#pastor in training

[mothmiso]

Yurihonjo (2) (3) by murozo

Via Flickr:

(1) Many flowers are blooming on the sides of rice fields. The train passed by this field. Mt. Chokai in the back, but it was mostly hidden by clouds. 田圃の周りにたくさんの花が咲いていました。その脇を列車が通り過ぎて行きました。 奥には鳥海山が見えるのですが、ほとんど雲に隠れていました。 (2) Apple garden. These are probably the flowers of Ohrin (one of varieties of apples). / おそらく、王林の花。 (3) I found this buckwheat field yesterday but it was cloudy. The night passed... This morning is fine! I visit this place again! 昨日この場所を見つけたのですが、昨日は曇り。一晩明けて今日は晴れ！再訪して撮りました。        

[kyumisyumi]

Genuinely cannot stop thinking about a Pastor!König scenario where he tries to fuck God into you.

(He a lil confused but he got the Holy spirit)

[ice-devourer]

i’m not too fond of tkd anymore however, the queer kids confiding in me at the training center makes it so damn difficult to leave can i just adopt them T — T

[sunshineandrosesnoraincamemyway]

It is 3 am and I am still awake, but I slept all day because of my migraine and had a coke at like 7 pm so what did you expect?

[gemstarstarlight]

Two IMPORTANT things I’ve decided in this conference I’ve been going to:

I love it and am going to be processing it for a lot of days. 2 most profound observations so far are submission and obedience are not the same thing and require different attitudes, and our culture is actually moving towards a more biblical understanding, even though we might not see it. Will expound on both of those at some point.

I’ve decided to start a series on this blog I’m vaguely calling Theology Thursdays. I doubt it will be every Thursday, but I want to post about religion, particularly Christianity and even more particularly evangelical Christianity, regularly. Part of it is the season I’m in (I’m training to be a campus missionary), but honestly I’ve been wanting to write about religion, theology, and Christ and the church for a while. I feel like it’s something people aren’t doing on Tumblr, and if they are it’s more in a “processing and venting” sort of way. I want to do research. I want to make essays. I want to make content you can cite and think about.

Now, I COMPLETELY understand if that’s not content you are up for. I will be tagging my content as #christianity and #theology thursdays so you don’t have to follow it. Will not be offended if you unfollow: it’s up to you. But I’ve been feeling a real call (pull from the Holy Spirit) to do it in the last few months. So I’ll be doing it. Partially because I think that’s what God wants me to do, but also because I think I’m going to need to write so I can process what I’m learning.

And again, I just don’t think there’s a voice for people like me. People who are queer but also are Christian, people who are both conservative and liberal, people who really want to see God’s will in the world but are unsure how to do it when our immediate heritage is not working. People who stick out and know they do. People who are anxious when they walk into a room of Christians or queer people because they don’t feel like they fit or agree with either group.

But if nobody speaks up, if nobody chooses to create space, who will?

I’m not claiming to be an expert. I’m not claiming to be perfect. But I love Jesus. I love the people who love him. I want to see reconciliation between queer people and the church. I want to see reconciliation between Gen-Z and the church. I want to create a space where people can learn, where people can grow and ask questions, and where people can feel safe being confused and hopefully find some clarity. And I want to actually do researched takes, rather than only talking based on experiences. I want to be creating a theology by going back to the Bible and what it truly says and means, rather than what culture (Christian and secular) says. Most importantly, I want you guys to know Jesus, my Jesus, not who you may have met through culture or your family or your experiences. You don’t have to love him or accept him, but I hate watching people reject a God that isn’t really him.

So I invite everyone who follows me to go on the journey with me! You’ll probably get something from me soon. I hope we can all grow and think together about such topics. And, most importantly, it can be a place that destigmatizes Christianity and provides information.

[pastored123]

A Flood, An Umbrella, and A Bridge

An chapter excerpt from my new book, To Be A Pastor To better understand one of the more essential roles of being a pastor involves caring for others as they find themselves in immediate, temporary, and long-term need of spiritual and practical needs. My personal experiences in this category of service were more than a little challenging to me because for years I lacked experience in evaluating…

[rowenabean]

oh GOSH the person at church yesterday said "isn't it nice that we lve in a time when having chronic illness doesn't mean being ostracised from society" and I was like. yeah that would be nice. sad that we don't.

[tayloralisonswift]

i’m at my parents’ church (they’re having a cookout) and my anxiety is at an all time high

[zairacarrerabg]

Rocky, pastor belga M.

[gemstarstarlight]

Here is an article that talks more about the validity of The 5 Love Languages. I'd recommend reading it (and, if you're a Christian, highly recommend all of Sheila Gregoire's stuff), but if you don't want to, here's a TLDR:

The Five Love Languages are not scientifically valid, for a host of reasons.

People still found it useful, and that's not bad. They can be tools to help your marriage/relationships. It's never bad to think, "How can I love and understand my partner better?"

Christians are fond of gimmicks/magic bullets that solve all your problems. That's bad, and we should be better than that. Tools can be weaponized, because they aren't inherently good or bad. What matters are the people using them, and the attitude that they have towards their partner.

To me, using the Five Love Languages isn't inherently misogynistic, patriarchal, or heteronormative. I've used it, and figured out that I actually HATE acts of service or most gifts, both giving and receiving them. I'd feel a sinking in my chest if someone gave me a gift or someone gave something to me. That was helpful for me to know when I was younger, and gave me language that helped other people love me better.

Having done more inner work, I've also realized it's because both require awareness and paying attention to detail, both of which I am bad at and have been punished for being bad at. So everyone knows that gifts are not my love language, and they don't have that expectation. However, when I do know someone loves acts of service or gifts, I try to show them that love, and they feel extra special because they know it's hard for me. It's a way for us to understand and communicate love, and we both feel more known at the end of the experience, which is the goal.

The point is, it's not a bad starting place, and it's not inherently evil.

instagram.com/reel/C1vSyu_ATsv/

[poisonedtealeafs]

spencer stepped into their living room. a cup of fresh coffee in his hand, his hair still unruly from just getting out of bed. it was six in the morning.

his eyes caught a silver shimmer from the window sill. it came from the metallic ornaments adorning a black leather bound book.

"where did you even find that?" spencers eyes flick to xenia who had made herself comfortable in the black loveseat. she too was drinking a cup of coffee.

"in your backpack."

"and how did it get there?" he stepped around the table looking at the book in disbelief.

"probably when we run from the cops." the witch answered. "i just threw it into the next best backpack."

"and we haven't used it since?" the young pastor picked it up from the window sill, it was heavier than he had remembered it to be.

"apparently. well the most important notes i had copied already and you knew most of it from the top of your head."

spencer flicked the book open, the title page read "a guide for" and the rest was ripped of. either by the original owner, someone who had gotten their hands on it before them, neither he or xenia knew.

[pastorjeremynorton]

Bridging the Gap Between Discipleship and Leadership Development

Is something missing in your church’s leadership? Discipleship alone isn’t enough. Discover how bridging the gap with mentorship and practical leadership training can transform your church’s future. #ChurchLeadership #Discipleship #Mentorship #Faith

Discovering the Missing Piece in Church Leadership Have you ever felt like something was missing in your church’s approach to leadership? If you were raised in an evangelical church, there was likely Biblical teaching, programs for all ages, and a strong focus on the Gospel—a standard discipleship model in Western Christianity. However, a crucial difference has emerged between discipleship and…

[bristolchurch]

Profit Pulpits: The Divine Dilemma of Pastors and Church Finances

Introduction: The role of pastors in churches is undoubtedly crucial. They serve as spiritual leaders and help guide their congregations towards a path of righteousness. However, in some cases, pastors may overstep their bounds and begin to view the church’s income as their own personal property. This attitude can be problematic, and this paper aims to explore this issue further. The…

[dadiaso]

On a Journey Towards Jesus

One of the highlights for us this last year was the evangelism training we helped lead for pastors and leaders in Tijuana. We teamed up with a friend, Steve Dueck who works with Cru.

Evangelism Training in Tijuana Evangelism training course for pastors and leaders in Tijuana I hope that you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends. Dawn and I celebrated Christmas at home this year, and we spent the afternoon with some good friends for an outstanding meal and a fun time. It’s hard to believe that 2022 is almost over. One of the highlights for us this last…

[pastored123]

The Terrible Effects Christian Isolation

A chapter excerpt from Malignant Normality in the Church: A Modern-Day Plague The Terrible Effects of Isolation. Chapter 6 I cannot state with any more critical emphasis the inherent malignancy provided on the subject of the evil of isolation than the quote extracted from a sermon of mine. It was presented at a regional Christian education summit, and I was privileged to address what happens…

[faith-nerd]

Man I wish that were me...

I had a Sunday School teacher that refused to acknowledge that maybe the people who wrote the Bible could be biased. Even if you could convince her that some were passed down orally before written language was invented, she still insisted that "the Holy Spirit guided their words to be the truth." I got out of there before I could point out any times the Bible contradicted itself.

There's also at least one church in my town that is built on the foundation of "Actually following the Bible as it was written" ... aka ignoring any historical context, contradictions, or pretty much anything that doesn't align with their interpretation (which includes women must be subservient to men and a bunch of other traditionalist notions).

But, sorry, there are a lot of people who call themselves Christians that say you have to take every word of the Bible at face value.

I was raised Christian and I was pretty sure I was taught Adam and Eve wasn’t real, it’s just a story to teach about sin and humanity. But now I hear people saying that it’s believed to be true? What are your thoughts on it lol

I think that the Bible can’t be taken literally because it often contradicts itself in the same paragraph. Irl the only people I meet who claim that you have to believe that the Bible is literally true if you’re a Christian are Reddit atheists.