Entries by Tony Cooke

Christocentric By Tony Cooke

Christocentric By Tony Cooke I like that term. It simply means that the Lord Jesus Christ is at the center. If Scripture teaches anything, it teaches that Jesus is supreme, […]

The Blood Still Speaks Skit

The Blood Still Speaks This is an illustrated sermon. It not only includes a message, but also involves a dramatization of a courtroom scene portraying the victorious redemption brought to […]

Bones in the Body

BONES IN THE BODY By Rev. Tony Cooke Various Scriptures remind us that the Church is the Body of Christ in the earth.  For example, 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now […]

Birth and Growth by Tony Cooke

Birth and Growth Tony Cooke I recently saw what I thought was an interesting quote by the late Dallas Willard, and I posted it on Facebook. His statement was: "In […]

Benefits and Benefactors by Rev. Tony Cooke

Benefits and Benefactors Rev. Tony Cooke Everyone likes benefits! One of the great insights students of the Bible receive is that God offers benefits to His children. A prime example is […]

How Precious is This Book? By Tony Cooke

How Precious is This Book? By Rev. Tony Cooke “So great is my veneration for the Bible that …the earlier my children begin to read it, the more confident will […]

Beautiful Giving by Tony Cooke

Beautiful Giving by Tony Cooke During the Christmas season, much is said about giving, and rightly so. “For God so loved the world that He gave…” is perhaps the most […]

Bearing False Witness by Tony Cooke

Bearing False Witness Tony Cooke In the Bible, the first time the phrase “false witness” is used is in the Decalogue—the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:16 says, “You shall not bear […]

Beautiful Balance by Tony Cooke

Beautiful Balance Tony Cooke Do you remember trying to learn to ride your bicycle without training wheels? In a word, you were trying to achieve balance. You wanted to stay […]

Eight Reasons Not to Make Your House Payment

Note from Tony: We wouldn’t think of using the following excuses to neglect making a house payment, yet these same kinds of excuses are used by individuals who neglect to […]

There’s an App for That by Tony Cooke

There’s an App for That Tony Cooke If you’re the least bit tech savvy, you’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “There’s an app for that.” In January 2011, the American […]

Seven Unders that Will Put You Over by Tony Cooke

Seven Unders That Will Put You Over by Rev. Tony Cooke Introduction People are continually looking for that special something that will give them an edge in life. They are […]

The Four-Wheel Drive Christian by Tony Cooke

The Four-Wheel Drive Christian by Rev. Tony Cooke Having lived in Oklahoma since 1979, we never saw much need for four-wheel drive.  However, living in Colorado this past winter presented […]

Which Translation(s)?

I wonder which translation pastors preach from the most? Study? If you use one predominant version in preaching, which other translations do you most often refer to in order to provide other shades of meaning? What is it that you like about the translation(s) you use the most, and why do you consider it to be the most effective for you?

Weekly Routine

I’m trying to get a handle on my schedule and bring some order into my world. Do other pastors have some kind of routine in their schedule? Do they do certain tasks (sermon preparation, time with staff and leaders, prayer, counseling, administrative tasks, time-off, etc.) in designated blocks of time on specified days, or do they do their tasks randomly, whenever they can?

Volunteers

What do other churches do to inspire people to become volunteers, to recruit them, to train them, and to appreciate them?

Toxic People

Is there a time for a pastor to cut off communication with toxic people?

Time Off

I tend to stay overly engrossed in my work as a pastor, and I’ve not been very good at taking time off. When I have taken a break or a vacation, I tend to not let go of the church or the cares of the ministry mentally. I’m wondering what other pastors do to relax? How do they do with hobbies, days off, vacations, and sabbaticals. I’d love to learn from pastors who’ve done better with these things than I have.

How do you deal with stress in the ministry?

How do you deal with stress in the ministry? Do you have hobbies? How much time do you take off, and what do you do when you’re off? What have you learned in ministry that has helped you deal with stress and pressure?

Strengthening Marriages

What does your church do to strengthen marriages? What kinds of resources (books, videos, classes, etc.) have you found helpful? Are there any special tools, such as personality inventories, etc. that you’ve found to be helpful? Does your church offer any type of counseling for couples, marriage retreats, etc.? How often do you teach on marriage and relationships from the pulpit? I’m looking for any and all ideas that we can possibly implement in our church to help our couples have successful marriages.

Staying Focused

As a pastor, I find myself having to deal with so many interruptions and distractions that it’s hard to stay proactive with my schedule. It seems like I’m always putting out fires, and then I don’t have enough time for family, study, prayer, etc. The problems I find myself dealing with are legitimate and do require some attention, but how do I keep myself from being completely side-tracked by all these issues?