'Pastor, this group feels left out.' If you have been in pastoral ministry for any length of time, and especially in a multi-generational established church, you have most likely had something like that said to you. A common struggle of pastoral ministry is navigating the competing interests of sub-groups within a church. Reflecting upon 23 years of pastoral ministry, I d...
Keep ReadingWHEN I WAS A YOUNG BOY When I was in Grade 6 my teacher asked the entire class if anyone wanted to participate in a public speaking event being held at the school. Whomever participated would be required to research, memorize and recite their findings for the entire student body. Unsurprisingly no one volunteered. For whatever reason, myself and my friend were voluntol...
Keep ReadingThen the Lord said to Moses, "What is in your hand?" When it comes to the idea of church planting, I, in a lot of ways, feel like Moses. I haven't yet planted a church. In fact, it's still very, very early days in the process. My walk down this path is still young, and I have a lot to learn. But the weight of what I'm doing and what I could be doing in the future, lays...
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One of the great things about Christmas is the music. And if you are struggling to warm up to the season, the familiar tunes of Christmas are a surefire way of getting you in the festive mood. There are so many great Christmas carols that it is a shame we only sing them one month of the year....
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Keep ReadingMy short answer? Absolutely! Here's why . . . I've been part of many conversations about church planting here in St. John's, NL. And especially among long-time church members, the response is fairly typical. Why do we need more churches when the churches that already exist are not nearly full? For the record, all of my 23 years of pastoral ministry has been in establishe...
Keep ReadingWe've all had this experience before in some way or another: you're talking with a fellow disciple and they say something along the lines of 'so, I was praying last night, and I told God that I wasn't going to do'. When we hear of such prayers, our initial reaction is one of dismay knowing exactly how such a prayer typically ends. That was me 16 years ago. I did just ...
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