Pastor Resources Podcast

I think I used to see God working in my life very linearly. I kind of saw God as someone who coached me along my journey, and if I screwed up too badly, he would replace me with someone better. Then one day, while reading Lewis's Mere Christianity, I realized God is timeless. God was not just going through life linearly with me, God also saw my life from above the timeline. God had chosen to walk with me, even though he knew I would mess it all up at various points along the way. I think I saw God as someone I had to keep going up the mountain to find. Then I realized God, seeing all of my timeline, had already chosen to come down the mountain to me. I saw God as angry, or at least someone willing to get angry quickly if you didn't keep him happy. I didn't realize God is accessible. God seeks, God finds, and God knocks. You don't have to find God because the story is God find... Adapted from It's Not Your Turn by Heather Thompson Day. Copyright (c) 2021 by Heather Thompson Day. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. - Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT) Have you ever stopped to think about WHY the Psalmist had to ask God to search his heart and thoughts; to point out anything that offends?  I mean, they are his thoughts after all, so why would he – or any of us – need God search to our hearts and minds? Let me explain it with an example... Picture a tiger trap, like in the old “Tarzan” movies.  You dig a pit, line it with spikes, and you're all set, right?  Not exactly!  You have a hole filled with painful things, but you need to cover it!  So, you grab sticks and leaves, whatever you can find, to cover the hole and make it unrecognizable!  It LOOKS the same as everything else around it, but it's not! Now, how many of you would volunteer to run down the path and over the trap?  Not many, right?  When the covering gives way, what's underneath is going to hurt...very, very badly… But what does this have to do with the verses in Psalms?  A lot of us have pain in our past; trauma or critical events that have ripped painful holes in our lives.  When this happens, we have two choices: Barry Rudesill is a Pastor, speaker, and co-creator of The Trek. (www.thetrek.org)

Regular church maintenance is important for keeping your facilities in working order. Beyond annual cleaning and repairs, it's also nice to spruce up your building with occasional renovations.  Maybe your budget is a little tight right now, but you'd still like to make some updates to your church. Here are five low-cost projects that will make a big impact for your members and visitors. 1. Update Paint Colors When was the last time you painted your church interior? Do the colors even fit in with your current branding? Adding a new coat of paint or changing the paint color is an inexpensive project that goes a long way. To save even more money, get volunteers to help rather than hiring professional painters. 2. Install New Flooring Flooring can become stained, faded, and outdated over the years. Switch things up with a new style. Take it a step further by changing the flooring material. For example, if you have carpet in your sanctuary, try out a spill-resistant tile instead. Coordinate the style with the wall colors and sanctuary accessories for a unified look. Dr. Tom McElheny has served as an elder and director of Christian education for three Sarasota, Florida, churches, holds advanced degrees in business and education, and is CEO of his church seating company, ChurchPlaza.

Outrage. Perhaps no other word better captures the spirit of our times, the wildfire in society that keeps roaring back with more and more fuel. It can deplete all our energy for quieter work, draw us away from the still small voice of God, and seem impossible to overcome. It spreads from social conflict to interpersonal relationships, disrupting community in the home, church, and workplace. How can pastors help their congregations reimagine a way forward, one that hammers their swords into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4, nlt) and leads to lasting unity? Eugene Peterson translates those Isaiah verses further by stating, “He will show us the way he works so we can live the way we're made (The Message).” The way we're made. Yes—we are designed to heal, not to fester in our wounds. We are meant to be made whole through Christ and his church. One way God shows us how he works is in the way he created our physical selves. Our bodies have simple yet elegant systems in place to promote restoration and recovery, rather than rupture and limitation, when we are wounded. Can we live the way we're made by following the example of the body, made in the image of God? Might this be particularly appropriate for Christian community as we are called the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27, nlt)? In Designed to Heal, we encounter the persistent, orderly stages of physical wound healing. Clotting, inflammation, new growth, and return to function—even if through scarring—are portrayed through poignant patient stories illustrating each phase of healing. Chapters reflect how a particular aspect of physical healing can be a model for relational healing.  Inflammation, it turns out, is a necessary and helpful process. After clotting comes to the rescue, inflammatory cells get to work cleaning up the wound site. Just the right amount of pressure is applied by their work to prevent further damage. They identify debris that doesn't belong and swallow it up. But then they get out of the way so new growth can begin. If the inflammatory stage goes awry and those cells don't get a clear signal to stop their work, good tissue gets hurt. Healing stops.  Jennie A. McLaurin is a writer and physician with degrees in medicine, public health, and theology. Her book, Designed to Heal: What the Body Shows Us about Healing Wounds, Repairing Relationships, and Restoring Community (coauthored with Cymbeline T. Culiat), releases in August 2021.

THE BIBLE REMAINS the bestselling book of all time. You may well have one hidden away somewhere in your house yourself. But while the Bible continues to sell incredibly well, it is often not read. In many cases, this is not for lack of trying. Begin at the beginning— which sounds perfectly logical—and you may soon become bogged down in the laws of Exodus and Leviticus, the second and third books of the Bible, wondering what on earth they have to do with your life today. And so the Bible returns to its shelf, leaving you discouraged and feeling like you could never understand this strange book, as much as you would like to. Why then read the Bible? To some the Bible is the basis for the largest religion in the world, Christianity, while for others it has been so influential historically that we need to be aware of it as literature if we are to understand our history. Still others seek to understand God and his relationship to the world. They wonder if God could possibly know or care about what is happening on earth and in our lives. To still others it is the book they meditate on to be instructed by and addressed by God, who has revealed himself particularly in Jesus Christ. Adapted from The 30-Minute Bible by Craig G. Bartholomew and Paige P. Vanosky. Copyright (c) 2021 by Paige P. Vanosky and Craig G. Bartholomew. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com

The term "lockdown," is now associated with the attempt to slow or stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  The virus is real, the risks are real, and the lessons learned from the lockdowns are real.   Some of the lessons learned were intended, others were not.  There is legitimate debate about the efficacy of the lockdown, the wearing of masks, and social distancing.  One thing is not debatable, the lessons learned are real, but many of the unintended lessons may be the most real, and the most unsettling. For example, we have learned that: Infants and small children have difficulty processing emotions and perceptions without the benefit of full facial expressions, Children deprived of diverse social interactions do not develop as healthy interpersonal skills as children participating in actual group settings, A virtual world is a flat-screen world without the depth of experience filled with the normal nuances of human life, Personal isolation can quickly morph into feelings of distress, distrust, and fear with real harmful psychological and physiological consequences, People can be divided into two classes, those who comply, and those who do not.  Those who comply care about others, and those  who do not are a threat, The elderly, infirm and otherwise physically vulnerable can be protected from friends, and family for their so-called "own good," to the point that they live and even die essentially in isolation from the very thing they need most - the presence of the ones they love, When people die, there is no obligation for a full funeral.  A small group of essential personnel can perform a truncated (or online) service,  Cremation is a cost-saving, and efficient way to dispose of the body,

n the years leading up to the turn of the century (1996-1999), several publications ran “Man of the Millennium” features, presenting various candidates for the title. TIME Magazine featured extensive reports on various candidates, Einstein, Newton, etc. Theirs was perhaps the most closely watched process, and when the winner was revealed (as “Person of the Millennium”), the TIME Magazine laureate was Johannes Gutenberg (ca. 1400-1468), inventor of the moveable-type printing press. It was to be expected, I suppose, that media people would choose someone who enabled their craft in a remarkable way. And truly, modern literature, scholarship, reporting, propaganda, advertising, and spam all owe a great debt to Gutenberg's invention. The trouble is, Gutenberg had nothing to say. The purpose of printing, after all, is to utter something of value (to someone) in an inexpensive and easily distributable way. Luther took great advantage of the printing press: at his death (1546), according to some estimates, over 700,000 copies of various of Luther's writings were in circulation, having a profound effect on the Protestant Reformation. Since then, the printing press has accelerated literacy, scholarship, and cultural cohesion everywhere, and the story has not yet ended. But from Gutenberg himself—silence. And from the printing press itself, also—silence. The printing press only has meaning if someone uses it to say something. Such inventions, no matter how clever, do not change societies—ideas do. So, it seems to me that the Man of the Millennium should be someone who proposed ideas that changed the society of the second millennium. Of course, you know all the popular candidates—Luther, Newton, Jefferson, Nietzsche, Einstein, etc. Let me propose one from a little earlier, one whose influence still resounds above all the others today: John Wycliffe (1320?-1384). Robert McAnally Adams is a retired mathematician and curator of The Christian Quotation of the Day. See cqod.com

The ALL IN for FOSTER ADOPTION Challenge: The Goal and Strategies for Serving Waiting Kids Today there are over 125,000 youth in the foster care system. Many have never known the security of a loving home and often must wait for over three years for permanency. While others are shuttled between a multitude of homes; the number of placements sometimes soaring into the double digits. One can only imagine what the lasting impact might be on a child who has never known the safety of a loving family. And what about the strain on our communities overall? Sex-traffickers that prey on these children, increased homelessness, and incarceration are seemingly inevitable due to lack of guidance and substantial gaps in education. These bleak, cultural realities stand in contrast to the mission of the church – to care for those in need. What can the local church do? They can go “All IN.” What's at Stake? When asked what's at stake for kids who aren't placed in permanent, loving homes, Alex Olson, an ALL IN for FOSTER ADOPTION Challenge Team Member whose own forever family fostered over 110 youth over time, said, “I had a friend in the system who took his own life at 11 years of age. And many young people I know have had similar experiences. It really is our lives that are at stake.” Human lives made in the image of God are what's at stake.

Is there anything that has not been written about biblical manhood? Books, articles, and videos abound with calls for men to demonstrate character, integrity, authenticity, and especially “servant leadership.” In an attempt to not write what has already been written over and over again, I present the following ideas. First, the term servant leadership is an inaccurate and inadequate description of Paul's instructions to men in the fifth chapter of Ephesians. A “servant leader” stoops to serve only when he chooses to do so; it is a very tidy role with a narrow focus on serving others. Yet it is already obvious to most Christian men that they need to avoid misinterpreting Scripture as a call to biblical de... _ Stephen Arterburn is the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries, the nation's largest faith-based broadcast, counseling, and treatment ministry. He is also host of the New Life Live! radio program that airs on more than 180 radio stations, SiriusXM radio, and television. Steve is a nationally known public speaker and has been featured in media such as Oprah and Good Morning America. He is a teaching pastor at Northview Church in Indianapolis and resides with his family in Indiana.

Addressing church budgets starts with understanding the broader context of a church's mission and purpose. If a budget represents the financial blueprint for carrying out a church's ministry plan for a particular period of time, then logic would dictate that such a blueprint and its related ministry plan should be a function—a derivative—of the church's mission and purpose. Many times, however, churches engage in elaborate budget development processes without first evaluating whether their activities are directly in furtherance of their mission and purpose. In some cases, churches operate without a well-defined expression of their mission and purpose. Ensuring that the church's budget is a function of its mission and purpose will help church leaders avoid putting the cart before the horse, or for that matter, having the cart detached from the horse. _ Michael E. Batts is the president and managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales and Lee (nonprofitcpa.com), a national CPA firm dedicated exclusively to serving churches, ministries, and other nonprofit organizations across the United States.This article is excerpted from his book, Church Finance: The Church Leader's Guide to Financial Operations.

It's no secret: Finishing this life with a God-honoring legacy isn't automatic and certainly isn't easy. So, in my twenties and thirties and again in my forties, I asked a number of older Christians to show me how it's done. Thankfully, they agreed! A few months before his death, best-selling author and international consultant Dr. Ted W. Engstrom invited me to spend a day together, just the two of us. His eyesight was gone, but his mind was still sharp. For hours, he told me about the things closest to his heart. Among other things, Ted told me about a pact he, Billy Graham, and Bill Bright had made decades earlier, before they became famous. “We promised each other that we would finish well,” Dr. Engstrom told me, smiling. “And just think—Bill Bright did just that! Billy Graham assures me he's going to be faithful to the end. And I fully intend to do the same!” _ David Sanford's book and Bible projects have been published by Zondervan, Tyndale House, Thomas Nelson, Doubleday, Barbour, and Amazon. His speaking engagements have ranged everywhere from UC Berkeley (CA) to The Billy Graham Center at the Cove (NC).

Perhaps the biggest obstacle to belief in God in recent years has been a growing disillusionment with Christians and the church. No doubt the church has a historical closet full of skeletons. Even in our own lifetimes, horrendous evils have been exposed, with those who bear God's name having done reprehensible things under the institutional cover of the church. So with the church's moral currency bankrupted by religious hypocrisy, and when you consider that part of the Christian story supposedly involves a change brought about in the human heart by God, how do you explain Christians behaving badly? There should be no room for any answer to a question this raw that does not begin with tremendous sorrow for those who have been harmed, closely followed by a deep protest against any ongoing existence of those evils. God Himself is intimately familiar with the terrible wounds that can accompany being the target of religious hypocrisy since the religious establishment, who were meant to be a spiritual safe haven, were the very ones whose dark actions of betrayal and injustice led to Jesus' brutal execution.

Through my 18 years of church and non-profit experience, along with my time as a church consultant I have learned a lot about the right and wrong way to bring change. Today, I want to share what I have learned as necessities to bringing impactful and long-lasting change. If you are a leader, your survival may depend on how you bring change. Why is that? People do not like change and if you bring it about poorly you will lose the people. Here are six things you can do to be a positive change agent: Mission and Values: Does the change you want to bring drive your mission forward and align with your values? If the answer is no, you need a new idea. If it is yes, now you have something you can share and inspire people with. The mission and values of your church should always serve as a filter for your ideas. _ Bob Van Baren is a church consultant and coach at his company Vision 2-10. He also has 18 years' experience in church ministry and non-profits, along with a Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Development from Bethel Seminary.

It's been thirty years now since the first personal computers and cellphones began infiltrating almost all aspects of our everyday life. We've been dealing with technology long enough now to begin understanding the risk factors that we didn't recognize early on. No doubt, parents from the 1950s eventually learned that smoking in a car with the windows up was damaging (or smoking in general, much less around children). Parents today, in their heart of hearts, are beginning to understand the need to put down the screen and start relating more with their children in a way that builds personal, loving relationships. But the real challenge is how do you build stronger relationships with your child once you put down your phone! _ Adapted from The Relationally Intelligent Child: Five Keys to Helping Your Kids Connect Well With Others by John Trent and Dewey Wilson (©2021). Published by Northfield Publishing. All rights to this material are reserved.

“Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:5-7, esv) I've always needed someone to help guide me. I needed this even when I was blind to it. I thought I could be a lone ranger with Jesus, but it turns out my heart, family, and ministry is more of a community project than I originally thought. _ Russ Masterson is a husband, dad, pastor, and writer in Marietta, Georgia. He serves as the senior pastor at Christ the Redeemer Church of Marietta. He is the co-author (with Scotty Smith) of Searching for Grace: A Weary Leader, A Wise Mentor, and Seven Healing Conversations for a Parched Soul. Visit him at www.russmasterson.cc.

Until fifty years ago, hardly anyone in the West was interested in Muslims or their religion, Islam. It was largely because of the discovery of incredible oil reserves in Arabic countries and increased international terrorism that caused Islam to achieve certain fame. Today, Islam is no longer an exotic religion that is only thought about by scholars. With roughly three and a half million followers in the United States, it is the third-largest religion after Christianity and Judaism. _ Adapted from God of the Impossible: Stories of Hope from the Muslim World by Rev. Stefano Fehr and Dr. Samuel Naaman (©2021). Published by Moody Publishers. Used by permission.

A rock collector named Robert Cutshaw once found a rock he described as “big and pretty.” He tried to sell it, and when that failed, he kept the rock under his bed in the dark. Rob guessed the blue chunk of rock could bring as much as $500, but he would have taken less for it if an urgent bill needed paying. That's how close he came to selling for a few hundred dollars what turned out to be the largest, most valuable sapphire ever found. The Blue Rock that Rob had once abandoned to the darkness -- now known as the ”Star of David” sapphire -- weighs nearly a pound and could easily sell for several million dollars. _ Dr. Tony Evans is Senior Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (Dallas, TX) and founder of The Urban Alternative, a worldwide media ministry. In 2019 Dr. Evans became the first African American in history to author a Study Bible (The Tony Evans Study Bible) as well as a one-volume Bible Commentary (The Tony Evans Bible Commentary). www.TonyEvans.org

When we first moved to the Fixer Upper Farm, it was a bit of an eyesore. Weeds six feet tall. Broken windows. Snakes swimming in the broken-down pool. And so many bushes that needed to be trimmed way back. We have girls. And girls are great and can do anything; I'm a total believer in that. But my girls? They aren't exactly the farm-help type. So I asked my friend Wendy if her son, Griffin, would be interested in being our farmhand for the summer. We promised a decent paycheck for a teenage boy, a pool to jump in whenever he needed to cool down, and three girls to cheer him through his projects for us. - Nicki Koziarz is an author and speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her latest book is Flooded: The Five Best Decisions to Make When Life is Hard and Doubt is Rising. The Koziarz family lives on a small farm near Charlotte, NC. www.NickiKoziarz.com

I remember having a conversation with a pastor from my home church a few years ago. We were discussing the idea of living with purpose. The phrase “living with purpose,” or “walking out your purpose,” is one that I hear often in women's ministry. I was frustrated because church people, particularly women, were obsessed with “finding their purpose.” Women would constantly struggle with what God was calling them to do or be. They would spend hours scouring self-help books or listening to podcasts by women who apparently had figured it out. He said something that helped me clarify how to respond to these women who were steeped in concepts like destiny. He said, “God rarely reveals His unknown will to those who are not already walking in His known will.” _ Adapted from Summoned: Answering a Call to the Impossible: An 8 Week Study of Esther by Megan B. Brown (© 2021). Published by Moody Publishers. Used by permission.

It's been thirty years now since the first personal computers and cellphones began infiltrating almost all aspects of our everyday life. We've been dealing with technology long enough now to begin understanding the risk factors that we didn't recognize early on. Parents today, in their heart of hearts, are beginning to understand the need to put down the screen and start relating more with their children in a way that builds personal, loving relationships.  The great news is that you can help your children experience and create positive relationships by learning and modeling what they need to learn in your home. In the process, you'll discover how they learn and how prepared they are for real-world experiences like relating well with others in the workplace, social settings, and even their loving relationships in the future. Becoming relationally intelligent will have a positive impact on their health and future.  _ Adapted from The Relationally Intelligent Child: Five Keys to Helping Your Kids Connect Well With Others by John Trent and Dewey Wilson (©2021). Published by Northfield Publishing. All rights to this material are reserved.

“Why so serious? That was the line The Joker, played by Keith Ledger, in the iconic Batman series gave explaining why he had the scars on his face. It became a cult-like phrase. Make no mistake about it, the crisis we are facing in our country is so serious it's at a tipping point. However, there are those on the left who are saying to those of us who love the United States of America and would be considered patriots, “Why so serious?” Well, there is a large, loud group in our great country who believe that those of us who are flag waving, country loving, stand to our feet, hand over our heart when the national anthem is played Americans, are the obstacle to the next level of societal evolution. And they're right! But it's not societal evolution, it's societal devolution! We are the only obstacle to Totalitarianism becoming mainstream while bulldozing our Republic into the ocean. Why so serious? Because --

By the time they have turned eighteen, most Americans will have moved at least twice. Most thirty-year-olds will have moved six times. By the end of our lives, most of us will have pushed that number up to eleven. This highly mobile way of life is mirrored in our career habits as well. The average American worker holds ten different jobs before the age of forty, and this job transience is only expected to increase in the years ahead. Add to these the slew of major life changes such as college or vocational training, marriage, and having children, and it becomes clear how many different phases our lives actually have. For all of us there is only one thing that remains the same—the fact that nothing does. All these major decisions, though different in nature, are the same in that they determine our future trajectory. There are no neutral choices here—no loitering on the threshold of destiny. Each of these moments will either help or hurt us, depending on how we handle the transition between one space and the next. And we’re talking about when things are normal. _ Adapted from Hinge Moments by D. Michael Lindsay. Copyright (c) 2021 by D. Michael Lindsay. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, USA. www.ivpress.com

I truly want to transform our internet dialogue, but it’s hopeless. We’re doomed. We’ll never make it! The internet is too powerful and social media is too corrupting for any of us to make a difference. Social media forms us into really divisive, dehumanizing, cantankerous people. Online technology changes the way we communicate, argue, organize society, and express empathy and compassion toward one another. The internet allows us almost unlimited access to information and networks of individuals to give us what we perceive we need. Consequently, we no longer spend time doing the difficult work of maintaining and developing complex relationships in and through conflict. Instead, we abandon relationships the moment our ideologies disagree, knowing we can find other ideologically like-minded individuals to respond to our musings in a way that feeds our own personal wants, needs, and desires. _ Adapted from Posting Peace by Douglas S. Bursch. Copyright (c) 2021 by Douglas S. Bursch . Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com

At the core of our faith is the knowledge that we are broken people, incapable of restoring our relationship with God, or with each other, through our own efforts alone. And that admission of our own brokenness is foundational to understanding and navigating our relationship with God and with those around us—including those in our workplaces. Our vertical relationship with God can only be restored when we repent of our sins and accept God’s forgiveness, made possible through Christ’s atoning death. The process goes like this: sin → repentance → forgiveness → restoration. Through repentance and forgiveness, that which was broken becomes whole again. It is restored. God’s model of forgiveness and restoration can also transform the horizontal relationships we have with family, friends, spouses, coworkers, and even enemies. These human relationships always manifest some degree of brokenness due to our sinful nature. _ Adapted from Lead Like it Matters to God by Richard Stearns. Copyright (c) 2021 by Richard E. Sterns. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com

After months of sitting with the Enneagram and sharing in its insights, my mind turned to my work as the pastor of a church. What about the church? I remember thinking. Does the Enneagram have anything helpful to say about pastoring a congregation, working with a staff, or leading people? What about preaching, worship, or congregational care? At the time I became the thirteenth pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park in the Autumn of 2008, I felt well prepared to take up this otherwise daunting responsibility. I was, thankfully, the beneficiary of a great theological education, wonderful pastoral mentors, and a number of fabulous church experiences. What did I lack? _ Adapted from The Enneagram Goes to Church by Todd Wilson. Copyright (c) 2021 by Todd A. Wilson. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, USA. www.ivpress.com

In Matthew 5, Jesus steps on a mount and begins to teach. His prophetic words are drenched in love and wrapped in vision. It was a sermon unlike any other that has now found its home in what we call the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5–7). In it, Jesus shares his dreams for the already-but-not-yet people of God in Christ. He paints a vivid vision of how the people of God are to live, love, act, and care for one another. His words are no doubt piercing, and they likely make us squirm at times, but what Jesus proclaims is an illuminating and radiant vision for the bride of Christ. _ Adapted from Radiant Church by Tara Beth Leach. Copyright © 2021 by Tara Beth Leach. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com

Prophecy fulfilled is history, and understanding it is a matter of study.  Prophecy future is expectation, and understanding it is a matter of judgment.  Prophecy unfolding is a matter of discernment.  And that, is the prophetic challenge, and its likeness to history in general. We can discuss what has happened, and no one can say we are wrong because it has happened.  We can discuss what may happen, and no one can prove us wrong  because it has not yet happened.   The challenge comes when we try to specify with certainty that prophecy is happening in the present - now, around us, in front of us, and to us.  It is a challenge to prove or disprove with absolute certainty. And yet, prophecy to be fulfilled must happen, and happen in real time.  Sometimes it happens in a moment, sometimes longer, and sometimes over vast stretches of time, but it does happen, and happens in real time.  The challenge is to see it, understand it, and deal with it. - Dennis D. Frey, M.Div., Th.D. President Master's International University of Divinity the.mdivs.edu

Now that we are over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we have a better idea of what church looks like in the “new normal.” While we still long for a return to the way things used to be, we also need to adapt to changing times. Here are a few church trends we’ll likely see in 2021. Smaller Worship Groups Due to COVID, in-person worship groups will likely remain small and socially distanced. We may see churches downsizing their buildings in the near future if attendance remains lower than pre-pandemic levels. Rather than lamenting these changes, pastors and church leaders should be prepared to make the most of the situation. Watch your finances closely and continually evaluate whether a smaller building is necessary. _ Dr. Tom McElheny has served as an elder and director of Christian education for three Sarasota, Florida, churches, holds advanced degrees in business and education, and is CEO of his church seating company, ChurchPlaza.

If there is a highway to the Great Commission most people need training wheels to get there. If you are like me, as a leader you have a Holy burden to see the bride of Christ get after her calling of making disciples of Jesus. You long for them to have the same Spirit-led hunger and thirst for righteousness that is inside of you, that compels them to action and obedience. But reality sets in when the appetites of our flock are quenched by good coffee, agreeable music, and a heart-warming sermon.  If you just understood that paragraph than you’ve been in ministry in the USA for a while. Aside from the multiple uber-churchy references, you also understand that it takes work to get the individuals and families that comprise your congregation to see themselves as missionaries in their everyday lives. So, no doubt you’ve gotten to work to set a DNA of loving, serving, and reaching out in the neighborhood or across the globe.   _ Pastor Patrick Linnell is the author of Grace Bomb: The Surprising Impact of Loving Your Neighbors 2021, David C. Cook, and founder of Grace Bomb, a movement and ministry that equips churches around the country. Connect with Pat at www.gracebomb.org

As we approach the first anniversary of the original stay-at-home order, the emerging story is one that the church has known all along; that more profound than our human differences are God-given commonalities, like the need for food, water, shelter – and hope. COVID-19 has lingered long past what most imagined, and with the shutdown of local businesses devastating communities nationwide, the number of people seeking food assistance has increased by 55% in less than a year. CityServe’s partnership with the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program has impacted the “Last Mile of Need” – a metaphorical term that has typically been defined by those who have unmet food needs, lack transportation, have physical limitations, or have fallen between the cracks of a stressed system. CityServe has reached this group by empowering churches to serve their communities with food and a healthy dose of hope. Yet newly apparent is how food insecurity has stricken households that have never experienced it. Families that have always had the financial means to purchase food are now struggling to fulfill basic needs.

I have perceived two pervasive responses in our culture that seem to influence and dominate how we react to grief. The first treats grief as an unwelcome, uninvited trespasser to be shunned or dismissed. The gospel of John tells a story with which many are familiar. Lazarus, a dear friend of Jesus, becomes sick. Jesus does not immediately travel to see His ailing friend, but instead arrives several days later. _ Adapted from Where I End: A Story of Tragedy, Truth, and Rebellious Hope by Katherine Elizabeth Clark (© 2018). Published by Moody Publishers. Used by permission.

I’m afraid a look into popular Christianity in America reveals teachings of a religion far from what the early church would have recognized. This Christianity worships a god who wants us to achieve worldly happiness, make our dreams prosper, and reach our fullest potential. We have largely set aside dated “prosperity gospel” preachers in fancy suits and gaudy television studio sets, yelling into a camera with a phone number to call at the bottom of the screen to receive a special blessing or prayer cloth. This kind of instant health-and-wealth teaching is now a fringe movement, more broadly mocked than followed. But in its place is a new prosperity gospel carried into the mainstream by trendy, attractive, compelling speakers. _ Excerpted from Getting Over Yourself: Trading Believe-In-Yourself Religion for Christ-Centered Christianity Dean Inserra (© 2021). Published by Moody Publishers. Used by permission. DEAN INSERRA holds a M.A. in Theological Studies from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is pursuing a D. Min. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is the founding pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, FL.

Ministry is hard work, beset by temptation, difficulty, and weariness. Clergy are not immune to depression or suicidal thoughts. What follows is advice for pastors, designed to help prevent the depression that can lead to suicide. Fellowship It is all too common for pastors to report feeling isolated and lonely. A providential friendship is a thing worthy of getting on your knees and asking the Lord for. The Bible and close friends should be like sandpaper: constantly challenging and always helping to make rough places planed. When that stops being the case, the pastor has stopped growing. _ About the Author Matthew Sleeth, MD, is a pastor, former ER physician, and the author of Hope Always: How to Be a Force for Live in a Culture of Suicide. To request a Church Suicide Prevention Tool Kit, email contact@blessedearth.org.

What happens before the Bible’s most famous verse, John 3:16? To Jesus, the master conversationalist, it’s all fair game toward one overriding mission. Nicodemus is confused. Jesus comes right back at him. “Pay attention. That which is holy and true to God is like the wind….” Back and forth the two men go at it. At every turn, Jesus drives the discussion exactly where He wants to go, verbally batting Nicodemus back and forth—first this way, then that. How does Jesus get away with such verbal antics? Nicodemus already is risking all to have this one conversation with Jesus. So, Jesus doesn’t waste time. He rudely interrupts, He ruthlessly changes the subject…with one provocative statement after another. Finally, Jesus presents the most quoted verse in the Bible.

What happens before the Bible’s most famous verse, John 3:16? To Jesus, the master conversationalist, relationship and meaning triumph over social norms…every time. He interrupts. He puzzles. He changes subject. He provokes. He monologues. It’s all fair game toward one overriding mission. Because of the intense hatred of the majority of the ancient Jewish religious elite, any true seeker among them had to talk with Jesus privately, in secret, for fear of swift and terrible retribution. So one night an important and widely respected religious leader, Nicodemus, uses the cover of darkness to visit Jesus.

It has been said that “An education cannot make the most of a person, but a person can make the most of an education.” Some of the greatest men in the modern history of Christian ministry were without any formal theological training. Such a list is too long to include here, but names many will recognize are Charles G. Finney, Dwight L. Moody, Lewis S. Chafer, and A.W. Tozer. On the other hand, the names of countless persons who have served in ministry (following graduation from well known schools), who could parse both Hebrew and Greek, explain complicated doctrinal theories, and argue apologetics with crisp reasoning, have passed though history scarcely known. - Dennis D. Frey, M.Div., Th.D., President, Master's International University of Divinity the.mdivs.edu

Pastor, you are called to preach. You are called to shepherd. You are called to lead. You are called to serve. You are called to sacrifice. You are also called to rest! This is especially important after this long season of stress we have all endured during the Covid-19 pandemic. Why rest? Because the Bible commands us to rest. The Old Testament principle of rest, enshrined in the teaching of the Bible in the book of Genesis and the creation account, is a call - Josh Moody (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is the senior pastor of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the president and founder of God Centered Life Ministries, which proclaims God’s Word worldwide through daily broadcasts on Moody Radio, One Place, podcasts, and live-streaming on godcenteredlife.org.

Praying Through Your Church Directory  By Timothy Merrill The apostle Paul says that we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The apostle James tells us to “pray for one another” (James 5:16). Good ideas, but easier said than done. The sainted apostles didn’t have to work 8-10 hours a day, take care of family obligations, change baby’s diapers, mow the lawn and take out the trash. Yet, there it is: “Pray without ceasing.” Of course, the Bible has a lot to say about praying, and most people of faith really want to pray, but lack a clear idea of when and how to do it. _ TIMOTHY MERRILL is an ordained minister and has served churches in Oregon, Minnesota and Colorado. His doctoral work at Princeton Theological Seminary focused on the apocalyptic nature of the preaching of the First Crusade in 1096 A.D. His work has been published in the academic press including the Patristica and Byzantine Review and the Westminster Theological Journal. His book, Learning to Fall: A Guide for the Spiritually Clumsy (Chalice Press) appeared in 1998.

In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, CityServe, along with churches around the nation will be observing a National Day of Prayer, referred to as Blue Sunday, this April 25th. This day reminds faith communities to intercede in prayer for abused and neglected children and to open their doors to provide good homes for those who need them. Giving children a safe place to lay their head every night is not only a beautiful expression of God’s love, it is the responsibility of the Church. We at CityServe believe wholeheartedly in this mission and challenge the faith community to go a step further - to strengthen the American family so kids stay safe in their homes and empower churches to go all in when caring for children who are waiting for their forever families _ By Crissy Sanchez-Cochran, Director of Communications, CityServe

Mark and Jeff and I are sponsors of our sons’ soccer teams this year. After a bruising Saturday morning chasing the kids through an activity that was something like soccer, we loaded the rowdy bunch of 9-year-olds into the van and headed towards the local pizza parlor, which was a welcome sight, believe me. When we had the kids watered down, the dads relaxed with some refreshment of our own at a table next to them. Jeff was talking about his work when Mark chimed in with a remark about the fantastic baseball card purchase he had recently made. _ Robert McAnally Adams is a retired mathematician and curator of The Christian Quotation of the Day. See cqod.com

While I never thought of myself as an author, writing has become a major part of my ministry over the last three decades. Almost all of my books have grown out of my counseling ministry. Earlier in my career, I discovered the five love languages and how they greatly impacted my own marriage. Of course, I wrote the book hoping that other couples would experience the transformed marriage that so many of my clients had experienced when they discovered and started speaking each other’s love language. I knew from experience how impactful the love language concept could be, but I never anticipated what would happen when the book was released in 1992. _ Adapted from Life Lessons and Love Languages: What I’ve Learned on My Unexpected Journey by Gary Chapman (©2021 Northfield Publishing). Used with permission. All rights to this material are reserved.

Ministry preparation is as old as the church itself. The apostle Paul had received formal Jewish instruction at the feet of Gamaliel before receiving personal instruction from Christ Himself. Bringing this concept full circle, Paul exhorted Timothy to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Additionally, in 2 Timothy, Paul encouraged Timothy to “entrust these to faithful people who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). The apostle’s exhortations ring through the ages, challenging every generation of gospel ministers to be maximally prepared for ministry service. And, by the way, Timothy knew Greek, was ministerially incubated in the apostolic age, and enjoyed Paul as his personal mentor. Think about that carefully. If Timothy needed to be intentional about ministry preparation, so do you! _ Excerpted from Succeeding at Seminary: 12 Keys to Getting the Most Out of Your Theological Education by Jason K. Allen (© 2021). Published by Moody Publishers. Used by permission. DR. JASON ALLEN is the fifth and youngest president of Midwestern Baptist Seminary. He currently serves the church more broadly through writing and preaching ministries, including his own website www.jasonkallen.com.

As pastors, we’re on the move! We’re movers and shakers of influence by nature. That’s how we became leaders. We have big dreams and dynamic plans. Yet, following Jesus requires that we rest. After an intense season of ministry, Jesus offered this invitation to His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves, to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31). His invitation still stands today. Rest and relaxing is to be a vital prat of our spiritual journey’s yet often pastors are reluctant. Why? Often their ego is involved. They get wrapped up in the lie that if they don’t keep moving, how will transformation happen? How will the church grow? As a result, they push harder and harder spinning their wheels in frantic activity. God’s desire for us is different. God’s heart is that Pastors will lead out of the overflow of a full heart that is well rested, relaxed and renewed daily by Him. Why? Here are just 3 reasons and there are likely many more! _ Steve and Becky Harling are veteran church ministry leaders, authors and speakers. Certified by the John Maxwell Team the Harling’s have served as Pastors both nationally and internationally.

I remember when I first heard the word “vulnerable” a couple of years ago. My wife, Julie, and I had been invited to be the CityServe National Directors for the Vulnerable Initiative, but to be honest, I wasn’t sure I knew who “the vulnerable” were. I soon learned that at CityServe, we consider the vulnerable to be special needs families, those with mental health issues, at-risk youth, pregnant mothers and the unborn. CityServe is committed to helping the local church reach the vulnerable in their communities. _ If you would like to get involved in reaching the vulnerable in your community with the good news of Jesus, please contact Steve Kramer at stevekramer@cityserve.us. (503-580-1544)

The coffee bean is a tiny thing that drives many people through the day. Maybe we don’t “need” it to survive, per se, but, for some, it plays a critical role in our ability to function effectively and apparently helps us live longer. Prayer similarly has this effervescent power to move us forward through the circumstances we face and grant longevity. Unlike a caffeinated drink, though, it’s far more potent in terms of how it changes our abilities to react well to our world. Prayer is vital because it requires humility to admit we don’t have anything under control. It reboots the system and realigns us with God’s will. “The only way to fail in prayer is to not show up,” Tim Dilena, pastor and World Challenge board member, pointed out. If we want to do well in our ministries and lives, we have to pray. If we want to continue to do well long into the future, we absolutely must pray. _ Rachel Chimits is a writer for World Challenge, a global ministry that aims to transform lives through the message and mission of Jesus Christ.

In response to the lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29), Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan. The lawyer’s motivation in asking this question, the Bible tells us, was to evade moral responsibility, but Jesus patiently unpacked the question and the lawyer’s motivation, delivering one of His best remembered teachings in response. The question we are still asking today is: “Who is my neighbor?” Do Christians have a moral obligation to love those with whom we come in contact via the internet and VR? Is it possible to express Christian love to someone whom we know only through virtual reality and whom we have never met in person? In Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan, we learn that it was not the one who was physically nearby but the one who showed love who proved to be a neighbor (Luke 10:36-37). Jesus’ concluding words to the lawyer and to use are: “You go, and do likewise.” _ Excerpted from Virtual Reality Church: Pitfalls and Possibilities (Or How to Think Biblically About Church in Your Pajamas, VR Baptisms, Jesus Avatars, and Whatever Else is Coming Next) (Moody Publishers, April 2021) by Darrell Bock & Jonathan Armstrong.

One evening, after decades of a Christianity driven by rules and performance, I came impulsively close to ending my life. Until that moment, my relationship with God had been primarily about Bible content and the discipline to obey. But that night, everything changed. Driving along a freeway in Detroit, I came face-to-face with my deep longing for intimacy with him—an overwhelming need to live surrounded by his love. There was no going back. Either God was more than distant holiness and a list of rules and commands clamoring for discipline . . . or I was done. _ J. Kevin Butcher was a lead pastor for 35 years—the last 16 in urban Detroit. He is founder and executive director of Rooted Ministries, which comes alongside isolated, wounded, and discouraged pastors and their families to help them experience the deep love of God through abiding in Jesus. Kevin is the author of Free: Rescued from Shame-Based Religion, Released Into the Life-giving Love of Jesus and Choose and Choose Again: The Brave Act of Returning to God's Love. He is a graduate of Taylor University and Dallas Theological Seminary and has written numerous articles and shared the message of the Father's love around the world. Kevin is married to his best friend, Carla, and has three grown daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.

It’s tax season again, and pastors across the U.S. are gathering the financial documents necessary to carry out their civic duty. With inherent complications of ministerial tax treatment, albeit with some benefits, how can ministers make sure their income tax filings are accurate and above reproach? In more than 40 years of work with churches and non-profits, ECFA has observed five common tax mistakes made by pastors: - About Michael Martin Michael Martin is president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Founded in 1979, ECFA provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations and churches that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA standards pertaining to financial accountability, fundraising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, visit ECFA.church.

Truck drivers see it all the time. I’ve seen it a few times when we’ve needed to drive through the night. It comes about the time you’ve opened the window on a frigid night. And you’ve turned to the most annoying radio station you can find. Because the night is getting long, and your eyelids are staying a little too long in the down position. To top it off, it seems like the dark has gotten darker as morning approaches. _ Taken from: Leadership Success in 10 Minutes a Day, Copyright © 2020 by Bob Phillips. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97408. www.harvesthousepublishers.com

When Curt was diagnosed with brain cancer, all of us were heartbroken. All except Curt, who stood tall and resolute. He told us God was in control. On the eve of the day the doctors would operate, our group of seven held a healing service in Curt’s home. I had never been part of something like this on such an intimate level, and from the outset I was tentative—not doubtful, just unsure. I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that to you now, but I need to continue being transparent with you. _ Taken from: The Healing Power of God, Copyright © 2021 by Stan Jantz. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97408. www.harvesthousepublishers.com Read the full article at https://pastorresources.com/curt/

Why do leaders sometimes struggle with decision-making? There are at least five major reasons. The first is fear of the unknown. The leader may not have knowledge or experience concerning the decision at hand. He or she may be looking for some sort of assurance or even a guarantee their decision will be the right one. You’ve probably heard someone say, “I don’t want to make a decision until I get all of the facts.” Of course, it’s important to collect as much information as possible about any decision. However, if you wait until you get all the facts, it will no longer be a decision. It will be a conclusion. Decisions are made without all the facts. That’s why they’re called decisions. - Taken from: Leadership Success in 10 Minutes a Day, Copyright © 2020 by Bob Phillips. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97408. www.harvesthousepublishers.com Read the full article at https://pastorresources.com/decision-leadership-success-in-10-minutes-a-day/