Dr. Virginia Holeman |
July 2, 2019 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
Self-justification Do you own a yahbut? No, this is not a new designer-dog breed. It is a common mutt. Self-justification is a common human tendency. Psychology refers to the “yahbut” as self-justification. Think: “Yeah, but...
Dr. Toddy Holeman |
June 18, 2019 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5
Contempt is the corrosive acid in any relationship. Relationship experts, John and Julie Gottman, define contempt as verbal (e.g., name calling) and non-verbal communication (e.g., rolling your eyes at something your conversation partner says) that says, “You...
Linda Gist |
June 6, 2019 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5
Thrive in 5 – Spiritual “What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us … Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, ‘What comes into your mind when you think about God?’ we might predict with...
David B. Lewis |
May 22, 2019 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5
Developing an Exercise Routine (Part 2) Faith persists: “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him” (Colossians 2:6). Christian faith has a “starting point” along with the admonition to “continue in the faith.” Applying this...
Dr. David Higle |
May 7, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Leadership that is Christian Henri Nouwen challenges us to remember that all leadership that is Christian must be grounded in the greater reality of God’s love. Nouwen provides important ballast to Wesleyan ministry leaders since, according to the latest research...
Dr. Virginia Holeman |
April 17, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Peacefulness through Prayer May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. Psalm 104:34 This Lent I (Dr. Toddy Holeman) committed to engage in 20 minutes of centering prayer every day until Easter. Centering...
Dr. Mark Rennaker |
April 3, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Thrive Financial Initiative The Wesleyan Church was blessed with a second million-dollar grant from the Lilly Endowment. The program, offered through Education & Clergy Development, is called the Thrive Financial Initiative (TFI) and is designed to help pastors...
Dave Higle |
March 15, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Reflecting God’s own triune nature, we are created to live in loving community with others as well as with God. Too much isolation can lead to loneliness, depression, and sense of abandonment. Our perceptions can become distorted. A healthy pastor will...
Dave Higle |
March 15, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Reflecting God’s own triune nature, we are created to live in loving community with others. As pastors who love, it is essential that we empathize with others: to feel what others feel. People must sense that we understand them. People will know that we...
Dave Higle |
March 15, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” implying that our physical bodies and energy levels do have an impact—for better or worse—on our spiritual lives and ability to be there for others. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your...
Dave Higle |
March 15, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Stewardship includes taking healthy care of ourselves so we can be there for others. It also involves thinking ahead to care for those we love in the event of a tragedy. Some believe that purchasing life insurance indicates a lack of faith in God’s...
Dr. David Higle |
March 15, 2019 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5
As a pastor, you know how important your emotional vitality is to ministry. The pastoral vocation is unique in nature compared to all other helping professions. Ministry is not a 9-5 job; insisting on “normal hours” will...
Dr. David Higle |
March 14, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” implying that our physical bodies and energy levels do have an impact—for better or worse—on our spiritual lives and ability to be there for others. If we do not maintain good physical health...
Dr. David Higle |
March 14, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
As a pastor, you are a Christian spiritual leader of others. You know how vital it is to your well-being to maintain an active intellectual life and engage key leadership practices. Here are five suggestions that can help you stay ahead of the curve and position...
Dave Higle |
March 14, 2019 |
Blog Thrive in 5
Thrive in 5 – Spiritual Sustaining Pastoral Excellence The most fundamental level of self-care is the pastor’s personal relationship with God in Christ through the Spirit. Everything in the pastor’s life flows from and is dependent upon the spiritual...
Dave Higle |
March 14, 2019 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5
As a pastor, you know how important your emotional vitality is to ministry. Pastoral ministry requires the ability to withstand the emotional stresses of life and be “present” and empathetic to others. Emotional...
Linda Gist |
February 26, 2019 |
Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
Thrive in 5 – Spiritual Have you ever noticed the irony of being a pastor working with people every day and yet personally experiencing deep loneliness? Do you sense that longing in your heart for deep, intimate friendship? Are you open to re-imagining your...
David B. Lewis |
February 12, 2019 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
Thrive in 5 – Physical Developing an Exercise Routine – Part One Faith is active – it is demonstrated by what we do. As the Scriptures declare: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:17). Applying this spiritual principle to our...
Dr. David Higle |
February 4, 2019 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
The Emotionally Healthy Leader As a pastor, you know that leadership is much more than knowing solid management techniques or creating and casting vision. First and foremost, you lead out of who you are. Who you are will manifest itself in how you lead others. The...
Dr. Virginia Holeman |
November 27, 2018 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
If you have read A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh, are you an Eeyore or a Tigger? “Eeyores” are your typical pessimists. Life is one disappointment after another. Positive things are never as good as imagined. Neutral things are worse than expected. Negative things are...
David B. Lewis |
October 31, 2018 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
Everyone who is interested in living a healthy lifestyle requires physical activity. Regular exercise should include three basic categories: cardio, resistance (weight training) and flexibility. When these activities are implemented into a regular lifestyle routine...
Linda Gist |
October 18, 2018 |
Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
Thrive in 5 – Spiritual Christianity strongly affirms the glorious truth that the Christian God is a triune God. What we believe about this triune God will fundamentally affect how we relate to him and how we live out our Christian lives. Linda Gist (see...
Dr. Virginia Holeman |
September 13, 2018 |
Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
What is a secret to strong relationships? In his book “The Relationship Cure,” relational researcher, John Gottman, suggests that we should be on the lookout for “bids for connection” and turn toward these bids whenever we can. What is a bid for connection? A...
Dr. Virginia Holeman |
July 31, 2018 |
Blog Education & Clergy Development Thrive in 5 Thriving Clergy
Anxiety Have you noticed how often Scripture tells us to not fear or be anxious? This command makes sense when we are in the presence of divine visitations. However, you may find it more challenging to “fear not” in the presence of your daily struggles or an...
