By Journey Pastoral Coaching
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August 1, 2026
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Church,
Discipleship,
Leadership,
Pastor,
Relationships
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A Tale of Two Pastors
As I have written before, during my high school and college years, I was blessed to have three true pastors, three shepherds in heart and action ( You can read about them here). Each of these men embodied the promise of God communicated through the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 3.15: “Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you knowledge and understanding.” Each of them was a shepherd after God’s...
Rediscovering Jesus’ Recipe for Discipleship
Let’s be clear: I am not a baker. However, my wife is a phenomenal cook AND baker. One thing I’ve learned about baking is that ingredients and instructions REALLY matter. While cooking can be a bit forgiving and leaves room for creative reimagining of flavors and textures as you go, baking is more precise. It’s essentially chemistry applied in the kitchen. Yale’s curriculum on the Chemistry of Cooking calls baking “the art of precision.” One...
Pastoring Like Jesus
Less "-ing" & more "pastor-" Three years ago, I had a heart “event,” one that required a 5-day stay in the hospital. Over those five days, I met a parade of cardiologists and nurses. All of these medical practitioners were excellent: professional and personable. Except one: the nurse who woke me in the middle of the night every night to draw blood. Where other nurses were gracious and gentle each time they drew blood or...
The Bruised Pastor
He who is the Lord of life… came to bind up, not to break; to heal, not to destroy. (Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed) I sat alone with my back to a big elm tree, looking out over the Des Moines River valley, North toward the Kate Shelley bridge. The 16” of snow on the ground around me was actually warm compared to the cold, midnight air that stung my exposed face. But that didn’t...
I Found God in a Coffee Shop in Athens
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46.10. As Missionaries in Europe, we were privileged to travel the continent and UK, visiting many beautiful historic cities. Living in Europe, travel wasn’t that expensive, so we used our vacation time to experience the rich history of the land: from Barcelona to Strasbourg, Rome to Edinburgh, Dresden to Monte Carlo, and...
Fighting Fear
Joshua was terrified. No, the Bible doesn’t expressly state this. However, the phrase “be strong and courageous” is used four times in Joshua chapter 1. FOUR TIMES! When a phrase is put on repeat, it’s because you desperately need to focus in on that one truth. Not only that, but we hear it used from two sources –God and the people. We aren’t privy to Joshua’s thoughts, words, responses, or feelings regarding his new role....
The Hidden Treasures of Pastoral Coaching
Introduction “One of the common denominators apparent among those who lived well, led well, and finished well, was that they had people – mentors, teachers, advisors, counselors, guides, friends – who had the love, patience, and courage to walk alongside them through various seasons, along the journey. They were the ones who noticed, not from a distance, but up close in order to see what was really taking place, to ask a timely question, to...
Preach Like a Model
More pastors should preach like a supermodel. I know that sounds like a provocative statement, but let me explain. I do not mean that pastors should try to look stylish on stage. Nor do I intend to encourage pastors to master clever communication techniques or include ornate props in their preaching. Unfortunately, we have too many preachers who focus on wearing expensive clothes, speaking eloquently, and allocating substantial portions of the budget to sermon props....
Learning From God’s Surprises
During our family’s two decades as missionaries to Europe, we lived for a time in Tours, France, deep in the heart of the beautiful Loire Valley. My duties required that I attend meetings in Belgium’s capital city of Brussels regularly. On one such trip north, I needed to visit the local “Bigg’s,” a Belgian equivalent of Walmart at the time. Walking to “la caisse” (the checkout) after making my selections, I saw a bargain...© [2015] — Journey Pastoral Coaching