pastoral ministry
Saying good-bye to my congregation
I had to make room for conversations of thanks, forgiveness, love, and good-bye.
Being a pastor within the secular frame means teaching people how to pray
Prayer is ministry, and ministry is prayer.
Three United Methodist pastors and their delight in ministry
A visit to three congregations around Austin, Texas
A radically new vision of mainline church leadership
Helping people think differently in changing times
The witness of Eugene Peterson
Peterson never delivered a formula for success. He just wrote about pastoral work and how to live it.
When small-town pastors put down roots
The ministry of abiding, even in the face of decline, is an offering to God.
Listening all the way into the pulpit
The preacher maintains a sacred conversation between God and the congregation.
A confession about three nails
"Sam," the voice on the phone said, simply. I was transported back 25 years.
What people need from their pastors
The ailing young man wanted to be face to face with God. I opened my shoebox.
Ministry is out of control
Being a pastor is like jumping into a river. You have to let the current take you.
Ministry after communal trauma
In the wake of violence, pastors have to lead people out of hell. Jesus has been there.
Good habits shape good ministers
Even the most mechanical routines can transform our inner lives.
Can retiring pastors mentor their own successors?
Now that 60 is the new 50, creative models are emerging for ministry transitions.
Why I worry about the pastors of politically divided churches
In our current political climate, the preacher struggles to say something both unifying and prophetic.
A church for the kids: Why I still care about denominational politics
Denominational meetings can be difficult. My Sunday school class reminds me what's at stake.
Saving Annville
Preacher has enough violence to satisfy a small planet of adolescent boys. It also has church budget meetings.