I like democracy. I like the idea of voting. It is one of the things that is great about America. I would want no other system. But I am not so crazy about it in the Church, or at least in the local congregation. In fact through the years as a pastor I have endeavored to see how few of […]
Holidays are hard. Unless you come from a pastor’s family, I am not sure there is any way to really be prepared for how hard the holidays are for a pastor. I know I wasn’t. This is not to whine, but it must be brought out into the open. If you do not deal well with the special challenges of […]
As a pastor when it comes to sports, I am a layman. While I have spent quite a bit of time playing and watching sports, I am a layman. The x’s and o’s and routes and schemes remain a mystery to me. As a pastor when it comes to finances, I am a layman. I have always liked numbers and […]
Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. Pastors have lots of decisions to make every day. What to do? What not to do? How to do what to do? Why not to do what you are not doing? And so on. In the midst of your decisions pastors need to think through the proper combination of new and old things. New Things Start new […]
The “VID”, as we dis-affectionately call COVID-19 at our house, has changed so many things in your life and mine! It made a big change in one of my favorite pastoral activities of the year. As part of our Confirmation process we still have our kids go through a “Question Night.” That consists of having the students sit in front […]
Nothing besides the Bible may have as big an impact on your ministry as sports. No fooling. We are a sports crazy nation. You need to study, understand, utilize and be on guard about sports. Sports as God Far too often the things of God come in second place to sports. Families choose traveling hockey teams over Sunday morning worship. […]
I have been thinking about power this week. A lot of power has been wielded lately. Edicts have been handed out from the White House and state houses. Medical experts have made authoritative pronouncements that have determined what others can and cannot do. Assorted technological platforms have taken over parts of our lives in a fortnight. Individuals are increasingly resisting […]
You ought to get involved in a book club or two along the way. A book club will help you read books properly. Mortimer Adler in his book, “How to Read a Book,” teaches that there is more to reading a book than reading it, much more. Reading, really reading a book, is a very intentional, multi-step process. It is […]
By and large old sayings are true. That’s how they get to be old sayings; their truth endures through time. A stitch in time does save nine. Measuring twice makes the one cut more accurate. Money can buy lots of things but in fact it cannot buy happiness– for long. You can’t be too careful. Or can you? That is […]
Pastors must preserve the good name of parishioners. It’s in the Eighth Commandment. A wise pastor early in my ministry gave me one of the greatest lessons on talking about members. Someone was slicing and dicing a member, and this now sainted pastor said, “I don’t know. If I had been through what he is going through, I probably would […]