By Ken Sehested The Blessed One does not stand in need of our praise; nor sits impatiently, impudently, awaiting our genuflection; nor strides restively, demandingly, threateningly, toward our cowering pose. No, none of this. There is no protection to be…
‘Real Preachers of L.A.’ are for real
As if we didn’t need another “Real (fill in the blank) of (fill in the blank)” reality show, the Oxygen Network premiered “Real Preachers of L.A.“. I suppose it was only a matter of time that preachers/ministers would get their…
Why Paige Patterson’s anti-outsider stance is wrong
By Christa Brown Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary president Paige Patterson preaches that churches should resolve their conflicts internally and should not take them to “the world of unbelief.” This means, he explains, that when a person has been “offended ……
Do female pastors have to be feminists?
As I have adjusted to the life of a minister, I wonder if there are some assumptions that are attached to being a female pastor. In discussing with another female pastor, we both commented as to whether there would be…
It’s not about the nail
By Leroy Seat Recently a family member forwarded a YouTube video that is making the rounds, written and produced by Jason Headley, titled “It’s Not About the Nail.” If you haven’t seen it, the 1 minute, 42 second video is…
They want their next pastor to do what?
Beyond the ability to be faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, what else do congregations want from their next senior or solo pastor? At the request…
Can I get a witness — again?
By Bill Leonard This month Mercer University Press will release Can I Get a Witness?: Essays, Sermons and Reflections, a collection of materials that I have written during the last few years. Most are previously unpublished, except for a few…
Does your pastor need a doctorate?
I just heard a story about 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. And I found myself thinking, “How uneducated.”…
What Millennials don’t want from the church
By Rachel Sloan Life as a Millennial is hard. My iPhone is over a year old and does not have Siri. The Internet at my apartment is pretty slow. My Apple laptop is HUGE and does not have retina display….