Pastoral Ministry

Learning from Spurgeon’s daily priority

Spurgeon’s first and nonnegotiable order of business each day, before he met with anyone else or put his hand to any other work, was devotional exercises.

How do I follow a long-tenured pastor?

Following a pastor who has run well is only a problem for those who lack the character or the stamina to do the same.

What if I barely received a favorable vote?

Seven questions to ask before you make a hasty decision

I am a sinner preaching to sinners

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.

Once a student, now a shepherd: Life after seminary

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.

10 habits to help a pastor stay married and in ministry

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

Recovering from a bad sermon

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

5 things I learned my first year as a pastor

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

20 Books every pastor should read

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.

Should I ever break from an expository sermon series?

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.