In a previous post we looked at the pastor as a shepherd. Part of shepherding is teaching the sheep. The scripture very plainly shows us that God gives us pastors in order to equip us for the work of the ministry. There are a lot of things that a pastor does, however, the one thing…
There are many aspects to pastoral ministry. All aspects are of equal importance. Put together and working in harmony with one another, each aspect creates a complete pastoral ministry. I’d like to take some time to examine each of the following aspects of pastoral ministry: shepherding, teaching, oversight, and evangelizing. The first aspect to consider…
There are many thoughts and ideas concerning what makes a healthy church. It is important that the church seeks sustained health rather than extreme growth spurts. Let me explain. Considering numbers is important. The main reason to consider numbers is that every number represents a soul. Therefore, it is important to work to increase the…
Recently I spent some time listening to a message from John MacArthur that he preached back in 1983. The message was a part of a series that he preached on the anatomy of the church. In that first message, he mentioned 5 things that the church must be committed to. I agree wholeheartedly with MacArthur’s…
We all struggle with various things in our lives. However, there is one struggle that we all have in common and that is the struggle with ourselves. We find it very difficult to discipline ourselves and to be fully committed. We struggle with the day to day motions of life. We get frustrated, complacent, dissatisfied,…
Over the years I have been a part of planning and organizing hundreds of ministry events, programs, etc. When I am considering implementing a certain event or program I try to prayerfully follow a certain criteria in order to determine whether or not it is something that we should do. The following is the list…
In ministry and church circles there is often much discussion concerning the role and purpose of the office of pastor. The job description of a pastor can certainly be exhaustive. However, what should be the main concern of the pastor? What should he focus on? I’d like to suggest that there are four basic priorities…
Let’s face it, there are times in the life of any church when things do not go as well as hoped. Just like the people that attend them, local churches have mood swings. You may go through a season of excitement and great growth when everybody thinks you’re the greatest thing since apple pie. Then…
Have you ever been at a point in your life where you were at a total loss? You are tired, frustrated, and confused. Nothing you do seems to go right. It is as if you are in a no-win situation. These feelings are often shared by those serving in ministry. You’ve tried everything. You…
I am currently reading a fantastic book called the minister and his soul by Thomas Hamilton Lewis. I found the book tucked away in our church library. It was published in 1926. The author was the president of the general conference of the Methodist Protestant Church and the president emeritus of Western Maryland College. The book challenges…
Pastor Chris Noland 