Modern day pastors have been all too willing to accept the role of a CEO running the church like a business, serving more as a visionary leader than a shepherd of souls. We’ve served the bottomline more than the “least of these.” Board rooms and whiteboards have replaced prayer chapels and the pastor’s study. More pastors … More Pastor: Shepherd or CEO?
The big box “church-as-business” model that arose in the last quarter of the 20th century was a complete (and short-lived) anomaly in the long 2,000 year history of Christian ministry. It rode the wave of American-styled capitalism and is grounded in the values of American consumerism and market driven strategies — not the New Testament … More From Big Box to Big Souls
Over three decades ago, my late hero and Protestant “Saint” (if Presbyterians canonized people) Eugene Peterson wrote the following in the opening paragraphs to his book on pastoral ministry called Working the Angles (1987): “American pastors are abandoning their post, left and right, and at an alarming rate. They are not leaving their churches and getting … More Reclaiming the Pastoral Vocation
A member of our church paid me a great compliment this week. She said, “I’m discovering a trend among MainStreeters I am getting to know. I keep hearing people say, ‘Well, Jeremy challenged us to do such and such and here’s what resulted.” She quickly qualified her statement with, “Don’t worry, its the good kind of challenge … More A Faith that Relieves & Releases
PSALM 23 REWRITTEN (WORRY) Worry is my shepherd, I can’t turn it off. Worry never lets me lie down and rest, It leads me beside waterfalls of “what ifs.” Worry torments my soul. Worry guides me down safe paths only, I’m afraid to step out, embrace change, really live! Worry makes even minor trials seem … More Who’s Your Shepherd? (5)
PSALM 23 REWRITTEN (FINANCIAL DEBT) Financial stress is my shepherd, there’s never enough to pay the bills. It keeps me awake at night. It leaves me paralyzed with fear. I’m worn out just thinking about it. It drives me to do things that don’t honor God. We’re so far in the hole, we’ll never dig … More Who’s Your Shepherd? (2)
Jeremy L. Berg 