So that’s when Susie said, “Sometimes people don’t realize that their circumstances could be different—and how they’re contributing to their own mess.” Let me back up a bit. A few months ago, I interviewed Susie Howard and Wendy Herrberg. Wendy and Susie are the care ministry directors at The Creek church in Indianapolis, IN. They explained to me that often, when … [Read more...]
How to avoid preaching insensitive sermons
Lane Sebring has spent a lot of time preaching, and thinking and writing about how to do it well. He is associate pastor at Centreville Baptist Church in the Northern Virginia/Washington, DC, area and author of Preaching Killer Sermons. We asked him to share some insights on how to avoid being insensitive when preaching on a sensitive topic. Do you remember a sermon when … [Read more...]
How to free up more time to care for your congregation
A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Jim Petty, a former pastor and counselor, about the difficulties pastors often face in time management. What he had to say will help pastors manage their time better so they are more free to offer pastoral care to their congregations. What makes time management so crucial for a pastor? I had a teacher at seminary … [Read more...]
Speak wisely: Gender communication preferences
From the very beginning, men and women have been different.1 God designed Eve to match Adam in most respects, but also to be different from him in others. Though differences existed, there was still the prospect of Adam and Eve complementing one another in a close relationship. Thus, their differences actually could be used to strengthen one another.2 Communication was a key … [Read more...]
Why is it hard to get people to open up?
Why is it so hard to get people to open up? I asked Pastor Andy Farmer of Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA, to answer that question. He said the reasons why people are tight-lipped often have more to do with us than the people we’re trying to help. We should consider first how others view their relationship with you. Andy shared: Pastors presume they have a … [Read more...]
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