It’s stunning how quickly life can change. We got a taste of this here in New York City during 9-11. Now it’s the coronavirus. Calamities like this are unforeseen. They’re never anticipated. We’re never prepared. So it always fuels high anxiety. As someone commented, “Right...
What does it mean to age in a church culture that’s obsessed with and idolizes youthfulness? As most of you know, I recently reached my Big 7-0hhhhhhhh milestone birthday. Someone wrote, “life and time are ghosted creatures for us all. They belong to us and are...
What’s the likelihood that Jesus would hang out at a bar? Pretty darn good if you ask me. For ten years the North Brooklyn Vineyard (now Vineyard One) hosted a gathering every Sunday evening at the Trash Bar, best known for its PBRs, tator tots,...
The Rolling Stones sang: You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes, well, you might find You get what you need I’ve found this to be particularly true of following Jesus… Eugene Peterson observed that Jesus, “doesn’t say the same thing to everyone, but he does...
When I first signed up to be a pastor it was with a sense of excitement, anticipation and commitment to a call to ministry – recovering the lost, making disciples, caring for souls, partnering with Jesus, making a difference for God’s kingdom. But along the...
As I’ve been preparing a teaching on the subject of power encounters, I’ve had a pastoral concern: How to handle them in light of the inclination of some believers to drift away from genuine, credible gospel living into sensationalism. So I thought I’d write about...
I recently had coffee with a pastor who was bemoaning the fact that his congregation was stuck in the doldrums. He complained to me about their absence passion and lack of motivation which he blamed this on busyness and the lack of margin in their...
Walter Brueggemann, eminent Old Testament scholar wrote, “The Christian life is not an accomplishment or an achievement, it’s a gift by the one who is able to give good gifts.”The thing is, this all depends on us conceding that everything originates with and is initiated...
Since transitioning away from the pastorate four years ago, I’ve had a lot more time to sit, pray and think. I have conversations with myself. That’s right, I talk to myself a lot. My former self – the younger, inner city, small church Pastor Mike...
“The Christian life is not an accomplishment or an achievement, it’s a gift by the one who is able to give good gifts.”~ Walter Brueggemann The thing is, this all depends on our receiving – upon us accepting that everything originates with and is initiated by...