Last week I celebrated my 57th birthday. When I was in my early 50s, I remember having a conversation with a medical doctor that went something like this: He said, “Welcome to your 50s. There are three surprises coming your way. You will receive an invitation to join the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons).Continue reading “Aging with grace”
Tag Archives: pastor
Listen, please
I have a weird preaching peculiarity. In fact, it has become so obvious to me that I sometimes warn congregations where I preach so they can be prepared. It’s not weird like running up and down the aisle or jumping across the backs of pews. I lack the physicality for those antics. It is neverthelessContinue reading “Listen, please”
How to have a quiet time
“Sitting in a chair for twenty minutes every day with an open Bible and an open heart will cure 95% of your spiritual problems,” said Jim Cymbala, pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City in a recent Twitter post. I agree with Pastor Jim. All Christians know that Bible intake is mandatory for personalContinue reading “How to have a quiet time”
Problems demand and deserve solutions
Four thousand churches close their doors each year. On top of that, 70% of Kentucky Baptist churches are plateaued or in decline. At least 20% of Kentucky Baptist churches did not baptize a new believer in the past twelve months. Persistent and unresolved problems are often a factor in such declining churches. The church inContinue reading “Problems demand and deserve solutions”
Appreciate your pastor
October is recognized worldwide as Pastor Appreciation Month. Some will remember Focus on the Family in the 1990s encouraging churches to show appreciation to their pastors and staff — but to do so especially during the month of October. Since that time churches have found unique ways to honor their pastor and staff. Why shouldContinue reading “Appreciate your pastor”
Taking homecomings from good to great
Many Baptist churches schedule a homecoming each year. A homecoming service can be a great opportunity for a congregation to celebrate God’s past faithfulness over the congregation, recognize the present ministry of the church and look to the future in hopes that the best days of the church are ahead. Like anything else the churchContinue reading “Taking homecomings from good to great”
Why attend the annual meeting?
There are few invitations easier to ignore than an invitation to a church business meeting. Not that the meetings are unimportant. In fact, the opposite is true. Church business meetings, or members meetings as some call them, are vitally important. Much good and important work is addressed at these meetings. Plans are made for theContinue reading “Why attend the annual meeting?”
Numbers matter
It has been said, “Pastors who don’t want to talk about numbers don’t have any numbers to talk about.” I have also heard, “Pastors who live by numbers will die a thousand deaths.” A quick google search will reveal that there is little agreement over which numbers should matter to church leaders. Numbers do notContinue reading “Numbers matter”
Compare and Despair
Do you compare yourself to other pastors or leaders? If so, who is the object of your comparison? The person who comes to mind may reveal whether your battle with comparison is a struggle with pride or insecurity. Prideful people tend to compare themselves to others they view as lesser than themselves while insecure leadersContinue reading “Compare and Despair”
Healthy Reflection
Have you ever spent time reflecting on your ministry? In a recent gathering where Tod Bolsinger, author of Canoeing the Mountain, spoke, he began his time with the group by asking us to reflect on what we had heard from a previous speaker. Tod even shared a list of questions to begin our conversation. HisContinue reading “Healthy Reflection”
Dr. Todd Gray 