Biblical/Pastoral Counselling (Page 7)
The Danger of Perfectionism
I found this little article really helpful in terms of helping me to engage with this issue a little more. Read it here. The danger for me is that I am such a perfectionist and even though I know it is unbiblical to think like this, I get horribly disappointed and frustrated at myself for failures in my life. I do work hard at teaching my team that if we’re not…
Take a guilt free break
This is a short article from resurgence (here) on taking a break to avoid burnout. I have to confess that I am almost useless at doing this. If I have a spare hour or two in the day I have to fill it by reading or doing something ‘productive’ because I find it so difficult to switch off. Any ideas?
Can I Pastor when my wife & I disagree on our roles?
I thought this was a thought provoking little read from Russell D Moore. See article here.
A Post for Perverts
This is a very good post about the whole issue of pornography in the church and how it is weakening many families within the body of Christ. This is a major, major issue and we are foolish if we don’t realise just how widespread it is in our culture. Check out the article here.
Re-Ordering My Life
About a month ago I was persuaded by my wife and my doctor to take 4 weeks off work after an 18 month battle with a severe intestinal illness (ongoing). I was feeling tired, jaded, depressed and a bit fed up with being in ministry. This is my thirteenth year and most, if not all, of my time has been served in difficult inner city scenarios. The last 8 years have been…
Love Your Pastor Peeps!!
Interesting article from a USA perspective. I wonder what the statistics would be in the UK? I know there is a chronic shortage of pastors in our country. Less and less men seem to be taking up the ministry. I imagine in church planting circles the rates of attrition are higher still.…
Soul Sadness
I have just read an interesting quote. ‘A Pharisee who does nothing but focus on avoiding sin is still concentrating on sin, which makes him or her just as obsessed with sin as the person who voraciously lives in it. Both are consumed by sin – one to avoid it, the other to live in it. Both lack the joy, peace and freedom of life in Christ.’ (p88.…
Handling Criticism
A handy little article that deserves careful thought. http://headhearthand.posterous.com/4-ways-to-benefit-from-criticism
Preaching, Family & Getting Our Priorities Right
I spent a couple of hours this morning in a meeting with R Kent Hughes and various pastors from Scotland. He spoke very eloquently on the subject of his pastoral experience and his belief in ‘expository’ preaching. RKH has written numerous books and we as a church have been using…
Leave me alone I know what I’m doing!
‘Church planters tend to be self starters and often think of themselves as self-sufficient. That personality test is often resistant to the advice of others – thinking, “If I’d listened to other people, I would not be planting the church in the first place”. So goes the quote in Ed Stetzer’s book. In context he is talking about the…