Pastoral Ministry

I am not worthy to be a minister, but Christ was worthy for me. I do not and will not measure up, but Jesus perfectly measured up for me. The gospel is true for God’s people in the pew and it is true for me, his herald, as well.

What does ministry after school look like? Truth is, now that you’ve been a student, you are now, most likely, on the path to something that requires an even deeper level of commitment and dependence on the Spirit of God. You are called to be a shepherd of souls.

The combined stress of marriage and ministry is a unique situation that demands intentionality to keep both a marriage or a ministry from imploding.

How should a preacher handle the occasional failure even after extensive study and spiritual preparation?

The Bible alone sets the standard for what a minister of the gospel does because the church is not a mere institution or organization.

From playing trumpet in the same band as former President Bill Clinton to getting bitten on the lip by a rat in Africa, Mark T. Coppenger has had a wide range of interesting and instructive experiences.

I have two categories of a top 10 list: One category of books that explain how to think through pastoral ministry as you do it; the other set to help a pastor remain steadfast in the work.

I am a shepherd who preaches, not a preacher who shepherds. In other words, I am not merely a Bible teacher exegeting the text, but a pastor walking through life with the people I serve and applying the texts I exegete.