What is the goal of vocational discernment? For many, it’s arriving at a clearer sense of what job they should pursue. Should I be a pastor, lawyer, accountant, teacher, electrician, coach, or counselor? Should I go for a solo pastor position at a small church or...
A multitude of wise counselors. There are so many fascinating trends in our culture that have been accelerated by the pandemic. The one that most concerns me is the growing epidemic of isolation and loneliness. Pew, Gallup, Barna, Cigna, Harvard, and everyone else who has been...
Over the next several weeks, I and my colleagues will be thinking through the Complexity of Navigating Vocational Discernment during these strange and wonderful times. If you’re like me and have a poor sense of direction, it’s very easy to get lost. But finding one’s...
In her lifetime of dispensing wisdom, Maya Angelou was fond of saying: “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay.” What is at stake right now is our need to invite hope to occupy the space of imagination about who our...
We’ve been talking a lot the past few weeks about “what’s at stake.” As a reminder, here are some things not at stake. God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. That you are fearfully and wonderfully made. The long arc of God’s perfect justice. The soul’s longing for truth, goodness, and beauty. That...
In mid-December, the outdoor clothing company Patagonia announced that it would be closing all its stores, warehouses, and offices from Christmas through New Year’s Day. For a company that does over $220 million in annual sales, a week off is no small thing. So, why do...
Over the next several weeks, as a follow-up to our recent Roundtable Podcast (Check it out if you haven’t already: What’s at Stake?), we will be reflecting on the question, “What’s at Stake?” We are surveying our experiences over the last several years to unpack the significance...
Over the next several weeks, as a follow to our recent Roundtable Podcast (Check it out if you haven’t already: What's at Stake?), we will be reflecting on the question, “What’s at Stake?” We are surveying our experiences over the last several years in an attempt...
I subscribe to lots of church newsletters, emailed weekly. With these subscriptions often come daily advent devotionals. You know the drill: miscellaneous members and pastors and staff write a short devotional, usually on a Biblical text (that may be referenced in the devotional…or not) and...