A bit of wise, if somewhat cliche, advice suggests, “God is in control, but He doesn’t expect you to lean on a shovel and pray for a hole.” The proverb suggests that the Lord’s sovereignty does not absolve people of their responsibility. And it is right.
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Should we plan and prepare, or should we trust and obey? Yes, we should! As we seek to serve the Lord, any dichotomy we place between the two is a false one.
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This spring, Lifeway Research released the results of a study on how Protestant churches welcome first-time guests. The results, as they say, speak for themselves.
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For every Gospel minister, the New Testament letters of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are to be lifelong companions. The Pastoral Epistles are letters we return to again and again, guiding us on our journey of life and ministry. Indeed, I know of no better way to ensure ministerial faithfulness than for the minister to live in these three books.
For those who serve in ministry, the daily responsibilities of church can be demanding, but do pastors really have a million things to do? Although pastoral obligations are many, a million things to do is quite an exaggeration. As the pressure of ministry and family life increases weekly, the temptation is to squander the time God has given you.
What’s your burnout story? Perhaps COVID-19 is part of your story. Maybe your burnout story involves being overworked, cutting a vacation short due to an emergency or navigating a family crisis. Burnout can cause a loss of zeal for ministry and result in pastors simply going through the motions of ministry. Burnout can even affect personal, spiritual disciplines.
