As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
1. Fewer than half of solo pastors receive any health insurance … 2. Almost three-fourths of full-time worship/music leaders receive health insurance… 3. Many full-time church staff receive no retirement benefits…. 5. Only six in ten full-time pastors and staff get any type of automobile reimbursement…. CPost
From Voice magazine, Nov/Dec 2015. Used by permission. Read Part 1 and Part 2.
Local church ministry often involves seeing people at their worst and unfortunately all of us pastors experience times when rocks and arrows are directed at us. We need to forgive others when we’ve been wronged because it’s commanded in the New Testament and because it honors the Lord when we “take the high road.” And we need to acknowledge there are times in ministry when we pastors do or say the wrong thing and we need to admit “I was wrong. Please forgive me.” All of us need to forgive those who have hurt us in church squabbles and get along with them so the gospel won’t be negatively affected. Unsaved people are watching and need to see how the Gospel has changed us by helping us to truly love and forgive others. Forgiveness is simply the active part of love.
(From Voice magazine, Nov/Dec 2015. Used by permission.)
As I said in Part 1, over the years I’ve deliberately surrounded myself with some of the finest people imaginable. Those great folks have given me so much that I’ve often felt overwhelmed with gratitude reflecting on the countless ways I’ve been blessed by others in my life. Yet I also know that people fail (including, and most especially, me). We are all fallen, feeble, frail and broken instruments—but God is great! This truth has helped temper my perfectionistic, unreal, idealistic expectations when I’ve directed them at myself and those around me. I’ve learned to be more patient and forbearing over the years knowing all of us need to receive grace and extend forgiveness each and every day. People are great; people are frustrating. People help us up; people push us down. My actions are good; my actions are bad. In all the variations of our humanity, this one thing is certain: God never changes and He’s always dependable. He will never fail and so we should keep our eyes on Him.
(From Voice magazine, Nov/Dec 2015. Used by permission.)
Shortly after I became a Christian at the age of 18, I sensed God’s leading into full-time ministry and I enrolled in a Bible institute to begin my preparation. During two of those summers I served as an intern in a small church plant in Utah, the second summer serving as “the pastor” when Ron (my mentor) left for a month of missionary deputation.
“Stop spreading statistics that, if they were right in the first place, are over 20 years old—even the man who did the study agrees!”
Discussion