By Paul Koch – “Will you instruct both young and old in the chief articles of Christian doctrine, will you forgive the sins of the those who repent, and will you promised never to divulge the sins confessed to you? Will you minister faithfully to the sick and dying, and will you demonstrate to the … Continue reading A Constant and Ready Ministry
By Ross Engel - In the 1997 film, Starship Troopers, which pits humanity against bug-like aliens, there are several strong cultural and political messages buried both subtly and boldly into this classic film. One theme is that Federal service guarantees citizenship within the Federation. The idea behind this is two-fold. First, nations become unstable because … Continue reading Privilege and Responsibility
By Bob Hiller - By now I’m sure you’ve heard the news that Joshua Harris, the evangelical who found fame with his “purity culture” classic “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” has left the faith. Of leaving his current situation, Harris posted on his Instagram page, "By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, … Continue reading Joshua Harris Is Not Your Opportunity
By Joel A. Hess - Since seminary, I have been told by seasoned pastors and “expert” first timers that pastoring is a tough, thankless job. They encouraged me to set boundaries so I don’t get lost in the work and forget about myself and my family. They scared me stiff, perhaps hoping I would not be … Continue reading Dear Pastors: Stop Whining
By Paul Koch - The question, “What have you done?” is a bit unsettling, at least for most of us. If it was said by my mother when I was being picked up from the principal’s office during grade school, it signaled the moment of overwhelming shame and guilt. It was the time that I … Continue reading What Have You Done?
By Tim Winterstein - The older I get, the more I realize just how unreliable my memories actually are. It is easy to assume without reflection that what we “remember” is true. Memento is one of the movies that first hinted to me that (even without a brain injury) what we think we remember is … Continue reading The Past that is not Past
By Paul Koch – Yesterday I heard over the radio that the World Heath Organization has decided to include “burnout” in its International Classification of Disease (ICD), which functions as a benchmark for many health insurers. Now, burnout is nothing new. Almost every industry in the world has used this term in one way or … Continue reading Your Pastor is Sick
