A few years ago, I went to visit a church member at a hospital. I decided to wear a clerical collar to the hospital because I was going into the ICU, which was an ICU I had never been to before. Often, it is easier to wear a collar at a hospital because it cuts down of the identification questions and it also allows me some professional courtesies. Believe it or not, I get some strange looks when I tell people I am a pastor. They say, “You are so young. You don’t look like a pastor.” I reply, “What does a pastor look like then?” You can image the time I have to spend explaining myself. Does a doctor, police officer, fireman/firewoman, or teacher have to explain themselves? (That is a topic for another blog post). Sure, I love to interact with people, but getting the stink eye from Nurse Ratched and being interrogated is not the most pleasant experience.
After the visit, I got into my car and started to drive back to the church office. As I was driving, I stopped at the light to get on the highway. There was a homeless man there with a sign asking for money and walking up the line of cars. I decided not to give the man any money because I preferably do not like to give someone money and leave. I would rather spend time with someone. It is unfortunate that this man had to resort to asking for money at a stoplight, but I felt I was at a disadvantaged because I was not in a position to help him holistically. When the man passed my car, I did not roll my window down. Seeing my collar, the man became irate and started shouting at me.
sermon was entitled, “Why I hate Barack Obama”. This pastor, Steven Anderson, even said that his congregation members that God hates Obama, therefore they should hate Obama. You can also her some of his sermon 
Facebook is a wonderful social networking tool that creates online communities for millions of people. Most begin filling out Facebook’s identity questions: name, sex, hometown, birthday, relationship status, and… religion? With 
with funeral homes and funeral directors but, one of the first funerals I ever did, as an ordained pastor, was memorable. A well known hometown gentleman died young, and his family contacted me and a retired minister on staff at my church to officiate the service. As the two of us are about to begin the funeral, a wife of a pallbearer came up to me and asked if it would be acceptable for her to sit with her husband during the service. I looked into the sanctuary and saw that all the pallbearers were to sitting on the front row, and I really thought nothing of it for her to sit with her husband (and the other pallbearers) during such an emotional time. Boy I was wrong.
Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) made waves with their new progressive policies concerning homosexuals and now allow:
The Baby Boomer generation is often thought as the generation that worked hard, help get us where we are, and was the backbone of the 20th century. Now that Baby Boomers are retiring, many have asked the question, “Who will take their place?” Generation X? No.
‘Dante’s Inferno’ go to hell” was a sign that a protester raised in front of the E3 tech conference in June. Another sign read, “My high score is in heaven.” Still another displayed “Hell is not a game.” The LA times covered the 
..that was the question that Rob Eagar over at 
Running late to meet a fellow pastor, I decided to finish writing a sermon thought instead of leaving on time. I got into my car and believed I could save time by driving fast, really fast, on the New York State Northway (I-87). Driving on the six lane highway provided for an opportunity to pass a lot other drivers. I looked at my watch and saw that I was running 15 minutes late for my lunch meeting.
for us into Christianity.” – is the comment that I heard from a wedding I once officiated. Over the years, I have been conflicted by couples who come into my office asking me to officiate their wedding. Normally, I have no problem doing a wedding for a church member or Christians who do not have a church home. What has been a growing trend for a number of pastors, including myself, is what to do with non-Christian weddings?
sentence, but the The New York Times did just that when the newspaper wrote an 
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