I’m a pastor who is endeavoring to balance church, marriage, family, work, etc. How accessible should I be? Should I be accessible 24/7 to everyone? Who should know my cell phone number? My house number? What is a healthy balance? I’d like to hear how other pastors manage their accessibility and make sure the people are properly cared for.
With technology changing at a rapid rate, it seems confusing trying to find the right user-friendly software to handle the giving records at church. I wonder what church software the different churches are using and why? Also, what apps and other systems of giving are churches using, and how are they working? Are such avenues creating an increase in donations, and if so, how much? There are so many ways today to give like cash, check, credit card, online, phone apps, etc.
I believe I need to do some more end-time teaching than I have in the past. What are some of the approaches that other pastors take in teaching on such issues, and what are the basic things that pastors teach along these lines? I realize there are many different views when it comes to eschatology – how can I teach my people healthy, wholesome doctrine that avoids weirdness? What resources are recommended?
It looks like I will be doing my first funeral as a pastor in the very near future. I’d love to hear from some seasoned pastors about what they’ve learned from their experiences in conducting funerals? How can I most effectively minister to the family and those in attendance? Are there some do’s and don’ts I should be aware of in conducting funerals? I’d also be interested in hearing the experiences of pastors who’ve had to do “difficult” funerals. Thanks for the tips and advice.
I’m curious how other pastors develop their leaders, and how they delegate responsibilities to others. I’d like to increase my proficiency in these areas, and would love to get insights from other pastors.
What three skills help you the most in carrying out your pastoral ministry? How do they help you, and to what degree did you feel gifted in these three areas, and how much did you have to work to acquire and or develop them?
I would love to hear a collection of statements from various pastors. What are the concise statements they have which communicate the vision and purpose of their churches? These would include vision statements, mission statements, listings of core values, etc. I would even like to know the slogans and mottos that churches use. In addition to statements that speak to the entire congregation, I would also like to see any statements or concise lists that churches have just for their leaders or staff, such as lists of expectations, priorities, key principles, etc.
Paul said, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound” (Philippians 4:12). To be honest, I get really uncomfortable when church finances are tight. I’m not sure I’ve learned how to be abased and also be content. Also, I’d love to get some insight as to how to handle money very wisely and strategically when it does come in abundance. Can pastors advise me on how to be a steady, proficient, and wise steward in both lean times and in times of abundance.
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-12-03 09:54:202020-10-07 21:13:20How to Be Abased and How to Abound
I am a new pastor at a small church, and met an evangelist through a friend. I felt he would be a good fit for our church. After he came, I realized he was little more “over the top” than what I expected, and it seems that more damage may have been done that the good that was accomplished. How do I follow up with what I feel was a big mistake on my part? What can I do to “clean up” now, and also avoid such situations in the future?
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-11-06 07:24:082020-10-07 17:51:31Cleaning Up After a Guest Minister
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?
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?
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? 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?
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:00:082020-10-07 23:44:55How do you deal with stress in the ministry?
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.
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?
As a young minister, I’ve noticed how many ministers seem to get off-track in some glaring way during the course of their ministries. I never want to do anything that dishonors God or become someone who brings reproach to the Gospel or misrepresents the Lord Jesus Christ. I’ve always heard the admonitions about “the gold, the girls, and the glory,” but can you share with me what you feel are the root areas of sin (or neglect, disobedience, attitude problems, etc.) that ultimately open up the door to these more obvious sins. I would love to hear from proven ministers how to stay on-track…how to avoid getting into prideful attitudes or wrong behavior. My heart’s desire is to serve God with honor and integrity over the course of my lifetime. What are the specific pitfalls and traps I need to watch out for?
I’m looking for insights on how to work with and develop my staff, not so much what to expect from them, but rather, I’d like to know: “What are a pastor’s responsibilities toward his or her staff?” Read the responses.
As a pastor, I had a situation where a church member confided in one of my staff members about a particular matter (they are friends). Because of the way it was shared, my staff member never conveyed the information to me. I ended up making some church-related decisions and taking some actions which I never would have taken had I known what the staff member knew. Am I wrong to be concerned that my staff member felt more loyalty to the church member than to me as the pastor? How should I address this to this particular staff member, and how should I communicate with my overall staff about what I expect regarding this type of scenario?
What is the best way to lead staff meetings; especially with full and part-time staff, or even volunteer staff? What should the staff be expected to prepare for the meeting? How are agendas best established? How often should you have meetings to cover church business as opposed to providing training? Who should attend staff meetings? Do you have different levels of meetings? Pastoral staff only or all staff attending?
As a pastor, I regularly observe the performance of my staff members and leaders. I don’t want to be a perfectionist or a micro-manager, but I want to see everyone given to excellence, thoroughness, and attention to detail. How do I instill these values in my leaders? How can I give them feedback (which sometimes involves correction) without making them feel that I’m always “riding them?” They do alright much of the time, but I get frustrated when they just don’t seem to “get it” and miss obvious things that should be done. How do I coach, give feedback, and help our church staff embrace a sense of excellence in all that we do?
As a pastor, I’m looking to help facilitate small group fellowship among our people. What are other churches doing with small groups? What formats and approaches seem to work the best? I’d love to hear what types of guidelines, resources, curriculum, etc. that other pastors have used successfully. What are the pros and cons of small groups?
As a pastor, I don’t want to keep secrets from my spouse, but I’m not always sure it’s wise to tell her every problem that’s going on in the church. Is it ever wise to guard and protect one’s spouse from certain information that would be hurtful or discouraging to her? What criteria do I use in deciding which information to share and which information to withhold?
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 18:59:482020-10-08 16:39:27Sharing With My Spouse
I know it’s vitally important to keep a sense of humor in ministry, and I know it’s also important to not take yourself too seriously (even though we take our calling seriously). I’d love to hear pastors share some of their funnier moments in ministry, including their bloopers and blunders.
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 18:59:252020-10-08 03:35:15A Sense of Humor
Accessibility?
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI’m a pastor who is endeavoring to balance church, marriage, family, work, etc. How accessible should I be? Should I be accessible 24/7 to everyone? Who should know my cell phone number? My house number? What is a healthy balance? I’d like to hear how other pastors manage their accessibility and make sure the people are properly cared for.
Church Software and Apps for Today’s Giving
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeWith technology changing at a rapid rate, it seems confusing trying to find the right user-friendly software to handle the giving records at church. I wonder what church software the different churches are using and why? Also, what apps and other systems of giving are churches using, and how are they working? Are such avenues creating an increase in donations, and if so, how much? There are so many ways today to give like cash, check, credit card, online, phone apps, etc.
The End-Times
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI believe I need to do some more end-time teaching than I have in the past. What are some of the approaches that other pastors take in teaching on such issues, and what are the basic things that pastors teach along these lines? I realize there are many different views when it comes to eschatology – how can I teach my people healthy, wholesome doctrine that avoids weirdness? What resources are recommended?
Better Funerals
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeIt looks like I will be doing my first funeral as a pastor in the very near future. I’d love to hear from some seasoned pastors about what they’ve learned from their experiences in conducting funerals? How can I most effectively minister to the family and those in attendance? Are there some do’s and don’ts I should be aware of in conducting funerals? I’d also be interested in hearing the experiences of pastors who’ve had to do “difficult” funerals. Thanks for the tips and advice.
Developing and Delegating
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI’m curious how other pastors develop their leaders, and how they delegate responsibilities to others. I’d like to increase my proficiency in these areas, and would love to get insights from other pastors.
Most Important Skills
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeWhat three skills help you the most in carrying out your pastoral ministry? How do they help you, and to what degree did you feel gifted in these three areas, and how much did you have to work to acquire and or develop them?
Vital Statements
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI would love to hear a collection of statements from various pastors. What are the concise statements they have which communicate the vision and purpose of their churches? These would include vision statements, mission statements, listings of core values, etc. I would even like to know the slogans and mottos that churches use. In addition to statements that speak to the entire congregation, I would also like to see any statements or concise lists that churches have just for their leaders or staff, such as lists of expectations, priorities, key principles, etc.
How to Be Abased and How to Abound
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookePaul said, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound” (Philippians 4:12). To be honest, I get really uncomfortable when church finances are tight. I’m not sure I’ve learned how to be abased and also be content. Also, I’d love to get some insight as to how to handle money very wisely and strategically when it does come in abundance. Can pastors advise me on how to be a steady, proficient, and wise steward in both lean times and in times of abundance.
Cleaning Up After a Guest Minister
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI am a new pastor at a small church, and met an evangelist through a friend. I felt he would be a good fit for our church. After he came, I realized he was little more “over the top” than what I expected, and it seems that more damage may have been done that the good that was accomplished. How do I follow up with what I feel was a big mistake on my part? What can I do to “clean up” now, and also avoid such situations in the future?
Which Translation(s)?
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI 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
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI’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
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeWhat do other churches do to inspire people to become volunteers, to recruit them, to train them, and to appreciate them?
Toxic People
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeIs there a time for a pastor to cut off communication with toxic people?
Time Off
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI 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?
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeHow 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
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeWhat 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
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs 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?
Staying on Track
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs a young minister, I’ve noticed how many ministers seem to get off-track in some glaring way during the course of their ministries. I never want to do anything that dishonors God or become someone who brings reproach to the Gospel or misrepresents the Lord Jesus Christ. I’ve always heard the admonitions about “the gold, the girls, and the glory,” but can you share with me what you feel are the root areas of sin (or neglect, disobedience, attitude problems, etc.) that ultimately open up the door to these more obvious sins. I would love to hear from proven ministers how to stay on-track…how to avoid getting into prideful attitudes or wrong behavior. My heart’s desire is to serve God with honor and integrity over the course of my lifetime. What are the specific pitfalls and traps I need to watch out for?
Staff Development
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI’m looking for insights on how to work with and develop my staff, not so much what to expect from them, but rather, I’d like to know: “What are a pastor’s responsibilities toward his or her staff?” Read the responses.
Staff Communication
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs a pastor, I had a situation where a church member confided in one of my staff members about a particular matter (they are friends). Because of the way it was shared, my staff member never conveyed the information to me. I ended up making some church-related decisions and taking some actions which I never would have taken had I known what the staff member knew. Am I wrong to be concerned that my staff member felt more loyalty to the church member than to me as the pastor? How should I address this to this particular staff member, and how should I communicate with my overall staff about what I expect regarding this type of scenario?
Staff Meetings
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeWhat is the best way to lead staff meetings; especially with full and part-time staff, or even volunteer staff? What should the staff be expected to prepare for the meeting? How are agendas best established? How often should you have meetings to cover church business as opposed to providing training? Who should attend staff meetings? Do you have different levels of meetings? Pastoral staff only or all staff attending?
Staff Evaluation and Coaching
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs a pastor, I regularly observe the performance of my staff members and leaders. I don’t want to be a perfectionist or a micro-manager, but I want to see everyone given to excellence, thoroughness, and attention to detail. How do I instill these values in my leaders? How can I give them feedback (which sometimes involves correction) without making them feel that I’m always “riding them?” They do alright much of the time, but I get frustrated when they just don’t seem to “get it” and miss obvious things that should be done. How do I coach, give feedback, and help our church staff embrace a sense of excellence in all that we do?
Small Groups
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs a pastor, I’m looking to help facilitate small group fellowship among our people. What are other churches doing with small groups? What formats and approaches seem to work the best? I’d love to hear what types of guidelines, resources, curriculum, etc. that other pastors have used successfully. What are the pros and cons of small groups?
Sharing With My Spouse
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs a pastor, I don’t want to keep secrets from my spouse, but I’m not always sure it’s wise to tell her every problem that’s going on in the church. Is it ever wise to guard and protect one’s spouse from certain information that would be hurtful or discouraging to her? What criteria do I use in deciding which information to share and which information to withhold?
A Sense of Humor
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeI know it’s vitally important to keep a sense of humor in ministry, and I know it’s also important to not take yourself too seriously (even though we take our calling seriously). I’d love to hear pastors share some of their funnier moments in ministry, including their bloopers and blunders.