The most pressing question for me is, how are we supposed to navigate the challenge of pastoral care?
“Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson
Ministers should read this book simply because it’s a great novel, but it also offers training in the excavation of the soul. (Fiction)
Be the Best Part
I want the people whom I come in contact with to leave our time together, whether brief or extended, and think, “That was the best part of my day.”
“Behave” by Robert M. Sapolsky
The book is trying to answer a very basic question: in any particular moment, why do human beings behave badly or with deep goodness? (Nonfiction)
The Future Is Coming Quickly
What is church supposed to look like when the primary expressions of congregational life and ministry and mission are no longer available to us?
On Death, COVID-19, and Easter
Like my brothers in the prison, suddenly we are all hoping that death won’t have the last word.
Where Does Our Help Come From? (Ps. 121:1)
When the sting of death and pandemic turns into a dull denial and numb reality, where do we find hope?
Being Re-Membered
If Holy Thursday teaches us anything, it’s that Jesus is in the business of putting souls back together that have been torn apart by grief and fear.
A Chance to Do Church in a Radically Different Way
If you share a house with family members or roommates, then do family church instead of (or in addition to) online church.
War Books by Kevin Powers, Phil Klay, and Ben Fountain
All three books contain some harrowing war scenes but the books are as much about the aftermath of war as the war itself. (Fiction)
Dark Season, Renewed Hope
What will follow this season remains to be seen, but it will certainly alter what church looks like and how we practice the way of Jesus. What should leaders do as we enter into this uncertain and challenging time?
Who You Callin’ “Non-Essential”?
One of the most powerful spiritual gifts a leader can possess is the ability to make each member feel essential.
Passion Week Meditation
What’s a congregation to do? In these days of sheltering in place and quarantine and physical distancing, who is going to show up and celebrate an empty tomb?
Stock Up on Hand Sanitizer, Toilet Paper, and Your Crisis Communication Plan
If this whole coronavirus mayhem has taught me anything, it’s that we seriously have no idea what is going to hit church leaders next and that panic spreads worse than the virus.
A Journey of Inclusion (Part 2)
As we endeavor to correct unconscious bias and ultimately lean into what it means to be more Christlike, I invite you both personally and in your faith communities to consider the following three statements.
“The Black Swan” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The most profound experiences in our ministry and lives will be tiger attacks – that is, things we could never see coming. (Nonfiction)
Serving in a Surviving Church
What can a graying congregation in a shrinking rural community do?
Things, New and Old: A Reflection on Wineskins
It may be that we have let our love of old things get in the way of our love for the creative power of God breaking into our world.
Leading Your Church Through the Pandemic
This global pandemic doesn’t have to wreck your church, but it will reveal your church’s latent leadership strengths or weaknesses.
“The North Water” by Ian McGuire
The North Water by Ian McGuire is by no means a Moby Dick knockoff, but let's just say it partakes of the mood and spirit of that great novel. (Fiction)