“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul When I look decades down the road, several things come to my mind. If God allows, I hope to live long enough for my wife (Jordan) and I to meet our great-grandchildren. I enjoy considering what God may …
I started the Shepherd’s Crook because I want to help pastors and churches. Google “Pastor Statistics” and you will find a scary picture of the state pastoral ministry today. Clearly, this is not good. We offer 4 things to help with the modern pastoral crisis. Confidential Care Counsel Resources Intensive 1. Confidential Care We provide …
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30 In 2016, God …
“Never trust a pastor who does not walk with a limp.” Matt Chandler In 2015, I received my limp. I had been serving for two and a half years as an associate pastor of a church. The church was very clear from the start of our tenure that I was in process of becoming the …
“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. “ 1 Cor. 13:11 I think 1 Cor. 13:11 has a lot to say to pastors. I have never be accused of being too quiet. …
It seems like every pastor goes through a wilderness experience. I don’t know if that is true or not but it has been a part of my story. In 2013, I felt like I was a toy in the game “The Claw” from Toy Story. Yes, that would make God “The Claw,” who picked me …
2012 was the year of Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I read Preaching and Preachers the year before and good thoughts of MLJ were fresh in my mind. Then a pastor/friend encouraged me to read the book Joy Unspeakable. When he told the premise of the book I immediately associated it with my Pentecostal education. Joy Unspeakable is …
2 Tim. 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 1 Cor. 16:12 “No concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, …
I met Jordan the year before. I entered into our first real conversation with my future wife as a nervous wreck. A group of us went to a Jason Morant concert (What happened to that guy?) and afterward, in typical post-concert fashion, we went to Denny’s to get a grand slam and a crummy cup …
I made it through the first year of pastoral ministry largely with the aid of naivety. Better said, grace-given naivety. But then came year two. Year two was similar to year one. We were having a good time and God was being faithful in spite of our ridiculousness. But year two was also very different …
My first year of pastoral ministry was insane. I mean insane! Let me clarify. I was 24, single and fresh out of Pentecostal college (Lee University). All I knew of preaching was what I heard from Mark Driscoll and Matt Chandler. Theologically, I had just been rescued from Rob Bell, Greg Boyd, and Open Theism. …
June 2018, marked 10 years since my ordination into pastoral ministry. I look back over those years and can’t help but cringe and smile. I am sure of it, it has been a decade of stumbling forward. Well, to be honest, sometimes stumbling backward. A lot of stumbling and countless mistakes and sins. But I …