Of course I could be a smartass and say "because I'm the pastor," but I want to give a real answer. Why do I go to church? Why do I need church?
Why I Need Church
What Does It Mean To Be Prophetic, Part Four
About a week ago, the church I am pastor at voted to become an Open and Affirming congregation, meaning it openly welcomes LGBT persons into the life of the church. I think it was a big step for the church. It might help people who were thinking of visiting the church to take a second... Continue Reading →
Volunteers Needed: Church Launch/Re-Launch Team
First Christian Church of St. Paul is looking for the curious, the energetic, the adventurous and others who are interested in relaunching this Mainline Protestant congregation as well as launching a preaching point somewhere in the St.Paul area. The Re-Launch/Launch Team is the group of people who are simply saying I want to be a... Continue Reading →
Yet More Thoughts on “Hate the Sin…”
My post last night bothered me a bit, partially because I don't think I did a good job of explaining myself. Chalk it up to lateness of the hour and dealing with a cat that was trying to use my laptop as warming pad. So, I wanted to offer another post to share some thought... Continue Reading →
Pope Francis and the Culture Wars
While this Pope is different in tone than his predecessors Benedict and John Paul I don't think for a moment that he is shaking up the Vactican -at least not in the way that some would like.
The Landscape for Mission (and Theology)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Z0FchdKfI One of the things that my denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is trying to do better is helping people understand the context in which they are to be church. An initiative, the Landscape for Mission has come out that helps people explain the changing society that we find ourselves in and insight... Continue Reading →
God Is A Concept.
When I was in journalism class in high school, I remember seeing a poster in the teacher's classroom that caught my attention. It was one of those posters that shows something like a big sky or the stars at night. At the bottom of the poster were these words: "God Is A Concept." I really... Continue Reading →
The Life and Times of An Accidental Jerk
I have a love-hate relationship with the church. Yes, that's kind of an odd thing for someone whose job revolves around the church to say, but it's true. Church can offer me comfort and challenge me in my mission of being Christ to others. But has also been a place of pain, a place where... Continue Reading →
Work with a Church Rising from the Ashes in Minnesota
The following is something I wrote on the First Christian website. As some of you know, First-St. Paul is down to a few faithful members. We are starting to venture forth into the community, but it would by helpful if we had a few more people. Share this with your friends. To contact me, go... Continue Reading →
The Pastor With Broken Wings
One of the things that any pastor of a congregation has to do is visit people where they live. First Christian has a number of folks who are either in nursing homes or assisted living. Some pastors love visiting with people. A number of congregations have what are called Visitation Pastors. These are usually retired... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 