I asked my friend Dave, who has been a pastor for 70 years, what the secret of his longevity was. He answered, “The grace of God, the will of God, and the love of the people.” Over the years, I have learned many things from Pastor Dave. Here are six lessons.
Church
In the American church context, we sometimes put pastors on pedestals, creating a ministry culture in which the pastor is the center of attention. The result is that the pastor forgets he also needs the same nourishment as those under his care. I want to share some thoughts on preventing a culture of pastoral idolatry …
God is calling us to be a trusted voice like Joseph and to bring wisdom and solutions to a government searching for answers and reaching out to the church and faith partners for answers in unprecedented ways.
Developing Godly leaders takes time and commitment. But as you are faithful to pour into the next generation, you will see fruit over time that will lead to some of your greatest joy in ministry.
Many valuable tools come with warning labels, such as “Handle with Care,” to highlight the dangers of misuse. As you plan your next short-term missions trip, consider these eight dangers and the tips we offer to minimize their impact on your trip.
Emphasizing the importance of prayer, godly counsel, and immersion in the local church, Jamieson encourages men to ask Am I qualified? instead of Am I called? when considering a life in ministry.
Someone once said, “Bitterness is the poisonous pill we swallow, hoping it will kill someone else.” This statement has profoundly influenced me to battle bitterness because I have seen the potential for its destructive influence in my life and those I shepherd. So how do you battle bitterness biblically?
Church attendance numbers matter. But they don’t determine success. Faithfulness does. Let us be faithful, my fellow pastor, by His grace and for His glory. And let’s remind ourselves frequently that success is being a faithful steward of what God has entrusted to us, in good times and bad.
No preacher ever “arrives.” If a preacher ever believes he has mastered the craft and can push cruise control and glide along, he is in a dangerous place. I am confident, however, that you desire to improve your preaching and are earnest to do so. Here are 5 ways to strengthen your preaching.
Jesus wants to free us from excessive self-scrutiny, from false accusations that hover over us and haunt our fragile, tender hearts. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Do what you can and leave it with him.
Pastors’ kids have it hard, feeling the weight of undue expectations and the observing world around them.
Designed by God and gifted to mankind, the wonder and beauty of music is that it affords us some remarkable contrasts in corporate worship. May Christ give us the wisdom to match spiritual truths with the gift of music so that we might sing songs of biblical faithfulness and beauty for the good of His …
Dealing with other people’s expectations can be complicated, especially for a pastor or ministry leader’s wife. It’s important to consider how we handle the expectations of the people we serve.
This article is part 7 in a series about pastors and their practice of the personal spiritual disciplines. While the practice of family worship involves at least one other person, it usually relies primarily on the discipline of one individual for it to happen. Pastor, in your home, this would be you.
Following the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, pastors need to remember their calling to follow Him year-round. Let’s not just return to the mundane or comfortable but remember our ultimate mission of drawing near to God.
Christians often overlook that Isaiah 53 describes the death of the Messiah and his return to life! Isaiah 53:10 affirms, “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him, he has put him to grief.” Could anyone write a clearer presentation of the Gospel than this? And to think that it was written …
We are coming up to Easter, undoubtedly one of the busiest weeks of the year for a pastor. How are you to manage your duties so that your family, especially your kids, don’t get church fatigue or, even worse, church resentment?
The day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday offers powerful spiritual lessons for believers. When disaster strikes and our hopes are dashed, we must be patient and wait for God because He can bring good out of evil in his own good timing.
The crowds that gathered around Jesus during Holy Week had two different motives. The first came to worship. The second to mock. The two different crowds represent the two most basic postures of the heart. As we examine the events of Holy Week, it is worth reflecting on what crowd represents you best.
Two millennia of Christian believers have championed the great prophecy of Isaiah 53. They see it rightly as portraying the death of the Messiah. But this marvelous chapter also contains something that even Christians often overlook.
