What should a pastor do in his first few years at a church?

A pastor needs to be trained not to be reactionary regarding the dysfunction and turmoil he finds, but to have a clear plan on how his time should be spent during his first few years, regardless of what problems he inherits. The best approach for a pastor, especially when entering a dysfunctional, dying congregation is to simply be a pastor to those people.

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How does a pastor get motivated to train and send out his best from his church?

I get it. It is hard to invest and train leaders, then send them out. It is hard to deeply love others only to let them go. But I am reminded in encouraging notes like this that despite the real personal loss pastors and churches feel, it is still worth sending them. Pastors, pour yourself into young men and women. Train them. Raise them up. Send them out.

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What made my most recent funeral the most difficult I have ever preached?

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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How do you care for parents of a new baby in the hospital?

As we celebrated the births of these little ones, I began to get excited about the privilege it is of going to the hospital, being one of the first to see and hold the baby, and care for the parents in what is always one of the most significant moments in their lives.  Here are a few things to think about as you seize these wonderful opportunities to minister to the new parents in your church.

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