“I’m Ba-a-ack”

Last updated on: March 31, 2015 at 9:48 pm by Mark D. Roberts

“I’m Ba-a-ack” 2015-03-31T21:48:24-05:00 Mark D. Roberts

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

To borrow and butcher a line from Poltergeist II, “I’m ba-a-ck.” After a long time away from active blogging, I’m beginning again as a part of a new professional season in my life.

During the last few years while I was working for the H. E. Butt Family Foundation (AKA Laity Lodge, The High Calling), I had little time or energy for blogging. Most of my writing effort went into the Daily Reflections, devotionals that were emailed to more than 20,000 people each morning. For quite a while, Alissa Wilkinson, an amazing writer, not to mention amazing human being, admirably filled in for me on my blog. Now she has gone on to other things, like writing for the Washington Post and The Atlantic. (Which is more impressive, my blog or the Post and the Atlantic? Hmmmm. Hard choice.) But, since December, my blog has been fairly quiet on the new material front. (I continue to get more than a hundred-thousand readers each month, but to archived material like my article, The Seven Last Words of Christ: Reflections for Holy Week.)

I haven’t exactly been lazing off during the last few months, however. All of my literary effort went into writing a commentary on Ephesians, which will be published by Zondervan in 2016. It’s part of the Story of God commentary series. I’m pleased to say that I have finished my first draft of this piece, which now gives me time and energy for blogging.

New library wing at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California

But, an even greater reason for my return to blogging has to do with my new job. As of Wednesday (yes, April Fool’s Day), I will begin as the Executive Director of the Max De Pree Center for Leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary. (You can find Fuller’s official announcement here.) I’m excited to give direction to the Center and am thrilled to join the movement of God at Fuller Seminary. Under the leadership of Mark Labberton, Fuller’s president, the seminary has envisioned its work in terms of the calling (or vocation) of every Christian, which means every student, to live all of life with and for Christ. Those students who go on to pastoral ministry will be equipped to help their members discover and live their vocation every day. Those students who will work outside of the church – and there are many at Fuller – will see their lives as a genuine living out of their calling. Under President Mark’s leadership, Fuller is living out the truth that all Christians are called to Christ, to be his disciple in all of life. (For more on this, see Mark’s book, Called: The Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today.)

Though the De Pree Center will contribute to the formation of Fuller students, its main work is to reach leaders throughout the world with the vision and resources of the seminary. The Center seeks to serve leaders so they might flourish in life and leadership. Yes, the De Pree Center, following the example and teaching of Max De Pree, will help leaders become more effective and purposeful in their work. But the Center will also be deeply concerned about the person of the leader, the life of every leader in and beyond work. We want to see leaders thrive not only in their leadership roles, but also in the rest of life, in family and friendship, in church and community, in play and prayer, in public and private.

I’ll have more to say about the De Pree Center later, you can bet on that. For now, I want you to know that I am indeed “ba-a-ck.” (Did you know that the famous “They’re ba-a-ck” line actually comes from an ad for Poltergeist II, not from the movie itself? In the movie, Carol Ann’s “back” is rather quick.) I’ll be blogging on a fairly regular basis, both here and at the De Pree Center “Insights for Leaders” blog.

Also, I’m beginning a new digital, daily devotional called Life for Leaders. Each day, the De Pree Center will email to subscribers a Bible-based devotional written specifically for people in a wide range of leadership roles: in the marketplace, the church, non-profits, arts, government, and beyond. I’ll have more to say about this in future posts. If you want to sign up to start receiving Life for Leaders, you can do so here.

I look forward to sharing with you in this new season of my professional and, indeed, vocational life. I hope you’ll join me.

Max De Pree Center for Leadership

Previous Post

December 11, 2014

Congratulations HEB! One of Best Ten Places to Work in the U.S.

Next Post

April 2, 2015 Servant Leadership on Maundy Thursday

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Advent Calendar Alissa Wilkinson Archeology Art and Faith Ash Wednesday Bible Books Business Business and Faith Christian Year (Liturgical or Church Year) Christmas Christmas according to Dickens Christmas, Culture, and Christ Christmas: Keeping Christmas Well Church and Culture Church and Ministry Church and Technology Church Life Church: What is a Church? Cities Code of Ethics for Pastors Contentment Creativity Cultural Commentary Culture Daily Reflections Dallas Willard Deliberating on Digital Dignity Easter Education Ephesus and the New Testament Ethics Eugene Peterson Evangelical Existential Questions Faith Faith and Work Family Food Friendship Fun Good Reads Gospel Centered Christianity Grace Handel's Messiah Harvard University Health High Calling History Holidays Holy Spirit Holy Week Hospitality How Does God Guide Us? Hunger Games Insights for Leaders - De Pree Center Inspiration from the High Calling Jesus Jesus: Following Him as a Disciple Jesus: Seven Last Words Jesus: Was Jesus Married? Jesus: What Was His Message? Jesus: Why Did He Have to Die? Laity Lodge Leadership Leadership Conversation Lent Les Miserables Life for Leaders Linda's Advent Doodles Linda's Lenten Doodles Living Well Loving Neighbors Max De Pree Center for Leadership Mental Health Mission of God and Missional Church Money Moral Dilemmas Mormonism Movies Nature New York City Pastors and Churches Pentecost Photos to Share Poetry Police Blotter Politics Prayer Preachers Portal Preaching Presbyterian Church Quotations Reading the Times Recommendations Reflecting on Technology Religion and Culture Ruminations Sabbath Science Seven Last Words Sexual Harassment Social Media Something to Think About Spiritual Warfare Sports Stations of the Cross Stephen Hawking: Heaven and Faith Stories Technology and Culture Technology and Education Technology and Mental Health Technology Bits Texas Thanksgiving The High Calling Thin Places Uncategorized Vocation Women Words Work Worship

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 April 2015 March 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 November 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does the Bible say about pride?

Select your answer to see how you score.

It is a virtue It goes before a fall It is harmless It always wins