I will be at the Presbyterian Writers’ Conference this week, so I probably will not be doing a lot of blogging about the care of pastors. Yet, in some ways, the two are connected. Almost all the writing that I do is connected with care of clergy. Two fiction projects, one a novel and the other a series of short stories, are all connected with the lives of pastors. I think that the profession of being a pastor is facing a major challenge. The recent sexual scandals will exacerbate the lack of respect that the society has increasingly given to our profession. My hope is that some good fictional descriptions of the life of pastors can counter the negative images and reveal both the challenge and the satisfaction of our calling.
In addition, I am working on some stand up comedy routines about some of our experiences as pastors. My assumption is that we need to draw upon the healing properties of humor as we face the challenges before us. Sometimes a good laugh can help us gain some perspective.
Writing has always been good therapy for me. As I write, I discover deeper understandings and new insights. I look forward to the conference and gaining new insights.
