As a pastor, it could be said that your job boils down to one simple word: relationships. First and foremost, the personal relationships that those in your church and community have with Jesus. The relationships built between the individual members of your church...
Be the Multiethnic Church Your Community Needs
More than likely, when you were young there was something you really wanted to be when you grew up. Maybe a professional athlete, a police officer, a movie star, or the always popular fireman. Now, there are any number of reasons why that one-time dream of yours...
Experiencing Joy in Ministry
In September, God gave me the privilege of traveling to Nepal where I provided Bible teaching at two conferences for rural church leaders and pastors. My husband and I ministered there with the United Mission to Nepal (UMN) from 1982-85, so I felt like I’d returned...
Battling Low Church Attendance
Chances are strong you are already quite familiar with the term “seeker-sensitive church,” which typically describes the type of church that strives to have a weekly worship service that appeals to both the churched and unchurched, making everyone comfortable no...
Through A Child’s Eyes: What Makes a Christian
I remember as a boy seeing a man from our church having a beer at a restaurant. My immediate thought was something along the lines of, Wow! I thought he was a Christian. Later as a teenager in the youth group, I had a conversation with who I had thought were the kind...
5 Ways to Help Others Choose a Translation
My husband and I are asked at times what Bible translation is best. If you visit a Christian bookstore, the selection of translations and bindings is overwhelming, so people may ask the pastor for his preference. Friends and family who do not attend your church may...
It’s Time to Eject Your Mixtape
I want to talk now about mixtapes. They were the 1980s version of a playlist, but instead of living in iTunes, they lived on good old-fashioned plastic cassettes. When a cassette broke, you didn’t take it to the Apple Genius bar. You took a number-2 yellow pencil,...
Counseling Not Your Thing? You Got This.
Often, one of the toughest jobs a pastor has to do is counsel others. Preaching? It’s in the bag. But counseling . . . “Um . . . I’ll pass,” you say. Why is that? Oh, kindhearted pastors would probably offer a variety of reasons, but let’s be real: With preaching, you...
Why Ministries of Greeting and Hospitality Matter
The ministries of greeting people and showing hospitality may be two of the least recognized areas of church ministry. In fact, many people may not think of them as ministry at all, but they are vital to your church. You will notice I am referring to them in the...
Mediating Clashes Between Young and Old As Times Change
Many smaller churches, especially those that have been around for a long time, have quite a few senior citizens. There may be a good reason for that: sometimes they have been in that particular church for many years, maybe since they were young. Having a good senior...
Hey, Pastor. Who’s Looking Out for YOUR Marriage?
As a pastor, it could be said that your job boils down to one simple word: relationships. First and foremost, the personal relationships that those in your church and community have with Jesus. The relationships built between the individual members of your church...
Be the Multiethnic Church Your Community Needs
More than likely, when you were young there was something you really wanted to be when you grew up. Maybe a professional athlete, a police officer, a movie star, or the always popular fireman. Now, there are any number of reasons why that one-time dream of yours...
Experiencing Joy in Ministry
In September, God gave me the privilege of traveling to Nepal where I provided Bible teaching at two conferences for rural church leaders and pastors. My husband and I ministered there with the United Mission to Nepal (UMN) from 1982-85, so I felt like I’d returned...
Battling Low Church Attendance
Chances are strong you are already quite familiar with the term “seeker-sensitive church,” which typically describes the type of church that strives to have a weekly worship service that appeals to both the churched and unchurched, making everyone comfortable no...
Through A Child’s Eyes: What Makes a Christian
I remember as a boy seeing a man from our church having a beer at a restaurant. My immediate thought was something along the lines of, Wow! I thought he was a Christian. Later as a teenager in the youth group, I had a conversation with who I had thought were the kind...
5 Ways to Help Others Choose a Translation
My husband and I are asked at times what Bible translation is best. If you visit a Christian bookstore, the selection of translations and bindings is overwhelming, so people may ask the pastor for his preference. Friends and family who do not attend your church may...
It’s Time to Eject Your Mixtape
I want to talk now about mixtapes. They were the 1980s version of a playlist, but instead of living in iTunes, they lived on good old-fashioned plastic cassettes. When a cassette broke, you didn’t take it to the Apple Genius bar. You took a number-2 yellow pencil,...
Counseling Not Your Thing? You Got This.
Often, one of the toughest jobs a pastor has to do is counsel others. Preaching? It’s in the bag. But counseling . . . “Um . . . I’ll pass,” you say. Why is that? Oh, kindhearted pastors would probably offer a variety of reasons, but let’s be real: With preaching, you...
Why Ministries of Greeting and Hospitality Matter
The ministries of greeting people and showing hospitality may be two of the least recognized areas of church ministry. In fact, many people may not think of them as ministry at all, but they are vital to your church. You will notice I am referring to them in the...
Mediating Clashes Between Young and Old As Times Change
Many smaller churches, especially those that have been around for a long time, have quite a few senior citizens. There may be a good reason for that: sometimes they have been in that particular church for many years, maybe since they were young. Having a good senior...
Helping Your Small Group Thrive
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