Pastoral Ministry
Finding Freedom in the Preaching Moment
You have felt it: freedom in the preaching moment. Every word was ready in your mind before you […]
Blog
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- Pastor Appreciation Month
3 Simple Joys of Pastoral Ministry
October is pastor appreciation month. You will probably hear an extra dose of appreciation from the people you […]
- Pastoral Ministry
Dealing With the Unique Stress of Pastoral Ministry
At the time this article was written, the music video for the song “Stressed Out” by the band […]
- Difficulty
Preaching After a Rough Week
An airplane cuts through some clouds without the slightest jostle. Other clouds jolt the plane with such turbulence that people lift out of seats as in a school bus barreling over railroad tracks at 60 miles per hour. Like clouds, the trials that generate a rough week come in all shapes and sizes.
- Pastors
The Power of a Preaching Process
My family and I moved from High Point, North Carolina to Dallas, Texas in March. The “settling in” process has taken far longer than we imagined. Losing one of our children in a pile of boxes is no longer a threat but there are still at least a dozen boxes that remain unopened.
Grace
Preaching Grace and Truth to Hurting People
As pastors, we never want to hurt people. We’re pursuing this calling because we want to help people. And we want to help people in the deepest and most profound of ways by helping them find new life in Christ.One of my greatest fears in pastoral ministry is that I would inadvertently hurt the people I’m called to serve. Life is hard and painful enough, and people don’t need any extra pain brought their way by a well-meaning pastor.
Quentin Self
Three Wrong Motives for Pursuing Theological Education
Have you ever found yourself guilty of doing the right thing for the wrong reasons?By saying that you “found yourself,” I mean that you were surprised by the sight of wrong motives in your heart. You genuinely thought you were doing the right things for the right reasons but further reflection revealed mixed motives.
Pastoral Burnout
Escaping the Burden of Pastoral Work
Pastor, do you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Do you toss and turn at night, restless over lagging attendance, non-existent baptisms, and deficient offerings? Do you stress and worry, half-present at the family dinner table because your mind is still at the office or the last deacon meeting?
COVID-19
Pastor, Are You Successful?
Pastor, what is your personal definition of “success” as a follower of Jesus? This can be a tricky question, because, the line between your role as a pastor and follower of Jesus in probably blurry, like a chalk batter’s box after nine-innings of baseball. Often, you’re unsure where one role ends and the other begins.
Prayer
Praying God’s Purpose for the Text
You know the importance of praying for your sermon—or at least you should, because prayer-less preaching is powerless preaching. But, even though you believe this, my guess is that you sometimes try to “pray yourself hot,” but barely mange to “pray yourself lukewarm.” I know I do. I believe we can learn from the laser when it comes to praying ourselves hot.
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