Oct 6, 2016 | Calling, Depression, discouragement, Leadership, Relationships, Stress, Uncategorized, Work
We are losing pastors in the U.S. at a rate of 1500-2000 every month. A 2015 Survey conducted by Expastor.com, which focused on pastoral health, explains some reasons why. Here are the highlights (actually low-lights) of their research: 81% of pastors at times feel...
Sep 29, 2016 | Family, Marriage, Relationships
Life happens fast. My firstborn son married the love of his life this past June. In a couple of days, my second born son Andrew is doing the same. Two weddings in a little over three months. And as the big day draws near, I’m feeling nostalgic. Andrew, as I...
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...
Jul 15, 2016 | Anger, Forgiveness, friendship, Relationships, Uncategorized, Words
I like to play golf. Don’t play it very well, but still enjoy smacking the ball around. Golfers like me use mulligans occasionally. A mulligan is a do-over: I hit a bad shot, and with permission from my fellow golfers, I pretend that shot never happened, and then I...
May 6, 2016 | Calling, Career, character, Leadership, Marriage, Pastor's Kids, Relationships, Rest, Work
I love football. This past weekend was a football-lover’s dream—the 2016 NFL Draft. Laremy Tunsil, considered the most talented player in the draft, was the surefire #1 pick. Until a photo emerged of him wearing a gas mask attached to a bong. Tunsil tumbled all...
Apr 14, 2016 | Calling, character, Leadership, Relationships, Uncategorized
When I was a kid, one of my favorite games was hide-and-seek. My siblings and I would take turns: One of us went upstairs and counted to twenty, while the rest hid downstairs under boxes, in the furnace room, or in the closet. I liked hiding more than seeking. The...