October 25, 2012
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Finding Creative Ways of Renewal
Much to the delight of some, renewal occurs in surprising, unintentional ways. This article explores the benefit of peer group programs for pastoral renewal.
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October 24, 2011
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Calling All Who Minister
Has the concept of “calling” been hijacked by the institutional church? I wonder. In our Reformed theological tradition we acknowledge the priesthood of all believers.
August 22, 2011
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Lifelong Learning
Many a young pastor leaves the seminary eager to pursue a life in ministry. Why, then, do so many face debilitating stress after just a few years of service, while others flee the profession before middle age?
April 25, 2011
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Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts — the Church as Family System
In an ecosystem, each plant and creature relies on the functioning of the other to thrive. So it is with church systems.
February 28, 2011
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Rest for the Weary — Being Renewed for Life and Ministry
According to Statistics Canada, almost one-third of working Canadian adults perceive themselves as workaholics. Yes, workaholics put in more hours, but that is not what defines them.
January 10, 2011
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See Change
How many pastors does it take to change a Christian Reformed church? The best and right answer is probably “None.” But that hasn’t kept many of my ilk from trying. Some try wisely, some foolishly. We all pray we’re faithful to God in building up the church and serving in God’s world.
January 10, 2011
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Is Excellence Over-Rated?
The focus on excellence over the last years is not uniquely Christian Reformed, but is prevalent throughout our society in workplaces and institutions of learning. At first glance, a focus on excellence seems excellent!
December 17, 2010
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Emotional Intelligence in Ministry—The Crux of the Matter
Daniel Goleman’s bestselling book Emotional Intelligence: Why It can Matter More than IQ billed itself as “the groundbreaking book that redefined what it means to be smart.” On his blog, Goleman admits that he was surprised when the concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) spread like wildfire.
December 16, 2010
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All I Want for Christmas
With decades-long help from books, friends, and the Scriptures, I am realizing that thoughtless consumerism is daily paying us ever more mini-deaths. How long can God’s world survive our consumerist acquisitiveness?
December 8, 2010
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Life in the Fishbowl
While many pastors feel their profession has moved beyond the “glass house” phenomenon of an earlier era, pastors’ families cannot escape the reality that they still play a central—and highly—visible role in the church.
November 12, 2010
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Engaging God's Mysteries in Preaching—a Book Review
A book review on Preaching with Conviction: Connecting with Postmodern Listeners by Kenton C. Anderson.
October 28, 2010
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“Longing . . . for What?”: A Memorial Message
“Tony” was a maddeningly complex person, whose story I rehearse in the light of Paul’s own autobiographical revelations in Philippians 1:12-26, 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 and Romans 8.
October 26, 2010
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Sabbatical: A Healthy Distance
The lyrics of this 90s-era Bette Midler hit, “From a Distance,” imply that eyeing a situation from afar offers a healthy change in perspective. Many pastors are discovering that, too.
October 25, 2010
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No Longer Alone - Why Friendships Matter in Ministry
Here’s a riddle for you. What is surrounded on all sides, but still stands painfully alone? The answer: the clergy.
October 16, 2010
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"We Are Not Forsaken": a Funeral Sermon
The following is a sermon given at a funeral for a 19-year-old who took his own life (see blog post).
September 13, 2010
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Who, Then, Is an Excellent Pastor?
The Christian Reformed Church now has a $2 million program called “Sustaining Pastoral Excellence.” Notice that it says “sustaining” pastoral excellence and not “producing” such excellence.
September 1, 2010
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Transformation Happens One Step at a Time
The ultimate goal of CRCNA ministries is to transform lives and communities worldwide. Now that’s a goal! How do we even begin to tackle a goal as grand as this? One step at a time.
August 30, 2010
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A Final Question About Leadership: Are We Looking for and Developing Leaders?
This is the last article I plan to post in this series on leadership. I hope that the honest and heartfelt stories count as a helpful, popular, accessible contribution to our conversation and actions about leadership and leaders in the CRC.
August 25, 2010
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When the Pastor's Family Goes Without Shoes
Meeting together to discuss their work and home lives, the members of the peer group say they quickly came to realize that the health of a pastor’s marriage and family life is an important determinant for the health of ministry.
August 23, 2010
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Widening the Circle: Nurturing the Multi-Ethnic Church
The City of Toronto ranks among one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with over 140 languages and dialects spoken there. “Diversity is our Strength” boasts Toronto’s motto, and its population mirrors that vision.
August 19, 2010
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Salesforce for Church - Part II
Salesforce, like Google Apps, is available to non-profits for free, so I truly am not selling anything. I am writing this article to tell you about how I've set up Salesforce for our church to track membership and our offerings.
August 14, 2010
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Leadership in the Church: The Rest of the Story
A frightfully realistic, hence necessary corollary to all axioms of leadership is this: Church leaders WILL trip, stumble and fall. Not all will do irreparable damage to themselves or others as they fall; sometimes no one but God notices. Regardless, the result is always disheartening.
August 10, 2010
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Salesforce for Church - Part I
Salesforce, like Google Apps, is available to non-profits for free. I am writing this article to tell you about how I've set up Salesforce for our church to track membership and our offerings.
August 9, 2010
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Risks of Resurrection—or ALMOST the "Rest of the Story"
James C. Dekker, pastor of Covenant Christian Reformed Church in St. Catharines, Ontario, remembers that he never was able to practice personal devotions faithfully until he suffered his own mini-death and found hope from Christ’s resurrection from once-broken colleagues.
June 30, 2010
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Confluence for Congregational Leadership — or a River Runs Through It
In “Leadership: A Working Definition,” the Christian Reformed Church’s Leadership Development Team calls its fourth leadership principle “confluence.” Let's explore “confluence” by using the following river metaphor.