A few weeks ago I wrote a blog and asked a dumb question: If we have a pastor shortage, why do we seem to be making pastoral formation more restrictive rather than more accessible? The responses were enlightening. Some agreed. Some strongly disagreed. A few politely informed me that I didn't know what I was talking about. That’s okay; I probably don’t, hence the questions! All of which brings me to another dumb question, so please forgive me. Over the past few weeks, I've been following...

Let me begin by disqualifying myself. I am not a pastor. I am not a seminary president. I am not a district president. And, within the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, I am also a woman, which means I have less of a formal voice in conversations about pastoral formation. So, truly, you don’t have to listen to me.…But I do have a question. And it’s not a theological question, or especially complicated. It’s a question I have been asking myself because things just don’t quite add up. If...

Every once in a while, you read a book that resonates deeply, because it names something you’ve seen in the human heart. The Courage to Be Dislike d by Ichiro Kishimi is one of those books. Its ideas about personal responsibility, freedom from people-pleasing, and letting go of control over others’ opinions speak directly to the struggles many people carry. Many of the people I counsel struggle deeply with feeling responsible for everyone’s emotions. They fear disappointing others. They...