Tim Clifford

Ministry Stances Reactive vs Progressive - The stance we take in ministry matters.

open.substack.com/pub/timcliff...

I find myself really wanting to write, but struggling to begin essays and such. Part of the problem is the age old “what should I write about?” But even when I know what I want to write about, I still find myself stuck. 🤷🏼‍♂️

I’m not nearly as well-read as you on this, but wouldn’t a lich’s particular neuroses come into play as well? Powerful wizards in life, they might still feel attached to towers they worked in on the material plane?

Went for a run this morning and, as much as I miss the sunrise during my runs, I have to admit that I really enjoy dark mornings.

Today at the Ash Wednesday service I gave ashes to my very old father and a late elementary schooler very close to each other.
Something about declaring mortality to someone for whom it is hopefully distant and to someone for whom it is very, very near is striking me tonight.

Had a pancake dinner at the church tonight. Bunch of kids, lots of joy, so many smiles. Lights in the darkness, that’s for sure.

I preached on the now/not yet nature of the Kingdom of God and the new Creation yesterday (working out of Rev. 21). I posited that this nature calls us to reach out and grasp the future flourishing God imagines for Creation.
Today, I wonder what that looks like lived on daily basis. Thoughts?

I don’t think this is what ministry ought to be. Taking after Revelation, I think ministry ought to be about newness. It should be about doing and not undoing, but there is so much hurt for church people and so much misaligned and problematic Christianity that it can be hard to get out of undoing.

I am working on a sermon about Revelation and reflecting on how much of my work feels like the work of undoing. Undoing misinterpretations, undoing the messy theology of cultural Christianity, undoing all sorts of things for the people who sit in the pews in front of me.

What is Love? (Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more…)

open.substack.com/pub/timcliff...

The problem with writing in good coffee shops is that they play exclusively 2010s indie/alt bangers and that’s all I can focus on

I just decided today that I would finally watch this show. I’m glad to hear it will be this kind of experience.