When a Pastor Goes Long
There is an old joke that asks the question, what does it mean when the preacher/teaching pastor looks at their watch during their message? The traditional answer is that it does not mean anything. Some people would say it is about the same thing as when a preacher/teaching pastor says they are about finished with […]
Remember the Team
George Bullard grew up in Baltimore, MD, and followed the then Baltimore Colts. Many years later in another part of the country and as an adult, he was attending a training meeting where the presenter was trying to illustrate the need to affirm the community of leaders (or the team) and not just the most […]
Ministers Are Human Too
Whatever you do during the month to show appreciation to the ministers among you does not have to be formal, fancy, or fabulous. It just has to be genuine, heart-felt, and personal. If you are still of the generation or mindset that you place the ministers among you on a pedestal as persons called of […]
That Awkward Moment When…
A pastor once admitted that he was not musical. However, he would often catch himself humming to the music being sung by the worship choir or team. At least, until one day his worship leader came into his office and asked him to stop humming when the worship choir was singing. Why? Because it was […]
Tangible Ways to Appreciate Your Ministers
We are now halfway through October. How is it going in your church or ministry setting? In what ways have there been outward and inward expressions of appreciation for those who minister among you? Do you need some ideas? Here are a few you can use that were inspired by one of our Baptist publications: […]
A Lifetime Campaign
Serving in Christian ministry is like engaging in a lifetime campaign for a political office. There is seldom a day when a person in ministry isn’t seeking to “affirm” someone that is challenging to affirm, “promote” something that people really are not all that interested in attending, or “endorse” someone’s idea for what the church […]
There is a Sermon Illustration Somewhere…
People in Christian ministry often have decades of preaching, teaching, testifying, and dialogue with people either seeking spiritual guidance, attending worship, taking training, or wanting a clear understanding of what the Bible is saying in ways that can be applied to daily life. One of the constant struggles in making so many different types of […]
Sacrifices and Service
All Christians are called to serve our Lord with their full heart, soul, mind, and strength. That is a foundational fact of obedience to God. Beyond that, people who feel called to serve in vocational Christian ministry not only serve from that same foundation, but the vast majority depend on that ministry to support their […]
Share Your Gratitude
The next time your family is gathered around a table for a meal, or you and your spouse, or you and some of your friends, brainstorm what you most appreciate about the minsters who serve among you. Make a list. Prioritize it. Then work on a plan to communicate with these ministers the top three […]
Volunteerism vs. Recruitment
Among the things that have changed over the decades about church life is how people volunteer. When church was the priority for families/households outside of typical work and home responsibilities, people would readily volunteer to do whatever they could to help their church be vital and vibrant. They saw it as their duty. As their […]