Church & Ministry

I am candidating for a church in a couple of weeks. Since I heard that I will be candidating, I have been thinking about and beginning to plan my first six months at the new church. I thought it might be good to get some input from the veterans those critical months at a new church. So I ask the question: Is there anything that you would liked to have done in the first six months of ministry at your new church that you didn’t do? Or anything you did that would be helpful in getting the new pastorate off to a great start?

Not sure where else this should go, so I figured this subforum was a good starting place :)

A friend of mine (a young married mom) said that she had prayed about asking a woman in our church to mentor her, a la Titus 2. And she recommended that I pray about getting a mentor, to see if God would lead me in that way or bring any wise women in our church to mind. I wouldn’t need to be mentored about husband/kids, since I’m 31 and single, but I am always open to wisdom and advice from wise, godly people.

I’m wondering if any one else is becoming “unsettled” about the way some Baptist mission boards work with church property deeds of ministries “over-seas”? If a mission agency holds the “deed” of a church and then threaten’s the leader or congregation with the loss of the building if they don’t follow the will of the mission agency (vis-a-vis the will of the congregation), doesn’t that seem more like Presbyterianism approach to polity than a Baptist one?

By our pastor perplexd;

How shall we determine?

“Watch and pray,” says the text;

“Go to sleep,” says the sermon.

(1795 Vermont poem)

I posted on my blog about this, but I’d like you reasonable folks to give me your take. Here is the body of my post:

Reflections on the “Legalism/Rules” discussion

It’s now been about a month since my articles on “Legalism and the Christian School Movement” appeared here on SI. They were followed by a series by Aaron which asked the question “Are Rules Dangerous?”. Both of these article series provoked substantial debate and discussion.

Toward the end, I became immersed in several other projects and bowed out of those discussions. Here now are my reflections on the debate.

It has been roughly 6 months or more since we began the Jesus Lodge. Since we discussed the pros and cons of it quite a bit, it is time for a report.

The Format of the Lodge is simple. We were in the process of eliminating our Sunday night services because they had died a slow, steady death — despite some attempts to keep it going. After we had decided to “nix” Sunday night as a regular meeting time, I came up with an idea based on a need I saw: we needed more connecting and “friendship” support in the church family.

Recently I was reading through the Constitution and Bylaws of John Piper’s church, Bethlehem Baptist in Minneapolis (can be accessed here: http://www.hopeingod.org/ConstitutionByLaws.aspx). I was interested to note that every elder must be reaffirmed by the congregation every three years. I have never been a part of a church that has a regularly scheduled vote of confidence or vote of reaffirmation in its pastor(s) or elders.

What do you think about this practice? Does your church do it?

I know this is really early, but barring the rapture (for those pre-trib, pre-mil folks), I am considering Easter plans.

I am looking for something based on the 7 cries from the cross, in the tradition of Dubois, but not as classical or inaccessible for my 15-20 voice volunteer choir. I potentially will use this as a Good Friday service and set up Resurrection Sunday. If necessary I’ll make my own with octavos.

Any suggestions for octavos to match the following phrases?

1. Father forgive them for they know not what they do.