ministry
Episode 50: Pastors and Life in Ministry (with Neal Thornton)
In this week’s episode, Ronjour and Brandon are joined by one of our regular contributors, Dr. Neal Thornton, to discuss the life of a pastor.
Pastoral Ministry
Marriage
For Pastors: A Unique Seat in the Audience of Your Life
Every Sunday, you stand on a stage to share God’s message to people who are engaged, indifferent, or not physically present. You walk through the audience shaking hands, listening with concern, and loving those who may not love you back. You hear heart-wrenching stories of loss, life-changing sin, and gossip from angry people who have forgotten the mission and vision of the gospel. You may not complain, but sometimes you wonder if what you do makes a difference.
Discipleship
The Long Road of Discipleship
Our world has developed an obsession with speed and efficiency, and at times, it seems as if everything in life has been affected in one way or another. Major League Baseball instituted an assortment of rules aimed at speeding up games. Fast-food restaurant chains compete to get customers their food as quickly as possible. Businesses regularly push workers to maximize efficiency by completing the same amount of work in less time.
College Ministry
Episode 48: Pastors and Shepherding College Students (with Jonathan Akin)
In this week’s episode, Ronjour and Brandon are joined by Jonathan Akin (VP for Church Relations and Campus Ministries at Carson-Newman University) to discuss pastors and shepherding college students.
Conflict
Heart-Orienting Truths for Navigating Conflict
It is inevitable. At some point, probably soon, you will encounter some form of conflict in ministry. Maybe it will come in the form of a disagreement among your elders, pastors, or deacons. Conflict may arise from a misunderstanding between you and your spouse. It could be that there are a few sandpaper-people in your life, and when they come around, discord follows behind them. It is not a matter of if, but when. Conflict will come.
P2
Episode 47: Pastors and Sabbaticals
In this week’s episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss pastors and the importance of taking a sabbatical.
Church Replants
Episode 46: Pastors and Replanting Churches (with Cody Evans)
In this week’s episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon sit down with Cody Evans to discuss replanting churches.
Neal Thornton
Tips for the Trial Sermon: Preaching in View of a Call
A few months back, our church called a student pastor to join our pastoral team. Like many churches, ours formed a search committee to seek after God’s man for this particular role. After months of diligent searching, they unanimously landed on a recent graduate from Southeastern Seminary. He came highly recommended by his past professors as well as pastors at his then-current place of ministry.
Hope
Pastoral Lessons from John Bunyan and The Pilgrim’s Progress
Pastors are always on the lookout for the next book to help us be more effective and faithful in ministry. Some books help us shore up weaknesses, others teach us how to effectively carry out the everyday tasks of pastoral ministry, and then, there are those that inspire us to persevere through the challenges of shepherding God’s people.
Compassion
The Temptation of Lesser Opportunities
For a brief time, I had the fanciful idea that a life in the political arena might somehow be in the cards of my future. In college, I worked for several politicians and led the college’s conservative political organization.While I enjoyed my work, it was certainly not the calling I know the Lord had placed in my heart as a teenager. One election cycle was enough for me. Political work is certainly important work and like so many other professions, we need believers in this profession to be light in the darkness.
interview
Episode 42: Pastors and “the Interview”
In this week’s episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon are back to discuss pastors and interviews.What questions should aspiring pastors be prepared to answer while being interviewed by churches? What questions should pastor candidates be prepared to ask churches? Join us this week as we tackle these questions (and many more)!
Encouragement
A Plea to Exhausted Pastors and Their People
I have been back to the traveling aspect of my ministry since July. Since then, I have noticed a consistent reality among those who are leading our churches. It affects pastors regardless of ministry title: lead pastor, associate pastor, youth pastor, or children’s pastor.
Acts 20:28
Pastor, Pay Careful Attention to Yourself
Last week, my grandma died at the age of one hundred. During her final year, she could not care for herself in any meaningful way. Because she lived across the street from my dad, much of her personal care fell to him. It was a role he gladly accepted, but one that also took its toll on him. Much of his day revolved around when she needed medicine, food, and sleep.
Nathaniel Williams
Episode 38: Pastors and Rural Ministry (with Nathaniel Williams)
In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss pastoring in a rural context with Nathaniel Williams (Senior Pastor of Cedar Rock First Baptist Church).
Hospital
5 Tips for Pastoral Care in an Intensive Care Unit
Death exists as an unnatural act for all human beings to endure. Perhaps the foreign nature of death in the created order causes many of us to either ignore its existence or become infatuated with its mystique. Death was not originally a part of God’s created fabric, but rather God created a world where death could come into existence depending upon humanity’s obedience (Genesis 2:15–17).
Daniel Akin
Episode 37: Pastors and Fatherhood (with Danny Akin)
In this episode, Ronjour and Brandon are joined by Dr. Daniel Akin (President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) to discuss pastors and fatherhood.How can pastors balance their pastoral responsibilities with their responsibilities at home? How does being a father shape the way you pastor? How can fathers raise their kids to think and live missionally? Join us this week as we tackle these questions (and many more)!
Criticism
Facing Attacks and Criticism
How do we or should we face criticism and attack in our ministry?I just completed preaching through Nehemiah as part of an interim pastorate. We often recite the lessons of leadership learned from Nehemiah, and rightfully so, but something more specific struck me this time: how he reacted to criticism and attack. Nehemiah faced an extremely difficult context with enemies who did not want the people of God to focus upon the work of Yahweh.
Pastor Matters
Episode 36: Pastors and Prayer
In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss the prayer life of a pastor. Why is it so difficult to create consistent patterns of prayer? What does the Bible say about prayer? What role does prayer have in preaching and fulfilling the Great Commission? Join us this week as we answer these questions (and many more)!
Pastor Matters
Episode 35: Pastors and Suicide (Part 2)
In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon continue their discussion on pastors and suicide. This week, the guys will be discussing how to shepherd those who have lost a loved one to suicide.How can pastors help those who have lost a loved one navigate the difficult questions associated with suicide? What are good resources for helping members process grief and loss? How can pastors shepherd their own souls in seasons of tremendous loss and grief? Join us this week as we answer these questions (and many more)!
Answering God's Call
Book Review: Answering God’s Call, by Scott Pace
The story is familiar. One chilly, autumn Lord’s Day morning, a young man—a high school senior—is converted as he listens to the pastor enthusiastically press home the words of Jesus: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).
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