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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Fighting the Porn Pandemic as a Pastor | Part 2: A Corporate-Minded Strategy
As we pulled out of the church parking lot, my daughter asked me: “Why do you do that?” I had switched out of the street-level view of our GPS and took a glimpse of the bigger picture of our route to her soccer game. I like the 10,000-foot vantage point in order to better understand what I’m doing.
Fighting the Porn Pandemic as a Pastor | Part 1: Trench-Level Warfare
Donny comes to you, sharing that he’s been entrenched in porn since fifth grade. He’s battled his sexual sin for 20 years. He hates it and is desperate for help. He’s broken and yet confused. He’s in a pit and can’t see his way out. He needs you to drop him a rope and lead him out of the darkness.
Episode 24: Pastors and Pornography (with Deepak Reju)
In this episode of Pastor Matters, Brandon sits down with Deepak Reju (Associate Pastor at Capitol Hills Baptist Church) to discuss how pastors can help members who struggle with the issue of pornography.
John Newton and the Importance of Just Being There
The story of John Newton (1725-1807) — the dissolute slave trader turned evangelical pastor — is one of the most captivating stories of grace in Christian history. In Newton’s final days, he said, “Although my memory is nearly gone, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” This sentiment not only serves as a fit summary of Newton’s life but also conveys the overall theme of his pastoral ministry.
How Preaching the Psalms Counsels the Hurting
A pastor slowly makes his way across the stage to where his pulpit stands. As he lays his Bible and notes on the pulpit, he looks out over his congregation and thinks to himself, “My people are hurting; how is my sermon going to help them?”
Book Review: The Pastor and Counseling, by Jeremy Pierre and Deepak Reju
When you dreamed of pastoral ministry, you probably had visions of standing behind a pulpit, boldly proclaiming the Word of God to eager listeners. To be sure, ministry does involve public proclamation. But when those dreams become a reality, every pastor quickly learns that ministry involves much more than these glamorous visions.
Shepherding in the Aftermath of Abuse: 6 Ways to Help Victims
Abuse is not a new phenomenon. In fact, there is a myriad of examples in Scripture of instances of both trauma and abuse; murder, rape, war, genocide, slavery, and others fill many pages of the Bible. The reason this is so is because of the depth and pervasiveness of sin: one brother murders another because of jealousy, a man rapes his half-sister out of lust, and three men are thrown into a furnace because of a desire for ultimate power.
Counseling Church Members During Crisis
In pastoral ministry, it often feels like our days are filled with crisis after crisis. Indeed, part of shepherding the flock of God is caring for the hurting and the broken as they face the crises of their lives. While entering into the crisis is part of the role of a pastor, crises often dominate the attention and time of those involved.
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