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?”
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.
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
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.
Chapel Rewind: The Invading Savior
CPPL Director Ronjour Locke preaches on the invading Kingdom of God which Jesus brought forth in His earthly ministry.
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.
Book Review: Spurgeon’s Sorrows, by Zack Eswine
A lighthouse dons the bright blue cover of Zack Eswine’s book, Spurgeon’s Sorrows. We often see picturesque lighthouses displayed prominently on postcards, travel guides, and desktop wallpaper, but we can easily forget the actual function of a lighthouse.
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.
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.
Can People Change?
I was recently asked to consider the question, “Can people change?” Short answer—absolutely. People can change their political views, their music tastes, their favorite color, their plans for the future, or their view of the past. They can change for good—throwing off unhealthy habits and learning to navigate challenging relationships.
Pastor, Focus On Your Weaknesses
It is estimated that close to three-fourths of American adults will set a goal and try to accomplish it in 2021.[1] That means millions of Americans will start the new year trying something new or seeking to improve some area in their life.
Good News of God’s Great Joy
Christmas is a season of joy. Luke tells of the angelic outburst of praise when they announced the birth of the Christ (Luke 2:8-14). The shepherds who received the angels’ message rejoiced after they saw him with their own eyes (Luke 2:20). Even our hectic world pauses for a moment to praise him with carols celebrating his birth.
A Tribute to an Ordinary Lay-Pastor
Last year I read D.A. Carson’s excellent little tribute to his father titled, Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor. I am writing this article in the spirit of that book. Thus I have given it the title, A Tribute to an Ordinary Lay-Pastor. Bob Prentice (1957-2020) is a name few will recognize, yet I am confident that on the Last Day he will be honored by and above many.
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