It was the end of July and I was in full summer mode—sitting by the pool, watching fireflies, having lively debates with friends over the tastiest local ice cream. Mindlessly, I clicked on Facebook, and a happy post by a parishioner popped onto my feed: “Only 150 days…
Everything I know about preaching–or at least some portion of what I think I might understand–I learned from a stomach virus. I have to assume it was a virus that induced the three days of vomiting because I can’t bear the thought it was food poisoning from America’s…
An all-time favorite song for me is “Space Captain”, written by Matthew Moore and recorded by Joe Cocker in 1970. It’s the story of an alien that catches a glimpse of Earth while flying by and, out of curiosity, he turns and lands here, but then laments that…
Several years ago some Australian friends of mine (Deb and Alan Hirsch) introduced our staff to an image that has easily become the most prominent metaphor for how we describe our faith community. The story they told was about the way many ranchers contain their flocks and herds…
Sometimes it comes through email. Sometimes it’s a phone call. The basic question is the same. “This is (insert name) at (you pick) Christian Church. We are looking to hire a (you pick) minister. Do you have any names for me?” I have received plenty of emails and…
In Dr. Theresa Roberts’ book Raising Disciples, she reminds us that, “every child is in the process of discipleship. The question is: What is discipling them?” In my experience as a Youth and College Minister I think of it this way: we are always…
Looking for a ministry job can feel overwhelming and confusing. There are so many different positions and churches out there that it can be difficult to know which one God is leading you towards, or even if he wants you to look to leave your current ministry in…
“Bless the LORD, O my soul and do not forget all his benefits—the one who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit” (Psalm 103:2-3). This past Sunday afternoon, I preached on these verses to my congregation of 40 or…
In April 1969 at the Institute for the Study of Christian Origins in Tuebingen, Germany Canon Douglas Webster began his lecture “The New Testament Concept of the Ministry:” with “…the idea of ministry is unique to Christianity.” He continued, “at the heart of the Christian Gospel…is this whole idea of…
In the summer of 2023 the MRC sent a survey out to its mentoring community regarding the first five years of ministry. The results of this survey showed that there are common areas for growth and learning during the early pivotal period of ministry. Friendship, spiritual direction, understanding…
