Category Archives: Church

A Dirty Secret About Me

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

Here it is… Wait for it… I LOVE pastoring and I love my congregation and I love my community!  Okay.  So that isn’t “dirty,” nor a “secret,” but it is about me. 🙂  I have found too often when speaking … Continue reading →

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Leonard Sweet on Ministerial Training

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

Reading a student’s paper tonight, I was struck by a statement Leonard Sweet (always thoughtful and provocative) made about the potential that we (particularly ministerial training institutions) might be training pastors for a ministry that no longer exists… Continue reading →

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Please Don't Prune Me!

Posted on June 28, 2015 by Rick Wadholm

I heard a good message today from John 15:1-11: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, John, Pietism, Pruning, Sanctification, Vine | Tagged | 1 Comment

The Church for Others

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Rick Wadholm

In Sunday School this morning we discussed the core value of “community” as the church. We were discussing some of the ways in which our “community” turns in upon itself (sometimes in self-preservation; sometimes because it simply cannot live in … Continue reading →

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A Day To Celebrate?

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Rick Wadholm

Today was my final worship service with the congregation I have loved and served for the last decade. And it was exactly the kind of day I wanted to share with my church family: our annual church at the lake. … Continue reading →

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IHS – What Does It Mean?

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Rick Wadholm

I had a conversation with a couple of the ladies in my church today about a symbol that is imprinted into the fabric lining the bottom of our brass offering plates. I had overheard one of them telling the other … Continue reading →

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Kids and the Bible

Posted on February 13, 2011 by Rick Wadholm

Every morning (when I’m not already gone for a meeting or class) I read a small portion of Scripture to my children (from the NLT) and we each pray in turn before I send them off on the bus to … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Church, Deuteronomy, Instruction, Scripture | Leave a comment

On Being A False Teacher

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Rick Wadholm

Carl Trueman has written a wonderful piece on “being a false teacher” (over at Reformation 21) and the benefits of ordination as a guard against such (not as an absolute guard, but as a guard to be sure).  What is … Continue reading →

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