Confidentiality
Church leaders receive a lot of inside information. Having been in ordained ministry for almost forty years, I could tell you story after story about the personal lives of people. People have allowed me as a pastor into their homes, into their lives, and into their personal spaces. But would I share these stories? Abso...
Bulls do not belong in a china shop! Can you just imagine the disaster and damage that would occur? I love looking for unusual gifts in stores. When I shop I often wear a backpack. I am so cautious knowing that a quick turn here or there could topple some items off the shelves. A bull left alone in a china shop is a wh...
When it comes to making decisions, are you impulsive or are you cautious? As a person? As a leader? Recently I texted a church leader and followed up with a phone call. I was asking him to make a leadership decision. This is what leaders are often called to do. People expect leaders to make deci...
At Synod 2022 that just met in Launceston (TAS), 1-6 May 2022, I gave my final report to Synod in my current role as Ministry Development Coach. I have been serving the CRCA in this role since 2007 as part of Ministry Formation. In my final report I not only summarized what Christ has been doing in and through the churches o...
Nobody likes conflict. And people deal with conflict in many different ways. Some people avoid conflict at all costs. Others respond with unbridled anger or hurtful words or actions. Too many people bottle up their feelings and any feelings of hurt or anger are turned inwards. Then there are those who deal with c...
In the church, getting things done always takes longer than you think. Change takes time. This is because change comes so hard for so many. Change is difficult for various reasons. People are often more comfortable with old problems than with new solutions. With any change comes a degree of uncertainty, and people become insecure in the face of the...
We all make mistakes. The Bible is clear about this. In Romans we are told, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Earlier in this chapter, quoting various passages from the book of Psalms, the apostle Paul reminds his reader that "there is no one who does good, not even one." (Romans...
I just finished a project with a 12 year old boy. Since he does not have a father in his life, when this young man was just 5 I began hanging out with him fortnightly to be a father figure and teach him some woodworking skills. This went on for quite a while until he moved away 2 hours north. But a couple of years ago we rec...
