#pastoring

[craigtowens]

Can Criticism Ever Be A Good Thing?

Don’t be too quick on this one: I’m wondering if criticism can ever be a good thing?  Check out this episode of The Podcast. 

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/can-criticism-ever-be-a-good-thing.mp3 Don’t be too quick on this one: I’m wondering if criticism can ever be a good thing?   Check out this episode of The Podcast.  The Scriptures that I reference in this video are…

[calebyap]

Ten joys of the elder’s chair by Mark Dever from his T4G message on the dangerous allure of speed and the need for endurance in pastoral ministry:

1. Joy of resting in the sufficiency of Scripture.

2. Joy of seeing people converted.

3. Joy of knowing the congregation well enough to see lives changed.

4. Joy of singing God’s praises.

5. Joy of knowing the state of your members is more important than numbers. Know how your members are.

6. Joy of hearing others preach better sermons than you.

7. Joy of being more excited at God’s work than your own.

8. Joy of knowing the weight of the world is on God’s shoulders, not ours.

9. Joy of longing for heaven together.

10. Joy of waiting together on the promises of a faithful God

[slowtumbling]

God Is My Auto-Pilot

I have never liked the bumper sticker that reads, “God is my copilot.” It seems to imply that God takes a backseat to my will, stepping in only when I need extra help. No, I think God should be the pilot. But today, as I sit here utterly drained—physically, mentally, spiritually—I’m pondering something else: What if God needs to be my autopilot? Autopilot doesn’t mean disengaged. It means that…

[wezlo]

Random Thoughts #156

The world seems to be intent on imploding for…reasons…and I’m pretty much done with it. I’m winding up vacation, I’ve had coffee, and I’ve not gotten enough sleep. These are random thoughts. If you want to make an IT-minded person really angry, mess with their network equipment. More and more I’m seeing a lack of hope being equated with “maturity.” This is a lie. A lack of hope isn’t mature,…

[daisylambs]

[mmeyers815]

Paneradventure at a hosptial:

G: Phew… this place takes it out of you.

Me: yeah, I’m sure…

G: you here visiting someone?

M: I just finished visiting someone from my church.

G: Oh you must be one of those visitation specialists then?

M: Well, I’m the pastor… sometimes I guess I’m a visitation specialist.

G: **You’re** the pastor?? Well, I’ll be damned.

M: I mean… you’re probably not…

G: Oh… ha. Good one. Well, you must be used to this place taking it out of you.

M: I don’t think you ever really get used to it.

G: That is the truth. Hey, since you’re a pastor… Uh, what do you think happens when we die?

M: Oh that’s a big question for a short elevator ride… I think that there’s nothing that can separate from God’s love and we remain in that love for eternity.

G: That would be why you said I’m not damned then?

M: Ha… yeah, that would be part of it. I think that God’s love is so big and unconditional and grace holds us together before we even reach the end of our rope.

G: Thank you for that. That actually gives me some of me back. I won’t need to take as long of a nap to recover from this place. I’ll trust that God’s grace will hold me.

M: That gets me through most days.

G: Well, Pastor… I’m glad I ran into you today. I needed some grace.

M: Me too… me too.

💖💖

[valtsv]

today at church my pastor told us "the trouble with a living sacrifice is it keeps crawling off the altar" and it made me think of your blog. not sure if it's right vibe but the association was immediate.

man i knew the prospects for a career in standup comedy were bad but i had no idea it was so dire that comedians were turning to the church to supplement their income. this says a lot about the state of the economy.

[vintagehomecollection]

The most well known of San Francisco's numerous pedestrian streets is that section of Filbert Street between Montgomery and Battery streets on the steep eastern slope of Telegraph Hill - the Filbert Steps. This pastoral enclave, which includes the cross streets Darrell Place and Napier Lane and the nearby Greenwich Steps, is dotted with cottages that are testament to the bittersweet challenge of cottage living.

The Cottage Book, 1989

[nachosforfree]

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out, because I was not a communist...

[probablybadrpgideas]

Put the Slender Man in your campaign.

Look, I know, he's old news, but have a heart! He last got work like ten years ago, and he just needs one solid gig to get him back on his feet. He can still do the static thing, you know! Remember that? That was so cool in 2009! Everyone loved the static thing, right?

He doesn't have to be the Big Bad or anything, he'll settle for being a mook or random encounter. He spends all his time rewatching Marble Hornets and crying these days, just give him a cameo or something. One last hurrah for the guy who used to be the Big Name of internet horror. What do you say?

[craigtowens]

Shepherds Must Not Give In To Fight-Or-Flight 

Fight-or-flight may be a natural response for shepherd leaders who are being bitten by sheep, but it’s not the response that glorifies God, strengthens our leadership, and heals the flock.

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/shepherds-must-not-give-in-to-fight-or-flight.mp3 Both physically and psychologically, our natural response to an attack, a surprise, or pain is to fight or flight.  Although this is a natural response, it’s not the best…

[deepsouthreformation]

Q&A with Nathan Knight (Planting by Pastoring)

For more information or to purchase a copy of Planting by Pastoring, click here. Q&A with Nathan Knight Evan: Tell us about yourself? Nathan: I grew up in the south (Nashville, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Raleigh). My Mom loved Jesus and I’m hopeful my Dad did. Regularly attending church in the United Methodist church, I later came to faith in a Southern Baptist church as a sophomore in college…

[finnanigans]

he in fact do not stop saying blehhh 👅

based on interactions w me and my gf

blehhhh 👅

[theythemmer]

hear me out

(bonus sister philippa)

[daisylambs]