Ministry Monday

On May 5, 2014November 13, 2014 By BrianIn Ministry Moments

Here are some good posts on preaching:

Why the Pastor Must Be Distracted With God – Drew Martin (via Trevin Wax)
In response to such a situation the faithful preacher must refuse to agree to the tacit assumption of modernity that the other concerns of life are more important than God. The pastor must be deeply formed in the classic disciplines of the Christian faith so that his life will not be disoriented. He must be correctly oriented if he would serve as a guide to a lost culture. The pastor must be “distracted” with God.

A Watchman on the Walls – Kevin DeYoung
For the watchman on the walls must give a warning; he must speak of this judgment which is to come; he must herald the glorious salvation found in Christ alone; he must share the glad tidings of peace on earth and good will toward men; he must tell the hard news that we need a Savior, the unpopular news that there is only one Savior, and the unimaginably good news that there is one who actually saves.

The Preacher’s Cheat-Sheet – Tim Challies
Here are two lists that have been very helpful to me. I combine them into what I affectionately call my Preacher’s Cheat-Sheet.

Ministry Monday

On April 28, 2014November 13, 2014 By BrianIn Ministry Moments

Here are some good posts for pastors:

In Praise of Long Pastorates – H. B. Charles, Jr.
To nurture a Christ-centered, biblically functioning congregation requires teaching and patience. A mushroom can grow in hours. But it takes longer to grow an oak tree. What are you trying to grow?

3 Big Opportunities that Busy Pastors Miss – Eric McKiddie
Nothing that grows organically grows fast. But if it is healthy, it grows strong. Don’t let your busyness shift your focus from “strong” to “fast.” Keep watering, and trust that your ministry is growing at the speed God intends.

Work at Your Prayers – D.A. Carson via Tim Challies
Many facets of Christian discipleship, not least prayer, are rather more effectively passed on by modeling than by formal teaching. Good praying is more easily caught than taught.

Ministry Monday

On April 14, 2014November 13, 2014 By BrianIn Ministry Moments

Here are some helpful posts on waiting in ministry:

When You’re Waiting in the Wilderness – Gavin Ortlund (GC)
Of course, it’d be nice if ministry meant 1 Kings 18 fire-from-heaven power from start to finish! But most of our ministries can likely relate better to the metaphors of 1 Kings 17: hanging on until the ravens come again, trusting the jug and jar won’t run out tomorrow, scraping by until the drought finally ends, wondering why God hasn’t removed corrupt Ahab, and, all the while, waiting, waiting, waiting.

5 Reasons Why God Calls Us To Wait – Paul David Tripp (GC)
In ministry you will be both called to wait and also find waiting personally and corporately difficult. So it is important to recognize that there are lots of good reasons why waiting is not merely inescapable but necessary and helpful.

God’s Will for Your Wait – Paul David Tripp (GC)
In ministry there are often moments when you are propelled by a biblical vision but called by God to wait. Waiting can be discouraging and hard. So what does it look like to wait in a way that makes you a participant in what God is doing rather than someone who struggles against the wait?

Ministry Moment

On March 31, 2014November 13, 2014 By BrianIn Ministry Moments

Here are some good posts on staying fresh in ministry:

40 Best Online Resources on Burnout – David Murray
If what I’m seeing and hearing is representative of our wider culture, we are facing an epidemic of burnout among Christians, and especially among pastors. Here are the 40 best resources on the subject that I’ve collected over the years.

Eight Ways Leaders Make Themselves Vulnerable to Spiritual Attack – Chuck Lawless
New Testament writers warn us again and again about the reality of spiritual attack. The apostle Paul, a leader extraordinaire, challenged believers to wear the full armor of God (Eph. 6:11), being ever aware of the enemy’s schemes (2 Cor. 2:11). The leader of the church at Jerusalem, James, called followers of Christ to resist the devil (Jms. 4:7). Peter, the leader among Jesus’ apostles, warned against the adversary who seeks someone to devour like a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8). It is no wonder, then, Paul reminded the church to choose leaders who are not set up for the devil’s traps (1 Tim. 3:6-7).

A Break Through the Clouds – Tim Bridges
In an uncommon act of love, Calvary Baptist Church allowed my family a solid month of vacation to visit our family and friends in Florida. I think the church saw my shoulders beginning to slump from shovelling snow and wisely prescribed a regimen of medicinal beach sand. The experience was a new one for us. A month to relax, to read, and to reflect. So what did I learn?