Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
I want to begin by saying that I have had a positive experience as a pastor. Many of my friends have had at least one negative church to deal with but I have been blessed with great congregations. I would also like to say that I do not regret becoming a pastor. It is a … Read More “5 Things That Are Hard About Being a Pastor” »
We are living in difficult times. As I write this, there has been a recent advancement of the Doomsday Clock. It is now 89 seconds to midnight, with midnight being the end of the world. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, who change the “clock”, had this to say: In setting the Clock one second closer … Read More “Pastors as Cultivators of Hope” »
There are people who are full-time military chaplains in the regular forces and I’m so thankful for my colleagues in that role. But I must admit that I have a soft spot for the reserves, for those who have full-time jobs in the church or elsewhere and who support a unit weekly and monthly. I … Read More “3 Reasons I Promote Reserve Military Chaplaincy” »
As we come out of this pandemic, many church leaders and pastors are looking forward to “getting back to normal.” Sadly, that will never happen. We will not just transition back to a pre-pandemic world. Even those congregations that tried to ignore the pandemic have been affected. Here are five things that I think that … Read More “5 Things Pastors Need to Know About Post-Pandemic Ministry” »
In some ways I hate the way I phrased that title because it is not a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. I cannot say that all pastors should get a doctorate or that no pastors should get a doctorate. Perhaps a better way to phrase it would be: “Is there any benefit for a pastor getting … Read More “Should Pastors Get a Doctorate?” »
Dale Partridge has recently given his opinion about people with mental illness in leadership in the wake of the suicide of Jarrid Wilson. It is not accepting or tolerant or understanding or compassionate to hire a man to shepherd a flock of God’s people who is openly struggling with mental illness. According to Partridge, it … Read More “Should People With Mental Illness Be In Church Leadership?” »
We are hearing more and more about pastors committing suicide. How can that be? Aren’t pastors supposed to be extra-spiritual? Shouldn’t they be the last to consider suicide? It is heart-breaking to hear these stories. We don’t want to hear about pastors taking their lives. It may even make us question our faith. Here are … Read More “How Could a Pastor Commit Suicide?” »
I love my church and spending time with the people in my congregation. They are great people and there is plenty of time I can spend with them. However, I also have a conviction that it is important to spend time with people outside the congregation. I see that as key to helping the church … Read More “How Can Pastors Get Involved In the Community?” »
When it comes to pastoring, some of the most popular resources are in the area of leadership and other practical ministry tools. But I would suggest that pastors, especially those just beginning their ministry, work toward building their commentary library. Preaching and leading Bible studies are key activities for pastors. While some pastors feel comfortable … Read More “Important Tools for Pastors” »
Some pastors feel more comfortable working with pastors of their own tradition/denomination. There is nothing wrong with this as these relationships are very important. I’m thankful for my colleagues within my denomination. At the same time, some of my most rewarding experiences have been collaborations with pastors of other denominations. It is not that I … Read More “Should Pastors Work With Pastors of Other Denominations?” »
Pastors want to have the answers. But even more important is to have the right questions. These are not the only questions to ask, but they are a good place to start. What are you doing to raise up other leaders in the congregation? What is more important, your own success or growth of the … Read More “5 Questions Pastors Need to Ask” »
I believe in including humour, both in the services and the sermons. If I’m going to poke fun at anyone, it would be at myself. Making fun of another person, whether a family member or someone in the congregation is not appropriate. But there is a limit at how far to go. I know of … Read More “Pastors Poking Fun at Themselves” »
I have heard a number of pastors talk about how much time they spend doing counselling and it is significant. Do you want to know how much counselling I do? None. The reason for this is that I am not a trained or certified counsellor. It would like me giving medical or legal advice. I … Read More “Pastors and Counselling” »
One of the most useful online tools for pastors is YouTube. Anyone can make a video, upload it and make it available to millions of viewers. With YouTube owned by Google, it is very easy for people to find your content. But how can pastors use YouTube? They can be used for announcing events or … Read More “How Pastors Can Use YouTube” »
No one understands what it is like to be a pastor like another pastor. We know both the joys and pains of pastoral ministry. Who better to pray for other pastors than pastors? We may be in a great chapter of our ministry or a challenging one, but we can all pray. Our experiences may … Read More “31 Days to Become a Better Pastor: Pray For Your Colleagues” »
Should pastors be on social media. I know of pastors who take it as an item of pride that they have avoided the pressure to be one social media. While that is fine, I also think it is a missed opportunity. So many people are on social media and we have the ability to communicate … Read More “Pastors and Social Media” »
I remember as a teenager listening to our minister say during the service that he had one time doubts about Christianity. It really shocked me. Pastors should be giants in the faith, never having a doubt about the smallest thing. The truth is that as long as pastors continue to be human they will continue … Read More “When Pastors Doubt” »
Being a pastor of a church is a rewarding career. Most pastors are quite passionate about their ministry. But pastors need more than excitement to be successful long-term. Here are seven things that pastors need to remember. Pastors need to equip the congregation for ministry rather than doing all the ministry themselves. Pastors will never … Read More “7 Things Pastors Need to Be Reminded Of” »
We are living in a moment when many people are coming forward accusing famous individuals of sexual abuse and unwanted sexual advances. My intention is not to name names, to accuse or defend, or to judge on the quality of the evidence. I will say that it is always wrong to make unwanted advances on … Read More “Pastors, Politicians, Actors and Sex Scandals” »
Although things have changed, there are still people who place pastors on pedestals. There is nothing wrong with respecting pastors. Pastors study a lot and work hard to help in the spiritual development of their congregations. But sometimes people forget that pastors are just regular folk. Unrealistic expectations can lead to a painful fall from … Read More “5 Things You Need to Know About Pastors” »
I love being a pastor and I’m so thankful that the opportunity to return to pastoral ministry came after a three year break. I appreciate the work of my colleagues in ministry and I am very aware how easy it is to go off track. Here are seven questions that I and other pastors need … Read More “7 Questions Pastors Need to Regularly Ask” »
As a pastor, I’m very interested in discussing the role of my calling. If I don’t understand the role of the pastor, there is no way to know if I’m successful or not. I recently came across a blog post by Carey Nieuhof on this topic. First, I need to say that I like Carey. … Read More “Pastors: Shepherds or Entrepreneurs?” »
I am both an apologist and a pastor. I do not see those as two different vocations, but rather two aspects of the same calling. I believe that it is important for pastors to integrate some apologetics into their pastoral ministry. This does not mean that every Sunday should be an apologetics sermon or even … Read More “5 Apologetics Topics Pastors Can Preach On” »
What is the culture of your church when it comes to disabilities? Does your church eagerly embrace those with disabilities? Or is your church embarrassed by the sights and sounds and frustrated by the interruptions? There are many aspects to church culture but I would suggest that the pastor plays a major role. I believe … Read More “Pastors, Church Culture and Disabilities” »
During this election season, I must confess that I’m thankful that I’m a Canadian. My thoughts and prayers are with my American brothers and sisters. In some ways I’m surprised that Donald Trump has made it to this point that there is a good possibility that he might be the next president. I have no … Read More “3 Things Pastors Can Learn From Donald Trump” »
As both a pastor and an apologist, I believe that there should be connections between both roles. I actually became an apologist because of a need that arose while being a pastor at a local church. I also understand that there are many pastors who are not interested in apologetics. They believe that the keys … Read More “5 Reasons Why Pastors Should Care About Apologetics” »
The unfortunate reality is that not all pastors finish well. We hear about the pastors of megachurches who have moral failures but it happens in small churches all the time. The key is not to wait until the pastor is in burnout or is dealing with the consequences of bad choices. Like every other area … Read More “4 Questions Pastors Need to Ask” »
One of my favourite podcasts is Rainer on Leadership and Thom Rainer’s blog posts that I share seem to get a lot of engagement. So I was looking forward to finally reading one of his books. The book I chose is his latest, Who Moved My Pulpit? I love that this book is a reply to a … Read More “Who Moved My Pulpit?” »
What would be the reaction if you mentioned at a church function that you wanted to discuss theology? How many people would roll their eyes? I have often lamented the lack of interest in theology among Christians. Recent reflections on this have made me think of the role of pastors. What are pastors doing to … Read More “A Plea for More Theological Pastors” »
One of the biggest challenges for pastors is preparing one sermon for a congregation that is extremely diverse in their knowledge and experience. It is impossible to design a message that will touch everyone where they are at. But it is important to have sense of where people are at, so that over the span … Read More “4 Things That Pastors Need to Remember About Their Congregation” »
All Christians should be interested in seeing the Church grow and people come to faith in Jesus. A helpful resource in this conversation is Growing God’s Church: How People Are Actually Coming to Faith Today by Gary L. McIntosh. The book is divided into three parts: Church Today, Faith Today and Evangelism Today. The first section … Read More “Growing God’s Church – Review” »
I have been contacted by a number of pastors lately about autism. I’m impressed with pastors who are proactive in seeking information. The truth is that it is important know something about autism before a family with autism shows up at the church. As a pastor and as a father of two children with autism, … Read More “5 Things Pastors Need to Know About Autism” »
I sometimes encounter resistance by pastors about the value of apologetics. I have also heard from laypeople who have had negative experiences talking to their pastors about apologetics. I would like to argue that not only is apologetics compatible with pastoral ministry, it is essential to pastoral ministry. That may sound like a bold statement … Read More “Why Apologetics is Essential to Being a Pastor” »
One of the questions that a new pastor has to wrestle with is the nature of relationships they will have within their congregation. Can you be friends with people in the congregation? With leaders/elders/deacons/board members? With other pastoral staff? During one ministry placement when I was in seminary, I had some friends come to the … Read More “Should Pastors Have Friends Within Their Church?” »
One of the frustrations that apologists often express is the difficulty of getting the church to buy into the importance of apologetics. Unfortunately, this sometimes is influenced by the pastor’s negative view of apologetics. As a pastor, I understand that pastors cannot drop all that they are doing and throw themselves into apologetics. Preaching, pastoral … Read More “5 Reasons Pastors Should Consider Apologetics” »
Pastors have it easy, they only work one day a week. Except the reality is that many pastors work seven days a week, even if they are not in the office. In this episode, I share some of what the average week of a pastor may look like. I understand that every pastoral role is … Read More “What Does a Pastor Actually Do?” »
A devotion based on 3 John 1:3. John was not just a theologian, he was a pastor. As much as he liked to talk about God, he also was very interested in what was happening with people. This letter was written to a church. Churches were not like today, large congregations with their own buildings. … Read More “Devotions: 3 John” »
How should pastors respond to the low level of biblical illiteracy in churches? Should we aim for the lowest common denominator or should we attempt raise the bar? Is there a role for teaching? In this episode of my video blog, I reflect on one pastors vision for his church. I recorded this video before … Read More “Preaching and Teaching” »
I have respect for pastors, both as an ex-pastor and as someone who has been ministered to by some excellent pastors. Having said that, even when people respect pastors they may not understand pastors. I thought I would take some time to dispel some common myths about pastors. 1. Pastors only work one day a … Read More “5 Myths About Pastors” »
One of the most rewarding parts of my life has been my role as a military chaplain (padre). I hear from pastors who are considering joining the army but are not sure if they should. I would like to share why I think it is a good idea. For clarification, I can only speak from my … Read More “7 Reasons Why Pastors Should Consider Military Chaplaincy” »
When it comes to welcoming those with disabilities into a church, I come at it with two hats. One hat is as a father of two children with autism. The other hat is as one who pastored for over a decade. The father part says that the church must endure everything to embrace my children. … Read More “Churches, Pastors and the Disabled” »
One of the most dangerous traps for pastors is that of people-pleasing. The problem is that it is so easy to fall into. It is natural for us to be popular and to avoid conflict. Especially within the church, pastors do not want to be at odds with their congregations. This is why Charles Stone, … Read More “People-Pleasing Pastors” »
There is one question that pastors hate more than any other when getting together at conferences or other functions. Yes, it is worse than, “So how much do you make?” The worst question is, “How many people go to your church?” I have been asked that numerous times. I was visiting Calgary and I was … Read More “That Dreaded Question” »
Christian leaders often talk about the lonely pastor. This is more than a cliche, it is the truth. Friendships within the church are complicated and yet pastors spend most of their time with people in their congregation. There is a great article by Mark Brouwer in the Leader Journal that deals with this topic.
A guest post by Deane Proctor. This column risks coming off as some sort of pastoral pity-party but it’s really not meant to be. I’m very pleased and honored to have been called to serve as Lead Pastor of Queensway Baptist Church in Brantford, Ontario nearly 5 years ago and have nothing but love for … Read More “5 Frustrations of Pastoral Ministry (or Why Would Anyone Choose Pastoral Ministry?)” »
In my ministry career, I was a youth pastor for five years and an associate pastor for two years. I then spent nine years as a solo pastor. There are a lot of challenges to being an associate pastor, but it also can be very rewarding. I know a number of pastors who have gone … Read More “7 Things an Associate Pastor Needs to Remember” »
I came across this verse in my devotions. “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” (Proverbs 18:1 ESV) I immediately thought about ministry. The worst place to be in ministry is isolation. Some pastors choose isolation because they are afraid of other voices and some pastors just have … Read More “Stronger Together” »
As someone who has pastored for over a decade, I understand how easy it is lose your way. I don’t mean falling into sin, but forgetting why you do what you do. With all the meetings and potlucks, you can forget the reason for pastoring. Lee Eclov has a good article at Leadership Journal that … Read More “What Kind of Pastor Am I?” »
This spring will be the tenth anniversary of my ordination. Over the next couple of months, I am going to share ten reflections from my ministry experience. The first thing I want to share is the sadness I feel when I meet people burned in ministry. I must be honest, I have had a good … Read More “Ministry Reflection One” »
