A year ago today, I announced to all my friends that my days of searching for a church were over (at least for the extended future, anyway). After nearly a year of editing resumes, filling out questionnaires, meeting with search committees, falling in and out of love with churches, and starting back over again, I finally found the place where…
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. – Robert Frost I have always danced to the beat of my own drum. In elementary school, I thought this was the greatest aspect of my personality. In fact, I would do things just to be different…
2014 has been a year of ups and downs not only for me, but for our country and world. I feel like I’ve said far too many goodbyes over the past year, heard too many stories of violence tearing families apart, and watched as political disputes exposed how nasty we can be to one another. But 2014 was also a…
October is National Clergy Appreciation Month. As I’m feeling particularly sentimental this October, I decided to spend the month writing about clergy persons who have influenced my life in some major way. There’s no real rhyme or reason behind the order of these posts (other than I’m saving the best for last), but just the true hope that these wonderful…
I’ve officially completed my first full week of ministry at Broadway Baptist Church, and I can honestly say that I’m starting my second week with more excitement than hesitation, more hope than fear, and more energy than fatigue. Already, I sense God’s presence in the ministry here and the Divine hand at work in bringing me at this time to…
If you’ve been following along with me on Rev. on the Edge, you likely noticed my essential absence over the past couple weeks. At other times, I might ask you to be worried that I have fallen off the writing wagon or been sucked into a black hole of Netflix marathons and endless buckets of popcorn, but in this case,…
A reading from the gospel of Luke chapter 14, verse 1 and verses 7-14, The Message One time when Jesus went for a Sabbath meal with one of the top leaders of the Pharisees, all the guests had their eyes on him, watching his every move. He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing…
This post was originally featured on Call and Response, a blog sponsored by Duke Divinity’s Faith & Leadership program. Two years after I wrote this post, I find myself searching for ways to extend learning and mentoring relationships so that there is a place for the young, energetic minister and the wise, seasoned minister (maybe even from different churches!) to…
“Can I just put my toe in real quick?” the girls squeaked as we waited behind the baptistry for the service to begin. Nervous energy invaded the space between each of us and the girls wanted to do something… anything to feel prepared. With a twinkle in my eye and a knowing smile on my face, I replied, “Yes, but…
I’ve learned that some of the holiest moments in a young minister’s life are when mentors become friends. These moments are hard to mark, because the relationships shift gradually, in the same way that a mother and daughter shift from instructor to counselor to friend – you don’t always notice it happening, but when you do catch a glimpse of…
Rev. on the Edge 