July 18, 2019
lies

Three Lies Pastors Believe

reshared with kind permission from Josh Reich.    All of us believe lies in our lives and those lies shape us. Lies that we aren’t good enough, strong enough, that I owe God, that we can be in control, that God doesn’t love us, that we aren’t lovable or worthwhile. Lies like these, shape us. And if we don’t face them, these lies will determine the stories we tell and live. Pastor’s believe lies as well. I know that might be a shock, but it’s true. And like lies in our personal lives, if we don’t face them, name them and […]
July 16, 2019
building

Building Community in the Church

reshared with kind permission from author Barry Voss.  An important and often unrecognized role of the church leader is to build community among those he or she leads.  Just as Christ surrounded Himself with his disciples and lived in fellowship with them, we too as leaders must develop a Christian community among our people as well.  We need to recognize that God desires that we work together in ministry, with each of us being a part of the Body of Christ.  No person can do all of the work of the ministry alone.  By developing a community of faithful believers […]
June 22, 2019
3rd

3rd GProCongress Anniversary Video and Message from Dr. Ramesh Richard

Three years ago, June 15–22, 2016, the Global Proclamation Congress for Pastoral Trainers convened in Bangkok, Thailand—and then the real event began. At this third anniversary of the GProCongress, we wish to encourage you with a glimpse of what God is doing through this short video and message from Dr. Ramesh Richard below.  To commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the GProCongress in Bangkok, access our gift to you: “Teach the Church to Pray” available by download further below.  “A four-year event started with an eight day launch in June 2016.” That’s how I describe the Global Proclamation Commission for […]
June 14, 2019
dependence

A Simple, Biblical, and Glorious Approach of Discipleship: The 4 P’s

Reshared with kind permission from Leadership Resources Intl. Do you ever overcomplicate things? Instead of taking the short, logical route while driving, you choose the roundabout way that gets you to your destination twenty minutes late. Instead of simply asking your friend a question, you think through all possible scenarios of how the conversation might go. We have the potential to overcomplicate everything—even discipleship. The Vine Project: Shaping Your Ministry Culture Around Disciple-Making, written by our friends Tony Payne and Colin Marshall, presents a compellingly biblical, yet simple way to think about discipleship, “Disciples are made by the persevering proclamation of the word […]
June 4, 2019

How to Make Vision For Your Church Actually Stick

Reposting with kind permission from Breeze church.  A few weeks ago, I experienced a frustrating conversation. Someone on my staff was talking with a few of our volunteers and when I walked up to say hello to everyone, my staff member asked if we had a mission statement. I was like, “Wut?!? In front of our volunteers you don’t know our mission statement?” In my mind, everyone knows our mission statement because…well, everyone knows! We talk about it all the time, right? I guess not. My initial thought was, “You’re fired.” But then I remembered that when the team doesn’t […]
May 23, 2019
capacity

GProCommission Interview with TOPIC: Increasing the Capacity

We all want more pastors to get more and better training. We are all contributing to that effort in some way with the passion, vision and resources God has provided us. We will never meet the need, though, unless we figure out how to work together more and better. Trainers of Pastors International Coalition (TOPIC) does just that—helps pastoral training organizations and local churches intentionally collaborate to train pastors more widely and effectively. We interviewed Al Bridges, TOPIC global facilitator, to learn more. The term “coalition” refers to a goal-driven cooperation between participants who retain their distinctive identities and interests. […]
May 23, 2019
secret

12 Secrets Most Leaders Won’t Tell You

Reshared with kind permission from Carey Nieuwof. Leadership is a journey…a journey that’s probably different than you thought it would be before you stepped into leadership. When I was young, I always thought top leaders had it all figured out. That the uncertainty would one day disappear once I had more life and leadership under my belt. But as you eventually learn, it doesn’t really work that way. In fact, I think most leaders struggle more than they let on. I know personally, at one point or another, I’ve struggled in each of the areas listed below. But, at the […]
May 21, 2019
loneliness

The Weight & Joy of Being a Pastor: Loneliness

reshared with kind permission from Joshua Reich.   If you talk to any pastor or his wife and ask them about friends, more than likely you will get a sad, longing look. Many pastors and their wives are lonely. They have been betrayed, hurt, and left out. As I’ve been sharing the weights and joys (Preaching God’s word every week, You can’t change people, God’s call on your life, Seeing life change, People under you are counting on you, God using you, What God thinks of you and Communicating God’s word) of being a pastor, the loneliness a pastor and his wife experience can be unique to this […]
May 14, 2019
veteran

2 Critical Characteristics of Veteran Pastors

reshared with kind permission from Breeze church.  Recently I found myself in a fascinating conversation with a pastor who is in his 4th decade of ministry and still thriving in his role. How someone survives this long with a heart alive to God and a passion for people and the church is something I’m deeply interested in. I’m guessing you are as well. Two moments in, this conversation shocked me and revealed the character qualities required for such a long and faithful run in ministry. I’m hoping these ideas will be helpful to you. So, here’s what I learned… Cruise […]