Greatheart's Table

Thanks for checking in here at Greatheart’s Table. One of the things that I love about the metaphor of a ‘table’ is the way it suggests conversation. Obviously, direct and immediate conversation cannot happen, but I’m very interested in your responses, your questions, your pushback even, to what I say. My email address is in […]

One of the goals we have here is to take pressure off pastors to perform. We want pastors to feel free to love their people and use the gifts they have for God and his kingdom without the unrealistic expectations that have encrusted ministry and made it impossible for most of us. As such we […]

I have spent the past several episodes talking about staying and leaving ministry and I wasn’t going to say anymore. But given my own experience of futility, joined with the publication of a couple of intriguing essays in The Atlantic, I wanted to make sure that I had taken seriously the current pressure on ministry. […]

Hi! Thanks for once again pulling up a chair to Greatheart’s Table. I can’t see you, but knowing you are out there is a wonderful encouragement. I’ve been addressing questions touching upon longevity in pastoral ministry. If you’d care to comment and add your voice to the conversation, I’d love to hear from you. You […]

Hi! Thanks for joining us around Greatheart’s Table. We’re currently considering the question of pastoral longevity, which may sound rather dull to most, but it is a question never far from the minds of most pastors I know. If you find this helpful, please review us and encourage others to listen in. You have no […]

Welcome back to Greatheart’s Table. As this is published three times each month, on the first, second, and fourth Mondays, there are occasional gaps that allow us to catch our breath. I appreciate your patience. With this post, I begin what is a three part series on pastoral longevity. Whether you are a pastor or […]

Though this episode is tilted toward those of us who preach, it nevertheless touches upon resources in which we all can delight. Gather around the table and consider what I call “Uncommon Sources of Sermonic Wisdom.” Thanks for listening. You can help support this podcast by dropping a few coins in our tip jar. Thanks! […]

The other day a friend and I were discussing what it was about pastoral ministry that makes it so stressful. He mentioned the fact, which we have addressed in the two previous posts, that everyone expected him to have an opinion on every issue that is being blogged about or debated on cable news. But […]

Last time, we raised the question of Psalm 11 (which I embarrassingly mis-referenced) that “if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). Particularly, what can or should the local church do or be in the face of the difficulties of the current world. What needs doing, it seems to me, is […]

Here at Greatheart’s Table, we are especially grateful for those of you who are NOT pastors. I write for pastors and those who love them, as the tag line says. But many of you are not pastors. You are those who love Christ and his church and are enjoying finding kindred spirits with whom to […]