There is an old lesson of nature that points out that a snake sheds its skin pretty often so it can continue to grow. The analogy of the lesson is that we too must shed our past if we are to continue to grow. If we hold on to our past we impede our own growth going into the future. … Continue reading →
Here is a blog post written by Justin Taylor and posted on August 17, 2017 at The Gospel Coalition website. I’m placing it here unedited and unchanged, and as a resource because I am frequently asked about the beliefs of the Jehovah Witnesses. – – – – – – The 11 Beliefs You Should Know about Jehovah’s Witnesses When They … Continue reading →
There are eight Bible passages/verses that I keep close by when I’m called to visit a hospital patient or a hospice patient or someone trying to make sense of a tragic or traumatic event. I’ve never unloaded all of them in a single visit and I can’t image a situation where I would reference more than two or three. I’m … Continue reading →
After 35 years of serving as a church pastor, I have learned something about why people come to celebrations or ceremonies. I’ve learned that at a baptism, we come to see the candidate take a public stand for following the Lord. At a wedding, we come to see the beauty of a bride and her happily ever after. But at … Continue reading →
I’m placing these items here so they are accessible to myself or anyone needing resources for a graveside ceremony. Scripture 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 Psalm 23:1-6 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Committal For as much as God in His infinite love and wisdom, has given us the life of _____________________ and has permitted him/her to fall asleep in Jesus, we do … Continue reading →
If you have a loved one entering hospice care, you will have access to a hospice chaplain. The hospice chaplain is part of the interdisciplinary care team that includes a physician, registered nurses, nurses aids, social worker, chaplain, volunteers, and bereavement specialist. The chaplain’s primary function is to help patients and families cope with the internal struggles that often arise … Continue reading →
My grandparents on my mother’s side were Martin and Margaret Soos, both full blooded Hungarians. As I understand their story, Martin met Margaret in Trenton, New Jersey at some point after Martin came to America from Ugod, Hungary. The Soos story as I know it was handed down to me through my older brother Lou and my grandfather’s brother, Joe … Continue reading →
I seem to get asked about my family history, often. It usually begins with my name when someone says, Durkac…what is the origin of your name? or they just ask, What kind of name is Durkac? Durkac is a unique name, and I usually tell people if you meet another Durkac we are related. At least we would be related … Continue reading →
Today is Saturday and it was my last day of employment as a hospital chaplain. Tomorrow is Sunday and it will be a day marked by me being unemployed. However, Monday morning I will start my new job as a hospice chaplain. In this post I simply want to reflect on going from a hospital chaplain to a hospice chaplain. … Continue reading →
There are eight Bible passages/verses that I keep close by when I’m called to a patient’s hospital room. I’ve never unloaded all of them in a single visit and I can’t image a situation where I would reference more than two or three. I’m sharing eight here because they cover the most difficult of circumstances, offering the most helpful insights … Continue reading →
I’m not one to comment on everything that happens in our society and culture, especially when it involves celebrities, but the recent passing of Jimmy Buffett is an opportunity for me to remind us all of the obvious. The obvious is that death doesn’t care if you are a billionaire or a pauper, it’s going to have its day with … Continue reading →
This post is going to be a little bit of inside baseball but I think it can be followed by those with an interest, even if you are not employed in the work of a hospital chaplain or a hospice chaplain or corporate chaplain or law enforcement chaplain. I’m going to write from my vantage point of a hospital chaplain … Continue reading →
There is one verse in Scripture that gives us God’s intentions of calling pastors into the service of His church and its Ephesians 4:11 which states, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” The word that the King James translates as “pastor” is actually the word for “shepherd” and that is … Continue reading →
If you are a church pastor or a church lay person who has taken up the assignment of visiting church members during their hospital stay, this post is for you. I want to address seven points of etiquette and guiding principles when it comes to visiting a parishioner in the hospital. Unless you work in a hospital, the dynamics and … Continue reading →
For me, there is nothing more important in conducting a hospital visit with a patient than sharing an appropriate verse of Scripture. Sharing the right Bible verse will provide encouragement and hope for a Christian hospital patient and family. Here, I want to share some Bible verses for you to choose from to share on your visit. You can share … Continue reading →
A spiritual crisis is when tragedy strikes, or a traumatic event occurs, or circumstances weigh so heavily on your heart that you turn toward God and realize you’re disconnected from Him. The crisis becomes that you need God but you’re not sure He is there or you’re not sure how to receive His help or intervention. The crisis is that … Continue reading →
I’ve been contemplating Ecclesiastes 1:11 which says, “No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them” (NIV). After we die, it’s just a matter of time until only our closest friends and family remember us. Life moves on for the living, and eventually even they die. Which means that … Continue reading →
I want to speak to pastoral care in the context of ministry within the role of serving as a pastor. So here I wish to bullet a few points to consider. • Too often the image of a pastor is built around a “leader-executive” role, but not that of a shepherd. The pastor is expected to focused on getting butts … Continue reading →
There is one Former Seventh-day Adventist Facebook group that I still follow, probably because it’s not as angry as the majority of these groups are. Although it has recently occurred to me that it too has the one or two critics who have found their fame in their anti-SDA cause. Over the years I have joined about all of these … Continue reading →
You may not be familiar with the term “spiritual self-care” so I am going to give you some definition. First, “spiritual” means that element that is non-material in the holistic understanding of man as body, mind, and spirit. The spiritual aspect of our being that is most recognized with the religious that reaches beyond ourselves to a higher existence and … Continue reading →
When it came to how we did church, CrossHope Chapel held to the following four church purposes and seven governing values that guide our practices and focuses as a church. Biblical Purposes 1. We seek to be a church where one can safely, without denominational bias, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 … Continue reading →
For nearly 12-years CrossHope Chapel was an informal, simpler expression of church, where one could encounter the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, engage others in authentic New Testament fellowship, and be encouraged through the verse-by-verse study of the Bible. When you walked through the doors you would immediately notice that we had round tables, no pews or side by … Continue reading →
Happy Independence Day! I share with you an insightful statement from 1906, found in today’s Maranatha devotional by E.G. White. The statement speaks in support of patriotism and against political deconstruction. Enjoy… “The Lord has done more for the United States than for any other country upon which the sun shines. Here He provided an asylum for His people, where … Continue reading →
On this day, Mother’s Day, I always think of a verse in the epistle of Paul to Timothy. The chapter includes some instructions to the young pastor about caring for widows and it is in the middle of this that Paul writes in regard to women as “known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children” (1 Timothy 5:10, … Continue reading →