Where's the Good Stuff this week?
Friday 7/31/26 roundup of what I've discovered on Substack
‘Good Stuff’ = articles I’ve read this week that inspired, educated, entertained, or moved me.
Which for a Free Range Priest, means reading more amazing, inspiring things about God, the church, the universe, and running.
Here’s this week’s roundup:
God stuff
‘First Steps’ by Scot McKnight. ‘Learning how to show up every day with your Bible and journal doesn’t impress them as having the spiritual sizzle necessary for the life change they say they want. However, whenever we study the lives of great saints, we find out their spiritual practices that led to their deeply spiritual lives were simple and basic.’
’Prone to Wander’ by S Tomlinson. ‘The older I get, the more I realise following Jesus isn’t about reaching a place where I’m no longer tempted. It’s about learning to recognise His voice sooner. It’s about noticing when my heart is beginning to drift and having the humility to turn around before I wander any further.’
Church stuff
‘The Unexpected Benefit of being a 1099 Pastor’ by Loren Richmond Jr. ‘Clear expectations can actually be healthy. Not because pastors shouldn’t be generous. Not because churches shouldn’t care for people. But because healthy boundaries make long-term ministry more sustainable.’
‘Three Things You’re Getting Wrong About Religion Data’ by Ryan Burge. ‘After all that, I can only say one of two things: “You’re welcome” or “I’m sorry” for taking you through what the world looks like from my perspective on a day-to-day basis. It’s fun. And frustrating. I’m probably going to be doing this for the rest of my life. Maybe one day I’ll get used to it.’
Other stuff
‘I thought I would have it all figured out by now’ by Brad Montague. ‘When you’re 8, “Don’t tell me what to do!” means: I want independence. When you’re older, “Someone, please tell me what to do!” doesn’t really mean I want someone to control me. It does mean…. I long for wisdom. I long for trusted voices. I long for companions and guidance, to be seen, witnessed, and understood. To not be alone in this weird, weird journey of living.’
‘The Fire & Light of Glen Hansard’ by Kaitlin Curtice. ‘I keep listening to his voice because it points me back to myself and back to God, back to the gift of hope, a fire lit in the heart that cannot be put out.’
What I wrote this week:
‘Please say the wrong thing’. ‘’We’re commiserating,’ I told him. Co-misery. ‘You get it, you’re sharing that you’ve been in this place before, that you’re here now. That neither one of us is alone’. Thank you.’
‘We can start something new, but we need to stay connected.’ We started Substack Seminary because the ministry we’re doing didn’t seem to fit into any model of training and development for ministry. And because we didn’t see any one else trying to equip today’s ministers for the Future of Church.’
And finally…
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