A Thank You to Dr. James Dobson

The Beautiful Mess by John Pavlovitz Podcast · Aug 22, 2025 · 5m

Dear Dr. Dobson,

In the wake of your passing, I felt like I needed to acknowledge the immense contribution you’ve made to my ministry and work, as you were integral to my journey.

In some ways, you’re the reason I do what I do.

Thirteen years ago, I was a megachurch pastor, working with hundreds of young people in one of the largest Methodist churches in the country. I’d recently started writing a blog called Stuff That Needs to Be Said, with an audience comprised largely of parents of students in our church, other members of the community, and youth workers interested in increasing the size…