Outlook Features

Covenant Network to focus on marriage equality at 2014 General Assembly

CHICAGO – When the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) meets in Detroit next summer, the primary focus of the Covenant..

Stony Point incorporation proposal faces resistance

Should the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) incorporate Stony Point Conference Center outside New York City as a separate legal entity? In a conversation..

A river runs beneath it

  I began my academic career as professor at College of the Holy Cross, a very fine Jesuit school in Worcester, Massachusetts...

Navigating the ‘narrow ridge’ between curiosity and conviction

The vast majority of independent, private institutions of higher learning in the U.S. were established by the church. Hundreds of historically Protestant..

“TE”: Are you serious?

I love our new Form of Government — most of it. It’s lean, efficient, and places our historic principles of Presbyterian governance..

Appreciating the pastor as juggler

Peter Drucker, the business/management/leadership author, once said that the four hardest jobs in America are to be the president of the United..

Pastoral study grants offer space for Sabbath

For many ministers — who often sprint from one end of the week to the next, their schedules crammed with meetings and..

Appreciation Power

I grew up in a pastor’s home, back in the day when honorifics were standard fare when addressing clergy. I do not..

Dangerous not to evolve

Jeff Bezos’ recent purchase of the Washington Post brought to light one of his classic quotes: “What is dangerous is not to..

Pathways to Seminary: new report highlights seminary enrollment trends

Seminaries face challenging times, with financial struggles and student debt, and real questions being about how to best prepare effective leaders to..

Fire of leaves: What’s stoking seminarians today

My teenage son, Garrison, called my attention to it, because I only glanced at the painting. He looked longer and more deeply...

Big Tent. Big Event.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sharing practical skills and big dreams, roughly 1,500 Presbyterians gathered in Louisville Aug 1-3 for Big Tent 2013 — a..

Tapping soil and farming heritage, 3 synods grow food as a ministry

Dig into the history of the nation’s heartland, and down nearly every country road you’ll find a common denominator: dirt.   So..

Some conclusions about ordination

Can you capture what it means to be a deacon, ruling elder, or teaching elder in a short article that would serve..

Churches in Pennsylvania, Kenya forge purpose-driven partnership

Elders’ and deacons’ first duty is not to tend to the needs of the flock but to train, empower and send their..

The Dream at 50

The speech is almost biblical in its proportions.  And its impact.  The foe, racial prejudice and the hatred and injustice that trail..

Ten minutes with Tom Taylor

Tom Taylor, the president of the Presbyterian Foundation, served as an attorney in commercial litigation for one of the largest law firms in..

Success depends on more than just good intentions

Republished with permission from The Lake Institute on Faith and Giving.   Earlier this year, the 2013 Congregational Economic Impact Study (CEIS)..

It’s also good to receive

Jesus taught, “It’s better to give than to receive.”  But he didn’t say that receiving is a bad thing.   Then again,..

Privacy—at risk of one’s soul?

In a seminar I did yesterday, one of those in attendance said, “It was brought up in our leadership council meeting that..

Midway ’tween GAs

Church seeks a star to steer by amid sea change on same-gender marriage