Recently, many PCUSA seminarians sat for an exegesis ordination exam unlike any other I’ve ever heard about. For many, this exam was one of the last ecclesiastical hurdles to jump. For those of you who don’t know, PC(USA) ordination is a multi-year, multi-leg endurance race of classes, internships, verbal and written examinations, psychological evaluation, and […]
Tag: Pastor
Open Wound
The damage was too great, the surgeon told me, to close the wound. No amount of skill, no number of stitches, could close the bloody ellipse, much less hold it indefinitely. It could be cared for and fretted over as much as I liked, but only time would heal this open wound. Healing, closure the […]
The Unmaking of Me | Part 3 Complex PTSD and the Soul
This is the third and final post in this series. In Part One, I shared the spiritual abuse to which I was subjected to for two years. In Part Two, I tried to describe some of the more acute symptoms of my Complex PTSD. In this post, I want to really drill down on one […]
The Unmaking of Me | Part 2 How to Disappear Completely
In Part One of this series, I shared the spiritual abuse I endured over the course of years. Here in Part Two, I share some of my more acute symptoms of my CPTSD engendered by this abuse. Please know, however, that trauma does not affect everyone the same way. In his groundbreaking book on trauma, […]
Deconstruction is not the Problem: Why Matt Chandler Gets it Wrong
Deconstruction is not a trendy choice; it’s a survival technique.
Ten Warning Signs your Church Culture is Rotten
One of the common refrains we hear when a church implodes is “I just didn’t know.” Sometimes that ignorance is willed or a legal cover, but for most folks, I think it’s true. Even plugged-in participants, church-rats, and lay leaders are just unaware of what a church in trouble looks like. Here’s 10 warning signs […]
When the Pastor Wants to Die: My Story of Hurt and Healing this Mental Health Awareness Month
I have started and stopped this piece more times than I can count. The words have been hard to come by and I’ve asked myself so many times if the vulnerability is worth the risk. It is. I’m done with the silence. I’m done with the fear of judgment. I’m done with the shame. And […]
Dear VOA – My Last Weekly Note
Friends, This is not how any of us hoped this would turn out. I am writing to you from home with emotions and memories swirling around me. I’ve heard from many of you experiencing the same. Though my employment status may indicate otherwise, this is my last weekly letter to you as your pastor. There […]
Collared and Marching
Since the death of George Floyd, I have been found myself in the streets of the KC Metro in my clerical collar peacefully protesting, demonstrating, and marching. Here’s why. Black Lives Matter* Above all other reasons, I march because Black Lives Matter. At least, they should matter, but in America, where their existence began as […]
grovesandgametrails.com 