-
·
Stop Falling For the Cult of the Perfect Leader
“We have a new bishop!” I proudly declared on Sunday morning, announcing the weekend’s big event: when nearly 1,500 people gathered to ordain the 11th Bishop of Indianapolis, the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows. “And right now she’s claiming her seat.” And because I refuse to pass up such perfect opportunities to preach, I took the…
-
·
What a Young Pastor Hears When You Talk About Bivocational Ministry
When you talk about bivocational ministry, what I hear is: We don’t value you. [bctt tweet=”The church’s way of saying – figure it out on your own. Oh, and good luck with that.” username=”revdrewdowns”] Put your money where your mouth is Most of us were raised with the idea that value comes from financial…
-
·
Am I to Come to You With a Stick?
Am I to Come to You With a Stick (Day 11 of A Simple Lent) As we get further into this letter to the church in Corinth, we are now starting to see what has Paul so mad. Not the specific stuff, that’s coming later. We’re getting the question of authority. As in the people are…
-
·
Pastor or Priest?
My friend and teacher, the Rev. Dr. D. Jay Koyle teaches that identity and worship is connected with belief and choice. We make decisions for our personal piety and liturgical acts from a place of understanding the purpose behind the choice. Much of our tradition is inherited through piety and local custom, rather than historical…
-
·
Adult Formation
A friend recently said that the church is always 10 years behind. When he said this, I nodded as I thought through all the ways we are behind the world. Technology, marketing, human rights, anti-institutionalism, shifting political landscapes, family trends including divorce rates, break-ups, and coupling outside of marriage. I frequently point out that many of…
-
·
There is no logo
It’s no surprise that we struggle with change. I freaked out a bit in the spring when McDonald’s stopped serving hot mustard for their nuggets (it really is the most redeeming part of eating chicken nuggets at all). So thank GOD they’ve brought back the mustard! Change is something we fear. But not all change is terrifying.…
-
·
The purpose of a priest
We often get this confused. The purpose of a priest is not to be Jesus for you. Or play Jesus in the front of the room or to imitate Jesus so that you can be healed. The purpose of a priest is to share the love of Jesus and teach you how to share the love…
-
·
I can only hold 2 things in my brain at once
I’m going to the store! I tell her. We need milk for cereal in the morning. There isn’t enough in the fridge. I grab the keys. [bctt tweet=”‘There isn’t room in my brain for any of these other things.’” nofollow=”yes”] Do we need anything else? We could use some bread. She tells me. and some…