Phil Steiger
A long-term member of our church approached me just before service this week with a serious look on his face. Every pastor has had that moment. Service is about to begin, what is this about? He has never done this before, so I honestly didn’t have a sense of what was on his mind. ... Continue Reading →
Just a few days ago I had a fascinating day demographically. That’s an awkward sentence, so here is what happened. I had the privilege of doing the early morning devotional for a men’s residential rehab program. It is a ministry attached to a local organization that works with the homeless community, but this group of... Continue Reading →
Recently our staff wrestled with a philosophical shift. Like many churches our size, we have spent a lot of time and effort putting on events. Like calendar clockwork, we scheduled events for Easter, Mother’s Day, VBS, Fourth of July, Back-to-School, and the holiday season. After over a decade of doing that (something most church... Continue Reading →
Mark 4:26-27 “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts; he knows not how.” The Parable of the Growing Seed (ESV) I was reminded of this passage in a Dallas Willard video recently. Willard said it... Continue Reading →
Skye Jethani. Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry In The Age of Church, Inc. (Moody Publishers, Chicago. 2017) 215 pgs. The American Evangelical church is easily tempted by shiny things. For decades now we have taught ourselves a theology of church and the spiritual life that is only tenuously connected to Scripture. In... Continue Reading →
Dallas Willard, who passed away in 2013, was a philosophy professor at USC and a deep and thoughtful writer on the Christian faith and spiritual formation. I ran across this interview with him just yesterday. In response to the first question he talks about his journey as both pastor and philosopher. He says that... Continue Reading →
As part of my role in my denomination (they would call it a Cooperative Fellowship), I have the opportunity to interview potential candidates for Ordination into the ministry. More often than not this is a wonderful opportunity to get to know our new ministers, investigate their call and ministry, and speak some wisdom... Continue Reading →
It is impossible to be a pastor in a world of evangelical hyper self-criticism. OK, maybe it isn't literally impossible, but some days these things make me grumpy. And on bad days grumpy and impossible are close to the same thing. Here is what I mean. Given the proliferation of media, from blogs to podcasts... Continue Reading →
Every Thought Captive 