For over a month, school has been beginning. From kindergarten to college, from preschool to grad school, students are returning. In spite of the world’s tragedies, the disruptions of weather, fires, and a global pandemic, learners of all ages are…
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“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.” ― Frederick Buechner This is the kind of week when many terrible things are happening. In New Orleans and southern Louisiana. And in Afghanistan. In Southern California.…
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Collaboration. Listening. Getting around life’s brick walls. Understanding identity. Adapting to new places and situations. Each of these moments are part of the everyday work of ministry. Recently, I sat down with three new pastors. When we gathered on zoom,…
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There’s a lot of hand wringing right now. Some of the world’s news sounds alarming and more than a little confusing. Earlier this summer we thought the pandemic was perhaps winding down. For many of us, a majority of adults…
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Grind culture. Be productive. Generative. Hustling. Busy. Available. This idea that we must be “on” and offering our abilities, our time, and ourselves has been aptly named grind culture. Thankfully, some voices are calling out the temptation to do more…
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How are you cultivating pastoral imagination? This week, Three Minute Ministry Mentor Host, Eileen Campbell-Reed is away on vacation with her family. However, recently Eileen shared a conversation with Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. Today we…
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This week we want to talk about salience and how James Lawson is an exemplar, but first a new movie! When Luca tries to ride a bike for the first time, he does not know where to focus or how…
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What is the most Important question someone ever asked you? Or short of that, what is the question someone asked you that changed the direction of your life? One of the questions I continue to return to comes from poet,…
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Presence. Attention. Sacredness. Gift. We need these in our lives. They are forms of prayer that connect us to the holy. This week I am thrilled to share with you an abundance of gifts for your practice of prayer. While…
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On this long weekend, what is on your mind? How to spend your extra day? Barbeque, burgers or chicken? Or maybe you are thinking about the relationship between citizenship and discipleship? No? Well, that’s where my mind is. On injustices.…
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Last week Chris Scharen and I conducted another interview with ministers and pastors out of seminary for 10+ years. I adore this beautiful work with the Learning Pastoral Imagination Project. I really cannot overstate how powerful it is to accompany…
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Christians are reimagining resurrection. Today we meet a pastor, a chaplain, and a researcher who are asking big questions about person and meaning of Jesus. Do you live with inspiration or with tension about the life and teachings of Jesus?…
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Just returning from the beach. Time away at a place that nourishes my soul. Walking by the sea always reminds me of my size and place in a very large world. And it also puts me in touch with sacredness…
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This week is a convergence. It is Memorial Day, and I’ll share the video “Identity and Place,” a story of Fr. Stephen who is a military chaplain and Orthodox priest. And we are also happy to be hearing from author,…
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What brick walls have you come up against in your ministry? Quite a few come to mind. Some of those walls are of our own making. In an effort to protect ourselves we build walls. Walls of self-reliance. Defenses that…
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In my new book Pastoral Imagination: Bringing the Practice of Ministry to Life, I address preaching in multiple chapters. I was fortunate to learn from wise and skilled pastors and professors in my years of seminary. Many of the concepts…
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We had two really exciting and fun times on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, launch day for Pastoral Imagination: Bringing the Practice of Ministry to Life! Did you miss the party? Well, it’s not too late. You can check out some…
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“Seasons of Ministry” On Sunday afternoon I was driving to my church for a leadership council meeting. Just as I turned right into the driveway at Glendale Baptist, a van was pulling up to turn right out of the driveway.…
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In this pandemic season, we are living through days of grief, loss, violence and trauma. To counter this reality, we need rituals that embody hope, grace, healing, and lasting transformation. As a ministry leader your task to to craft and…
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Creativity in Ministry Today I want to introduce you to Amber Simpson, artist and minister. Amber painted the beautiful “Seasons of Ministry” that now lives on the cover of Pastoral Imagination: Bringing the Practice of Ministry to Life. This is…
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Happy Monday Morning, Friends! Did you know that every episode this year in 3MMM Season Three is about a topic that is also a chapter in my new book Pastoral Imagination: Bringing the Practice of Ministry to Life? Did you…
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