Gordon Bietz

To paraphrase Dickens: It is the best of times; it is the worst of times. It is an age of wisdom; it is an age of foolishness. It is an epoch of belief; it is an epoch of incredulity. It is a season of light; it is a season of darkness.…

In years past the pastor was a highly respected member of the community. He was generally the most educated person and was considered knowledgeable in almost every field. Now specialists have largely taken his place, and the trend of humanistic…

Power has become a catchword for phrases around which the disenfranchised can gather. There is black power, white power, woman power, and a hundred others. Possibly, like Walter Mitty, you have fantasized being in a very powerful position,…

Viewpoint is designed to allow readers an opportunity to express opinions regarding matters of interest to their colleagues. The ideas expressed in this feature are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of…

In The Senior Minister Schaller continues to provide helpful ideas for those who practice ministry in larger churches. (The Multiple Staff and the Larger Church, published in 1980, was also helpful.) Schaller's…

In one of my favorite cartoon strips the first panel shows Garfield the cat standing in the shadows on one side of bright sunlight that is beaming through the window. He contemplates the warmth of the sunlight. The balloon above his head…