Our pastors take care of us, that’s their job – but should my job also be to take care of them? Retired Presbyterian pastor, author, and consultant Stephen McCutchan says, ‘Absolutely!’ He is deeply involved in the Pastoral Care Network whose litany is: Healthy Clergy, Healthy Church, and he’s devoted his life to coming alongside [...]

Gifted retreat leader and speaker Suzanne Stabile says the Church, living in liminality, is best served by engaging in intentional spiritual practices. Her expertise in the enneagram and other spiritual disciplines as arranged through the Life in the Trinity Ministry office has her visiting many congregations, which she says, are hungry for intentional spiritual practices. [...]

It’s been said we’re all part of a grand conversation that began before we got here and will carry on well past our departure.  If that’s true, says blogger, author, and contemplative activist Christine Sine, we do well to listen before we do much talking. Christine, co-founder with husband Tom of Mustard Seed Associates, has [...]

‘Exegete’ means to interpret – and long-time Presbyterian pastor and consultant Tom Tewell says this is what congregations need to do in their neighborhoods – to interpret what God is doing there. Tewell, who heads Macedonian Ministries of the CF Foundation (here’s a link to some of their recent work), says that the simple act [...]

The popular vision of monastics may include ancient religious observation in drafty, stone chapels – is this hardly a place of innovation? Jamie Coats works for the Society of St. John the Evangelist near Boston. He helps this community of 20 monks, who are devoted to preaching and teaching, get the word out in some [...]

We’re finally moving past CEO pastors and the big business of Christian music as purely entertainment – and into a place of authentically seeking after God, says author and musician Michael Card. Michael still writes and plays music (he’s written 19 #1 singles and sold more than 4 million albums), but has also been doing [...]

How do you get families who don’t come to church, to come to church? Introduce them to Messy Church! After a listening campaign involving young families around Lucy Moore’s church, volunteers crafted a new way to do church that’s be welcoming, accessible, and inclusive of families who don’t regularly attend church services. The basic structure, [...]

Mark Scandrette believes churches need to function less like classrooms and more like karate studios. This innovative pastor and author of Practicing the Way of Jesus, says congregations need to find ways to connect much more deeply with people, allowing room for practice, failure, and transformative interaction. In this interview, Mark describes the ‘learning labs’ [...]

You were made in the image of God – is it time for some restoration? That’s the tag line for Episcopal priest Christopher Martin’s latest project: The Restoration Project – which aims, through sequential classes, small group discipleship, and personal rules of life – to deepen the spirituality of local congregations. In this interview Christopher [...]

Please excuse the riff of the infamous James Carville line (‘It’s the economy, stupid’) – but for Anglican Benedictine Chris Webb, in a world where churches are tempted to major in so many things – from social justice to education – they must never forget that spirituality is their first call. Chris, who recently wrote, [...]

Times may be tough for traditional churches, but Parker Palmer, founder of the Center for Courage and Renewal, is not only hopeful, but inspired by the faithful and steady labor of today’s church leaders. Parker, whose vocation is helping those in the helping professions, finds hope in failure and potential growth in conflict. He also [...]

It’s been said that refusing to forgive someone is like drinking rat poison and expecting the other person to die. Unforgiveness can be debilitating, even deadly. But how do we begin the work of forgiving someone when we have been deeply wronged?  Dr. Virginia Todd Holeman has an idea. She is an author (Reconcilable Differences), [...]

Discipleship, discipleship, discipleship – that’s Dr. Robbie Castleman’s litany – for clergy and lay folk. Dr. Castleman, a professor at John Brown University, believes biblical illiteracy is the number one challenge for Christians today. She’s dedicated her life to helping folk grow in the faith – and has some great suggestions for Christian leaders who [...]

Dear Pastor: Your job is like nobody else’s. That’s the word behind pastor Dave Hansen’s passion for healthy pastors and their congregations. His new book, The Art of Pastoring, includes his sage advice for sticking around a while, and for having a good time doing it. Coping with frustration, fear, and difficult people may drive [...]

Three decades ago John Wimberly came to Western Presbyterian Church and found 70 people near the age of 70. 3o years later that number is around 350 – and growing younger. No, there’s no silver bullet, just a great combination of preaching, pastoral care, and commitment to study – to name a few. Hear this [...]

Eating, exercising, sleeping… do they have an impact on our spiritual lives? Author and speaker Valerie Hess says you betcha’.  And she’s keen to tell us all about it in her new book, The Life of the Body. Valerie celebrates the opportunities Christians have to live more fully into their calling, while lamenting that the world [...]

A large minority of your congregation probably struggles with compulsive sexual behavior, says ex-pastor TC Ryan – and he’s offering some hope. TC, author of the new book Ashamed No More, says his journey as a pastor through sexual addiction nearly ruined his life, so he’s dedicating his career to helping people find wholeness. In [...]

Ever get envious of 12-step groups for the ways they bring about life-transformation and real conversation – and think, ‘If only this happened on Sunday mornings!?’ Spiritual director and experienced pastor Scott Stoner has figured out how. It’s a dynamic new program called Living Compass. It has helped dozens of faith communities organize meaningful small [...]

Church burnout rates may be at an all-time high for church leaders says author, speaker, and founder of the Transforming Center, Ruth Haley Barton – and she’s on a mission to fix it. Ruth is the talented visionary who believes that congregational responsibilities can put unbelievable stress on church leaders that can literally kill them. [...]

It’s the literal meaning of the Greek New Testament word for hospitality: loving the stranger – and its implications for building healthy congregations are huge. Dr. Christine Pohl, an Asbury Theological Seminary professor, author, and student of hospitality says most congregations aren’t persuaded about the importance of this ancient practice. In this interview, Dr. Pohl [...]

Every month 1,500 pastors leave their positions. Burnout for church leaders is well-documented and the reasons are legion.  That’s why Lance Witt started Replenish Ministries – which is aimed at helping church leaders stay healthy. In this interview, we will look at the common pitfalls for leaders – as well as the healthy habits that [...]