“A Desk is a dangerous place from which to view the World”

The statement that a desk is a not so good place from which to observe the world is credited to John le Carre.  This a pen name of a British author of espionage novels.  In my traveling about I had heard it attributed to a preacher.  It is advice that I still give to young pastors.  The technological age has brought us many advantages, so many in fact that they are…

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7 Steps for Conflict Resolution

7 Steps for Conflict Resolution by Darryl J. Bogatay In a time when global positioning systems are available for our cars, desktop, and cell phones, how does the location of conflict resolution remain so evasive? Jesus gives us the coordinates, but it’s up to us to get there. Conflict resolution is located at the intersection where love, holy boldness, wisdom, and Matthew 18:15-20 merge. After three decades as a pastor,…

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Endure or Embrace: A case for Living life

Today we are experiencing winter.  There is snow on the ground, a chill in the air and a log on the fire.  Winter is beautiful if you have the luxury of gazing at it from the warm side of a window, with a hot cup of coffee and a good book as companions.  When I was a child I prayed for snow days.  As an adult they are no longer…

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Are You An Encourager?

Barnabas is called the Son of encouragement.  His real name is Joseph, but every time we encounter him in the Bible he is encouraging someone.  We first encounter him when he has made a generous donation to the church early in the book of Acts.  Generosity and Encouragement go together. You are not likely to pass along encouragement if you don’t posses a generous spirit.  We all want someone to encourage us, but…

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