Schadenfreude is such a great word. Borrowed from German, it means "satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune."And pastors have it. In spades.Sadly, our schadenfreude is usually directed at other pastors or ministries. We're not overt about it, mind...

July is the time of year when many, many Methodist pastors begin serving new "appointments" -- they have moved from one church in the connection to begin serving another.So what's the best way for a new pastor to begin serving that "new" church? How does the pastor...

You'll need your bible for this one.To find out how to pull off a church barbecue, check here: Acts 29:13.To read about the successful bake sale they had in Corinth, look here: II Corinthians 8:28-29.To get biblical instructions for a profitable yard sale, study...

This one is a bit more uplifing than the last two days, even if it comes in a somber context . . .But it's this.People who are in grief want to talk about the person who has died. The want to speak the person's name. They want to share memories. They want to laugh...

I've learned something else in these almost-twenty-years.It's this.If someone shows up in your church and wraps themselves in a cloak of "spiritual maturity," be wary.In other words, if they are just a little too eager to speak of their own knowledge of Scripture,...

As many of you know by now, President-elect Obama has chosen Rick Warren of Saddleback Church and The Purpose-Driven Life fame to deliver the invocation at the January 20 inauguration. As you also know, the reaction from some groups has not been positive. I'd direct...