Posts Tagged ‘Pastoral Theology’
A Final Challenge to Churches and to Pastors
We’ve been working on a series about pastors and depression. We’ve discussed how the people of the church can come to the aid of their pastors. In this post, we offer a few conclusions. Christ, the head of the church, rules His church through the written Word and through spirit-called and spirit-led men. That’s a…
Read MoreWhat Can Church People Do to Help Their Pastor?
We’ve discussed the fact of depression in pastoral ministry and outlined some of its causes, both from the nature of the task and from the weakness of the flesh that all men experience. Today, I want to look at ways in which God’s people can help bring encouragement to their pastors. The prayers of God’s…
Read MoreThree Words, One Office
The NT uses three corresponding words to describe this role of church leadership. Pastor The first word is pastor or shepherd, an overarching word God chooses to describe the nature of this role (1 Pet. 5:2-3). It highlights the proper motive and manner of church leadership, leading a congregation of believers the same way that…
Read MoreOverseeing Church Music without Musical Expertise
The music at our recent conference at First Baptist Church of Troy, Michigan (also see here), was one of the outstanding features of the meeting. It reflected the good gifts God gave to Pastor Harding and his wife which bless their church every week. Many others on their team who contribute to this part of…
Read MoreAn Exemplary Pastor’s Wife
Many people have written books and articles about the pastor’s wife. She is too often unnoticed and under-appreciated in our service for Christ. I’d like to testify on the role by the example of the pastor’s wife I know best, my own. Whatever impact I have had with people largely is due to the ministry…
Read MoreClapping vs. Amen — Which Will Win?
Wally Morris The increase in clapping of the hands in churches as a response to musical ministries and even preaching is one of the obvious changes taking place in many churches. What I find intriguing is why? What is behind this growing preference for hand clapping as a sign of approval rather than “Amen”, “Praise…
Read MoreUnity vs. Uniformity
Kit Johnson When people ask me what it is like to pastor Life Point Baptist Church, I typically respond by saying something like this: “Pastoring Life Point is incredibly hard but incredibly exciting.” Both the difficulty and the excitement are tied in part to the theological and philosophical diversity of our church. Life Point is…
Read MoreWindows into the Life of a Pastor and His Assistant
Mike Stalnaker Windows • FrontLine • September/October 2007 This issue’s Windows emphasizes the theme of ministry assistants. Both the senior pastor and assistant pastor are to be faithful in their obligations. The Foundation of a Ministry Assistant George Ella tells of a time when the members of John Gill’s church encouraged him to hire an…
Read MoreThe Ordinances and Pastoral Authority
Thomas Overmiller A Command and a Qualification Churches need leaders, but they also need a biblical understanding of leadership. We too easily fall into the trap of the leadership craze, chasing after leadership books, flocking to leadership conferences and experimenting with all kinds of creative leadership strategies, whether secular or Christian. But biblical leadership is…
Read MoreThe Ordinances and Pastoral Authority
Thomas Overmiller A Command and a Qualification Churches need leaders, but they also need a biblical understanding of leadership. We too easily fall into the trap of the leadership craze, chasing after leadership books, flocking to leadership conferences and experimenting with all kinds of creative leadership strategies, whether secular or Christian. But biblical leadership is…
Read More