When I was a young man in my first full-time pastoral position, I served under a very wise and kind man named Bill. We were on opposite ends of our careers. I was hired as a youth pastor, fresh from school full of vim and vigor. Bill was in the final years of his pastoral caree...
for the end of the year, and just in general are long. We always have things to do. I expected that once our children were all out of the house and on their own that we would have a bit more time to relax. And, I suppose, some of the time that is true. We no longer ...
it won’t get done; that if I am unavailable, everything will fall apart. It amazes me how common that view is among pastors and ministry leaders. But I discovered during my time off that I am not indispensable. Nothing bad happened. Ministry went...
Over the past several days, I have had multiple conversations about clergy who have fallen from their positions in disgrace and sin. Hearing such stories always breaks my heart because such clergy often wind up victimizing those for whom they are called to care and scandalizing the Church. Sadl...
Our suspect spiritual hearing leads us to places and positions that God not have in mind for us. When we only listen to God when the time is right or our schedule permits, it’s comparable to a math student trying to understand calculus right after he has learned the multiplication tables...
” He entered the large lobby, chewing on a piece of gum, hair done perfectly right, clothing in style, and spoke to no one. No one, except those who in his mind, mattered. He quickly climbed that so-called ladder, rose to more influential, higher paying, and well known positions, ...
Jesus, help our daughters to grow up to be beautiful in your sight. May we have both men and women of gospel-motivated character in positions of leadership in our world so that our world may continue in peace and harmony, with great productivity. And through this, Lord, may your name be...
“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”— John 20:21b The church as the extension of the incarnation into time and space and the rest of the world throughout history — God’s hands and feet! “Christ Has No Body,”St. Teresa of Avila ...
The first is sin. Where there are people, there is the possibility that people will misbehave. But that is true of any organization. In the church, people can give into the lure of power and prestige and use their positions for personal gain or glory. Even a cursory glance at the gospel...
1 Timothy 2:1-3 says, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet life, godly, and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of ...