Some pastors doubt. For a surprisingly raw and candid exploration of this reality, see the film First Reformed. Pastors sometimes doubt their own salvation, or the goodness of God, or perhaps even God’s very existence. These doubts may be mild and fleeting or existentially gripping and persistent. And the longer they linger and the deeper they go, the […]
ministry
A Career in the Pulpit
Have you ever been in church on Sunday morning when one of the pastoral staff made the announcement that they were being called to another church? If so, you probably are well aware that the “call” of which they speak is not merely a call from a hiring committee. Rather, it is a call from […]
61. The Chaplains: Notes from the Frontlines
Given that C. S. Lewis wrote one of the most influential theodicies of the twentieth century, The Problem of Pain, you might have thought he would’ve been uniquely prepared for the shock and grief of losing his beloved wife Joy to cancer. But you’d be wrong. Whatever the value of theodicies may be in the intellectual […]
52. Women in Ministry
In 1967 Katherine Switzer made history as the first woman ever to enter … and complete the Boston Marathon. In this iconic photo you can see race official Jock Semple (the bald man in the black blazer) attempting to pull Switzer’s numbers off and stop her from running. As I reflect on the role of women ministering […]
