Sharing my story as a life-long learner of Christ
Pastors are people. They are susceptible to the same emotional challenges everyone else faces. From time to time, they question their abilities, skills, direction and effectiveness. But unlike every other member of the church, most pastors do not have a pastor to counsel them through such challenging times. Life in the pulpit can be very …
Continue reading “5 Things Your Pastor Would Love To Hear From You”
In most cases, your church’s hiring practices will have major ramifications that reach beyond your awareness. It’s not just a matter of whether a candidate can do the job or not. The real impact of your hiring decision will be seen in: How they interact with your church members Whether they make the people around …
Before a church calls a new pastor, they will spend time interviewing him. The logistics vary from church to church, but eventually the pastoral candidate will find himself sitting with a search team, personnel committee, deacon body, or something similar. Without fail, the representatives of the church will have important questions for the candidate. But …
I remember a few years ago when a major league baseball player was fined by his team for statements that he made in public. Radio talk shows discussed the matter for several days. Some callers ranted about the right to free speech while others pointed out the employer’s right to set rules for his employee’s …
Selecting a new pastor can be difficult. For many churches, the search committee feels lost because the spiritual leader (former pastor) has left and now they have big shoes to fill. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of “how to select a new pastor” training programs out there. If there were one piece of advice I …
First chore. That’s monumental in every child’s life, right? For my son, Bryce, the moment came recently when I told him I would pay him a nickel for every time he made his bed. A few weeks his new chore, things have been going well (and Bryce is getting rich). This morning, Bryce told me …
As a former pastor of a small church, I can relate to church leaders who wish they could get more help without adding another expense to the budget. Many pastors have wished they could clone themselves. That way, one of them could visit members, another could write sermons, another could develop new mission initiatives, while …
Continue reading “Is Your Church Being a Good Steward of Leadership?”
In the sports world, there are no perfect teams. Every roster has a weak link. Everyone loves to see a coach transform a group of athletes into a team of winners. That’s part of the fascination with sports. Likewise, there are no perfect churches. Yet, in God’s wisdom, He has chosen to accomplish Kingdom work …
What is a pastor? Three words in the New Testament are used interchangeable to describe this office in the church: Pastor, Elder, and Bishop. Is it strange that the Bible uses multiple words to describe this office? Not any more than for Americans to describe our leader as, “President,” “Commander in Chief,” and “Leader of the …
Continue reading “How Many Words Does It Take To Describe a Pastor?”
“So, you’re going to be a pastor.” Have you heard that before? Perhaps from a co-worker, family member, or long-time friend. Even more, have you wondered what they mean? What is the underlying meaning of their question? Before you get frustrated by everyone’s questions and concerns, take some time to understand …
