Pastoring Passed Down Part II: Lessons From a 2nd Century Pastor & Martyr
Over the past year, my email inbox has included far too many articles with headlines like these: Epidemic: Another Pastor Burned Out and Quit Last Sunday Pastoral Stress and Burnout Why Pastors Walk Away The Secret Pain of Pastors I could go on and on. We can debate the numbers, but it’s not the numbers that are the issue: it’s the people. There are pastors who wrestle with themselves every day, working with all they...
Pastoring Passed Down: Lessons From a 2nd Century Pastor & Martyr
“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” II Timothy 2.2 Pastoring is passed down. From one life to another, pastoring is passed down. To be sure, pastoring is a calling. It is Jesus, the Head and Good Shepherd of the church who calls individuals to pastor His people. But although pastoring begins with Jesus’ call, it does not...
Lessons They COULDN’T Teach You in Seminary
I was privileged to formally study for the ministry in two schools: a Bible College and a seminary. Both of these schools gave me a quality education for life in ministry, specifically, pastoral ministry. Given the opportunity to go back and attend or not attend each one, I most certainly would choose to do so (Especially the Bible College because that’s where I pursued a double major: pastoral studies and pursuing the young lady who...
Could it Be the Church’s “Most Crucial Ministry?”
Over the past year, I’ve had far more, shall we say, “conversations” with health professionals than I would like. I’ve had more examinations, tests, blood work, etc than I ever thought possible. Doctors have worked hard for my health, not only endeavoring to find and fix my problems, but to help me build well and wisely for a lifetime of healthy living. In other words, their focus is not just on stopping my pain or...
Self-Coaching: 20 Questions to Ask Your Client – Part II
In Part I of Journey’s blog post on Self-Coaching, we briefly considered David’s habit of self-coaching, a discipline that sustained him through the pressures of leadership, issues like: his own internal stress; gossip against his person and leadership; impending danger; the attacks of the people he led; the possible breakup of the community. I Samuel 30.6: “David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the...
Self-Coaching: 20 Questions to Ask Your Client – Part I
I Samuel 30.6 records an incident in the life of David that speaks to every Christian leader: “David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” Who among us hasn’t stood on this ground? Distressed. People talking. Stones in hands. Grieved souls. But David “strengthened himself in...
He Just Disappeared: When Ministers Go Missing.
He disappeared. He just disappeared. For several months he and I had been walking together in a pastoral coaching relationship. Pastoral coaching is based and built on relationship and trust: when these two intangibles are present and active, tangible results are present and active - anything is possible. But when these two are not present and active, nothing is possible – close up shop, shutter the windows and lock the door, this coaching “relationship” is...
Failure to Thrive Syndrome: Young Ministers at Risk
THE FAILURE TO THRIVE In their book, “Among Friends,” James Hinkle and Tim Woodroof cite a 1945 study conducted by social scientist, René Spitz. The study tracked the development of 88 healthy children (1 to 2 ½ years of age) who had recently been separated from their families and institutionalized in a group home. When these children entered a group home, each child was in good physical health as compared to other children of the...
The Values of Pastoral Coaching
THE WHAT, THE WHY, AND THE HOW I am a pastoral coach. And I’m very thankful to be one. I often tell friends and colleagues that I have the greatest job in all the world: I am privileged to walk with quality Millennial ministers on a daily basis. Several years ago, God gave us the opportunity to launch Journey Pastoral Coaching, a ministry focused on Millennials. Our mission is to help build young ministers for...© [2015] — Journey Pastoral Coaching