People say they like these posts, so I'll keep making them...
Clergy are a guilty lot. We are torn between our fondness for the adventure of intuitive insight and the need to justify ourselves empirically. Frustration turns to anger and skepticism becomes cynicism. We fall into that hallowed American custom of solving our dilemma by working just that much harder, which is exacerbated by the expectation that we are an unceasing source of love, compassion, tenderness, and comfort. That which feeds the pastor is passed over, largely because we think we need to spend the time making evident our own value to the people who expect our ministry. We become burned out, bored, disillusioned, and guilty over our failure...
What is called for is spiritual companionship, in which in some configuration we are willing to be confronted at the point of our life of prayer. - Urban T. Holmes, Spirituality for Ministry p.177
Monday, July 6, 2009
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