July 28, 2020
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Running in Mud: Life Lessons From the Farm
It's a muddy time and we should just name it and let go of that image of running fast or any false gods of productivity that we carry.
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February 19, 2018
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Martin Luther King Jr. – April 4, 1968 – 50 Years Ago
What are you doing to help move your heart from “here” to “there” in your own journey of responding to the dream of Martin Luther King Jr.?
December 26, 2017
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Medenblog: “What Do You Take for Granted?”
This is a time of year for giving thanks and making memories with family and friends. It's also a time of year when we promise to NOT take things for granted. And yet, we do. How can we do better in this area?
August 6, 2017
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Pastor Prejudice
Some recent conversations I've had with churches, pastors, and candidates prompt me to name a reality that exists and needs to be challenged. The reality is that there is a prejudice against two groups of pastors.
July 7, 2017
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Why Go to Seminary? Hoop, Hurdle, or Vital Necessity?
I keep a growing list of why seminary education is more than just helpful — it is vital for church leaders and the church. Here are three of my top reasons for attending seminary.
May 21, 2017
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Last Lectures, Commencement and Calling
So: what is your calling? How do you frame how God has gifted you and formed you for His purposes? You don’t have to be a student on commencement or a retiring faculty member to be a person of calling.
April 16, 2017
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Navigating the Cobblestones: Christian Leadership in Difficult Times
We tell our students that if you are leading, you should have an understanding that difficult circumstances are either present or just around the corner. Here are a few principles for navigating these challenges.
March 1, 2017
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Getting Sand in Your Shoes
I've seen people struggle to make adjustments to living and ministering in Florida. I've seen ministries not connect to their local community because they aren't willing to get a little sand in their shoes.
February 1, 2017
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When Were You Last Filled With Awe?
I am challenged by Acts 2:43 but am also encouraged that God is still orchestrating awe-filled moments if we only pay attention with open eyes, open ears, and especially an open heart.
December 29, 2016
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What Do You Treasure?
The memories that sustain us and the treasures that last are always framed by relationships. In this season, I will never forget the privilege of coming to the bedside of that young mother who died on Christmas morning.
November 30, 2016
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Sorrow, Joy, and Gratitude
We sometimes separate praise and lament—which are really just outcries of our joys and sorrows—as if they don’t belong together. But I've found that the relationship is more complicated than that.
November 3, 2016
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Not at Our Doorstep, but in Our Homes: The World Is Here at Calvin Seminary
I am normally not one to present lists but I believe there is a deepening of appreciation and understanding by reading the 34 countries of origin and 22 countries of citizenship represented at the Seminary this fall.
October 4, 2016
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141 Years and Counting!
On Sept. 7, we celebrated the beginning of our 141st year of ministry as Calvin Theological Seminary. While we weren't present when the ministry began, our commitment to teach and pray remains. Thanks be to God!
September 12, 2016
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The Necessary Link of Leadership
For some people, China and Chicago are worlds apart, but what links them together is an understanding that the church needs more and better leaders and a desire to equip leaders for its mission.
July 5, 2016
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A Long Obedience in the Same Direction
Today we remember your first steps of obedience. You received a call from God to go to seminary. You moved. You sold a home. Your kids changed schools. You sacrificed to follow this call.
June 6, 2016
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On the Edge of Commencement: A Blessing and a Challenge
Today can be a testament to achievement but may today also be a reminder of how you are instruments of His grace. Be joyful in hope, be patient in affliction and be faithful in prayer.
May 3, 2016
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A Friend of the Scripture: Dr. Arie Leder's Last Lecture
For 29 years, Professor Arie Leder has stimulated and challenged the hearts and minds of students at Calvin Seminary. See how he summarized his teaching experience in just forty minutes.
March 31, 2016
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Holy Discontent
We've just come through the Lenten journey – days in the wilderness, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and finally Easter – we may think we have “arrived,” but we have not.
January 29, 2016
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Resolution and Grace
Resolutions take sustained effort and focus. Many people I know no longer make resolutions because they recognize that they will most likely fail– so why even start?
March 12, 2015
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Learning Together: Church Renewal Learning Laboratory
As a result of being a church pastor in the same church for sixteen years, I have come to the conclusion that the DNA of church planting is in alignment with the DNA of church renewal...
October 22, 2014
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An "Ordinary" Pastor
I once read that we are changed by the people we meet and the books we read. I am a person changed by Pastor Case Admiraal.
April 11, 2014
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How Do You Measure Impact?
In life and in ministry, I need to be reminded that what I have related to as “initial success” is different than “impact.”
November 26, 2013
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A Few Pictures From the Road
One of the blessings of being President of Calvin Theological Seminary is the privilege of connecting with a number of people and places. I'd like to highlight one stop. It was at Third CRC in Denver that I saw a number of baby pictures hanging on the walls.
September 17, 2013
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Deep Skimming: What Would You Recommend?
Last month I asked for your help in co-teaching the Leadership in Ministry course at Calvin Seminary. Thank you for the great insights and questions that were provided. As we continue the conversation, what book would you recommend that our students dive into as part of their surveying the literature and gaining their bearings for their journey as servant leaders?
July 23, 2013
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Leadership in Ministry Course - Your Input Needed
In preparation for a course I'll be co-teaching this fall, I'd like your input on what we can do more fully prepare our graduates for ministry. Finish the sentence "I wish Calvin Seminary prepared students more in…." and post your response in the comments.