10 Church Members God Especially Calls Me To Love

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“…an under-shepherd knows he doesn’t tend sheep because tending sheep is fun; rather, he tends sheep because his master, the True Shepherd, has called him to. He knows he has not been called to a life of ease, but a life of service, even to those who sometimes make that service a trial.” - Challies

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Founder of S. Korea's Shincheonji Church Accused of Willful Negligence in Coronavirus Spread

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“South Korean officials are looking into whether Lee Man-hee, controversial founder of the Shincheonji Church, broke the law by not complying with the government during the coronavirus outbreak. More than half of the country’s 4,000+ cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus, have been linked to members of the church, which has been labeled a cult.” - CLeaders

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Speaking with a Pastor in Italy’s Coronavirus “Hot Zone”

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Pastor Andrea Artioli reported that “he lives in the ‘hot zone’ of the coronavirus outbreak in Northern Italy. He told [readers] as well that his church has been instructed by local authorities that it may not meet for at least the next two weeks. I thought it might prove interesting to ask him a few questions about his experience.” - Challies

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Some Hidden Truth Behind Bivocational Ministry

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“As a bivocational pastor, one of the most hurtful comments I’ve heard over the years is this: ‘Oh, you’re just a part-time pastor?’ ….In reality, there is no such thing as part-time ministry.” - F&T

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Why Some Leaders Burn Out—and 4 Ways to Prevent It

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“For himself, Greear says, idolatry has been a driving factor in times of ministry burnout. ‘That’s because idolatry always puts something out there that you have to obtain … And so there’s always somebody … some success to match. The church has got to be this size. I’ve got to be invited to do this. I’ve got to have this many followers.” - Facts & Trends

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Public’s Trust of Pastors Rebounds Slightly

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“The latest Gallup survey of Americans’ opinions and trust of specific occupations found clergy improving from 37% last year to 40% in 2020, marking the first increase in a decade. Overall, medical practitioners dominate the top of the list, with nurses ranked highest (85%) for the 18th straight year.” - Facts & Trends

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New from Pew: “45% of people who attend services at least a few times a year are ‘unsure’ of their clergy’s partisan leanings”

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“When politics does come up from the pulpit, a majority of those in the pews (62%) say they agree with their leaders. The political overlap is particularly strong among evangelical Protestants, three-quarters of whom (76%) say they agree with their pastor’s political opinions, the survey found.” - Christianity Today

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