There’s a secret we have unwittingly kept from most young pastoral candidates — and keeping it from them has helped to set them up for more pain and frustration than they deserve. The secret? An interview with a church’s search committee is a dialogue: the candidate is interviewing the church as much as they are[…]
After nearly 30 years in the pastorate and in various leadership positions in ministry, I have had the opportunity to learn many different things that either enable a church to flourish, or prevent it. These often have to do with organizational, pastoral and leadership issues; however, there is one critical aspect that rests with the congregation[…]
Jesus was called all sorts of things. He was called a drunk. He was called a glutton. He was called a sinner. He was accused of invoking the power of Beelzebub. Religious leaders and others with agendas tried to label him, but it never seemed to phase him. I believe this is because he knew[…]
Pastors tend to be very guarded people. It’s surprising because we are the go-to person whenever anyone else is in crisis. People tell us their problems in counseling. They come to us with marriage issues, trials, temptations, parenting challenges, financial problems and everything in between. But pastors themselves often have a very hard time being[…]
My dog is really smart. I’m not just bragging (well, yes I am). She learned to sit, stay, lie down, heal and come within about a week. Seriously. Great dog. But she’s also smarter than many people I know. You know what she does? When she gets tired, she finds a quiet place and sleeps![…]
Ministers need each other. As a local church pastor, a denominational leader, and as a ministry mentor I often find myself asking this question: Who pastors the pastor? There have been precious few times in my ministry that I have found what I have now in my current pastorate — brethren. I am blessed that[…]