A few years back I heard a story of a family who were serving in a regional church community as Pastors. The husband was doing much of the work but, as we know, expectations always…
Browsing Category Church –
Reducing Church-based Trauma. Should we start with the Ministry Workers?
In 2011, researcher Marlene Winell coined the phrase Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS) in an effort to define the set of symptoms found in those who ‘participated in or left behind authoritarian, dogmatic, and controlling religious…
WHERE DO YOU GO TO CHURCH? Well, it’s complicated.
Last month, Natalie and I came home from a day at our respective workplaces and we’d each been asked the same question, “Where do you guys go to church?” I’ve asked it of others many…
Pastors Under Pressure – the hidden complexities most don’t see.
I thought it was normal. But it wasn’t. That afternoon, when the organiser called to thank me for speaking at a breakfast for the 20 local pastors, he confirmed that robust rebuttal and tearful confession…
When silence is safer. Could a lack of Psychological Safety in our churches be a serious problem?
“Confess your sins one to another, pray that no one discloses your concern, and you will keep your title.” James 5:16 MDCV (Modern Dysfunctional Church Version) OK, that is a bit of a stretch from…
Could the failings and fallings of church leaders be systemic? Send reform, quick.
So, how many pastors do you know that must get regular professional supervision? I don’t mean coffee and golf with pastor mates. I mean serious, confidential, professional, one-on-one, monthly time with a trained supervisor who has no skin in the game but to make space and ask the right questions?
When you gotta go. 4 Questions that may help with transitioning from church positions
It’s hard to know where to start on a topic like this because it is so complicated and multifaceted. When people move away from prominent positions in a church community and do something outside ‘church…
It’s in the blood: Why so many Evangelical Christians have a distrust for scientific authority.
So, my question is, why do so many good-hearted, bend-over-backwards, salt-of-the-earth Evangelicals have a distrust for authority, particularly scientific authority? Why is there is a common bias towards consuming and sharing media that pushes against the scientific community (e.g. the recent viral Plandemic video)? Where does the swing towards conspiracy come from? Surely, it’s not all conscientious click-consume-share behaviour!?
So, you’re think of moving your classes or church services online for a while? 3 things you should consider
In light of the recent the COVID19 pandemic, a number of pastors, teachers and trainers have been considering streaming online services/training/classes in place of meeting in-person. My wife and I ran gatherings and teachings for…
Invisible Women Syndrome… in church. Video and Audio with Annie Layton
Just before recording this, the Christian world had been watching the fall out generated by American Pastor John Macarthur’s comments on Pastor Beth Moore. There were some choice statements made about women in ministry. Annie…
Future-tech, Spirituality and Humanity – How Automation and A.I. will raise important questions. Video and Audio
Artificial Intelligence (also abbreviated as AI), and automation are no longer a pipe-dream or something held in the imagination of SCI FI writers – this is real! It’s happening now and through sheer disruption, future-tech…
Don’t Care and Can’t Care… They’re not the same.
Repeat after me, “I’m not a super-human. I have limits. I matter too. I DO care. I mean well. I just can’t always care.”
People who are in pain are generally concerned with one thing: Relief. They will do what they can to not be in pain. When someone or something is not available, pain may well want to discharge through blame. So when you can’t care, and therefore won’t care, you may hear, “You DON’T care.” In most cases, this is pain talking and looking for some relief; therefore, consideration for you and your scenario is being overruled by their pain and immediate need.
Hey, Pastor. R U OK?
Over the years, I’ve received several phone calls from distressed Pastor’s partners. “They’re not doing good, Dave.” has been a line I’ve heard quite a few times. And ‘not doing good’ has ranged from low…
AN OPEN LETTER OF CONCERN WITH TODAY’S PUBLIC PROPHETIC CULTURE
I wanted to film this instead of writing it because sentiment can get lost in translation, and I wanted people to hear my heart on a topic that I know is dear to many…
I Was a Willing Sacrifice
As a follow up to last week’s essay and articles on the dark side of organisational sacrificial, I wanted to add a couple of thoughts on the dynamics of organisational wounding. Because I think there…
The Dark Side of Organisational Sacrifice – Blood in the Foundations
Foreword: Before writing this I published a social concern essay on the Utilisation of Staff and Volunteers in church life. I received a few brief comments and some very lengthy emails from people who thanked…
The Utilisation of Staff and Volunteers in Churches. A Social Concern Essay
I’ve been in church leadership roles from the time I came to know Christ in my late teens. It’s been a wild 22-year ride, and I want to keep riding – albeit with less falling…
The Toll of Ministry Life – Emotional health, burnout and PTSD among clergy
A previous Danielsen study found post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in one Christian denomination’s clergy that “was higher than that of post-deployment soldiers.” We need to humanise this workspace. If church workers and their families are susceptible burnout, PTSD and other mental health challenges, it’s the joint responsibility of the body of Christ to address this with humility and seriousness. We can’t afford more casualties, especially when these casualties are injured serving their people.
Maturity and the prayer that produces it.
Believe it or not, there are several ways to pray, and they don’t yield the same result. Ladd and Spilka (2002) discovered 17 most common types in literature and sorted them into inward, outward and…
Accountability Shift. When it’s good to care less.
She’s laying on her bed, iPad in hand. Eyes fully fixed on the screen. “What are you up to?” These are five words my teenage daughter is used to hearing from her parents as they…