Pastors

Altars were significant in the Old Testament for meeting with God. They are mentioned over two hundred times.

A sincere, authentic minister of the Gospel desires above all else that the flock of God of which he is the shepherd become mature disciples of Christ who are becoming more and more like Jesus.

In preparing for a meeting among pastors, a friend of mine asked me to reflect on the meaning of friendship for a church leader. Friendship matters. "I work alone" might be OK in a movie, but it's a terrible idea in the ministry.

"I’ve been reflecting on the changes in our home with Nanci gone. The house is so quiet without the sound of her laughter. There is a profound sense of absence."

"I wish we could snap our fingers and enjoy immediate trust. But, in most churches, it just is not going to happen quickly. It will take five to seven years."

We like to start with the interests, views, and philosophies that would naturally unite us and then find ways to throw some diversity in there. But that kind of unity has limits.

I always want to know what leadership issues pastors wish someone had taught them. Here are twelve things many leaders wish someone had given them a "how to" on.

The bottom line, hard-to-believe truth is that the path to thriving faith on the other side of any transition—including this pandemic—is plain, but many won’t take it. My observations from over two decades, combined with real sociological data, are surprising.