Faith, Grace, and Hope

Rachel Held Evans is a writer, blogger and speaker. Essentially, she does what I'd love to do if I weren't loving what I was currently doing. (Or something like that.) She wrote the following on her own blog today:  This post was inspired by a few things:   First, the brilliantly titled  Epic Fail Pastors Conference , born from the question “What if we offered a space that is gutsy, hopeful, courageously vulnerable for pastors to let go of the burden to be a Super Pastor?” Second, a candid talk from  David Felton  at  Big Tent Christianity  about how pastors are often afraid to share what they are learning about the Bible and Christianity with their congregations for fear or recourse. (David recalled one pastor who reached retirement and said, “Now I can finally say what I really think.”) And third, the increasing number of pastors who contact me to say that they have doubts too, but can’t tell anyone about them .   Dear Pastors,  Tell us the truth.   Tell us the truth whe

This week's prompt: 5 perks/gifts of ministry (for me) 1. Flexibility:  Part of the reason I'm writing on Saturday is because I took Friday off (for the most part). I worked on Monday and so I shifted my schedule. Though there are occasional very, very long days- they don't occur with horrible frequency. I can also work early in the morning and late at night, which allows a little more time with my family than another 40-50 hour a week job might. It's a gift and I'm grateful. 2. Music:  People assume the pastor will sing hymns all the time. So I do. Sure, Sondheim is a little more difficult to explain, but... how can I keep from singing? 3. Debate : I like to discuss, vigorously, the Bible. Frequently. Ministry gives me the frequent and vigorous options. 4. Teaching:  I like teaching. I like seeing someone grasp a new thought or idea. I like watching the truth be absorbed. I like thinking about things in a new way so that I can teach more effectively. 5. L

That's one of the mottos of the university from which I received my Master of Divinity. It's an interesting construct, given the perception that many universities, especially in the Ivy League, are unpatriotic at best and downright Communist at worst. As the wife of a soldier and having been known to occasionally vote for a Republican, I can report feeling a little alone, shall we say, but not terribly. Yet I always think of this motto when called upon to do one of my least favorite tasks in ministry: signing a marriage license. I hate it. And each time I do it, I feel like I'm betraying Someone. The thing is, my primary devotion is to be to God. This means, with regard to marriage, that I need to bless the unions of people who I feel are embarking together on a journey of companionship, devotion and dedication to God, God's desires and God's expectations. No pressure. When I sign a marriage license, I'm acting in some capacity as an agent of the