I’m becoming more and more convinced that 21st century pastoral leadership doesn’t require titles, offices, positions, buildings or pay cheques.
Last week I was one of a handful of pastors that received an invite to a day-long Church Board training session. Since then I’ve been reflecting on a few common blunders church boards make in decision-making. Here they are. Mistake #1. Decisions are made by the wrong people. When people get elected or appointed…
Our family took a little road trip to the Tri-cities yesterday. Erika and I both had things to do. Since our kids don’t naturally enjoy spending hours in the car, we added an incentive; a trip to the Lego store in St. Jacobs. Without complaint they endured the seventy-five minute drive, marched around the college…
It’s reading week. Every year EBC students and faculty get a week off from classes: once in the fall and once in the spring. I decided to take my last week of holidays from the church to coincide with my reading week. Here’s what I’ve been up to:Cutting firewoodPlaying Dora CandylandDreaming with Erika about the…
Co-Vocational, Multi-Vocational, and Bi-Vocational ministry What’s the difference between bi-vocational and co-vocational ministry? It’s a frequently asked question and in some ways the answer is simple. In other ways, it’s more nuanced. The simple answer: The terms all point to the same reality. I see them all defining the work of a paid or unpaid…
My annual staff review/evaluation is coming up on Tuesday. In past years, I’ve answered a questionnaire about how well I was doing according to my ministry (job) description. Things are different this year. Since we’re in a transition as a church, our interim lead pastor has asked us to answer questions like, “What’s your primary…
I got some bad news on Tuesday. Our Pontiac–the Cadillac of mini-vans–is dying Rotten frame. That was my mechanic’s diagnosis after trying to attach the hoist to something solid. He figures it’ll last the summer. It’s funny. The outside is fiberglass so it looks great. It’s underneath–the part you can’t see–that’s showing evidence of decay….