I was just teaching in Oxford. Even in places like the U.K.—where secularism is further along—churches are seeing growth led by young adults, especially young men. In fact, there are five times as many young men attending church in the U.K. now than only a few years ago.
God may be stirring something. But if we want to meet the moment, our leaders must be spiritually ready. That starts with care—not just for the people they serve, but for their own souls.
Too often, pastors are expected to pour out without ever being poured into. Expectations have always been high for pastors, often unreasonably so. But becoming a pastor does not suddenly turn shepherds into supermen, or humans into machines. Pastors hurt, they doubt, they grow tired. Shepherds need encouragement, to be fed, and times of rest. Jesus himself often withdrew to quiet places to pray, rest and reconnect with the Father. If the Good Shepherd needed time away, how much more do today’s shepherds?
We Have an Anchor
ANCHORED will be a space for that kind of reconnection.
Hebrews 6:19 reminds us, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” In a world that feels increasingly unstable, that hope is what steadies the shepherd. It’s what gives him the strength to stand when the storms rage. It’s what reminds her that she’s not alone.
But this isn’t just a call to pastors. It’s a call to the church.
If you’re part of a congregation, I urge you: See your shepherd. Don’t just listen to their sermons—listen for their fatigue. Don’t just watch them lead—look for ways to lighten their load. Encourage them. Pray for them. Send them to things like ANCHORED (or wherever they might be encouraged), not as a reward, but as a vital act of care.
And if you’re a pastor or ministry leader—hear this clearly: You are not alone. The flock needs you, yes. But God sees you, too. You’re more than a vessel for sermons or a solver of problems. You are not the sum total of what you accomplished or the glaring examples of your failures. You are his son. You are his daughter. God is your Father. And he cares for you. The biblical promises to every believer: “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1); “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31b), and so many more are true for you.
Our cultural moment is demanding, but it is not hopeless. There is hunger in the next generation. There is curiosity, openness and a desire for truth. The harvest is still plentiful. But the workers—the shepherds—must be whole.
You’re welcome at ANCHORED at Biola University on June 9-11. Restoration is not only a theme found throughout the biblical narrative, but also for you today. Come not to perform, but to be restored. Come not to gain a new angle strategically, but to grasp an anchor spiritually grounded in the truth of the Gospel. Come so that you can return to the flock refreshed—and ready to lead with strength.
Because the shepherds need their Shepherd.
