Over the next several weeks my colleagues and I will be reflecting on the “Where of Faith Formation.” The challenges of doing our work as pastors and clergy are already numerous. With so many of us displaced from our places of worship over the last...
Navigating the complexity of vocational discernment has always been a tricky dance to learn, not to mention master. Too many times, we find ourselves stumbling through the process trying to learn the steps or the choreography as we go while trying to convince those around...
Many years ago, we moved to a new community. As the moving van was unloading the last of its boxes, a neighbor came over to introduce herself. Looking at the out-of-state license plates on our cars, she asked what brought us to town. I explained...
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...