An ice storm on Saturday night! Everything was cancelled. Roads were closed and powerlines down. Chad was the new pastor at Creekside Church. In fact, he was new to ministry leadership. His ordination service in this rural congregation happened only three months earlier. The parsonage had been located next to the isolated church building for its first 75 years. But …

It was the first time Caitlin hosted the holiday dinner for her family. 27 people would be at the tables, 19 at the main, and 8 at the “Kid’s Table.” Two babies would be held or sleeping in carrying baskets. Caitlin called her Mom to make certain that everything was properly planned. “How do I cook the ham,” she asked. …

Chris was called to ministry. He knew it. He felt it. He prayed about it. But before he could be credentialed as a pastor, Chris had to channel his passionate confidence through several years of seminary training. Bible classes were great and theology courses were mostly interesting, although Chris never imagined that basic beliefs could be so nuanced and complicated. …

Four Reasons I Love Church Planting Years after each of them went through the great pain of losing their spouses, a curmudgeonly widower and a feisty widow were coaxed toward marriage by well-meaning friends. The wedding was a simple family ceremony in his house, and required no rehearsal. So when the minister used a new form to lead the couple …

There was a saying, often repeated in the farming community of my youth, that structured the perceived values of work life simply and decisively: If you can’t farm, you can always teach; if you can’t teach, you can always preach; if you can’t preach, you can always teach preachers! When I recite this to my seminary students, I tell them …

Written by Wayne Brouwer Some years ago a convention of fortune tellers gathered in Dublin, Ireland. While the group was meeting in a large plenary session, thieves broke into a number of rooms and displays, stealing crystal balls, tarot cards, and other divination equipment. When the police came to investigate, they asked the witches, warlocks and fortune-tellers, “Why didn’t you …

By Dr. Wayne Brouwer My first congregation was very rural, with our home-made church building one of only a dozen whistle-stop structures on the sweeping Alberta prairies. Mail was not delivered, but had to be picked up at the Post Office, housed in the only matchbox-sized general store for miles (five people crowded it; a dozen meant at least three …

A young girl went with her pastor father when he led a Christmas afternoon worship service at a retirement home. His exuberance while telling the story and implications of Jesus’ coming was palpable, and Christmas carols were sung with enthusiasm by a delighted crowd of residents and visiting family members. One nurse, however, obviously not pleased to be working the …

My Mom Died Last Week My mom’s name was Eva. Her twin sister, who died on their birthday a few years back, was Esther. I try to imagine what my grandparents, Harry and Gertrude, were thinking about when they named their newborn twins for the mother of all humans (Eve) and the great savior of her people (Esther). The girls …

5 blemished Truths About The Church While celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, both husband and wife were urged to give testimonies to gathered family and friends. He said the usual thing: “The best two words I ever learned  were, ‘Yes, Dear!’” She was a little more profound.  “One of the things that has made our marriage last so long,” she …