I'm a minister in the Christian Reformed Church. I grew up in Oskaloosa, Iowa, attended Calvin College and Seminary, and served three congregations--in Lambertville, Michigan, Littleton, Colorado, and Grand Rapids, Michigan--before serving as Vice President for Administration and Professor of Preaching at Calvin Seminary. After ten years at CTS I have done interim ministries, taught courses and Calvin College and Calvin Seminary, and done organizational consulting.
Are you normal? At one level, of course, that’s a rather benign question. But we don't have to think about it very long to realize the question has an edge to it. What is normal? What is abnormal? Is anyone “normal?”
We all know that deep change in individuals or organizations is rare. This webinar asks, "In these rare instances of deep change, what happened?"
John Richard suffered a chemical imbalance in his brain that caused him to be overwhelmed by his fears. Thank God that he has now been delivered from all his fears.
What are some healthy congregational practices that will help pastors and other leaders to flourish?
Thanks, Syd.
It certainly can. I just think we overestimate how much our preaching connects with people's lives. I thought it was interesting that the post begins with her cry of the heart and then all of a...
I'd rather talk about the 40 year old mom's cry of the heart.
One of the challenges is getting good data. "Seminary trained pastors are more effective." Oh? Where's the data? What is your definition of effective? How do you measure effectiveness? "...
Thanks for this, James. A wonderful piece. Your description of the stemwinder and the theological impulses behind that rhetorical style reminds me of three essays Henry Stob wrote in way back in...
Thanks for this piece, Sam! On your last point about the Spirit and Scripture, I'll never forget how Henry Stob put it years ago when he was sitting in the seminary coffee shop with a group of us...
More than one leader in the CRC who heard Jamie deliver this speech said afterward, "I've been waiting for twenty years for someone to say this!." Of course many people say this, often, but...
I appreciate your post, Neil. To expand 3.c., the need for information, I find that often an organization is unaware of what it has already done on a particular issue. Often there is a...
Thanks Judy. I appreciate your fuller explanation of who you are and what you're doing in this area. I would like to have contact information for you for future reference. You can send it to...
Couldn't agree more on the leadership challenges we face in training pastors as excellent leaders. And on some of the negative traits in some pastors. Pray for Norm Thomasma and Cecil Van...