Shepherds or Mutton Farmers?

Back when the sacred authors used the imagery of the shepherd to depict Jesus, they had a clear understanding of the job description. A shepherd is needed ...

Getting Away from Godhood

I once picked up a 5-year-old at vacation Bible school in the Kool-Aid and cookie queue. I took a bite from his cookie. He looked very comfortable as ...

When God Interrupts Ministry

You find God's presence in surprising places.

The way pastors work, we easily confuse an outboard motor for the wind of the Spirit. We are God-called ...

Full Souls, Better Preaching

The more full our souls, the more we can preach without running dry.

Doing What God Wants

Mama says everybody loved Uncle Ceph. Cephas Poe was Mama's daddy, but everybody called him Uncle Ceph.

Uncle Ceph pastored in a different world. First ...

Praying for the Pastor

If a church wants a better pastor, it can get one by praying for the one it has.

The Definition of Ministry

Ministry is giving when you feel like keeping, praying for others when you need to be prayed for, feeding others when your own soul is hungry, living ...

Preaching through Prison Bars

Frederick Martin (1704-1750) established the ministry on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. One secret of the success of this native of Upper Silesia ...

Who's Your Shepherd?

I own a marvelous little book written nearly a quarter of a century ago by a former shepherd, Philip Keller. He titled the book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm ...

Responsibility for the Church

I beg you, do not look upon [this parish] as a steppingstone, but rather say: Here I shall stay as long as it pleases God; if it be his will, until I ...