When I start seeing common threads running through books that have caught my attention, I tend to take it as an important life lesson God is trying to teach me. I was recently rereading Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art after hearing him interviewed on a podcast and I was reminded of a basic idea which is starting to take root in my mind: the author’s concept of “Resistance”. Pressfield’s entire book is about how humans must overcome Resistance in all its various forms – fear, procrastination, drama, etc – if we have any hope of fulfilling our purpose in…

It’s weird to read nonfiction books written late last century. Often you find writers of the 1980s and 90s quite critical of the state of American culture.   As I read their negative assessments of societal trends, I always think, “You ain’t seen nothin yet!”  Nathaniel Branden published The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem in 1994.  Check out his description of “the times” in the early 90s: The turbulence of our times demands strong selves with a clear sense of identity, competence, and worth. With a breakdown of cultural consensus, an absence of worthy role models, little in the public arena to…

I wrote yesterday about pastors who see their congregations as adversaries to be defeated rather than sheep to be tended. In my experience as a youth pastor for 15 years, no pastor more perfectly epitomized this particular failing than Reverend G—–. He not only disliked the congregation, he held special contempt for the teens of the church. I was just out of college and working to combine the youth groups of two mid-sized United Methodist churches in the small town of LeMars, Iowa. This meant that once a week I endured an hour-long meeting with the two pastors. Reverend G…

Recently I met a pastor who spoke to me about his congregation in terms which were not even friendly, much less warm. In fact, he sounded rather antagonistic. This man referred to his church as “them” rather than “we”.  The weekly offering was growing a little thin and the future of the church was uncertain. “They did it to themselves,” he explained. How sad!  I am coming up on my one year anniversary at Sardinia Baptist Church and I couldn’t be happier. I consider each person there not only as a brother or sister in Christ, but as a friend.…

During Lent, we have permission to drop the façade of perfection – this pretense that we have our stuff together. The season of Lent is all about fostering an awareness of our sin, our need to repent, our need for forgiveness.  Once we have given our lives to Christ, temptation and sin do not automatically disappear. Sin does not just roll over and die. In fact, we are called into battle with our own sinfulness. Recall that sin is anything which misses the mark of God’s perfection, His holiness, His love. As Christ’s spiritual brothers and sisters, we are called…

When I get baptized a week from now, it won’t be my first time.  Not technically, anyway. My parents did baptize me as an infant. That means some minister held me in his arms and sprinkled some water over my forehead while my parents pledged to raise me in the faith. The ceremony likely concluded with the congregation agreeing to support my parents in this endeavor. My parents did raise me in the faith and many fine people within the church did give support over the years. And for that I am – and will be – eternally grateful.  And…

Today I started writing about my upcoming baptism. I had hoped to post those thoughts here tonight but I am finding it rather difficult to write about.  But that’s good. Writing helps me figure out what I really think – and baptism is a serious topic deserving careful consideration.  It feels like a big part of my difficulty is my hesitancy to stir up theological animosity. Baptism is a topic which conjures strong opinions. I sincerely do not want to offend others who hold views of baptism not aligned with my own.  As a pastor now, it seems like I…

I heard a podcast this morning where the guest, Stephen Pressfield, was speaking on the topic of “Fear of Failure” – which I can identify with.  And it made me want to reread his book, The War of Art. That book is all about every human’s battle against what Pressfield calls Resistance – that force which strives with all its might to keep men and women from doing the important things which they are created to do and from becoming the people they were meant to be.  While listening this morning, I started thinking of some generally unpleasant scenarios which…