Pastoring is a hard job. There are unique challenges that come both personally and professionally. The Focused Pastor exists to come alongside pastors, their families, and the church with resources to encourage and equip them personally and to do their ministry more effectively. With biblically based content that is informed by pastoral research, we create resources that address these unique topics. The Focused Pastor seeks to encourage pastors and church leaders to be spiritually healthy and effective in their homes and in their roles.
When you are anxious about the evaluation of your ministry, rest in the truth that the Lord knows your heart and that the Spirit quietly commends your ministry through the changed lives of those who receive the gospel that you faithfully proclaim.
For most of us, the last few years have been the most challenging to lead, and we have been tested in many ways. As we navigate this season of turbulence, good leaders and organizations should return to the first principles of reflection and self-awareness. To do that, I would suggest three ways: spiritual, familial, and personal.
We should rejoice in the apparent “triumph” of that Palm Sunday. But we should also remember that for Jesus to be Israel’s Messiah, rejection and suffering were bound up in the initiation of this “Passion Week.”
This lively and carefully nuanced account of the Passion Week will bring you to a renewed sense of devotion for the Savior.
Our aim as pastors and church leaders should not be “conflict avoidance” but “conflict resolution.” Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Many couples enter marriage ill-prepared for the challenges that might come. Premarital counseling allows you to walk alongside couples before they marry and build solid foundations for their years together.
God tends to give His best gifts in His own ways and in His own time, for His own glory. It pleases Him to reward patience, faithfulness, and trust. Whatever the trials and troubles of your ministry, remember to look at the blessings the Lord has allowed you to experience and the ones he promised you in the future.
Let’s consider four common ministry challenges that can tempt pastors and their wives to seek escape and how God helps them through the good news of His Gospel.
Recognize that an eruption of anger is a plea for help. A hug and a prayer are far more effective than a short answer. Give your wife and children permission to place a hand on your side or shoulder, and never turn such a reminder away or allow your heart to greet it with contempt. Remember James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
As church leaders, it is our primary responsibility to establish environments and relationships where people can be trained, grow, and be sent as disciples.
“Tool” is an excellent word for men training to be pastors. As pastors, it is not our job to tell God what kind of “tool” we are. He calls and sends. Our job is to be ready and sharp for when He does call. We want to be useful tools. The two ways to stay sharp are by keeping a close watch on our life and our doctrine.
