pastoral health Archives » Page 5 of 7

February 12, 2019

Law or Gospel?

There are many Christians who struggle with understanding the Old Testament in the Bible and how it connects with the Gospel, or the New Testament. Consequently some Christians discount the Old Testament entirely and claim that all that matters is the Gospel and what Jesus said and did. Some go so far as to say that the Old Testament doesn’t apply anymore and was written for a different time, a different culture and a different purpose. In other words, the Old Testament is not relevant to the Christian faith and can simply be discarded as some Jewish history and a […]

February 7, 2019

How to Recover from Preaching

Sharing with kind permission from Josh Reich. If I got to rank what I love about my job, preaching would be in the top two. I love the prep, working through a passage, a series, thinking through how to best present an idea, and praying about those who will be there, that God would work in their lives and draw them to Himself through my meager attempts at presenting His Word. There is a downside to this love. It is what happens after preaching. The recovery. I remember when Katie and I met with a doctor to talk about how […]

January 1, 2019

The Addiction of Being Busy

Post reshared with kind permission from Joshua Reich. There is an addiction in our culture to being busy, to not overloading our schedules. Some of this comes from personalities, saying we want our kids to have things we didn’t have, but many of us are afraid to miss out. We are also afraid of the silence and stillness that comes from unaccounted for moments. We afraid of the silence and stillness that comes from unaccounted for moments. Click To Tweet Many of us are too busy, running from work, kids games and practices, church programs, exercise, eating in the car, etc. I […]

December 25, 2018

5 Keys to Making Sure Your Christmas Break Doesn’t Break You Or Your Family (A Post for Driven Leaders

So Christmas break (following your Christmas services) is almost here and you’re trying to take some time off. Ever notice that’s what driven leaders say all the time? I’m going to try to take two weeks off. I’ll try to unplug. I’m trying to relax. We A-types stink at vacation, don’t we? It’s also really tough if you’re married to us. Or, we’re your parents. How do I know this? Because I’m one of you. I’m speaking my native tongue. Being a driven kind of person, the idea of doing nothing but resting is unsettling for me. But I also understand how important it is. Sabbath is God’s idea. And, […]

December 13, 2018

5 Hard Truths About Healthy Church Growth

Most church leaders I know would love to see their church grow. Similarly, most leaders I’ve met want their church to grow for what we might call the ‘right’ reasons: they sincerely want more people to encounter the love of Jesus Christ. That’s amazing. And yet there’s a strong reaction against growing churches by many leaders. For some reason, many people love to take pot-shots at growing churches and large churches. Some are categorical denouncements. I don’t know what to do with those. Sometimes I sense that underneath the anger are jealousy and resentment on the part of leaders whose […]

November 20, 2018

The Difference Between Churches That Grow and Churches That Don’t

So…what’s the difference between a growing church and a declining church? Well, there are many, but one of the biggest differences I see is the attitude of the leaders. The leaders of growing churches almost always share a common attitude. So do the leaders of declining churches. And the attitude has a huge influence over the results each church sees. Attitude may or may not be everything, but it’s close. Here are 5 attitude differences I see again and again in growing churches and declining churches. 1. WE CAN V. WE CAN’T Perhaps the biggest differences I see between growing churches and declining churches is the attitude around […]

November 15, 2018

When Someone Doesn’t Pull Their Weight

Post reshared with kind permission from Josh Reich. One of the realities of leadership and relationships is that someone will always do more work than the other person. When you are the person who is taken advantage of it can be hurtful. When you are the person who is taking advantage, it doesn’t feel as bad. For many, this can be devastating in a relationship or job. The closer a person is to us, the more hurtful it is. As I preached through the book of Nehemiah this year, I was struck by a verse in chapter 3. Verse 5 says: The nobles, […]

November 13, 2018

Fundamentals of Fundraising

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 One of the hardest things we do in ministry is to ask others for money or financial assistance. Yet God’s Word tells us that if we ask for whatever we need in His name, we shall receive it. When we ask God in prayer for the things we need for our ministry, including money, it is through […]

October 16, 2018

On Wearing Masks In Ministry

This article appeared originally on Claire Muster’s blog. I have been in Christian ministry for 25 years. And in common with practically everyone else alive, I have worn masks. Not literally, of course. At times, a mask has been the means of self-preservation, at others a ministry preserver – and even an act of generosity and service. In other words, masks can and should have their place. To some extent. But they are also detrimental to psychological wellbeing and community life. They conceal rather than reveal. They can do even more damage to the wearer than they do to those who only encounter […]

September 12, 2018

5 Things That Give Pastors a Bad Name With Unchurched People

I’ve been a pastor since I was 30 years old, but even now, I still don’t really like telling people what I do. I have a heart for unchurched people and am always trying to find a way to build bridges and tear down barriers. But I feel like telling people I’m a pastor or lead a church almost automatically creates a barrier—a barrier that seems to grow with every passing year. Maybe it’s just me, but I always feel there’s a funk associated with the idea of being a pastor that might be a combination of Confusion…I’ve never actually met […]