Archive for the ‘Ministry’ Category
Video: Confessions of a Yes-Man
Posted by ProliferatingTruth on January 27, 2012
Posted in Church Politics, Humor, Ministry, Pastoral Ethics, Pastoring, Pharisaeism, Sin, Submission, Videos | Comments Off
3 Things Every Pastor Must Do
Posted by ProliferatingTruth on May 31, 2011
In my experience, if a pastor does these three things faithfully he will have the support of the vast majority of his people in almost any church anywhere.
Well, another former colleague, a pastor I have known for 20 years, was fired recently. I wish I could tell a tale of harsh elders or demanding congregants, but based upon first-hand accounts, he hung himself. Not literally, but literally figuratively. As I often say, the crises of life are a way of revealing something that has been happening for a long time. The details are not important, and I don’t want to betray his identity to him or those in the pulpit/church he has now left without a Senior Pastor. Let’s focus on the principles. In my experience, if a pastor does these three things faithfully, he will have the support of the vast majority of his people in almost any church anywhere.
1) Feed the People:
Jesus was fairly explicit about this in the closing sentences of John’s gospel. Feed my sheep, feed my sheep, feed my sheep. If he only said it twice, we might have wiggle room, but the three-peat kind of negates any plans to say “we didn’t know it mattered.” What are you feeding the sheep? Of course the entire circus of felt-need, therapeutic preaching is like pita bread at a Super Bowl party, but beyond the obvious, what really does feed sheep? Scripture, and only Scripture, feeds the sheep, but even among those who claim biblical fidelity and "preach the Word" as appropriate descriptors of their pulpit ministry—are your sheep really fed? Reading a text and then waxing eloquent about its theme does not feed sheep. Raising a contemporary subject of interest to the masses and unfolding it with biblical "post it notes" at every turn does not feed sheep. Simply explaining the meaning of a text in a formulaic, classroom kind of "what it says, what it means" detachment definitely does not feed sheep. In my experience, the best feeding which produces the most satisfied sheep comes from a message formed in, saturated with, and continually connected to an extended portion of a single passage of God’s Word. Where the main point comes from a paragraph and the supporting points come from its verses, and the content of those points is the content of the individual verses. Like this: Audio / Video
2) Love the People:
The guy who got canned was actually pretty strong in this category. The Bible says that love covers, and that certainly applies to the way a congregation views the faults of their pastor. If he loves them and takes the time and energy to make that affection obvious, it goes a long way in motivating them to love and look beyond his shortcomings. I am amazed at the number of well-known ministers today who give no obvious signs that they truly love the people they serve. They don’t comfort in a crisis; others do that. They don’t meet personally even with leaders in the church; "we have staff to handle that." They don’t express love from the pulpit or exhibit love in the lobby. If the your sheep had to prove that their shepherd loved them, would they have experience with you to produce as evidence? In a larger church, the pastoral care they experience from you may not be actual, but perceived pastoral care matters, too. What do your people believe would be their personal experience with you based upon their observation of your conduct? Bottom line: this is something you can’t fake. Regardless of the size of your congregation, if you are there for people in "prime time" and do what you can to express love and support for those you lead, they will know that you love them, and that will cover a multitude of sins.
3) Admit When You Are Wrong:
This is where most pastors go down, and this was the demise of the man whose firing prompted this writing. Pastors can believe grace, exegete grace, and preach grace with little sense of their own need for it. Pastors are frequently wrong. Our opinion is flawed, our conduct is imperfect, our leadership is lacking, and even our best intentions can come up short. Where a pastor believes that admission of error is a diminishment of his capacity to lead, the clock is winding down upon his demise. In a board meeting, at the front of the church, in correspondence, and in personal interaction, the pastor must continuously reach for the mea culpa. Failure to do so elevates self, undermines credibility, and isolates dissenters. Simply admit it when you are wrong. If you can’t see it, accept it by faith, and you will lengthen your tenure with any even mildly mature gathering of God’s people.
Just those three things—do them consistently, and you will do better as a pastor and last longer in any church for the glory of God’s great Son.
Posted in Ethics, Ministry, Offense, Pastoral Ethics, Pastoring, Relationships | Leave a Comment »
Lake Andes Update and Prayer Requests – 5/16/09
Posted by ProliferatingTruth on May 16, 2009
I called Pastor Amell tonight, and heard some good news about Lake Andes Baptist Church. Regular attendance there has risen from 3 to 12 since January, and as Pastor Amell commented to me, the number could be as high as 18 on Sundays, if everyone would show up! Also, a retired couple who are neighbors to the Amells in Ravinia are attending regularly, playing the piano for them. Trust me, when you go without a piano player, you learn to appreciate it when you DO HAVE ONE!
Please continue to pray for the church, as ultimately they will need to find a new pastor, though for the time being, it appears that the Lord has Pastor Amell staying there for a while.
Pray also for the nephew of a friend of mine, named Sam, who is suffering from a rare immune disorder, and is in need of another marrow transplant. Details can be seen at CaringBridge.Com.
I was also able to speak to a former Bible College professor tonight, and catch up with what’s happening with him in Sioux City, IA. Pray for Bro. Campbell and for Landmark Baptist Church, as he continues to try to encourage that congregation, and to juggle a job with his responsibilities at the church.
God is good!
DW
Posted in Huron Update, Lake Andes Update, Ministry, Ministry Update, Missions Update | Leave a Comment »
Huron Update – 5/8/09
Posted by ProliferatingTruth on May 10, 2009
Well, summer has practically arrived here in South Dakota. The warm weather has provided opportunity, as well as motivation, to get house and yardwork done. Spent much of this week so far cleaning up around the house, and doing miscellaneous yard work.
Posted in Ministry, Ministry Update, Missions Update, Update, Updates | Leave a Comment »
