Many of us in ministry leadership are grieved by recent revelations of high-profile pastors who were discovered to have been unfaithful in their marriage. These discoveries continue to shock us and serve as a reminder that we are all in a battle against the flesh and the devil. The overwhelming majority of pastors, however, areContinue reading “5 Secrets to Ministry Longevity from a Seasoned Pastor “
Tag Archives: bible
Persecution-Proof Disciples
In 2020, as churches were coming out of Covid-related ministry adjustments and thinking about how ministry might look different moving forward, I remember a pastor friend saying that his church was going to need to raise up “persecution-proof disciples.” He was seeing changes on the cultural horizon and discerned the church might not be ready.Continue reading “Persecution-Proof Disciples “
Fear of Man
I heard a sermon 32 years ago that I have not forgotten. In fact, there has probably not been a year that has passed since then that I did not think about this message or at least its implications for my life. The sermon was preached by Evangelist Del Fehsenfeld Jr., founder of Life ActionContinue reading “Fear of Man “
Things That Make Us Pray
What drives you to your knees in prayer? A pastor friend said, as I was listening to him describe a remarkably difficult time in his pastorate, that this event was certainly causing him to pray, and in his words, “anything that makes you pray is a good thing.” While the analogy could be pushed tooContinue reading “Things That Make Us Pray”
The Ministry Doldrums
There is an oceanic experience known as the doldrums, which refers to certain regions of the ocean marked by the absence of strong winds. Pastors and ministry leaders also experience what feels like ministry doldrums a season when the wind is not filling your sails and things feel flat. These can be discouraging times —Continue reading “The Ministry Doldrums “
Who is God in Your Life?
On a recent Sunday, Connie and I were able to attend our home church together and reconnect with some of our friends. We heard a great sermon from Dr. Andy McDonald, who is serving as our interim pastor while we search for our next pastor. Bro. Andy introduced a sermon series from the Book ofContinue reading “Who is God in Your Life? “
The “Two-Question” Tool
As a pastor, it was my aim to disciple young men. I hold firmly to a biblical view of multiplication from 2 Timothy 2:2 and believe Jesus’ Great Commission is a mandate to not only baptize men and women converted to Christ, but also to make disciples of Jesus of those same converts. In fact,Continue reading “The “Two-Question” Tool “
Part-Time Preacher
I do not pastor a church, but I do preach quite a lot. I preached seven times in a recent nine-day stretch. That is not normal, but it is not uncommon for me to preach most Sundays and often on other occasions during the week. I preach at least as often as I did whenContinue reading “Part-Time Preacher “
Getting Healthy Enough to Evangelize
I wish every member of a Kentucky Baptist church could participate in the monthly Kentucky Baptist Convention staff forum. Forum, as we call it, is a two-hour meeting where we celebrate ministry wins, challenge ourselves in our work, inform team members about upcoming ministry, employee benefits, etc. and talk about how we can improveContinue reading “Getting Healthy Enough to Evangelize”
Thank you, Gideons
This past Saturday I was asked to share a personal testimony at a gathering of Kentucky Gideons. Connie and I joined a group of about 150 Gideons and their wives at a restaurant near Simpsonville for a great time of reporting on their work and enjoying fellowship together. For those who are not familiar withContinue reading “Thank you, Gideons”
Dr. Todd Gray 