Sep 14, 2017 | Anger, Emotional Health, friendship, Relationships, Uncategorized
Anger might be the most misunderstood emotion of all time. We’ve been created by God with the capacity to experience strong emotions—anger being one of them. Anger happens when someone violates you or crosses a healthy boundary you’ve established. Anger is part...
Aug 31, 2017 | Calling, friendship, Loneliness, Ministry Leader, Missionary, Pastor, Relationships
Today we welcome back a good friend to the Converge Coaching blog… Dave Barringer. Dave is a husband, father, a friend of mine, an author. . . check out his book here . . . and the pastor of a growing church. Hope you enjoy his contribution ~ John In 20 years of...
Jun 29, 2017 | Change, Depression, discouragement, Fear, friendship, Relationships, Stress
I feel discombobulated. In the past twelve months, three of my sons married the girl of their dreams. My fourth son graduated from Walsh College. Twelve months ago, Laura and I took on part-time responsibility for a new church plant, in addition to our full-time gig...
Apr 20, 2017 | friendship, Leadership, Loneliness, Ministry Leader, Pastor, Relationships
Can a lead pastor have close friends? This question was posed to me by a client last week. My initial reaction? “Yes of course.” But as we dug deeper, he wondered if it’s safe/advisable to be close friends with his staff and congregation. The longer we talked,...
Mar 16, 2017 | Calling, Career, discouragement, friendship, Leadership, Quitting, Uncategorized
I get to talk with pastors and other ministry leaders for a living. It’s a privilege to walk alongside these men and women, and listen to their joys and heartaches, their hopes and fears, their victories and defeats. Wonderful people, each one of them. Yet for a...
Sep 15, 2016 | Calling, discouragement, Fear, friendship, Relationships, Uncategorized
A famous proverb begins: “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but…” Perhaps no words ring truer for pastors than these. There’s a second part to that proverb… but I’ll share it with you in a bit. When I was a pastor—especially during my years as a lead pastor—the...
