One of the hardest things about being a pastor is the feeling that what you’re doing isn’t making a difference. You put the work in week in and week out–and for what? People don’t seem to be growing in their faith. Younger generations are disappearing from your church. And you can’t, for the life of…
Shalom is one of my favorite words. What is Shalom? The simple meaning of shalom is “peace.” But shalom is so much more than a mere absence of violence or hostility. It’s about much more than a couple of friends or a couple of nations getting along with each other. Shalom has to with…
One of my favorite things to do with a team of leaders is “dwelling in Scripture.” This is a simple lectio divina exercise that works great with groups. How “Dwelling in Scripture” works What I love about the practice of dwelling in scripture is that it requires absolutely zero preparation. So often, we who…
When I think about toxic influences, I think about “toxic assets.” I learned this term during the recession of 2008. The assets refer to mortgage loans. As the housing market collapsed the value of the properties fell below the value of the loans. Suddenly, these loans became liabilities because the houses that secured the loans…
Ever feel like people expect you to be perfect? Or maybe you expect others to be perfect? Or maybe you find yourself feeling shocked or taken aback or disappointed when your family or your friends or your congregation fall short of your expectations. I’ve certainly been there. On both sides. Those expectations are what we…
Well, if you’re a pastor I hope you got your Easter sermon ready for Sunday. And it better be a good one! I mean, your sermons can be mediocre throughout the year, but you better nail it this Sunday! That’s what you should do! Letting Go of the “Shoulds” It is really easy to…
In this guest article, Dr. David J. Quel shares about his experience raising three Autistic boys. Not only has David been in pastoral ministry for over twenty-five years, he also has a Doctorate in Marriage and Family Counseling and a Master’s degree in Autism Studies. Over the last twenty-one years, I have had the…
Someone said to me recently after church, “Protestants don’t really have a good theology of suffering.” And I think this person is right. In Protestant circles, we tend to focus more on things like: “Victory in Jesus!” “Just believe and it will be yours!” “All things work together for the good of those who love…
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the concept of exile as a way of understanding the challenge of church leadership today. It’s a helpful way of thinking about the church’s place in the world right now, especially in Western culture. What is exile? The truth is, most of us in the West are…
On Tuesday, October 4, I landed in Porto, Portugal, to begin walking the Camino de Santiago. For the next eight days, I would walk anywhere from twelve to twenty miles—a total of about a hundred miles—taking one step after another on my way to Santiago de Compostela. The Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimage…