Pastors

The odd thing I find is that many controlling pastors never really know they are one. They may actually even believe they are being good leaders—making sure things go well for the organization.

The saddest stories I hear from parents raising a child with a disability don’t involve schools, insurance companies or hospitals. The saddest story is when such a family must leave a church.

There are two main types of churches that say they very much want to reach the unchurched. The first believes it is vital to proclaim the truth of the Christian message to a darkened world.

When churches are unhealthy, far from being a transformative presence in their communities, they can wreak havoc in the lives of the people who interact with them or who languish in their midst. 

The secret to continuance in Christian ministry is found in serving others with transparency, diligence, and tears. It is also in recognizing the dangers that face us when we fill roles of leadership in the church.

While social media, and even traditional media, are still preoccupied with megachurches and multisite churches, the reality is that most churches in North America are quite small, well below the 200 attendance mark.

Happiness comes naturally in the same sense that fruit comes naturally from a tree. If the tree gets sufficient sunshine and water, if the ground is rich in nutrients, if the tree doesn’t contract diseases, then yes, it “naturally” produces fruit.

Nobody except a pastor can fully understand the excitement that comes with a first pastorate. What I didn’t know then, though, was that the pastorate often brings its own types of pain capable of hurting pastors.