Over time, the Lord did a great work in my heart and brought me out of my shell. He helped me acquire those ever-important interpersonal skills that it takes to be a pastor that a congregation genuinely likes and trusts. I cannot overstate how important these skills are for a long-term ministry. There’s no getting around it… if your people feel like you don’t enjoy talking to them, they won’t enjoy having you as their pastor.
Read MoreBy Hector Candelaria
Carrying the load as the lead guy was beginning to take a toll on me but for the wrong reasons. Thank God I did not have any external pressures to try to make the church grow. No one was forcing me to produce something only God could do in the salvation of sinners. Although, I began to place undue pressure on myself, and this began to create a sensation of dissatisfaction in my life.
Read MoreNeedless to say, October wasn’t Pastor Appreciation month that year. Looking back, I know many of our faithful church members were simply trying to hold on, to understand what was true, to keep believing in the idea of the church when it was the messiest place they could imagine. My husband and I kept our heads down and just committed to showing up for the next ten years. And that’s what we did. Because that’s what our church needed from us.
Read MoreBy Jon Hawkins
I would have been willing to just jump in a car with the family and leave all our possessions behind. That’s how done I was. Don’t quit.
Read MoreIn 2022 resources on practical shepherding.com received over 100,000 views. The following 5 articles received the most views. Hope they help you thrive in your ministry in 2023 and beyond.
Read MoreBy Garett Wall
Pastors and church leaders must first understand the need for intentional ministry for individuals and families impacted by disability so that we can share the hope we have in Jesus Christ. If we don’t believe there’s a need, then we won’t see a reason to take action. In this article Garrett gives 4 practical and biblical ways pastors and churches can better serve individuals and families with disabilities.
Read MoreBy Garett Wall
There are many factors contributing to this failure by our churches today. It likely begins with the lack of biblical theology on the topic of disability, which minimizes the level of appreciation for God’s plan and purpose for our friends with disabilities. There may also be an absence of understanding and empathy for the challenges, demands, and limits encountered in day to day life for individuals and families impacted by disabilities.
Read MoreBy Glenna Marshall
The church is never a building or a property or a set of traditions and memories. The church is a body, a family, a people knit together through Christ. We can move, relocate, shift our vision, share the gospel, work together, sing together, pray together, and grow together because Christ has made us His own. He has united us to Himself and to one another. No matter where we meet, we are His.
Read MoreBy Kyle McClellan
That is the spirit in which I hope to offer the following observations: I’m the fun uncle trying to help you not make a total hash of this wonderful and maddening vocation of ministry. If I sound like “get off my lawn guy” it’s unintentional, and probably due to a certain amount of fatigue that sets in when you’ve seen the same thing over and over for 4 decades of ministry (90’s-00’s-10’s-20’s).
Read MoreBy Brandon Scroggins
He reminded me that I am not God, but I do need to look to the One who is and simply take responsibility for what I could do. I felt like ten planets had been lifted from my shoulders with that sobering statement. I was challenged with this: “What if God truly is sovereign … and what if God is planning to use all of these unknowns with covid to do something in your life and church that He wouldn’t accomplish otherwise?” I was struck. And I was reminded that the Lord truly is my Shepherd and that He really does have the whole world in His hands. However, I still wrestled with many doubts.
Read MoreBy William Marshall
While praying, the Lord gave me a crazy idea: what if we merged our churches together? I knew that Kenny and I were very like-minded in our beliefs (in fact, I hadn’t found anything that we disagreed on), so I thought that could work. But being like-minded and joining our congregations together were two different things. Even so, I felt like I should at least bring it up and see what he thought.
Read MoreBy Brian Croft
I am consistently asked about the circumstances surrounding weddings. What makes it permissible or not to conduct a wedding in ”this or that” situation? I am very aware that there are strong opinions and lively disagreements about whether an evangelical pastor should marry Christians, non-Christians, and everything in between. Certainly with recent decisions, the debate does not end there. Then you have to determine if it is wise to marry two Christians in “this particular circumstance” as opposed to “that particular circumstance.”
Read MoreBy Brian Croft
It is helpful for pastors to look back and recall the impact of the people who personally invested in them, who spoke God’s word to them and taught them about ministry.
Read MoreBy Brian Croft
My wife and I promised each of our children when they turned 13 years old, they would get to take a special trip with one of us. My son with me and each of my daughters with my wife. The purpose of these trips is to first have fun and enjoy each other’s company, which is why they each get to pick the destination (must be within a day’s drive) and determine much of the agenda.
Read MoreBy Brian Croft
I’ve spent most of my adult life hating silence—and didn’t know it. It was a major blind spot. I always dismissed my desire to be with people and avoid being alone as being an extrovert and loving people. I excused my talkative nature to my heightened relational instincts. These qualities also seemed to help my interactions with people as a pastor, so I thought nothing more of it. It wasn’t until I began my own counseling journey out of a personal crisis where I was confronted with this long-held deception in my life
Read MoreBy Jon Hawkins
“But I spoke hastily. We must not be hasty. I have become too hot. I must cool myself and think; for it is easier to shout stop! than to do it.” Heed the words of the wise Ent and don’t be hasty lest you have unintended consequences from acting in haste.
Read MoreBy Brian Croft
I am writing to share with you an exciting update on my plans to move into a full-time ministry role with Practical Shepherding. This ministry continues to grow and expand in many amazing ways. As a result, I believe I should take what seems to be a strategic opportunity to commit myself to this important ongoing work fully. Therefore, after much prayer and counsel and with the support of my family, my fellow pastors of Auburndale Baptist Church, and my Practical Shepherding Board of Directors, I believe that this is the right time to move forward with this decision.
Read MoreBy Jon Hawkins
As I’ve reflected on the last 6 years, I’ve been amazed to see God’s grace and faithfulness. No we haven’t experienced dramatic numerical growth or expanded to multiple campuses but we have grown in health. I’ve thought back on what I wish I had known walking into this and that is the genesis of this series of articles. 6 reflections on 6 years of church revitalization.
Read MoreBy James B. Carroll
There is no “ideal” profile for a church planter. A church planter is a pastor who invests his time and energy to till new soil, plant fresh seed, cultivate growth, and celebrate a harvest.
Read More
