One of the most remarkable moments in my life was when Tree of Life Family grew beyond myself and my family. One of the tasks I now have I have never had before is to select and hire staff. Now I genuinely believe that I have the most remarkable pastoral and admin staff in allContinue reading “Just For Pastors 29: Choosing an Assistant”
Tag Archives: pastor
Just for the Pastors 16: Shepherds Don’t Go Out Drinking with the Sheep
When I was a youth pastor, I was leading a youth camp with my wife, and we found out one of the young teenage girls was self-harming. We called her parents and they took her home. She was livid at us and screamed at us “I thought you were supposed to be my friends”. IContinue reading “Just for the Pastors 16: Shepherds Don’t Go Out Drinking with the Sheep”
Just For the Pastors 11: Instructors and Fathers
You have ten thousand instructors in Christ, but you do not have many fathers, for in Jesus Christ I have given birth to you through the gospel. Therefore I beg you to be followers of me (1 Cor. 4.15-16) Notice there are two different kinds of ministries in this verse: instructors and fathers. Notice thereContinue reading “Just For the Pastors 11: Instructors and Fathers”
Just For the Pastors 10: The Responsibility
One of the elements of pastoring that is not talked about enough is that it is a very serious and deep responsibility. You do not have the authority or right to control someone’s life, your job is not about constantly telling people off, but on the other hand if you do not get involved inContinue reading “Just For the Pastors 10: The Responsibility”
Just for the Pastors 02: It’s More than a Job!
Some of the things I have done in my life are just jobs – working in McDonalds, selling mobile phones, being a school teacher, working in recruitment. The job itself was not really the issue, earning money for my family was the issue. But being a pastor is not that. It is a calling. YouContinue reading “Just for the Pastors 02: It’s More than a Job!”
Pastors Don’t Do This 10 Become Pastor Pharisee (Part 9 – Manipulate the Poor)
Jesus does not hold back in Matthew 23.14 telling the religious leaders of his day: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation (Matthew 23.14, NKJV). One of the things I have seen far too often is pastors takingContinue reading “Pastors Don’t Do This 10 Become Pastor Pharisee (Part 9 – Manipulate the Poor)”
Pastors and Elders III: What Paul taught the Elders
I said in the first post in this series (https://benjaminconway.net/2014/05/19/pastors-and-elders-ii-the-elders-conference/) that we would find out what Paul taught the elders at Miletus. And I give you my word that before this series is over we will look at Acts 20. But due to emails and questions that have arisen from the first post, I amContinue reading “Pastors and Elders III: What Paul taught the Elders”
Role of the Pastor 5: Feeding the Sheep
Shepherds have to feed the sheep. That should be obvious, but there are a lot of pastors who are not feeding the sheep. You cannot exaggerate how important it is for the pastors to feed the sheep. You just cannot overestimate how important this is. Your preaching to the gathering of the saints is soContinue reading “Role of the Pastor 5: Feeding the Sheep”
Role of the Pastor 3: To Divide Seas
Part of your ministry as a pastor is to lead the people to green pastures and still waters. You need to take your people out of the wilderness and into the land flowing with milk and honey, a land of abundance and peace. This is part of being a shepherd to your people. IfContinue reading “Role of the Pastor 3: To Divide Seas”
Assimilation
No – we are not talking about my favourite Star Trek baddie, the Borg. We are talking about the process that must be in place for making new people feel welcome when they visit a Sunday service. In the Tree, we call that process “assimilation” – people moving from coming to a church serviceContinue reading “Assimilation”
Inspiring and Challenging Dreamers 