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
Monthly Theme: Assessing Wellness. Reading time: two minutes. You don’t need a friend that has bad breath. You need a friend who will tell you that you have bad breath. Some things you can’t figure out on your own. We all have blind spots, and only your friends, those who… Read More
Monthly Theme: Assessing Wellness. Reading time: two minutes. “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” The first step is defining for yourself what wellness looks like. You’ll then know how to start making a plan. More important, you’ll be able to see when you’re… Read More
Monthly Theme: Assessing Wellness. Reading time: two minutes. Boots are for trudging through mud. Wings are for soaring on the wind (read “pneuma/spirit/Spirit”). Our theme this month is Assessing Wellness. How do you answer the question, “How am I doing?” Try this for a definition of “wellness”: “But the fruit… Read More
This month: Assessing Wellness. Reading time: two minutes. I think I’m just Stupid enough to Keep It Simple. (Go ahead; KISS me!) It pains me terribly to hear church work professionals stumble and stammer trying to explain that, “Something’s wrong, but I just can’t put my finger on it.” That’s… Read More
This is the last post for vocational wellness month. Reading time: two minutes. The gold and silver medals in the women’s marathon went to runners from Kenya, clearly the class of the field. Molly Seidel from Wisconsin beat the crowd and took the bronze by managing her pace. Ministry is… Read More
The answer is “herd humility.” The question is, “What’s the solution to church worker burnout?” C. S. Lewis said of the truly humble person, “He will not be thinking about Humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.” Jesus described the kind of “herd humility” that he expected… Read More
The football analogy is a good one: the church is like 22 football players on the field desperately in need of rest, being watched by thousands of people in the stands who are desperately in need of exercise. A wise friend and Elder once told me, “Darrell, you preach with… Read More
The Way to Wellness for the Non-Ordained in Church and School Ministries