Whatever challenges you are facing, whatever questions you are holding, whatever brutality you are grappling with on this fallen planet at this moment, know that you are seen, known, understood, and deeply beloved by God. The post Pastors, Take Heart in the Fact that God Sees You appeared first on The Focused Pastor.| The Focused Pastor
Dear ministers of the Word, we do not have to be modern incarnations of a Charles Spurgeon or a Martyn Lloyd-Jones. We do not know how powerful were the locutionary skills of Ezra, but rather it appears to me that the sense of the passage in Nehemiah was not about his amazing elocution but his faithful exposition. May we, like Ezra, faithfully teach his statutes and judgments in our modern “Jerusalems.” The post The First Example of Expository Preaching appeared first on The Focused Pastor.| The Focused Pastor
How do you know if you're called to ministry? Here are five questions to consider as you discern whether you may be called to pastor.| The Focused Pastor
The Bible is unlike any other book. And it is not just an ancient artifact; it is alive! Through the Bible, God still speaks today. Yet the Bible is not a law book but a story about God’s love in Christ. The Bible is sufficient for all of life and espouses the life-giving truth of God. The post The Doctrine of the Bible and a Pastor’s Ministry appeared first on The Focused Pastor.| The Focused Pastor
We don’t need to overthink strategy with cutting edge cultural insights. We just need to be the doing the hard but simple work of planting.| The Focused Pastor
In our reflection on the eight blessings Jesus pronounced at the outset of his famous Sermon on the Mount, we’ve come to the eighth and final beatitude: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). In the first seven beatitudes, Jesus refrained from elaborating on […] The post Pastoral Ministry and the Beatitudes: Blessed Are the Persecuted appeared first on The Focused Pastor.| The Focused Pastor
Are you trying do let go of bitterness? Turning our resentment over to the Judge of heaven is the way we can heal.| The Focused Pastor
Training the next generation of pastors is vital for the church’s future. Discover biblical steps to train, equip, and send future leaders.| The Focused Pastor
Our world is filled with strife. Nations war against nations; there is conflict in our marriages and families, and in our churches; and there is strife even in our own hearts. Indeed, as Jesus said in His penultimate beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons […] The post Pastoral Ministry and the Beatitudes: Blessed Are the Peacemakers appeared first on The Focused Pastor.| The Focused Pastor
Discover how understanding, "blessed are the merciful" can equip pastors to lead with Christ-like compassion in their church.| The Focused Pastor
Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." In this article, we'll explore the blessing of Christlike humility in pastoral ministry.| The Focused Pastor
Pastors have been given the task to be faithful to God's Word. We plant, water, and nurture – but the Lord causes the growth.| The Focused Pastor