By 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.  

By 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.”

Sometimes our sermons won’t just be bad, but a disaster! When a sermon doesn’t go well, most of us get very discouraged and if the despair is great enough, it might cause us to question whether we should continue to preach at all. I bet no one can top the disaster of John Newton’s first sermon.

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.

Have you ever tried to pick a favorite hymn or Scripture passage? Impossible! At least it is for me. I had similar feelings when my pastoral interns asked me to pick my top books every pastor should read. Nevertheless, they demanded this of me and I conceded.

Since 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.