the place that people get help? If your congregants were known on the job and in the neighborhoods as people to go to when you need help? What if your computer genius was known for finding creative solutions to programs that made a difference? […]
Would you risk more if your view of God expanded and changed? I woke up Sunday morning with the song below going through my head. So, all week, in my quiet moments, I’ve been contemplating – what does it mean to me that God is I AM? I know what it meant to the Israelites […]
Have you ever wondered if God called you to something more? John 1:6 “There was a man sent from God whose name was John.” This simple verse tells us a lot – it tells us that the man we know as John the Baptist somehow stood out. It was obvious to others that he was […]
When your world is crashing, and your stress level is to the roof, it is tempting to think that if a few things would just change, then we could really trust God. The thing is that we are complex people. When our emotions are engaged, or traumatized from the past, our natural response is to […]
Does a good pastor know everyone in his/her congregation? In short, my answer is yes AND no. As always, I am sharing my thoughts in order to facilitate conversation, because I believe we are all richer when we can understand each other, so feel free to comment. First, why a pastor doesn’t need to know […]
I am so grateful for the diverse people I interact with online. The Biblical Leadership Principles group on LinkedIn gets a special shout out for having a great conversation with me as I wrestled these last few posts (What should church look like? and Is smaller church better?). I am also extremely grateful for a […]
My post on small church continues to reverberate in my mind. I started a fun conversation with @angelaswisdom. I think it is good for us to struggle with what church looks like, and whether we are creating something that is not really what God intended. Recently, one of my amazing children gave me a strong rebuke […]