Monthly Theme: Why Wellness? Reading time: two minutes. I think I know how the flight attendant feels. We’ve both given the “Oxygen Mask” speech thousands of times. We both know most people have heard it endlessly. And we both wonder if anyone is listening. I hope you are. When traveling… Read More
Monthly theme: Why Wellness? Reading time: two minutes. I want to be like Howard. Howard was a pastor. During the years of my first call, he lived down the street from us. We’d see him out walking briskly (“like he was late,” wink, wink) through the neighborhood numerous times each… Read More
Monthly Theme: Why Wellness? Reading time: two minutes. I hope you finished 2021 healthier, wiser, stronger and more energized for ministry than you began a year ago. Grace Place Wellness is committed to offering all the encouragement and support we can through resources like our books and this blog, and… Read More
Reading time: two minutes. Thank you. Even if every last person who was blessed by your ministry in the past month has said it, you haven’t heard it enough. Thank you. One day, when we are all over-awed by the glory and splendor of the heavenly Jerusalem, you’ll hear it… Read More
Reading time: two minutes. Deal with it. Nobody gets all the gifts. God knows what he’s doing. He made you in such a way that some parts of your ministry labors come naturally and relatively easy for you. But not all of them. Some parts of ministry are hard work. Read More
Reading time: two minutes. Preaching guru Richard Caemmerer suggested that the appropriate response to, “That was a wonderful sermon, Pastor!” might be, “That remains to be seen.” The problem for people in ministry is that we usually do not see. If you ever wondered, “What difference am I making?” you’re… Read More
Reading time: two minutes. Two thousand confirmation class sessions and I’m hard pressed to remember ever thinking, “Wow! That went really well!” I supposed it happened once in a while. It’s just hard to imagine. But those times spent with God’s children were not just acceptable to God, they were… Read More
Reading time: two minutes. A report from the Covenant Church compares a life in ministry to rafting down a river. The report suggests that there are three bends in the river at critical times that turn a challenging journey into a wild ride through the rapids. See if these three… Read More
I could be that you’re doing really well, spiritually, relationally, and vocationally. For decades now we’ve been asking church workers and their families, “How are you doing?” We ask so that you can seek out and find God’s gracious healing and strength. Many are struggling, but many more are doing… Read More
Monthly Theme: Your Wellness Plan Reading time: two minutes. Churches are places of healing. Jesus calls the broken to bring their spiritual, relational, emotional, physical wounds to the foot of the cross to find healing, life, and new beginnings. The church needs experts in healing. The Bible is the story… Read More
Monthly Theme: Your Wellness Plan Reading time: two minutes. After his collapse under the broom tree, when God sent Elijah back into the mission field, I don’t believe Elijah was stronger. I believe that after his renewal retreat, Elijah was more resilient. The Barna Report on the State of Pastors… Read More
Monthly Theme: Your Wellness Plan. Reading time: two minutes. I have a dream come true and I have a worst nightmare. Both my dream and my nightmare happen every time we’re on retreat with church work couples. For five days we discuss the Wellness Wheel, asking “How are you doing?”… Read More
The Way to Wellness for the Non-Ordained in Church and School Ministries