When congregations face major decisions, need to develop long range plans, or are in the process of a calling a pastor, church..
I was inspired by Diana Nyad’s swim from Cuba to Florida at the age of 64. I was inspired not so much..
Jeff Bezos’ recent purchase of the Washington Post brought to light one of his classic quotes: “What is dangerous is not to..
Last month I served my final Sunday as a Lake Fellow Resident at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis and moved to Richmond,..
Every Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening, nine housemates create space in their schedules to gather for a time of fellowship and breaking..
Earlier this week, a chaplain at a Presbyterian-related college shared with me that while he sends a few students to seminary every..
Recently I read that on the 25th anniversary of the Barmen Declaration (1958), the words, spirit and vision of Barmen were a..
“Presbyterian? Is that Catholic?” Claiming a denomination when asked about religious affiliation has become about as irrelevant as claiming a county instead..
New Mexico, July 2001. We were there on a mission trip; it was my last before I headed off to college in..
In the summer of 2011, I was in downtown Detroit (site of the 2014 General Assembly) for the annual conference of the..
Seminaries face challenging times, with financial struggles and student debt, and real questions being about how to best prepare effective leaders to..
We were sitting in our bathing suits and shorts in the ice cream shop waiting out a storm. There was thunder and..
One of the most exhilarating things in my pastoral life is when I sense that God is calling me to play..
The R&D (research-and-development) department is the incubator for innovation for any profitable corporation. Whence cometh innovations for the church? Simple answer:..
“Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). Jesus’ appeal for us to share..
My teenage son, Garrison, called my attention to it, because I only glanced at the painting. He looked longer and more deeply...
There is a rather large poster that sits in my office directly across from my desk. It reads: “Once An Organization Has..
When you live or work in a college town, you can actually feel the pulse of the university. It’s faster in the..
Every church leader I know has found himself or herself in conflict. From grinding conflict to small skirmishes, from hard-edged rancor..
The day before I left on our summer youth mission trip, I lay in the middle of my friend’s pool, alone on..
The 2013 edition of the Big Tent event claims front-cover status this week. At least in number, however, Big Tent’s nearly 1,500..
I've been reading Ruth Haley Barton's book on spiritual disciplines called Sacred Rhythms: Arranging our Lives for Spiritual Formation. I've been drawn to..
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sharing practical skills and big dreams, roughly 1,500 Presbyterians gathered in Louisville Aug 1-3 for Big Tent 2013 — a..
One of the more difficult gifts of the Spirit to understand is found in 1 Corinthians 12:10, where Paul mentions “discernment of..
© Copyright 2026 The Presbyterian Outlook. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement. Website by Web Publisher PRO
