It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>
Who Is Praying for You?
Related Posts
Knowing When to Keep Going … and When to Stop
My regular place to run is a 3-mile dirt path around a college campus. It keeps me off the pavement (good for my knees) and out of traffic (good for…
7 Questions for Healthy Oversight
Every church has some form of governance (at least on paper), but the practices of “oversight” vary widely. Oversight has existed in various forms since the beginning of the church.…
Stretching Toward Adaptability
What characteristics are most valuable for a leader? Scores of leadership books offer lists with the 5 or 7 or 10 (but never 11 or 13) attributes that successful leaders…
Hi Mike,
Thanks for another great post. You’ve hit on an important problem in the kingdom. Pastors need prayer as much as anyone (if not more), but it’s hard to develop that authentic connection within the congregation or with colleagues. I used to resent the void, but I’ve come to realize that it goes with ministry. It goes with the territory so why be angry about it?
I’ve found a helpful resource in spiritual direction. This is an old & respected Christian tradition that is common among Catholics but often unknown to evangelicals.
I meet monthly with a trained director, who asks questions such as…
How are you doing spiritually? How is your family?
What is God doing in your life? What are you learning? How are you growing?
How can I pray for you?
Since my director is not a member of my church, I can vent as needed. And an outsider can offer wider perspectives on my challenges.
This practice has calmed my soul and increased my effectiveness and longevity as a congregational minister.
Thanks, John. I know a number of people who have found great value in spiritual direction, and am glad that it’s no longer seen as just a “Catholic thing.”