For your work or ministry to be most effective you need to experience satisfaction in Christ as you do it. We’re designed to live in the Psalm 23 journey in which we testify happily, “My cup overflows!” Dallas Willard showed us this. Kristi and I are so thankful for the spiritual mentor and friend that…
What do you feel after you put yourself out there to minister to others? Many people struggle with self-doubt or self-criticism. Pastors may wonder if they preached a good sermon. Small group leaders may question their effectiveness. Counselors and caregivers feel might feel unsure they said the right thing. Anyone who serves others is likely…
“My life is being poured out like a drink offering for you,” Paul wrote to a church he planted (Philippians 2:17, paraphrased). You know this feeling of emptying yourself if you minister to other people. I got a letter from Joe Chambers who pastors in Colorado. He’s been part of our Soul Shepherding community for…
“As a senior pastor I was trying to be someone I was not,” writes Pete Scazzero. “I attended conferences and read books about growing a larger, healthier, more powerful church. If only I would be and do as their leaders, then our church would be equally large and prosperous.” Probably all of us in some…
If you’re caring for people that have been traumatized or are in crisis then you’re suffering with them vicariously. If you’re a pastor, you probably think you live in a nice city, but actually you’re in a spiritual and emotional war zone! Just being a tender-hearted person in our world today exposes you to vicarious…
What’s God doing when hurricane’s hit? How do we deal with hardships? We go to Jesus together. We validate the emotions and offer empathy. We may need to re-think our perspective and faith and do some training to learn how to live and react to trials from within the spiritual reality of the Kingdom of God.
Our great need right now is to have our hearts warmed by God’s love. This is what makes us happy and fruitful! Most everyday pastors seek my care and counsel. Is there a difference if I listen well or listen well with the love of God in my heart? Does it make a difference if…
Empathy. Tender-hearted concern for our feelings. We all need it — especially when we’re hurting. But sometimes we lose touch with our heart’s need. “I was burned out and didn’t know it,” lead pastor Ken Baugh reflects. “I was so depleted of my own energy that I had just enough to get from weekend to…
It would seem that Pastor Pete Wilson had a great life. Look at his family. Look at his church. He planted Cross Point in Nashville, TN in 2002 and it grew to six campuses and 7,500 people. It’s one of the fastest growing churches in America. He launched innovative ministries, sharing the love of Christ…
If I could have anyone lead me on a spiritual retreat with Jesus it’d be Brennan Manning. I wish I could do that and invite you to join me, but he died in 2013. But we can imagine what it’d be like to have Brennan guide us on retreat. That’s what we’ll do in this…