Articles to Help pastors thrive in the trenches of pastoral ministry.

How do you teach a child, “What is a pastor?”

How do you teach a group of 4-6 year old kids what a pastor is and does? This is something any pastor should be able to do, so pastor, how would you go about this? This article represents my efforts to explain a pastor’s task in the form of props I brought with me to class for the kids to see, touch, and ask questions.

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What are some ways an aspiring pastor can serve his wife before becoming a pastor?

Aspiring pastors are usually chomping at the bit to become pastors. Rightly so. Because of this, those aspiring to pastoral ministry often times dream to the future to one day serve in that capacity and miss some very significant ways he can serve his wife now that he cannot once he becomes the pastor preaching every week. Here are a few of those ways:

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How does a pastor address his unnecessary speech fillers in prayers and sermons?

Speech fillers are such a part of our natural communication style that they can be difficult to identify and overcome, but there is hope. Here are a few ways I have tried to face my own unnecessary speech fillers and helped others identify and overcome their own.

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Preaching, The Pastor's Ministry Sean Corser Preaching, The Pastor's Ministry Sean Corser

What produces a powerful sermon?

Pastors, as you prepare to preach God’s word and feed the souls of your people this week, make sure that word you study has changed you. Make sure it is a part of you and that you truly believe what you are preparing to preach so that you are able to preach with an earnestness that only comes from someone who has met with God and experienced his help.

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Preaching, The Pastor's Ministry Brian Croft Preaching, The Pastor's Ministry Brian Croft

How does a pastor evaluate his sermon one hour after preaching it?

This might surprise you, but one of the most dangerous times for a pastor are the hours following his Sunday sermon. You step down from the pulpit still wired and juices flowing as you greet those leaving from the service.  Then, like after a good jog, you begin to calm down, your body starts to return to “I’m not preaching mode” which then brings a temporary, but real emotional let down with it.

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Seven years later…remembering my dear friend and pastoral mentor

In 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.

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Why should a pastor listen to the criticisms of older members about his preaching?

In the tough, early years of my ministry, I thought I was the patient one. I was enduring through the criticisms, judgments, and actions to remove me. As the years have passed, I have realized that it was the other way around. These faithful saints, wounded by previous pastors for decades, were being patient with me.

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Sean Corser Sean Corser

How does a pastor fight through the “Preaching Hangover.”

There is no easy remedy, medication, or quick fix that can prevent the preaching “hangover”.  There are, however, several practical efforts I make every Monday that are tremendously helpful to fight through the fog. Here are 5 suggestions for your consideration.

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What made my most recent funeral the most difficult I have ever preached?

What 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.

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