A few years ago had the privilege of baptizing a new believer. I quickly came to realize this was not going to be the typical discipleship scenario (as if there is one). He is an elderly man who cannot see well and more importantly cannot read or write.
Read MoreIn the last post, I discussed how a pastor can be certain he is regularly shepherding everyone in his church. In it I explained a system to pray and contact every member of the church in one month. This is based on the shepherding efforts of a smaller church, so naturally I can anticipate the question, “That’s great, but what about those who pastor at a larger church?” This post is for you.
Read MoreThough we are shepherds who will give an account for each soul in our care (Heb. 13:17), we all still have this tendency to gravitate to those we either love to be with the most or who make the most racket, thus demanding our attention. Because of this, there are church members who unintentionally slip through the cracks. In seeing this in the early years of my ministry, I came up with this system that has become a very effective way to care for our folks and to cut down on unnecessary and unintentional neglect.
Read MoreGrief is a good thing and all who have experienced this kind of loss needs to grieve. However, how do you help a 5-year-old girl experience grief that is good and helpful?
Read MorePastors, in our best efforts we cannot prevent the relational struggles, difficulties, and frustrations that come with caring for God's people. They are broken and so are we. But if their understanding of our love and commitment never wavers, I consider that a win.
Read MoreIn light of this seven year anniversary, it has been helpful to revisit several of these posts I wrote to honor Jackson and in doing so, honor the Savior he so faithfully served while here. I re-read them with the hopes to strive to be as faithful as he was. I have been freshly reminded of the sovereign God Jackson preached so tirelessly that continues to give me hope as I still feel this loss.
Read MorePastors, hold fast to what you know to be true and right. Love those who love you as you love those who don’t–at least right now. However, don’t be surprised when you wake up one day (years from now) and find that a church member who has been cold to you for years suddenly has warmed up.
Read More“Daddy, why does our church hate us” it takes it to an entirely different level of concern. What is a pastor to do? I have several ideas, but I will start with this one:
Read MoreSince the nursing home is commonly viewed as the transition point between hospital and home, it is good to be considerate of both taking an interest in their living space as well as any health concerns that may be present.
Read MoreWhen we stand before God to give an account of the souls entrusted to our care (Heb. 13:17) awkwardness and uncomfortable silence will be an unwise excuse to use before our Chief Shepherd.
Read MoreA pastor needs to be trained not to be reactionary regarding the dysfunction and turmoil he finds, but to have a clear plan on how his time should be spent during his first few years, regardless of what problems he inherits. The best approach for a pastor, especially when entering a dysfunctional, dying congregation is to simply be a pastor to those people.
Read MorePastors, seize every opportunity to go to the hospital on these occasions to see new born babies. It is some of the only times you go to the hospital to celebrate.
Read MoreWhat made this particular funeral the most difficult I have ever done? As the funeral approached, nothing I tried lifted the burden. No matter how much I prayed or meditated on Scripture, the weight remained and it was an intensity I cannot recall ever feeling. As I reflected afterwards, here are 5 factors that seemed to create this “perfect storm” of struggle that peaked at an unbearable level just a few minutes before the funeral began.
Read MoreAs we celebrated the births of these little ones, I began to get excited about the privilege it is of going to the hospital, being one of the first to see and hold the baby, and care for the parents in what is always one of the most significant moments in their lives. Here are a few things to think about as you seize these wonderful opportunities to minister to the new parents in your church.
Read More
