by Pastor George Ford | May 15, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
In my years of pastoring a local church, two topics usually always came up every time we had a pastors’ gathering, they were: people and money. “How’s your attendance?” and “What’s the shape of your budget?” It seemed to me, that these were battle fronts for my fellow...
by Calvin Smith | Mar 18, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
Praying well does not guarantee preaching well. Joe might be a prayer warrior, but this does not mean that Joe should have (or that he even wants) the microphone. The opposite is true too. A good preacher is not necessarily a good pray-er. There are probably really...
by Christine Urrutia | Mar 18, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
Can we truly preach with power apart from knowing the heart of the Father? I start with a bold question because I believe it’s that important. Wait. Please allow me to correct that: Jesus thought it was that important! John 5:19 says, “Therefore Jesus answered and was...
by Mark Adams | Mar 18, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
Pastor Melissa felt fantastic after service last Sunday. As people left church several commented, “Great sermon, pastor!” She knew it, too. She saw tears in eyes. People laughed at all the right times, humor and illustrations were inserted with care to align with the...
by Pastor Chadwick “Wick” Anderson | Feb 7, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
“Oh, the real pastor not here today?” She said it honestly the first time, as I greeted the small gathering for worship before our weekly food pantry opened. As years passed, she begins to say it endearingly with a smile. We both knew she now saw me as someone who...
by Christopher Cole | Feb 7, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
What To Do When Facing Difficult Situations There is much that I have learned in my nearly ten years of pastoral ministry, but one constant is that difficult situations are to be expected with the calling...
by Scott Little | Jan 2, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
I’m not an expert on avoiding ministry burnout. I’ve been pastoring for twenty-five years, twenty of which have been spent in my current church, and so far I’ve managed (mostly) to avoid burnout, so maybe my experience lends a little credibility for...
by Travis Waits | Jan 2, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
As I sat at the table having my coffee that Monday morning, I felt exhausted. I had no motivation for the day, I was emotionally depleted, and I felt like I just wanted to stay in ‘my cave’ and not talk to another person. What was wrong with me? ...
by Dr. Samuel H. Tinsley | Jan 2, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
Introduction Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers in his time (1834-1892), had a lifetime battle with depression. At times, he was in bed and immobile. H.A. Baldwin, a Free Methodist pastor/author, early 1900s, wrote Holiness and the Human Element. This...
by Christopher Cole | Jan 2, 2020 | Pastors and Leaders Newsletter
In nearly ten years of pastoral ministry, most of that time as a solo pastor, this might be the one topic I’m least qualified to tackle. I struggle with the sense of duty, that God has called me into this line of work and you have to do all that you can in order...