A True Story from Dr. Mark Dance about his dilemma of his overwhelming battle with depression and how he handled it. “Fifteen years ago, this was my story. I was 22 years into my career as a pastor when I suddenly found myself unable to think clearly. I was left without the capacity and energy…
A Pastor’s True Story “Why won’t you heal me, Lord?” Have you ever asked that question? A pastor recalls that three years ago” I found myself in what felt like a deep spiritual hole.” “I felt hopeless, dark, within my soul, and crying enough tears to fill the Grand Canyon. I felt like I was…
Iam the child of a pastor. Once a pastor’s kid, you’re always a preacher’s kid. If you’re a preacher’s kid, whether your parents are still in the ministry or not, people still look at you with a certain standard or eve stereotypes. In his book, The Pastors Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity, Barnabas…
Written by Katie I’ve been a pastor’s wife now for over a decade. It’s a beautiful privilege and heavy responsibility. It is a role that comes with many joys and sorrows, benefits and sacrifices, unexpected gifts and unstated expectations from others. That last one is often the hardest dose. Your pastor’s wife is in a…
The Pastor – His Family – The Church The ministry is much like a roller coaster ride. It is simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying. Ministry for a pastor, his family, and the church he serves is exciting until things start to get complicated, and as a pastor you say to yourself, “What was I thinking?” My…
Odds are the person sitting next to you in church have brought their mental health struggles with them. Did you know that 59% of congregations want churches to talk about mental health openly so the topic is not so taboo? —Lifeway Research Throw a stone more than ten yards and the odds are pretty good…
After a period of intense ministry and mountain top experience, Elijah found himself running for cover. This servant, told of in the Old Testament, felt alone, exhausted, and depressed and looking for a place of safety. God found him the place, provided food and rest, and spoke to him in a still small voice and…
What if your next preacher was already a part of your congregation? Across America, thousands of small and rural churches are on the brink of closing their doors, often because congregations are unable to find a minister. What if the next minister at your was not a ‘professional’ that you would find in a pulpit…
I was visiting with an old friend the other day and we talked about all things ministry. The good and the bad. During our discussion my friend brought up something I really hadn’t thought of. Dale’s thought was this; “Ministers generally know of other ministers by name. But they don’t know them. Their likes, dislikes,…
THE STORY A few years ago, a commercial on television began with a white and black clip of Lou Gehrig being honored by Yankee fans on his last day of play. His career was shortened by ALS, which is now called Lou Gehrig’s disease, a debilitating disease that eventually stops the heart. What would you…
