Articles for Pastors

Do You Really Need to Give That Vision Sermon, Pastor?

For a vision sermon we work hard to script a motivational long-term picture of where the church needs to go, typically using some verses out of context to do so. Seldom is it supernatural. Rarely is it the result of extraordinary corporate prayer and fasting.

When SARS Pushed an Infectious Diseases Doctor Toward God

Stories about finding God amaze us and remind us that God pursues his people.

7 Ways to Tell It May Be a God Thing — Discerning Signs From God

"You should not dismiss the call you believe God has placed on your life because it doesn't make sense to others around you—or to yourself at times."

God’s Timing: In the Grip of Coronavirus, God Is Loosening Our Roots

God is not waiting for the coronavirus to ebb before he can move again. He will work even in this pandemic to make his name known. Timing is everything. God’s timing.

7 Reasons Why People Criticize Pastors

If you serve in a church, criticism comes with the territory. I doubt that any pastor or leader likes it. But, we must deal with it in a God-honoring way. One way to do that is to understand why people criticize us. I’ve listed below what I believe are 7 reasons why church people criticize pastors.

Flattery Is Not Encouragement

Like other good gifts from God, even the gift of encouragement has a sinister imitation: flattery. While at times looking very similar to encouragement, Scripture warns that flattery leads to selfish and destructive ends.

10 Marks of a Mature Christian

Just like there are markers for physical and mental maturation, there are also markers for spiritual maturation.

11 Self-Care Steps for Leaders Who Are Barely Holding On

Although the immediate truths are more obvious and visceral, the deeper truths are more real. We need to acknowledge the immediate truths, but embrace the deeper truths.