There is a thin line between defending women in ministry and objectifying women in ministry. Women have a long history of objectification, that unfortunately isn’t history. There are some days when I come home and I think through the day…
The conversation churches do not want to have
By Bill Wilson Our current economy, coupled with the ongoing transitions in congregational life and ministry focus, have combined to create intense pressure on church staffing models. With finances tight, congregations are being forced to take stock of the number…
Buyer’s remorse for pastor search committees
Members of pastor search committees often experience buyer’s remorse. Buyer’s remorse is when a person or a family has made a large purchase, a house or a car, for example, and then they begin to second-guess their decision. Regret sets…
Does your pastor need a doctorate?
By Mark Wingfield Hearing a story about yet another medium-sized church in a small town where a personnel committee desired above all that their next pastor have the title “Dr.” in front of his name, I found myself thinking, “How…
Congregations need sabbatical and jubilee
Congregations need a hopeful learning season that will help them see the same things they have seen for many years in a different way. This gives them insight into what it will take to continually transform congregational life. Likely this…
Unwrapping the church
By Amy Butler Let’s be honest: at the start of my pastorate I had no idea what I was doing. Combined with my glaring inexperience, that first year of pastoral ministry also carried a heavy weight of congregational expectation: “Finally…
On serving God or money (and why Dave Ramsey should stick to personal finances)
When we as Christians formulate our opinions on social concerns, there are a number of Jesus’ teachings that we seem to forget. In the running for the top, most forgotten principle is Jesus’ quote in Matt 6:24/Luke 16:13: “You cannot…
A feast of ‘splendid nobodies’
By Molly T. Marshall Each fall I teach a course titled “Spirituality and Creativity” with the entering cohort in our create program, a rather up-tempo form of the master of divinity. We meet at Conception Abbey, a hospitable Benedictine monastery…
Forever Changed #8: acts of love and sacrifice
I know that some of you are statisticians and so this is for you. Here is an example of a “donut of misery” that reflects my time in Iraq. Still a long way to go.I chuckle at the thought of…