Category Archives: Pastoral Ministry

Among the apostles

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

| | 1 comment

Our own experiences often affect how we read the Bible. Take Romans 16:7, for example:

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsfolk and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (Rom 16:7)

There’s something in this verse that often catches the eye of the modern reader: a woman, Junia, is said to be “of note among the apostles.” This means that she was either a person of note to the apostles, or that she was herself “among the apostles.” Either way, the Bible seems to be saying that there was a woman who had a ministry role that was important in the early church. Surely then, as many argue, the example of Junia means that women today, too, can and should have significant ministry roles? At this point, our own experiences can play a big part, particularly our experiences of Christian ministry. (more…)

What I have learnt about the ministries of women

Everyday Ministry

|

What follows are some of my personal reflections on the ministries of women, whether they’re staff members in a church or involved in everyday ministry with others. Some of what I have to say is more applicable for women employed as a member of a pastoral staff team, but most of it is also about normal Christian discipleship and ministry in any context. These thoughts are what I’ve come to see as important not only for women in ministry roles, but also for men who wish to support them in their ministry.
(more…)

Speech and salvation: a role for pastors?

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

| | 6 comments

On my previous article about gospel speech, Craig made some comments and suggestions that I thought were so good they were worth a whole new post.

As a layman, what encourages me in evangelism, more than anything else, is hearing about other laymen doing it. For example, a while ago I heard a mate at church describe how he was planning to witness to the bloke in the next cubicle. That did more to encourage me than 10 sermons on evangelism would have done.

(more…)

After the NIV, then what?

Pastoral Ministry

| | 22 comments

Sometime soon every church that uses the NIV for their public reading and preaching of Scripture will have to decide on a new English version. Sandy Grant looks at the options, and the implications. (more…)

The faithfulness that matters

Everyday Ministry, Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

| | 5 comments

“In ministry, what matters is faithfulness, rather than results.”

If you’re involved in any kind of gospel ministry, you’ve probably heard this kind of sentiment expressed by others; perhaps you’ve even uttered it yourself. I actually agree with the statement wholeheartedly. However, I think it’s very important to clarify exactly what we mean by ‘faithfulness’. What or whom are we supposed to be faithful to? (more…)

Paul’s leadership essentials

Pastoral Ministry

|

Are you in a ministry role, teaching and caring for God’s people? Checking out the business section of the bookstore for tips? Adrian Russell encourages you to turn to Paul’s example of leadership in 2 Timothy 4. (more…)

Stressors of pastors and leaders

Pastoral Ministry

|

In 1 Corinthians, Paul exhorts us to run the race without disqualifying ourselves. Grant Bickerton looks at how pastoral teams and their flocks can help professional gospel workers endure long-term. (more…)

Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 2): Stepping aside (not out) so others can step up (not in)

Pastoral Ministry

| | 3 comments

This is the second post in this series; you can read the first post, Unassuming generations.

It can be very tempting as an elder (in whatever context: family, school, youth group, church, denomination, organization, committee, etc.) to just do things yourself; you’re more experienced, more capabable, and can get things done quicker. And as time goes on and you keep doing things yourself for those very reasons, those reasons become self-perpetuating: you are more and more experienced than anyone else will ever be because they are never given a go.

(more…)

Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 1): Unassuming generations

Pastoral Ministry

| | 30 comments

There is a model of ‘intergenerational theological decline’ that has been doing the rounds of late, and perhaps you may have heard it: the first generation wins or establishes the gospel in their context, the next generation assumes the gospel, and the third generation loses the gospel.

(more…)

Encouraging leaders to step up

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

|

A young man doing MTS recently emailed me to ask this question:

I’ve just read your blogs and review of Leadership on the Front Foot and I had a question. As your review stated, it seems to be a book aimed at new ministers of the gospel. So, having not read the book, I don’t think it seems to be a good book to get information on encouraging young men (university age) to step up and lead. Here lies my question: is my assessment a fair one and, if it is, can you recommend a book that would/could be useful in the situation I’ve outlined?

Before you read on, what would your answer be? What book would you suggest to enthuse a man in his late teens or early twenties in taking responsibility in leadership in gospel ministry?
(more…)

Big M Ministry and little s service

Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel

| | 7 comments

The word ‘ministry’ just means ‘service’.1 It’s a fact I already knew, and perhaps one you know too; but earlier this year I came to see its implications.

I was walking along, praying about my Ministry. I was praying for the wisdom to know which Ministry to do, how much energy to put into certain Ministries, and when to stop one Ministry so I would have more energy for other Ministries. Suddenly, like a bolt to my brain from the rather grey sky (it was the fading end of a Melbourne winter), came the word ‘service’.

(more…)

Suffering and decision-making

Everyday Ministry, Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

| | 2 comments

Is it better to choose a more difficult ministry, or an easy one? Is it more godly to choose suffering over comfort when we make decisions about life and ministry? After all, suffering makes us more like Jesus, and surely that’s good for us, isn’t it? (more…)

How to think about multi-site churches

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

| | 22 comments

 

Have you seen Mark Dever’s chat with Mark Driscoll and James McDonald about multi-site churches? It’s excited plenty of interweb comment, not least because of the rather vigorous way Dever is set upon by the other two in a kind of jokey, jovial but still half-serious way.

(‘Multi-site’ means planting a new congregation or church service at a new location, but having the lead pastor from the mother church still do the bulk of the preaching, usually by means of a video feed. It’s a growing and controversial practice in US churches. Is it healthy? Useful? Biblical?)

(more…)

Sausage factory or Kapooka?

Pastoral Ministry

| | 8 comments

On Thursday 2 September, Mikey Lynch emailed me, and three other mates, to point us to a blog. He said, “I thought you’d be interested in getting a feel for the kind of conversations [people] are having about secular work vs gospel work”. This thread was a reflection on the Katoomba Convention Centre Conference called Engage.

The five of us sent a series of emails to each other pondering the strengths and weaknesses of our own leadership and of the church at large. I thought I’d share with you the email I wrote. In the email I sort of just went ‘splat’. I guess it is a distillation of three and a half years of conversations with hundreds of people around Australia about full-time gospel work vs bi-vocational, MTS’s highlights and lowlights, the impact of Mark Driscoll’s 2008 visit, Gen Y’s view of church leadership … plus other stuff. Throw your two bobs worth in after you’ve read it.

(more…)