Leader || Preacher || Teacher
Demons cringe at his presence and know who he is. They submit to his authority and release those they hold captive at the sound of his name. They become obedient to his will and cannot escape his reach. Some think this is because demons and Jesus are “family.” In Mark’s gospel, Jesus has authority over demons because he is releasing people to join his family, the family of God.
“I hate my job. It’s not a calling, it is something that I do and I cannot wait until the day I can retire.” This came from one of the parents during a high school small group discussion many years ago. It gave me pause. I was trying to teach the teens to view their work as a calling. I realized that for this parent work was a dreadful duty. Continue reading “You are Made to Make || Work for the Glory of God”
Church planting isn’t totally like going to space, but it does have some similarities. As a kid I dreamt about becoming an astronaut. I imagined myself going through the months of training and then the day of the launch. Even though I was full of excitement I also had a little bit of fear. How fast would the rocket be going? Would I survive the launch? Would I wet my pants? So many important questions for a kid. And here I am now, definitely not a kid and definitely not an astronaut, but very excited about a different launch that God has been preparing my family for.
Acts 9 is not a passage that was included in Luke’s writings to teach us about baptism. It is there to tell us about the profound conversion experience and calling of Saul (Paul) and it includes his baptism. Paul is met by Jesus on the road to Damascus and is forever changed. Paul meets Jesus and is told what to do by Ananias and all that happens; his persecution of followers of the Way, the bright light, the voice of Jesus, the blindness, the fasting, his new calling, and his baptism are all included in his testimony. Continue reading “Next Step || Baptism & Calling”
When I was let go from my first vocational ministry the one thing I knew I wanted to continue to do was preach. I had no idea where God would take me, but it was clear in my mind what I was to do when I got there. The urge to preach was like my second calling. The first being my original calling to ministry while still in college. God wouldn’t leave me alone about it.
As a young Lead Minister I discovered that finding my voice in my church context was a work in progress. How do I remain true to who I am and be what the church needs me to be? Now that I serve as Senior Minister in a different church, how do I find my pastoral voice in this community?
In this week’s blog I summarize chapter two of William B. Kincaid’s book “Finding Voice: How Theological Field Education Shapes Pastoral Identity.” It encapsulates some of the steps I am taking to not only find my pastoral voice but also the church’s communal voice.