Articles for tag: Pastoral Ministry

Students Need Practical Skills Along with Big Ideas

By Jennifer Johnson Higher education is not known for its pragmatism. For every course in biology basics there”s another in “The Science of Superheroes” (University of California, Irvine). For every Spanish 101 there”s “Invented Languages: Klingon and Beyond” (University of Texas at Austin). For every fundamentals of accounting, there”s “Street-Fighting Mathematics” (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). And that”s OK. As the cliché goes, part of being educated is “learning how to learn.” There”s value in interacting with ideas simply for the sake of enrichment, even without any immediate vocational payoff. But Dave Miller at Nebraska Christian College also makes a good

Interview with Mark Moore

By Paul Boatman Mark Moore is teaching pastor of Christ”s Church of the Valley (CCV) in Peoria, Arizona, a congregation with weekly attendance of about 19,000. He left a 22-year professorship at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, to lead a creative ministry-equipping program through this congregation. You left a respected professorship after two decades. Why? Influence. I loved teaching in Bible college. I also love preaching. When pastor Don Wilson opened the door at Christ”s Church of the Valley, I realized I could pursue both loves. It gives poetic balance to my career: The first half in academia and

Failing, Fathering, and Falling Toward Maturity

By LeRoy Lawson   The Damnation of Theron Ware Harold Frederic Various editions; first published in 1896 Gilead Marilynne Robinson New York: Picador, 2004 Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life Richard Rohr San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011 Pastoral ministry can be among the hardest jobs there are””or the easiest. Since pastors are granted freedom to set their own schedules and priorities, the conscientious minister tends to work too hard and the indolent one finds every excuse to take it easy. What this means is ministry attracts””or creates””the finest of characters or the worst. I”m exaggerating of course,

Advice for Rookie Pastors

By Josh Tandy You don”t have to be 22 and just walking away from the welcome potluck to read this article. Here”s how I define Rookie Pastor: someone who is brand new to ministry, or someone who just took on a new role, or one of those veterans who refuses to stop growing, learning, and adapting. As I wrote my e-book 30 in 30: How to Start or Restart Well*, I realized I did some of my 30 pointers in my first 30 days, and some I have yet to do. My goal is to help the recent graduate who

Confronting Burnout in the Ministry (Part 2)

By Daniel Sherman Burnout is one of the fiercest foes of pastoral ministry. It robs a pastor of needed energy and creates an atmosphere characterized by cynicism and futility. But it”s neither inevitable nor permanent. Still, one must be on guard and have appropriate weapons to confront burnout. Last week we discussed the definition and the cause of burnout. We learned a minister is suffering burnout when he (1) feels exhausted; (2) becomes cynical, removed, emotionally distant from people and ministry; and (3) believes he is not making any difference””that all his work is in vain. A burned-out person will

Surviving Ministry Means Knowing Ourselves

By Rob McCord I believe the pastoral ministry is one of the most exhilarating and rewarding ways one can spend a life. It is an honor and a thrill, an adventure and a delight, full of amazing highs and irreplaceable glimpses of God at work. However, upon entering ministry, I completely lacked understanding of the pain that would accompany it. Pastoral ministry carries with it the potential of psychological, emotional, and even spiritual trauma. It can be dangerous. The statistics regarding pastoral burnout and failure are staggering. The pain and anguish that so many pastors endure is heartbreaking. These servant

Confronting Burnout in the Ministry (Part 1)

By Daniel Sherman “I”m exhausted! I don”t think I can endure one more day.” You might be surprised at how many ministers feel this way. If you are a minister and you are worn-out, you are not alone. Church leaders need to be a constant source of support and encouragement for a minister so he doesn”t become a member of the “former ministers” group. But we need to be careful not to equate exhaustion with burnout. Exhaustion may be a symptom of burnout, but it isn”t burnout. Burnout is a gradual process of loss during which the mismatch between the needs of

My Thorn

By Matt Rendulic Severe bipolar affective psychosis. It”s a condition I”m learning to live with. It”s a weakness I”m learning to thank God for. It”s a companion to every day of my ministry. Paul seems a bit anxious and reluctant as he starts the 12th chapter of his second letter to the Corinthian church, “This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord” (v. 1).* Then Paul begins to describe a time he was caught up into Heaven. Upon initial reading, one probably says, “Awesome! I wish

Filtering Criticism

By Jim Dalrymple Leaders face criticism with regularity. Most don”t enjoy the sting. Over time, many are crushed under the weight, like a roof weakened by too much snow. But have you noticed how some handle criticism better than others? As a young leader, my ability to filter criticism has been one of the most difficult things I have had to learn. I am a people-pleaser by default, but I realize as a leader that not everyone is pleased by my decisions and actions. One of the slogans I adopted early in ministry was, “My job isn”t to make you

What a Guide!

By Ben Merold I grew up knowing that the Bible was the Word of God. In retrospect, I consider that fact strange for several reasons. I do not recall reading the Bible in my early life, and my attendance at a Sunday school class or a church youth group meeting was limited to a few short periods of time. I heard very few sermons and remembered none of them, but in spite of these things, I really believed the Bible was the Word of God. Yet, even though I had this conviction about the Bible, it had very little influence

You Must Read This . . . Beyond a Job Description

By Teresa Welch The Pastor: A Memoir Eugene H. Peterson New York: HarperOne, 2011 For those of you who have read Eugene Peterson”s other works, you will anticipate his memoir to be a collection of well- crafted stories about this author/professor/pastor who has already shared so much through his writings. What he provides in his newest work, The Pastor: A Memoir, exceeds those expectations. Interwoven into Peterson”s memories about his childhood, vocational discernment and formation, planting a new congregation, and responding to the needs of his community are words of exhortation and hope for the church and for those who

Getting the Job Done

By Mark A. Taylor On the day after Steve Jobs died, his name was at the head of every newscast, the subject line on scores of e-newsletters and blogs, the stuff of conversation among his fans around the world. “I think I”m the only one who has NOT posted something about Steve Jobs today,” wrote a friend on his Facebook page. One of those posts linked to technology columnist Walter Mossberg”s memories at WSJ.com. “He was a genius, a giant influence on multiple industries and billions of lives,” Mossberg wrote. The coverage that day and since said nothing about Jobs”s

Feed My Sheep

By Bill D. Hallsted The dream came again that night. It was always the same dream, with minor variations. In the dream, I was asked by some friends to care for their animals while they were gone. I don”t remember whether the dream even included why they were gone, or for how long. What was clear was my failure. The request, or my agreement, was not at all foreign to my experience. With my background in ranching, it was natural. I knew how to take care of animals. I was also the preacher. Who better to ask for a favor

Mighty Big Shoes to Fill

By Cheryl A. Moen My father”s shoes were big””huge in fact. My dad, Burdett Wakeman, wore size 15AAA shoes””a size so large and unique that every pair of shoes he purchased had to be specially ordered. And even then, they were known to arrive in two separate boxes! Dad was a preacher, and I am certain no other minister was ever introduced by Romans 10:15 more than he was. “And how can they preach unless they are sent? . . . “˜How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”” But Dad was a great sport and just

Learning to Trust

By Clark Tanner Do you have a life verse? Almost 30 years ago I was challenged to find one. I can remember the location perfectly. My wife and I had been invited by several people from our church to attend a weeklong gathering at the Navigator”s Conference Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. During one of the morning sessions, a speaker challenged us about having a life verse from the Bible. Then, in our small group discussion, people kept talking about their life verses and how meaningful they were. I remember thinking, I just need to know the Bible””why a life

Growing Like Jesus: No Pain, No Gain

By LeRoy Lawson (LeRoy Lawson was among eight Christian leaders asked to share what helps them mature just as Jesus did. Lawson is international consultant with Christian Missionary Fellowship International, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor and a member of Standard Publishing”s Publishing Committee.) __________________ “No pain no gain, Dad. No pain no gain.” Our son Lane was in his teens. Both grandfathers had bequeathed good genes, and he was making the most of them. (I resent how those genes jumped right over my generation and landed in his.) He wasn”t tall but he was muscular””and eager to become even more

Interview with Derek Lauer

By Brad Dupray Pastoral ministry is sometimes daunting, sometimes exhilarating, but nearly always challenging. In his 30 years of ministry, Derek Lauer has seen the peaks and valleys and learned how to meet the challenges along the way. Derek served in youth ministries in California and Arizona, and has been a senior pastor for the past 17 years, first in Arizona, and now at Northeast Christian Church in Rockford, Illinois. He holds an undergraduate degree from Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and a master”s from Cincinnati (Ohio) Christian Seminary. What”s the hardest thing about being in the ministry? <laughs> Floyd

Ever Heard a Minister Talk About Himself?

By Mark A. Taylor Usually he”s talking to us about us. He”s asking us about our health or commenting on our children”s good looks. He”s thanking us for our solo or help with the food drive or leadership of VBS. Or he”s telling us why we”d be perfect for the job he has in mind. Sometimes he”s listening to our latest complaint about volume, color, people, or policies. But seldom does the minister talk to us about himself. His job is to serve us, after all, and we”re usually glad to just let him. Either we don”t know him well

Help Keep Christian Standard Free & Accessible with a Tax Deductible Donation

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Does Your Church Want to Support Christian Standard?

Would your church consider including support for Christian Standard in its annual missions budget? Your support would help us not only continue the 160-year legacy of this unifying ministry, but also expand the free resources, cooperative opportunities, and practical guidance we provide to strengthen churches in the U.S. and around the world.

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Secret Link