When I reflect on my life as a pastor’s daughter, the memories can be classified as overwhelmingly positive. One of my earliest and fondest memories is running out our back door very early on Sunday mornings and yelling for my Dad to wait so I could walk with him to church. Cupping my tiny hand …
With nearly 30 years in ministry experience, I have seen church structures of all types in countries spreading four continents. These churches reflect small house gatherings, community centers of faith, and even large religious enterprises. Some of these church type structures are small, some large, some with plain architecture and others resembling ornate colonial type …
Most children grow up inspired by tales of heroes—men and women who are made aware of a wrongdoing and set out to make it right without consideration of their own personal welfare. They watch with amazement at the adventures of characters such as the Lone Ranger or Superman or Frodo Baggins facing insurmountable odds and …
While the preaching role of the pastor is perhaps the most visible element of ministry, most would agree that these ministers actually fulfill a three dimensional ministry of preaching, teaching and counseling. In this article, I’d like to explore how each of these roles serve to benefit the health and wholeness of the local church. …
In an informal survey of pastors, I asked a simple question: “What do you wish you had been told before you became a pastor?” Some of the responses were obvious. For me, a few were surprises. I note them in order of frequency of response, not necessarily in order of importance. After each item, I …