Pastoral Ministry

Why everyone in your church needs theology

What a sad thought, that theology is only for the professional theologians. May we who prize theology stress its place in the church and show how practical it is, for in so doing we will save both ourselves and those around us.

Beware of your fictional church

His words rang in my ears for days and triggered a few nights of nocturnal unrest. “What were you expecting in the pastorate? You’re not in seminary any more and this church isn’t filled with your seminary buddies. You’re in the real world now, son.”

I Just Arrived to Pastor a Dying Church… Now What?

The best approach for a pastor when entering a dysfunctional, dying congregation is to simply be a pastor to those people.

The funeral I most dreaded

This morning I will preach my father-in-law’s funeral. For 32 years of our marriage, I dreaded this terrible task because he was not a believer. He wanted no part of Christ or his gospel. We prayed for him, witnessed to him, sent others to talk to him, and five years ago even took him to…