Episode 32: Pastors, Preaching, and Easter (with Scott Pace)
In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour sits down with Dr. Scott Pace (Dean of the College at Southeastern) to discuss preaching and pastoring on Easter Sunday.
Episode 32: Pastors, Preaching, and Easter (with Scott Pace)
In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour sits down with Dr. Scott Pace (Dean of the College at Southeastern) to discuss preaching and pastoring on Easter Sunday.
We Need Holy Youth Pastors
What my students need most from me is my personal holiness.There has been no shortage of discussion surrounding the reasons why there is an exodus of 18-year-olds that walk away from Christ and his church after graduation. Plenty of contributing reasons exists, such as: they weren’t integrated into the life of the church, they did not see Christian faith modeled at home, or their youth ministry was centered around entertainment.
Yes, You Can Still Share the Gospel Right Now!
With these three questions, the Apostle Paul highlights the importance of our verbal witness in personal evangelism. It is true that Christians should be kind, compassionate, and demonstrate love and justice. We should help the poor, feed the hungry, and care for the oppressed and neglected. However, none of these remove the one responsibility that Christians alone bear, which is sharing Christ with a lost world.
Feeding Your Sheep with the Whole Counsel of God
I’ve been around long enough to know that last days will come. I still remember my wife and I walking out of the first home we’d known for over six years. We brought our first two children into that space. Other last days have come and gone since then. From the last day of a military deployment to the last keystroke of a Ph.D. program, all of us will face last days. We appeal to a sovereign God but do well to know that last days are coming.
Episode 31: Pastors and Reading Good Books
Books, books, and more books! In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss pastors and the importance of reading good books.What books should every pastor read at some point in their ministry? Should pastors read books outside of the pastoral ministry/preaching genres? Should pastors read books written by authors they disagree with? Join us this week as we answer
Episode 30: Pastors and the Importance of Friendship
In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss the importance of friendship in the life of a pastor. Why is friendship so important? What are some examples of friendship in Scripture? How can pastors prevent competitiveness and envy from seeping into their friendship? Join us this week as we discuss these questions and many more!
Episode 29: Pastors and the Gospel (with Greg Gilbert)
In this week’s episode of Pastor Matters, Brandon is joined by Greg Gilbert (Senior Pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church) to discuss pastors and the gospel.
Chapel Rewind: Victory through Suffering: The True Meaning of Philippians 4:13
In this week’s #SEchapelrewind, Dr. Benjamin Merkle delivers a faculty lecture on the strength we find in Christ in the midst of suffering. In his lecture, Dr. Merkle explains how Philippians 4:13 is commonly taken out of context and how believers should interpret the verse.
Pastor, Preach to the People in the Room
A few weeks ago I listened to one of the first sermons I preached. I’m not sure what inspired me to make this decision. But unless you’re a glutton for punishment, I do not recommend you to do the same.
What is the Preaching Event?
I still get a tightness in my stomach, even though I have preached at the same church since 1999. As the last song of worship ends and someone gives a public reading of scripture, I begin to experience anticipation mixed with trepidation. It is time to preach. As I step onto the stage, place my Bible on the pulpit, I take a moment to gaze into the eyes of my congregation. I can hear their thoughts, “What do you have for me today, pastor?”
Episode 28: Pastors and Cultural Diversity (with Matthew Kim)
In this episode, Ronjour sits down with Dr. Matthew Kim to discuss cultural diversity.How should we define terms like culture and ethnicity? How can pastors promote diversity in a local church with no diversity? How can pastors shepherd through conflicts and clashes within their churches? Join us this week as we tackle these questions and many more!
Book Review: Preaching the Whole Counsel of God, by Julius Kim
All pastors experience seasons of ministry when they begin to wrestle with some aspect of their preaching. Maybe it’s the effectiveness of their illustrations or applications, the nagging feeling that their sermons are lacking any real connection to the gospel, or recognizing that parts of their delivery are more distracting than beneficial.
Pleading with God and Equipping the Saints Through a Pastoral Prayer
I grew up in what might be considered a typical Baptist church. While many in the Baptist church might consider liturgy something that “high church” types undertake, even free church models–like Baptist churches–have a liturgy despite the insistence that we will not be put in a box.
Episode 27: Pastors and Spiritual Formation (with Andy Davis)
In this week’s episode, Ronjour and Brandon are joined by Dr. Andy Davis (Senior Pastor of FBC Durham). Join us this week as we talk with Andy about spiritual formation and the individuals who have impacted him throughout his ministry.
Preaching Grace and Truth to Hurting People
As pastors, we never want to hurt people. We’re pursuing this calling because we want to help people. And we want to help people in the deepest and most profound of ways by helping them find new life in Christ.One of my greatest fears in pastoral ministry is that I would inadvertently hurt the people I’m called to serve. Life is hard and painful enough, and people don’t need any extra pain brought their way by a well-meaning pastor.
Pastor, Protect the Flock
False teaching has been and will continue to be one of the primary battlefronts in which pastors must engage in combat to protect the biblical fidelity of the local church. However, one could argue that the information age opened the floodgates to a watershed of false doctrine streaming into the local church in a way that we have yet to experience in her history
Episode 26: Pastors and Funerals
In this episode of Pastor Matters, Ronjour and Brandon discuss presiding over and preaching at funerals.
Consistency Over Time
Few things in life frustrate me more than the “check engine” light in my car. Within a month of buying a car, it appears. The orange light taunts me because I know I will have to spend money to get the light to go away. Thankfully, I have a great auto shop in town. They treat me well, charge a fair amount, and fix whatever is broken. Most importantly, they get the light to turn off, allowing me a period of peace before it returns to torment me.
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