Tag: pastor

How to Pray for Your Pastor

On By pastorjonathanIn About Jonathan, Ministry, PrayerLeave a comment

In the book of Malachi a scathing indictment is issued against priests who cut corners and received less than acceptable sacrifices from the people.  The priests were called to a special office of mediation between the people and God which made the charge against their office even more significant.  In Malachi 2:5-7  God reminds the priests about the covenant he had established with them through their fathers.

My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
(Mal 2:5-7)

Pastors are not priests.  The pastoral ministry is significantly different than the ministry of Old Testament Priests especially considering the work of Christ.   Christ offered himself as the perfect sacrifice and now stands as the mediator between God and men (I Tim. 2:5, Hebrews 9:15, 12:24).   (This is one reason why many protestants stand so staunchly against the Roman Catholic notion of priest as mediators and mass as a perpetual offering of sacrifice.)

4 Ways to Pray for Your Pastor

Though Pastors are not priests, there are aspects of their ministry that parallel the duties of the priests in Malachi’s day.  Pastors are responsible to teach and oversee the body of the church. (Piper does a fantastic job of fleshing this out so I won’t belabor the point.)  It is from examining Malachi in this light that I have pulled application from the failure of the priest in Malachi into four ways to pray for pastors.

. . . . . . .

So here is how I pray for myself and the other pastors I know:

  1. To stand in fear and awe of God’s name
  2. True instruction to be found on his lips
  3. To walk with the Lord in peace and uprightness
  4. To turn people away from iniquity

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Letters to Young Men

On By pastorjonathanIn ManhoodLeave a comment

I’m starting a new blog series entitled, “Letters to Young Men.”  I hope to post on this topic once every other week or so. Though I’m not particularly old, I have been blessed and encouraged to share insights with several guys in their late teens to early 20’s in regard to life and ministry.   Some of you live in far away places and we talk only a few times a year; most of your mentoring is behind you, yet we check in from time to time.  Others of you live in closer proximity and we meet on a weekly or monthly basis.  Many you who read this post won’t know me, but hopefully you will be blessed through the series, feel free to contact me.

Many of the lessons I will share here I learned the hard way.  When appropriate, I will share my failure in hopes that you will miss a few bumps along the way. A precious few lessons I learned under the hand of various mentors in my own life and thus avoided the scars and bruises I would certainly carry apart from their influence.  When appropriate I will give them credit and honor for their influence in my own life.

I publish these thoughts to honor, educate, and encourage young men through the trials of life. I will write them as letters.  They will be addressed, “Dear Friend.”  My intention is not to share particular conversations that have taken place in private.  The letters will address subjects that are in some way particular to young men and have developed over many conversations with many people.  My goal is to produce letters that appear personal in nature and cover themes that are certainly relevant.  My prayer is that these open letters are a source of strength and encouragement to you.

I mean no disrespect by the use of the phrase “young men.” By many accounts, I myself could still be considered a young man.  I use the word “young” only in terms of comparative age; I use the word “man” in terms of maturity.

I welcome comments, feedback and input all along the way, but chose the right to delete or edit comments that I deem as disrespectful, rude, or not-profitable for discussion.


Partnering to Remember!

On By pastorjonathanIn discipleship1 Comment

A few years ago an old college friend of mine dared me (and several others) through his blog to memorize the book of Ephesians.  Ok…. actually he didn’t dare us, but he did offer a plan.  I had wanted to memorize scripture on a consistent basis before but found myself with such a variety of options that I had no clear starting point.  I had tried memorizing scripture before by purchased topical memory systems (most recently, including a really cool app on my phone) but the verses seemed to be ones I already knew.  I seemed a little too old to attend Awana, so I resigned myself to ‘accidentally’ memorizing the Bible passages I was preaching through and thought that would be good enough.  The problem is, it wasn’t.   I was logging scripture into my short term memory, but a few weeks later I was unable to recall the passage, other than a paraphrastic sort of way.

Then it happened.  Tim posted on his blog about memorizing the book of Ephesians. At first glance it seemed an audacious and insurmountable goal.  Then, he laid out the plan and the plan made sense. I along with several others took up the challenge and was blessed.  At first it seemed like an impossible goal, but once I got started and stuck with it, it became easier.

Beyond size of the project are the benefits.  When you memorize a book or passage, you are placing God’s word in a place that it can’t be taken away from you.  You will find yourself in situations and circumstances where it is improbable to open a book, but very appropriate to quote and apply the soothing balm of God’s word.  I can think of no better way to get an accurate handle on scripture than commit whole portions to memory to be quoted and recalled often.

That’s why I was excited to learn that Tim has set up a plan to memorize the Philippians by Easter! I down loaded the free PDF and am headed over to the book store later today to pick up my notebook and double sided tape. I’m looking forward to this journey through Philippians and I want to invite you to join me and thousands of others in memorizing this precious portion of scripture. You can find everything you need over at TimmyBrister.com the name of the project is Partnering to Remember.

A Must Read for Christian Parents

On By pastorjonathanIn books, discipleship, Family, parentingLeave a comment

Rock-Solid KIDS by Larry Fowler is a must read for Christian parents, Children ministry directors, Pastors and even youth pastors.  The book outlines a Biblical premise for ministry to children starting in the home and supplemented by the church.  The book is full of biblical wisdom and key insights.

The author didn’t share anything new or unfamiliar to me as a father, but did reaffirm several things my wife and I have sought to do as parents. That being said, I do highly recommend this book for three reasons:  It is brief, It is well written, and It contains the best chapter on sharing the gospel with children that I have ever read.

The book is only 142 pages, yet it packs punch.  You won’t find any wasted words or long diatribes.  Author Larry Fowler has done an outstanding job of  keeping the message simple and straightforward. The 8th chapter on sharing the gospel with children is one of the clearest and most straightforward I have ever read.  The 8th chapter alone is worth the market price of the book.  As a parent I’m grateful to our Minister to children for putting it in my hands.

I  highly recommend Rock-Solid KIDS to anyone who has influence in the lives of kids.  I can see it being especially helpful and encouraging for parents and ministers to children. The retail price is $17.99 (hardcover), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $14.03.  I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Then Sings My Soul (special edition)

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

Then Sings My Soul Special Edition by Robert J. Morgan is a great book with background on 150 most loved hymns.  The collection of hymns centers on the holidays with the first sections being devoted to Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.  The assortment then moves on to patriotic hymns as well as classical favorites such as “Amazing Grace” and “Just as I am.”

The book is paperback and has a picture of a beautiful green meadow on the front cover.  The pages are roughly cut giving it an old world feel in a modern jacket.  The format is simple and clear.  Each song takes up two pages, one page contains the hymn (complete with musical score just like you would find in a hymnal), the other page contains the background information to the hymn.

I  highly recommend Then Sings my Soul to anyone interested in the stories behind the hymns.  I can see it being especially helpful and encouraging music ministers. The retail price is $19.99 (paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $13.59.  I gave it five stars.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Seeing Sychar: Seeing Spiritual Realities in a Physical World (Intro)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional, SermonLeave a comment

When I was in college I used to drive 16 hours to go home and see my parents.  It was quite a drive.  Along the way I passed by countless towns and cities all with their own off ramps complete with signs touting the local eateries, gas stations, and hotels.  Despite the long drive I rarely ever stopped.  In fact, I tried to shave hours off the trip by stopping only to use the restroom, fill up the truck and grab a bite to eat (Usually all in the same location).

Then one day somewhere in southern Illinois I did the unthinkable.  I pulled off the interstate and went to a town about 8 miles off the beaten.   I don’t know what prompted me, but as I drove through that small town I began to ask God to move in that place.  I asked him to reveal himself to the people.  I asked God to give me a heart for those people.

When I got home, I looked up the town on the internet and got all the statistical information that was available for free.  I wasn’t aware of church planting at the time, If I had been I might of been tempted to go plant a church.  The urge to pray for this small town was so great and so profound.  I ended up praying for the people of that town for about a year.  I asked God many times if I was supposed to go, but sensed his call to stay.

I don’t really know what that whole experience was for, other than this… I was never able to pass that spot on the interstate again with out a burden to pray for the people of that town.  It was one of the first times that I was able to see past my own needs to see the needs of others and pray for a town just south of the interstate in southern Illinois.  The adventure of going off the map in Illinois lead to my beginning to see the Gulf Coast and the people around me as a mission field.  God was teaching me to see people with His heart.

A similar story is told in the New Testament.  Jesus and his disciples are traveling from Jerusalem to Galilee.  Their rout takes them right through Samaria and by a town named Sychar.  Weary from travel the disciples leave Jesus by a well outside of town and go into Sychar to buy lunch.  It is obvious that this place is just supposed to be a stopping off point along the way.  But a conversation with a woman at the well changes everything.  The story ends with Jesus telling the disciples to look at the town and see all the people coming to hear about him.  While they were busy buying lunch.  God was already at work in the lives of the people and many professed belief on Christ that week.

I wonder if while we go through our daily routines and habits if like the disciples we miss what God is doing in the lives of people around us.  I bet the disciples started looking at commerce and buying lunch differently after that day.  I bet they saw Sychar differently after witnessing the town flock to believe in Jesus.  I imagine that the disciples began straining to see things the way Jesus did, looking for the needs of people and the opportunity to proclaim the good news of Jesus.  After all, Jesus promised to make them “fishers of men.”  And part of fishing for men is to see them; really see them and their need for a Savior.

Stay tuned for a series of blog posts entitled-  Seeing Sychar: Seeing Spiritual Realities in a Physical World


Check out “Real-life Discipleship” by Jim Putman (this guy gets it)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, discipleship2 Comments

Real-Life Discipleship: Building Churches That Make Disciples by Jim Putman is a must read for anyone serious about discipleship!  It is packed with Biblical, simple, and time-tested  strategy on how to help people grow in Christ. I really appreciated Jim’s pastoral style of writing that bleeds through on every page.  While handling the truth of God’s word, Jim is sure to pull readers into the story of redemption and call them to take up the mantle of discipleship. After reading hundreds of books I have come to learn that not all books are equal.  If you had to read only one book on discipleship (besides the Bible), this is the book. I was blessed, encouraged and even rebuked in areas of my own life while reading this book.

I was first turned on to this resource after reading Avery Willis and Mark Snowden’s book Truth that Sticks (another book well worth a read).  After reading that book I commented that more books would be needed, this is one of those books!  I am excited an encouraged all at once about the series of books that are coming out of NavPress on the topics of discipleship.

Real-life Discipleship is a clarion call back to a biblical model of discipleship.  I highly recommend it to anyone interested in developing a biblical model of discipleship in their church.  The retail price is $17.99 (Hardcover), and is available at a discount at  Amazon.com for $12.23. I gave it FIVE stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Discipleship 101: Be Teachable

On By pastorjonathanIn discipleship, leadership, ManhoodLeave a comment

So through the years God has blessed me to be able to be in a mentor/ coach/ lead/ disciple/ pastor or whatever the next buzz-word will be, several men.  For the first several years I didn’t recognize much of what was happening other than the guys who were hanging around me began asking great questions and I was able to teach from where I had been and what I knew to be true from God’s word.  These days I’m a little more intentional and I move forward with a larger game plan to develop and strengthen the gifts and talents that these men posses in the Lord.

Regi Campbell shares in his book Mentor Like Jesus that he generally picks the guys that he is going to mentor.  I tend to agree Regi’s line of thinking on this.  The disciple maker should choose the disciples.  For the longest time I didn’t know why I held this as a default position other than the fact that through the years I’ve rejected some folks who wanted my input and sought out others to influence.  Then it dawned on me… The guys I picked tended to have one quality in common… They were teachable.

Be Teachable

I learned a long time ago that not everyone who came to me for discipleship really wanted to grow.  Sometimes people sought me out for opportunity or endorsement; they didn’t always want to learn what I might have to teach.  As a pastor I know that my greatest work for the moment with these type people will not be actual discipleship, but in bringing them to a place of being teachable (which usually involves allowing them to fail repeatedly until they come to a place of frustration and through their frustration they overcome their pride enough to ask for help).

When Jesus called the first few disciples he said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  The key to becoming fishers of men was to follow Jesus in such a way that he could transform them.  In essence they had to be teachable.  If you were to ask me to teach you how to fold a paper airplane and I were to repeatedly demonstrate very basic folding patterns while talking about how airflow over a certain shape were to create lift, I would expect you to follow at least the very basic folding patterns even if all the talk about airflow went in one ear and out the other.  However, if you were unwilling even to follow my basic folding patterns and try to attempt your own very flawed designs with no regard to how airflow creates lift I would call you unteachable.  My best hope at that point would be to move on and teach those who are teachable and hope that after 1000’s of failed attempts to make your plane fly that you would come back for some help with at least the basic folds.

But what if you were teachable?  What if you came to me and I taught you paper folds while talking airflow and while at first you didn’t understand airflow you did understand the folds?  Then you tried some modifications to my design and some worked and some didn’t.  What if then as we talked through why some of your modifications failed and succeeded you all of the sudden grasp what I was saying about airflow and this information fuels modifications and changes that work?  Then I would say that you are teachable and soon you will be able to teach others.

So it is with discipleship.  The first thing you must do is be teachable.  If you are not teachable, all bets are off.  I can’t make you into anything.  I can’t help you succeed.  Your own pride will hang you before we ever get started.  You must be willing to listen.  You must be willing to learn.  You must be willing to attempt under supervision.  You must be willing to discuss failure as well as success.  You must be teachable.  To not be teachable is to not be transformed.

The truth is that to really be a disciple, you must be teachable.  Are you teachable?

Even as a leader I strive in my own life to fight pride and to be teachable.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

On This Day in Christian History (A Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, MinistryLeave a comment

I like history.  I really like Christian History.  Just take one glance around my office and you will notice that most of the books on my shelves were written by dead guys (actually they wrote the books and then they died).  You might also notice a long shelve filled with biographies and still another shelf filled with volumes of Church history.  You will also notice a magazine stack of Christian History Magazines.  I’m a history guy.  I’m a Christian history guy.

So when On This Day in Christian History: 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes came up for review, I jumped at the chance to review it.  And it didn’t disappoint.  There are so many things that I like about this book and  it is hard to summarize in just a few words, so let me say this… it’s the perfect gift for a guy like me.  I can also see it being a great read for someone who is interested in getting a glimps at the people and events of Christian history.

The stories are generally inspiring.  There is a scripture verse at the bottom of the page that brings relevance and meaning to the previously read story.  There is a fascinating topic index in the back of the book allowing readers to look up stories according to topic. Over all it does a great job at achieving its purpose (a bite sized reading of what happened in Christian history on a particular day) in a way that encourages readers to stay engaged in the book.  I dare you to just read one day’s history when you get the book.

I  highly recommend On This Day in Christian History to anyone interested in Christian history.  To beginners its an easy read, small commitment book that will give you a broad spectrum view of Christian History.  To well educated history nerds like myself it will allow you to pull out of a narrowed genre of Church history (I find myself often in the Reformation and the Puritan Eras)  to appreciate a broader scope of history in a way that doesn’t take a lot of time.  Plus, everyone wants to know what happened in Christian history on your birthday.   The retail price is $12.99 (paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $9.35. I really like this book and at under $10 it makes a great dirty Santa gift when you are getting together with history nerds… unfortunately, we are a rare breed.  I gave it five stars.

    Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

    The Best book I’ve Read on Communicating Truth

    On By pastorjonathanIn books, MinistryLeave a comment

    Truth That Sticks: How to Communicate Velcro Truth in a Teflon World by Avery T. Willis Jr. and Mark Snowden is by far one of the best books I’ve read on how to communicate the biblical message.  I’ve read dozens of books just on the subject matter of speaking and dozens more on preaching, yet none with the simplicity and authenticating case studies presented in this book.  The idea is simple: The Bible has lots of truth telling stories and stories stick.

    The idea is so simple that we were already practicing it with the non-readers in our house.  I’ve read the Jesus Storybook Bible to my daughter 4 or 5 times now just by reading a few stories per night.  Sunday afternoons we pull out a set of pictures we have that tell the major stories of the Bible and she asks questions about the pictures and I tell the stories.  I just never thought of teaching adults, or students through stories… that is until I read Made to Stick by Dan and Chip Heath.  Then I thought it was possible, but I struggles with how to go about teaching adults through story.  Then this book made it’s way to my hands and has become a primer.

    To be honest another book is needed (and I think one is on the way) with more specifics on how to teach small groups, large group, etc. through the power of Biblical stories.

    This book is a great for people looking to share the gospel or  help disciple others, Sunday school teachers, pastors, etc. I highly recommend it.  The retail price is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available at a discount at  Amazon.com for $10.19. I gave it FIVE stars

    Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”