Accountability. Without some accountability, learning goals can certainly fall flat. Learning practices as complex and subtle as ministry, does not work well in isolation or without good partners, mentors and friends. Being accountable to them requires trust and openness. Today’s…
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What is the long-term value of learning goals for ministry? This week’s episode of Three Minute Ministry Mentor considers how learning goals can help us bring the fears that may hinder our learning into the light of day. Big goals…
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BIG. Squishy. Learning goals. Everyone working to learn the practice of ministry needs at least one or two of these. When I ask students to imagine this kind of goal, I’m urging them to think long-term and big-picture, to set…
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** GREAT NEWS ** We have extended the deadline July 31! We are so happy to gather with friends and colleagues, ministers and mentors this summer at denominational meetings, academic meetings, retreats and renewal meetings. What about you?! Gathering with…
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“Patience!” ~Yoda When Luke Skywalker arrives on the stormy, swampy planet Dagobah in search of Yoda, he is impatient. In fact he has no patience at all. He does not know what or who he is seeing. Instead he exudes…
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Thinking theologically. I left my own seminary experience thinking this new way of thinking is one of the most important things I learned in the last few years. And it probably was. One class in particular helped me solidify the…
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What is the role of prayer and meditation in the practice of ministry? I have worked on that question for many years. It became focused as a question around the time that I finished my doctoral studies. In these last…
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My training in psychology prepared me to look with careful attention to the past and to analyze how stories from family and childhood experiences that shape our lives. Not just our personal stories, but also stories embedded in religious rituals…
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This last episode of Three Minute Ministry Mentor explored vocational discernment. This week we consider a spiritual practice which is valuable for the big questions of life as well as the daily practices of knowing which way to go and…
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Discernment. Vocation. Purpose. Life. Unpacking oneโs purpose for life is no small thing. For many people it takes most of a lifetime to say fully what they believe their purpose to be. And for others purpose changes over time and…
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Sabbath. I have been trying to practice a weekly Sabbath very intentionally for about 14 years now. I tried in fits and starts to take time off, and practice Sabbath rest in the years I served the church full time,…
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Injustice is a powerful and pervasive reality in our world. Injustice impacts the work of ministry and how we learn pastoral practice no matter our call: pastor, organizer, chaplain, non-profit executive, minister or missionary. Injustices take many forms and do…
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It’s Eastertide! This joyful season is a continuation of our celebrations from Easter Sunday. For seven weeks each year the church observes a season of Eastertide. The scriptures focus on the resurrection stories of Jesus. I grew up in a…
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Place matters. In so many ways it matters. Where you observe Holy Week. Where you go home at night. Where you were raised. Where you work and live and play. Each of these places matter, and they give shape to…
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What do brick walls, American Idol and ministry have to do with each other? Read on . . . Lately, Iโve been watching American Idol. Now, in truth since my daughter was born, I nearly gave up television altogether. The…
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I felt enthralled and overwhelmed by the sculpture of Mary holding Jesus (pictured above) when I stepped into the foyer at Belle Meade United Methodist Church to film this week’s episode ofย Three Minute Ministry Mentor. And the name of the…
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Aha! So many kinds of moments deserve this word! When conducting interviews with 50 seminarians-on-the-way-to-ministry and 25 seasoned pastors and priests, we asked them all to tell us about and “aha moment” of learning in ministry. The Learning Pastoral Imagination…
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There are many powerful rituals available for ministers to engage while leading people of faith. In this post, I want to share two stories about engaging ritual. This past weekend I took some of my seminary students to the โBeating…
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Good Monday morning friends! Itโs the first Monday of Lent. How are your Lenten practices going? I am hoping and praying for mercy and grace to lead you along the way this season. I have three things to share with…
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Ash Wednesday We have some good news to share. Weekly episodes of the Three Minute Ministry Mentor are coming to you in a new form: the 3MMM Podcast. Where do you listen to podcasts? On a run, a hike, or…
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Prayer. What is the connection between the practice of prayer and the practice of ministry? The responses to this question could fill many pages of many books. (My own responses fill many posts in this blog.) The connections we make…
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