Mark D. Roberts

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know that, after sixteen years, I have just finished up as pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in California. As of today, I am officially the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a ministry in the Hill Country of Texas, outside of San Antonio. I’m spending…

Excerpt Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14 Click here to read all of Psalm 90 Prayer What better way to begin a new day, dear Lord, than by remembering Your steadfast love! What a sure foundation for the challenges…

Part 11 of series: Grace in the Rearview Mirror: A Pastoral Retrospective Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series I will be the pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church for two more days. At the stroke of midnight on Sunday, September 30th, my term of 5,936 days comes to an end, and I become…

Note: I’m not quite done with my series on Grace in the Rearview Mirror. There will be more tomorrow. It’s easy to feel upbeat about life when things are going your way. Opportunities at work + social standing + love at home = a positive attitude. Then you get extra credit because an optimistic outlook…

Part 10 of series: Grace in the Rearview Mirror: A Pastoral Retrospective Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series In yesterday’s post I explained several things I found difficult about being a parish pastor: the difficulty of certain decisions, the heaviness of people’s burdens, the painfulness of receiving criticism, and the implications of…

Part 9 of series: Grace in the Rearview Mirror: A Pastoral Retrospective Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series In my last post I explained why I often thought that I had the best job in the world as Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church. In fact, I often told people that I felt…

Part 8 of series: Grace in the Rearview Mirror: A Pastoral Retrospective Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series There were many times during the past sixteen years when I thought I had the best job in the world. Yes, of course there were other times as well, and I’ll have something to…

Part 7 of series: Grace in the Rearview Mirror: A Pastoral Retrospective Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series I do not look back at my ministry at Irvine Presbyterian Church with many regrets. Oh, I certainly made my fair share of errors. But the congregation managed to forgive me for these, and…

Excerpt Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 Click here to read all of John 8:12-30 Prayer Light of the world, shine on me! Light of the world, shine in my heart,…

Part 6 of series: Grace in the Rearview Mirror: A Pastoral Retrospective Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series A few men at our Men’s Retreat in the “Whar’s the bar?” skit. A fine tradition of humiliating the newcomers in Christian love.   A family working on their craft at our Christmas Craft…

More from Beliefnet and our partners