Rescuing Judgment from Judgementalism
I am sitting in the judgment seat at the gate at the entrance to the ancient city of Dan. The tradition goes back thousands of years. The king would go to the gate of the city and there decide wh...
Category: Leadership
Why I Am Still Doing This
Seven years ago my wife spotted a trip to the Holy Land that was within our price range. Since the journey was high on her bucket list, we increased the cash flow of MasterCard and signed on. The...
Not For the Complacent
Advent is not for the complacent or the entitled. Advent - the four weeks before Christmas - is for those who long for light, for more joy, hope and peace in their lives and for those who antici...
What the US Could Learn from the United Church
In the post-election reaction in the US, I hear echoes of 1988 in The United Church of Canada. The years surrounding the famous decision not to allow sexual orientation to be a determining facto...
Leave or Take – a 3 dimensional question
The bed is covered with clothes, containers, medications and solutions for “what if?” scenarios. At one end sits a suitcase and duffel bag, both small enough to meet the carry-on baggage requirements ...
A Leadership Sermon (based on the Beatitudes)
Retirement is not working out - exactly. I think a part of me imagined long, leisurely mornings sitting on the deck, feeling the warmth and a gentle breeze. Reading, writing, wondering would fill...
5 Reasons the Church May Make it: A Leadership blog
Last week I published a blog, 5 Reasons the Church May Not Find a Way Ahead. This blog is the counterpoint. First, a couple of preliminary clarifications. When using the word “church” I do n...
5 Reasons the Church May Not Find a Way Ahead: A Leadership Blog
Note: Every couple of weeks I will try and write a post specifically about the church or leadership in the church. These posts may not be of interest to those of you primarily interested in inspiratio...
The Role of Chaos, Despair and Decline in the Birth of New Life
Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes A thin sheen of flour covers the floor. (My wife has been baking non-stop for a week!) Fifty percent of the Christmas presents lie hidden but unwra...
We Will Not Think the New Church Into Existence
We will not think the new church into existence. Not that I have anything against thinking. In reality, we now need great clarity and disciplined reflection about theological and ethical matters....