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Effective Pastoral Ministry Includes Communicating Well About Christmas Collect Quality Stories and Illustrations For over 50 years I've collected quotes and illustrations from every book I've read. A pastor is never out of the preparing to preach mode. I've gathered...

Ideas to Increase a Pastor’s Christmas-Season Effectiveness We are in the holiday season, and it's interesting for pastors. The phone rings less often, and there are fewer requests for counseling. If somebody requests help it is for a major issue....

In this instance, confession must precede suggestion. This is an area where my struggle continues. However, being aware of the problem increases my mindfulness (at times) of how I’m dealing with time. ****************** Six Filters for a Pastor’s Time The...

When a Delayed Decision is a Bad Decision My book, Bad Decisions - The Legacy of Lot closely examines Lot's life. There are over twenty chapters, most of them easily developed into lessons or used with the available Bad Decisions Leader's Guide....

Faithful are a friends words that wound us. Why should you value such friendships? How to respond? Examples of my experiences with wounding words. How to speak wounding words and what to do when someone closes the door to receiving input from you.

In Christianity, gratitude is a deeply rooted spiritual practice. But to whom do we express gratitude? Of course, we are ever thankful to the Lord Jesus Christ, but are we not also to be grateful for the kindness of other humans? Certainly.

Let's look at this from a different perspective. How should a believer respond when someone expresses gratitude to them? Receiving the thanks of others can be tricky because believers must align receiving gratitude with humility—a core Christian value.

Receiving thanks is not as important as being thankful, but receiving thanks matters. Being appreciated by others influences our mental health because it produces positive emotions and supports relationships. 

Learn Six Ways to Improve in this area

Thanksgiving is not just a holiday, it is much more, and we should explore its spiritual essence. The Psalms were written long before there was a Thanksgiving Holiday. Psalms often shows thanksgiving as an enduring attitude that elevates ordinary experiences. ...

Pastors are the making of God's people.  A pastor's ability and effort to lead a congregation, seek those who are lost, feed the flock, and be part of healing hurting people either develops or impedes. In this blog, I honor my  pastors who most clearly demonstrated the four qualities in the Ezekiel 34 - Shepherd's Job Description. E. W. Caughron for leadership. Louis Green for feeding the flock. G.A. Mangun in seeking the wandering and T.F. Tenney in ministering healing to the hurting.

Daily Devotion is a foundation stone of Christian living. Few resources teach us how to have a daily devotion. We are left on our own to learn how to practice daily devotion. One tool that helps keep the goal before you is a devotional journal. 

Are we not compelled to serve Christ on a daily basis. And what a difference these simple habits make in what our life becomes. Give it a try today.

For those who pastor or are in a church leadership role – Christmas is a time to make a memorable and influential ministry impact.  Yes, Christmas is a time of “good tidings and joy to all people.” The beginning of the incarnation happened at Bethlehem. 

Blessings on you as we begin 2021. Our chaotic world is ultimately ruled by the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him, there is no chaos or distress. As one of His young’uns, should I be stressing out?

Are you effective with growing a church, winning the lost, and turning converts into disciples? If so, your effectiveness on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ did not happen by accident. You made some intentional decisions. 

What is powerful preaching? Is it preaching that brings people to their feet? Is it preaching that hits the “hot buttons” an audience will heartily respond to? Is it loud? Does the preacher need to seem as though he just drank three Red Bull energy drinks?

When Gideon defeated the Midianites with a rather absurd battle plan. He did not start celebrating. Instead, Gideon and his 300 pursued the Midianites toward the Jordan River. A battle had been won, but lasting victory had not been secured. In our spiritual warfare with evil, the pursuit must continue.

There is a Life in Brief version and a second much longer version.  Carlton L. Coon Sr. Life in Brief No longer in my 40s. Married to Norma for several decades. Two sons, daughter-in-law, two grandsons, and one granddaughter. Preaching...

Men are often the strength of a church. Because of this, men are under attack by the world, Satan, and our own carnal flesh. This series is based on my concern that we have not intentionally prepared men to deal...

The followers of Christ set themselves to continually learn and then increase their capability to do for him.

What true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ would not want to know more about Him?

A pastoral hack is an action that gives significant benefit without great cost or risk. The benefit gained from the hack far outweighs any risk. in some instances, the hack is a shortcut to increasing your influence.

 A hack is anything that provides a shortcut toward being effective. Using pastoral hacks is working smart even while you work hard.

 This pastoral hack may seem self-serving. It isn’t, instead it helps keep things in balance.

A disciple is one who learns. In Christian life the knowledge is not abstract information. Instead, a disciple is one who learns and applies. Every saved person is to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to learn and apply the new insights we gain.