Who Is My Neighbor?
by guest blogger Chris Gilmore You’ve heard about the kids in camps at the border. You’ve likely heard that the US government argued in court that it should not have to give these kids blankets, beds, soap, or toothbrushes. And … Continued
How to Run From Healing
If something isn’t quite right in your life but you’re concerned that dealing with the problem might make you uncomfortable, here are a few popular strategies to help you avoid discomfort. STUFF IT. Whenever a thought surfaces that you … Continued
From Victim to Victor
“I don’t know if our marriage can make it,” Jocey* told her pastor. “Rex often loses his cool with our daughter. He’s constantly disrepectful to me.” “I’m so sorry,” Pastor Ammons replied. “This is so painful.” After taking … Continued
Madly Off in All Directions
As a Michigan church launched a strategic planning process, the pastor asked the elders to rate on 1 to 10 scale how united they felt they were in their ministry vision. Their average score was 2. After the consultation, … Continued
What Does the Pot Say to the Potter?
My father’s father was a farmer turned preacher. He planted churches, was a traveling evangelist, and served as a district superintendent. He was bigger-than-life, much loved and admired. After my grandfather died, people would tell me with awe-struck voices, … Continued
My Wounds Are Not My Destiny
In the late ‘90s, the HMO Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control teamed up for a huge study called the Adverse Childhood Experiences study (ACEs)* to explore how childhood trauma impacts people’s health as adults. The survey … Continued
Safety Killers
As I headed to our leadership meeting, my stomach tightened. Hmm, this was becoming the new normal. What would Jackie do today? Shoot down someone’s idea? Complain about being mistreated? Criticize the pastor for doing or not doing something? … Continued
The Broken Cup
Pastor Paul appreciatively accepted the gift of the communion chalice and tucked it into his backpack for safekeeping. When he later opened his backpack, he found shattered shards of pottery. He glued the chalice back together and, despite its visible … Continued
In the Darkest Times
Guest blog by Steven Earp My friend and fellow pastor Steven Earp kindly gave me permission to share these reflections he posted on FaceBook about caring for his wife Chrysty. Even with her health challenges, my precious bride and I … Continued
Why Your Church Needs Conflict (Part 3)
When conflict becomes toxic, it’s usually because it hasn’t been addressed promptly but has been buried and then, as pressure builtds up, it erupts. In Parts 1 and 2 of this blog we have looked at five consequences of … Continued