Life Lessons From a Hurricane: What Irma Left Behind
We live in Central Florida. We’re still cleaning up and putting our lives back in order following the visit this past week of Hurricane Irma. You wouldn't believe the things Irma damaged and destroyed. A hurricane has a way of reinforcing life’s important lessons, and believe me, she (in this case) can be a very intense teacher: she doesn’t take “no” for an answer; she is relentless; she drives her point home over and over...
Creatalytical: Two New Expressions for the American Lexicon
The English language is ever reinventing itself. Unlike French, a language that seeks to protect itself from change (and for good reason), English is a chameleon, ever changing to reflect its changing culture. Consider these words from the 1930s and 1940s, words once common in American life, but no longer even recognized: “zooty,” “spiffy,” “steppin’,” or “George.” Or these words in current use, but never imagined in the 1930s or 1940s: “selfie,” “side-eye,” “download,” or...
Does God Really Pull Leaders Out of a Hat?
Recently, I heard someone say that Christian leaders often “appear out of nowhere.” Like a magician waving a wand, repeating the magic word, “abracadabra,” and pulling rabbits out of a hat, God pulls Christian leaders out of the air, magically equips them, and then places them. The speaker’s point of reference was Joshua and his selection as leader of Israel after its failed attempt to enter the Promised Land – failed in that their deliverance...
How Many Young Ministers Are We Willing to Lose?
Two Questions . . . Studies of the past all too reliably predict that many young ministers of the Gospel gave up this Tuesday, August 1, 2017: They walked away from the ministry. Many of them even walked away from the church itself. How many more will walk away Wednesday, August 2, 2017, and in the days and years to follow? Studies of the past also reliably prove that the single most effective action a...
Pastoring Passed Down Part II: Lessons From a 2nd Century Pastor & Martyr
Over the past year, my email inbox has included far too many articles with headlines like these: Epidemic: Another Pastor Burned Out and Quit Last Sunday Pastoral Stress and Burnout Why Pastors Walk Away The Secret Pain of Pastors I could go on and on. We can debate the numbers, but it’s not the numbers that are the issue: it’s the people. There are pastors who wrestle with themselves every day, working with all they...
Pastoring Passed Down: Lessons From a 2nd Century Pastor & Martyr
“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” II Timothy 2.2 Pastoring is passed down. From one life to another, pastoring is passed down. To be sure, pastoring is a calling. It is Jesus, the Head and Good Shepherd of the church who calls individuals to pastor His people. But although pastoring begins with Jesus’ call, it does not...
Lessons They COULDN’T Teach You in Seminary
I was privileged to formally study for the ministry in two schools: a Bible College and a seminary. Both of these schools gave me a quality education for life in ministry, specifically, pastoral ministry. Given the opportunity to go back and attend or not attend each one, I most certainly would choose to do so (Especially the Bible College because that’s where I pursued a double major: pastoral studies and pursuing the young lady who...
Could it Be the Church’s “Most Crucial Ministry?”
Over the past year, I’ve had far more, shall we say, “conversations” with health professionals than I would like. I’ve had more examinations, tests, blood work, etc than I ever thought possible. Doctors have worked hard for my health, not only endeavoring to find and fix my problems, but to help me build well and wisely for a lifetime of healthy living. In other words, their focus is not just on stopping my pain or...
Self-Coaching: 20 Questions to Ask Your Client – Part II
In Part I of Journey’s blog post on Self-Coaching, we briefly considered David’s habit of self-coaching, a discipline that sustained him through the pressures of leadership, issues like: his own internal stress; gossip against his person and leadership; impending danger; the attacks of the people he led; the possible breakup of the community. I Samuel 30.6: “David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the...© [2015] — Journey Pastoral Coaching