Lovely -
Continue reading “‘Bishop’ Brian Moore arrested on drug charges in North Carolina”
Oct 31 2009
Pastors and Suicide – Depression in the Ministry (Free Download)
Ministers are not perfect, nor free from the pit falls of society. You might want to take the time to read this piece in the USA Today,
What kind of personal pain would cause a 42-year-old pastor to abandon his family, his calling and even life itself? Members of a Baptist church here are asking that question after their pastor committed suicide in his parked car in September.
Continue reading “Pastors and Suicide – Depression in the Ministry (Free Download)”
Oct 30 2009
Should we dispense with Pastors?
T.C. has an excellent post up which briefly examines this question.
Aug 14 2009
Examining the Ministry: Towards a Plurality in the Ministry (2)
This week, briefly, we have been examining the minsistry in the Church. As I have stated several times, growing up in a monarchical ministry has caused me to see things differently. Now, I believe that instead of one alone, the ministry of the local congregation should be plural. Not only does it allow one to be in submission to another, but spirits are tried and burdens shared.
Continue reading “Examining the Ministry: Towards a Plurality in the Ministry (2)”
Aug 13 2009
Examining the Ministry: Towards a Plurality in the Ministry (1)
Growing up in a fundamentalist church, I easily excepted the idea that one man alone made the decisions for the congregation. I found it odd the first time that I set through a Baptist business meeting, and odder evens till when the Pastor asked permission to spend the money. How in the world could the congregation do this!!! It was so unbiblical – or was it?
Continue reading “Examining the Ministry: Towards a Plurality in the Ministry (1)”
Aug 12 2009
Examining the Ministry – The Example of Paul
We are given very little evidence of the role of a minister in the Apostolic Church (the Church governed by the Apostles, as found in the New Testament) so we must turn to the single person who gave us our pastoral examples – the Apostle Paul.
Continue reading “Examining the Ministry – The Example of Paul”
Aug 11 2009
Examining the Ministry: Goals and Qualifications
The Goals of the Ministry are Simple:
Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. (Eph 4:12-15 NLT)
Continue reading “Examining the Ministry: Goals and Qualifications”
Aug 10 2009
Examining the Roles of Clergy – Introduction; Purpose
“All too often those ‘in charge,’ be they clergy, boards, vestry, sessions, or what have you, tend to think of the church as ‘theirs.’ They pay lip-service to it being ‘Christ’s church, after all,’ then proceed to operate on the basis of very pagan, secular structures, and regularly speak of ‘my’ or ‘our’ church. …. The church belongs to Christ, and all other things–structures, attitudes, decisions, nature of ministry, everything–should flow out of that singular realization.” – 1 Corinthians, NICNT, 135 (HT - Εις Δοξαν.)
Next Page »
