I told the construction worker that I was a little jealous that my sons got to go to work wearing safety boots and hard hats. With a knowing grin he said, “The grass is always greener.” Then he stopped himself and added, “But I wouldn't want to do what you do.”
In my experience deputies usually perform their task with the wisdom and decorum that is called for. Not everyone agrees.
Churches that tell stories tend to be healthier than those that rely on more traditional means of communication. How might classes incorporate storytelling into their deliberations?
People in the stands see things that might not be noticed on the playing field. But no one is helped by someone yelling from the stands.
At synod this summer I could not shake the feeling that some things were not discussed. Issues of structure and culture, leadership and trends are difficult to address, but an approach for dealing with questions like these can be found in a report that synod took note of without noticing.
The question was out of his mouth before the car door was even closed. He was a new elder and this was his first experience of classis. He’d gone even though he had not been delegated; he was interested, he was free that day, and going to classis is one of the things elders do. But as soon as the meeting was over he asked, “What were we doing here?”
Instead of trying to hold on to experiences or positions, we can let go trusting that God has other people who can carry on and confident that God is preparing new opportunities for us to serve.
Hi, my name is Norman Visser and I will be the new guide for the classis forum. I write as someone who just completed a term as chair of a Classical Ministry Committee. I see this blog as an opportunity to reflect on my experiences, to share what I have learned, and learn from the experiences of others.
The “Diakonia Remixed” report offers a large vision for deacons, one that could potentially reshape the ministry of the entire church. However, changes usually bring unanticipated consequences. For this reason I offer my reflections on the experience of one classis and I would like to hear from others.
