All week long on the blog, I’ve been trying to answer the question: “What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor.” In this final post in the series, I have a few more responses. I wasn’t prepared for the Christianity of it all. My life is in large part wrapped up inContinue reading “The battle with “Bigger is Better,” and 2 other battles I wasn’t prepared for…and one great joy – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 5″
Tag Archives: congregational ministry
People can see pastors as vending machines – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 4
Pastors are spiritual vending machines. Well, not really, but some people view their pastors and ministry staff like they view vending machines. You put your money in, you get your spiritual goods and services out. We live in a consumer society, so it is very common for people to view most everything in our livesContinue reading “People can see pastors as vending machines – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 4”
Preaching is like packing apples & Church competition can be brutal – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 3
In high school I worked at Hess Bros Fruit Company, packing bags of apples into boxes. Bags come down the conveyor, and I would gently place the bags in boxes, close the box lid, and send it down the line to the box-taping machine. Then I would do it again. And again. And again. ForContinue reading “Preaching is like packing apples & Church competition can be brutal – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 3”
How The Matrix taught me people are difficult (me included) – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 2
In my first year as senior pastor of Faith Church, I showed a video clip from the R-rated movie The Matrix, attempting to illustrate a sermon. I could have shown a brief clip from the film that was relatively tame, but, no, I had the great idea of showing a ten-minute clip, including then scene whereContinue reading “How The Matrix taught me people are difficult (me included) – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 2”
Pastoral Ministry is not only a job, it is a life – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 1
“What do you wish you would’ve known before becoming a pastor?” We pastors talk about it all the time amongst ourselves. We rarely if ever talk about it with the people we pastor. Yet that’s what I did this past Sunday at Faith Church. Why? Once per quarter I pause my sermon series and haveContinue reading “Pastoral Ministry is not only a job, it is a life – What I wish I would have known before becoming a pastor, Part 1”
I’m nervous about the next Q & A week on the blog – Preview
For the past few years at Faith Church, one Sunday per quarter, I take a break from the sermon series, and I have a Current Events sermon. In those sermons, I scour the headlines, and study Scripture to try to help us think Christianly about the headlines. As always, I’ve blogged those sermons here. We’veContinue reading “I’m nervous about the next Q & A week on the blog – Preview”
Engaging Scripture 