Ryan Boys

We preachers love praise—the love of adulation runs deep in our hearts. Man-pleasing is a complicated sin because it is a heart-level struggle. While the sinful pursuit of praise is not limited to pastors, our vocation provides extra temptation in this area of pride. Rather than keep this struggle in the dark, let’s throw some light on our motivation for ministry and address the too-often acceptable sin of the love of adulation.

God has blessed us with many resources to endure adversity in ministry. One unique and under-appreciated source of encouragement is pastoral friendships. Such friendships are not easy to cultivate, but worth the investment. Here are six ways they foster longevity in ministry and a few practical first steps to build relationships between fellow pastors.

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.”–2 Timothy 4:2