A simple and straightforward answer to this question…yes. There are no caveats and no disclaimers. Just, yes. Take a day off each week. Here are a few reasons I feel so strongly about this.
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A widow is a unique lady who, now that her husband is gone, not only has this once very special day (wedding day)transformed into a very painful day, but has also added another anniversary to her annual calendar—the anniversary of her husband’s death. Both become very painful days, days which pastors and the church need to be aware are coming in the lives of the widows in their care
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“Then came a mother’s prayer, and some of the words of that prayer we shall never forget, even when our hair is grey. I remember, on one occasion, her praying thus: “Now, Lord if my children go on in their sins, it will not be from ignorance that they perish, and my soul must bear a swift witness against them at the day of judgment if they lay not hold of Christ.”- Charles Spurgeon
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This might surprise you, but one of the most dangerous times for a pastor are the hours following his Sunday sermon. You step down from the pulpit still wired and juices flowing as you greet those leaving from the service. Then, like after a good jog, you begin to calm down, your body starts to return to “I’m not preaching mode” which then brings a temporary, but real emotional let down with it.
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Pastors, in our best efforts we cannot prevent the relational struggles, difficulties, and frustrations that come with caring for God's people. They are broken and so are we. But if their understanding of our love and commitment never wavers, I consider that a win.
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In light of this seven year anniversary, it has been helpful to revisit several of these posts I wrote to honor Jackson and in doing so, honor the Savior he so faithfully served while here. I re-read them with the hopes to strive to be as faithful as he was. I have been freshly reminded of the sovereign God Jackson preached so tirelessly that continues to give me hope as I still feel this loss.
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As I have watched our church through the cycle of growth, plateau, and decline several times in the last 15 years, I have learned there are some good, healthy, and exciting ways God shows to be at work in a church even through decline. I want to challenge this common way to evaluate local churches with 5 reasons we want a church decline that demonstrates health and life, not dysfunction and death.
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I find many pastors, especially younger ones, are regularly wrestling with the question “how long should I preach?”. The pressure to answer this can be self-imposed, or forced by those in your church who complain your sermons are too long. Think like a shepherd as you determine the length of your sermons. Push them to grow. Nurture them where they are now. Then, trust that God will use his word and your efforts to find that balance every pastor should seek.
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What made this particular funeral the most difficult I have ever done? As the funeral approached, nothing I tried lifted the burden. No matter how much I prayed or meditated on Scripture, the weight remained and it was an intensity I cannot recall ever feeling. As I reflected afterwards, here are 5 factors that seemed to create this “perfect storm” of struggle that peaked at an unbearable level just a few minutes before the funeral began.
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Through cleaning the bathrooms at my church the Lord, in His grace, taught me some of the most valuable lessons about humility, faithful pastoral ministry, and what it truly means to serve Christ and His church while cleaning toilets. These are two of the more important lessons.
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