1. Bi-vocational ministry is not a new concept. The discussions about the reference Paul makes in his writing to being a tentmaker circulating in seminary classrooms and churches are becoming more frequent. Perhaps, this is because churches and seminaries can see the writing on the wall that the churches we have established that look an …
5 Things About Bi-Vocational Ministry You Might Not Know Read More »
I hope for a moment that they both understand what they’re doing and what they’re proving. I want to tell them, but I realize that all I do is deliver the message. I don’t decipher it or make sense of it for them. They need to do that themselves. I can only hope they’re capable …
I didn’t preach this Pentecost. Instead, my congregation graciously supported my taking a Sunday off, so that we could attend birthday parties and ballet recitals for our girls. At first it was strange not to preach on the culmination of the Eastertide season, but then I thought about the revelation and inspiration that can come …
I was eating yogurt with one of my congregants who has a birthday this week. When I walked in she was helping out a young mom who was trying to wrestle two little girls and get yogurt at the same time. This led to a conversation about how we knew each other. When she discovered …
I’ve experienced this first hand: In the face of this reality, a new opportunity is emerging. In fact, there’s growing evidence this new generation will bring the greatest opportunity for small church ministry in 2,000 years. Why? Because, as the first generation with a majority born and raised outside traditional marriage, genuine relationships and intimate …
Over the last two drives home from seminary, I’ve found myself neglecting my usual radio or podcast distractions. Instead, I’ve found myself thinking about the last three years in numbers (something that doesn’t happen often for me). Here’s what I’ve put together for my seminary journey in numbers: I’ve lived in 3 different cities. I’ve …
In finishing up one of my last assignments for class, I ran across the story from Hudson Taylor: After concluding my last service about ten o’clock that night, a poor man asked me to go and pray with his wife, saying that she was dying. I readily agreed, and on the way to his house …
Tonight after our open church time in remembrance of Good Friday, I walked into the sanctuary to start the transformation for Sunday morning. This is one of my favorite parts of being in ministry: being able to see the behind the scenes preparation aspect of worship. I remember the first time I robed and participated …
After I wrote the post yesterday, I got in my car after class to make the drive home. The first song that came on was Willie’s Nelson’s “On the Road Again.” There was a moment where I just laughed, I had to because the moment we speak what we are thinking there are bound to …
Last week as I was driving onto campus, the radio station happened to play Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again.” As I fought the fatigue of my Monday morning commute, I couldn’t help but readjust my attitude to realize the great privilege I have had in pursuing seminary. To be certain, the journey has not …
