As I typed this out, my mind wandered to Sméagol (aka Gollum) in the Lord of the Rings. Tolkien writes: “The most inquisitive and curious‑minded of that family was called Sméagol. He was interested in roots and beginnings; he dived into deep pools; he burrowed under trees and growing plants; he tunneled into green mounds; and he … Continue reading Origins of Mentor and Mentoring
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The Need for Mentoring
Pastors need personal mentors. According to recent research from the Barna Group, in 2023, only 49% of 523 pastors under the age of 45 felt well-supported by someone close to them.[1] When asked how often they receive personal spiritual support, either from a network of peers or a mentor, only 19% of pastors were able to answer … Continue reading The Need for Mentoring
Triage and Cooperation in the Local Church (Part II)
Felix Manz--Anabaptist Martyr Triage is a necessity in the medical world and is often a matter of life and death. In the world of theology it can also mean spiritual or physical life and death. In the last post on this topic, we considered the importance of fleshing out the brilliant statement by Rupert Meldinius … Continue reading Triage and Cooperation in the Local Church (Part II)
Triage and Cooperation in the Local Church (Part I)
In 1627, German Lutheran Theologian Rupertus Meldenius penned a tract on Christian Unity. In it, he writes, “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”1 These words provide a framework for how believers respond to one another when we disagree. Meldinius’ words echo the Scriptures, calling believers to maintain unity over primary matters … Continue reading Triage and Cooperation in the Local Church (Part I)
The Before, During, and After of Listening Well to a Sermon
If you listen to sermons for 40 years, you will have heard about 1600 Bible messages. I assume you will attend an average of 40 Sunday mornings a year and not 52, as few have perfect attendance. However, even if you attend 52 worship services yearly, you will have sat through 2,080 sermons in 40 … Continue reading The Before, During, and After of Listening Well to a Sermon
The Archipelago Kingdom of God
Malaysia is one of the largest archipelago nations in the world. There are 879 islands in the country. The largest of these, Pulua Banggi, is 440 square Kilometers. The smallest is “Little Bakkungaan," which is .085 square kilometers. Penang Island is the most densely populated island, with 794,313 people living on 114 square miles. The … Continue reading The Archipelago Kingdom of God
Small Town Rural Church = Eternal Significance (Part 2)
I was recently on a panel and asked many questions about my experiences as a small-town rural church (STRC) Pastor. Two questions seemed to rise above the others, and I want to address these questions in this post in hope that they will encourage other brother-pastors in similar situations. The first question is, what did … Continue reading Small Town Rural Church = Eternal Significance (Part 2)
Small Town Rural Church = Eternal Significance (Part 1)
"In God's eyes, there are no little people or little places," said Francis Schaeffer in a book of sermons compiled on that topic. His words were on my heart as I considered the small-town churches scattered throughout our country. The church I pastor is a part of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist … Continue reading Small Town Rural Church = Eternal Significance (Part 1)
Pursuing Unity and Purity with Civility
Pastoring a church today is challenging on many fronts. One of those fronts is navigating the biblical call for maintaining unity among the local and global body of Christ, and the call for pursuing the purity of the local and global church as well. A pastor can feel like a pinball getting knocked around between … Continue reading Pursuing Unity and Purity with Civility
Giving Priority to Your Local Church Pastor
A quick search of “Sermons” on Youtube will generate video images of Billy Graham, T.D. Jakes, John Piper, Craig Groeschel, Dr. Charles Stanley, and Matt Chandler. If you want to have some fun, search funniest or worst sermons. A quick search on google for "sermons" will result in 146,000,000 results in .51 seconds. Yikes! The … Continue reading Giving Priority to Your Local Church Pastor
Valley Shepherds 