One of These Things Is Not Like the Other
My week this week has involved a couple of different hospital systems. Each time I find myself wandering aimlessly in the hospital halls, I inevitably run into hospital staff and doctors all of whom...
View ArticleOn Pastoring an Open and Affirming Congregation
When I came to Emmanuel as the Interim Pastor, I didn’t know that this was a congregation who was breaking stereotypes and setting the stage for what it means to be an open and affirming congregation....
View ArticleMy Pastor’s Pregnant
The second Wednesday I was serving as Interim Pastor, I made the mistake of asking how many people at the church had had a woman pastor before. Only two raised their hands. Honestly, it surprised me...
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Serving Together
This Sunday, we served communion after we participated in #chimewithcharleston as a way to remind ourselves not only of Jesus’ sacrifice, but also the sacrifice of the nine people who were following...
View ArticlePart-Time vs. Bivocational Ministry
At the CBF General Assembly this year, I led a breakout session about bivocational ministry. Throughout my time in divinity school, we talked about the future of ministry being bivocational ministry,...
View ArticleOn Carrying Each Other’s Burdens
I’ve never been in combat nor have I ever trained to be in combat, but I know good people who have given body and mind to training and serving. They have told me that when one of your fellow soldiers...
View ArticleOn Getting the Last Word
I was in Target, which is not an uncommon place for me to find myself as we await Baby H’s arrival. As I was standing in line, there was a frenzy of activity in the returns and customer service...
View ArticleThe State of Our Churches
As I watched the State of the Union address last night, I realized it would serve us well as ministers and churches to reflect on the state of our churches just as the president does every year with...
View ArticleThe LGBTQ Question
When I was approached by a member of our church to perform the wedding to her girlfriend, I wasn’t surprised or shocked. Since I started classes in seminary, I knew that this would be a part of my...
View ArticleWhat’s Your Pastor Worth?
The problem with answer this question is that the answer is decidedly different if your woman is a pastor and your woman is a man. A study reveals the shameful reality that women clergy are making 76...
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Solitary Silos
Being a minister is really hard. Being a minister during this transformational time in church history, is even harder. There is a temptation while looking at declining budgets, declining memberships,...
View ArticleChurch is Not a Business
When I was in my second year of seminary expressing the desire to purse a call to the pastorate, I was told by more than one person that if I wanted to be a senior pastor I needed to start either as a...
View ArticleMinisters are not Rock Stars or Celebrities
Ministers are not rock stars. Ministers are not celebrities. It has to be said. It just does. It has to be said because there is a minister asking for a plane. It has to be said because there is a...
View ArticleSitting at the Table
As I watched the Democratic Town Hall Meeting, I was struck by the relative calmness the candidates maintained. Now, I know enough about politics to know that these candidates are coached by handlers...
View ArticleBlack and White, Right and Wrong
There were many sermons as I grew up on absolute truths, including that women were not called to be preachers and divorce was wrong. I remember when that comfortable, certain theology started to break...
View ArticleWhy Churches Should Pay Attention to Bernie’s Win in NH
Last night, Bernie Sanders won big in the New Hampshire primary. This was not a .2% victory like Hillary’s in Iowa, but a 59.9% to 38.5% win. Does this mean Bernie will be the democratic candidate? No....
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You’re Doing It All Wrong
This note fell out of my car yesterday. I found it in the parking lot as I was putting Ben back in the car and headed to Emmanuel Baptist Fellowship. It happened to fall into my path at a moment when...
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To Love is to Call By Name
I’ve just recently finished re-reading Walking on Water by Madeline L’Engle. I’ve had the experience of having the book mean something completely different to me during this time of my life. That’s...
View ArticleUncovering Spiritual Abuse: Where Spiritual Abuse Happens
There is no one place spiritual abuse happens, but since spiritual abuse is the misuse of power of a spiritual leader, spiritual abuse often happens in the sanctuaries, the fellowship halls, and...
View ArticleUncovering Spiritual Abuse: Avoiding Difficult Conversations
Although many ministers called for the Methodist to make a decision about the LGTBQ question during General Conference this week, a group of bishops has been commissioned to study the LGBTQ issue and...
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