I was discussing with some pastors the topic of friendships.  Many pastors have a best friend who is not part of their congregation.  For example:  "My good friend is another pastor in a different state.  I love my parishioners here, but I don't go on vacations with them."On the other hand, I happen to know a pastor whoContinue reading "Pastors and their friends"

Jennifer and I are on the leadership team of the Vineyard national Pastor's Sabbath Retreat at Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisconsin.Our leadership team arrived yesterday and briefed.Today 8 couples arrived from around the United States.  "The purpose of the Pastor's Sabbath Retreat is to provided a directed retreat for the restoration andContinue reading "Pastor’s Sabbath Retreat"

I am all about being consoled, making myself understood and doing everything I can to make sure I am loved.But I noticed this morning as I prayed the famous prayer of St. Francis of Assisi this prominent line ..."Eternal God, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, toContinue reading "Consoling, understanding and loving"

I have great admiration for Jimmy Carter.  I voted for him in 1980 when he lost to Reagan.  One of my favorite bloggers, Eugene Cho of Quest Church in Seattle, included Carter's recent address in one of his recent posts.  Carter explains why he is leaving.  Carter's remarks are global in nature but really interesting.  TakeContinue reading "Jimmy Carter finally leaves Southern Baptist Convention"

John Maxwell says 3 things drive self-preservation ...1.  Fear of change.  Change is inevitable.   It can drive us forward or freeze us in our tracks.2.  No desire to grow.  If you are a leader, it becomes easy to cling to position and not merit.  Learning new skills and breaking up our routine is hard.3.  LossContinue reading "The drive for self-preservaton"

Job lost everything in life,and then got everything back. The latter part was more blessed than the former. Job 42:12-17Good grieving is not only letting go but somehow letting it bless us. Job did that.What Job grieved was over. He didn't get it back. We cannot get back what we grieve. It is over, done,Continue reading "faith to keep looking ahead"

Part of the message of God's Kingdom is learning to lament.  We actually enlarge our soul through grieving and loss.  I have been reading I and II Samuel.  When King Saul and his son Jonathan, David's best friend, were killed in battle, David wrote a lament.  He even ordered that the men of Judah beContinue reading "The Kingdom and the Lament"

I am reading I and II Samuel.  I always like David at first.  I love it when he kills Goliath and the troops are heading home. ... I Samuel 18.  "When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul withContinue reading "King Saul and David … the beginning of the end"