I have seen plenty succeed through failure, and too many fail through success, but I know of none that planned either. Ministry will offer plenty of temptation for you to think how big and important you’ve become, or to crush you by how small or inconsiderable you feel, no matter the size of your...
LifePoint, we have a problem…and a big next step is coming. Just over six years ago LifePoint relocated to our new (now current) facility. We needed more space, and that move felt really big. I’m not talking about the building. The building was, in fact, much larger than our first facility and provided a...
I am blessed to have known so many of the Lord’s servants who on the day they died finished well. They heard “well done, thy good and faithful servant” from Jesus himself. I love to hear my parents tell me, “Good job, son. We are so proud of you.”. I cannot imagine how powerful it...
The Christian Ministry: A Book Review by Caleb Fritz. Charles Bridges’ purpose in writing The Christian Ministry is presented in the preface in which he discloses that his reason for presenting this work is due to the “interesting subject of Ministerial inefficiency.” Confronted by various issues and difficulties of many pastors in his day, Bridges...
Action and influence forge the essence of leadership. Leaders act when others do not or will not. Leaders act to influence others for mission. There is no level of life that is void of the demand for leadership. Paul’s instructions to Timothy demonstrate leadership to encourage leadership. Leading elders is vital for the health...
The Bible provides clear evidence for training elders. Jesus trained his disciples before he sent them out. Paul wrote First and Second Timothy and Titus, all letters to train young pastors. If this does not suffice to compel pastors to train elders in the church, enough could not be written. Training can be enhanced...
Peter issues a comprehensive challenge to the elders when he charges “So I exhort the elders among you,…shepherd the flock of God that is among you.” (1 Peter 5:2) The weightiness of this responsibility remains for all who strive to obey God’s Word, lead His mission and faithfully shepherd the local church. Many address...
Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Book Review by Ben Wright John Piper’s Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, does a fantastic job of outlining how the ministry should be pursued by having authentic joy and faith in wanting to glorify God in all that we do. Piper writes this book on such a personal...
On Being a Pastor: A Book Review by Nathan Shaver There are a wealth of resources devoted to philosophy, theology, and the psychology of Pastoral Ministry. On Being a Pastor offers a biblically sound and field-tested guide for the work of shepherding. Derek Prime and Alistair Begg set out to give the reader a...
Over the next few weeks, there will be guest posts by each of our four LifePoint interns. They were each assigned a book on Pastoral Ministry to read and review. Dangerous Calling: A Book Review by Wes Litton Thoroughly heartbroken, Paul Trip takes us step by step through the unique, devastating challenges and mistakes that...