The annual service of ordination for new ministers is one of the highlights of the church year. This year it had a decidedly international texture. Seven people were ordained; five men and…
Category: Church Leadership
Encouragement for leaders
JoAnne and I Attended Burmese Bible School Graduation
What a joy for JoAnne and I to attend Burmese Bible School (BBS) graduation on Saturday, Oct. 1. The school has been organized to meet the need for pastors to serve the…
Taking time to celebrate
When I was a young pastor, I didn’t understand the importance of celebration. I guess I must have ignored the fact that the OT has a regular schedule of feasts for the…
A surprisingly effective way to mark in your Bible in color
Write in your Bible I am always encouraging people to personalize their own Bibles by marking verses that have special meaning for them. Most people who do this soon want to categorize…
Celebrating a Unanimous Decision
What a joy it was to lead the special church conference this evening in the consideration of the 50th Anniversary Project. I had felt that there was a positive feeling about…
A key idea behind the two service system
I’ve written a new essay explaining a fundamental change in thinking that is needed in smaller churches if they are to successsfully fulfill the great commission in the area of service to which…
Blessings to Peter and Susan Moon and Family as They Lead at Chambers Camp
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had…
Building up people power
As I move through the senior years of my ministry, I find I am blessed and my ministry is truly enabled by remembering and putting into practice a basic principle of leadership;…
Answering a call for clergy leadership
Letter writer, David C. Ashley, in today’s Post Standard opinion page decried a lack of obvious clergy leadership in changing the climate of political discourse in our country. I have good…
Reflections on a Very Significant Change in My Job over 30 Years.
I have been reflecting recently about how some key changes in our culture have affected pastoral work over the 30 years. Particularly, I have been documenting lately the decreasing number of natural…