Author: Dale

Raised in the south, I have a passionate love for the Lord, my wife, my daughters, my son-in-laws, my grandsons, preaching the Word of God, pastoring people, discipleship, the University of Kentucky Wildcats, Clemson Tigers football, running the Tweetsie Trail, and hiking through the awesome TN/NC/VA mountains!!

The Dreaded MMBs

by Dale, posted in Ministry, Monday Ministry Encouragement, Pastoring, Uncategorized

Pastor, do you experience a case of MMBs on Mondays?

“What are MMBs you ask? According to an unknown source, MMBs is “Monday Morning Ministry Blues.” This speaks of the mental battles, feelings of regret and failure, emotional exhaustion, and discouragement that can come to a pastor on Monday after Sunday.

How can you overcome the MMBs? Here’s a few thoughts.

  1. Begin your Monday by giving every “win” and every “loss” from Sunday to God. Now, reality is, we do not know all the wins and losses on Sunday because we are not omniscient, therefore our win/loss meter is faulty at best. No matter, cast it all at Jesus’ feet. He’s the Head of the Church. By the way, success is not “buildings, bodies, and bucks,” as one of my mentors, Jim Binney” noted. Success is “obedience to the revealed, known will of God found in His Word” (John Hunter).
  2. Get some rest. You gave your all during the week getting ready for Sunday. Then you expended much spiritual, physical, and mental energy in greeting people, listening to needs, preaching the Word, surviving multiple expectations, leading meetings, etc.The plane landed Sunday night and is in the hanger for clean up and repairs. Warren Wiersbe said it well, “Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is rest.” Pastor, let your body and mind rest. You were not created to have at it seven days a week, 24 hours a day. May I encourage you, if you truly can, to take the whole day off, not just half.
  3. Do not mask the MMBs by putting on a happy ministry face. If you are struggling, talk to your wife. Share your heart with her. Phone a friend or meet for coffee so he can listen to you, speak the truth in love to your heart, help you with your blind spots and then have prayer with you. It’s okay. Blessing from the hand of God often comes through failure and struggles.

All of us pastors know about the MMBs in some form or fashion. Soak your soul in Romans 8:28-39, and look forward to Tuesday!

Five Things to Pray for Your Pastor While He’s on a Sabbatical

by Dale, posted in Ministry, Pastoring, Sabbatical, Sabbaticals, Uncategorized

1. Pray that he won’t feel guilty about being away from the church.

The guilt may come from a well-meaning church member who says, “Well, I don’t get a month off from my work,” because he doesn’t understand the rigors of ministry upon the faithful pastor and his family. The pastor may sense guilt from not being involved in the local church helping to keep all the “ministry plates spinning” that he himself created rather than what the Head of the Church initiated (John 5:19-20; 8:28-29; 12:49-50).

Continue reading “Five Things to Pray for Your Pastor While He’s on a Sabbatical” →

“I’ll See You Next Sunday!”

by Dale, posted in Ministry, Pastoring, Uncategorized

For pastors, Mondays can be a difficult day. Instead of dwelling on all the “what ifs,” or “I should have said that,” or “wonder why ____________ wasn’t there yesterday,” or rehashing your sermon with a downhearted spirit, may I encourage you to . . .

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Pastors & Valentine’s Day

by Dale, posted in Love, Marriage, Ministry, Scenic Route In Marriage, Uncategorized

There it was! In the midst of all the Christmas decorations on clearance, Valentine’s Day and Easter were making their presence well-known on the retail shelves!

Yes, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Perhaps you have a church banquet planned or some Sweetheart event. Maybe February 14 is not a part of your planning for 2025.

No matter, my question for you ministry friend is, what plans have you made to celebrate Valentine’s with your sweetheart?

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A Message from a Hurricane

by Dale, posted in Death, Eternity, Hope, Uncategorized

We are a moment, You are forever;
Lord of the Ages, God before time.
We are a vapor, You are eternal;
Love everlasting, reigning on high!

These words struck a solemn chord in my heart as I led the congregational singing at Boones Creek Bible Church for our 68th Anniversary.

How true. How current. How assuring. How relevant. How needful. How solemn.

My heart has been so heavy as our area and the surrounding states have been devasted by Hurricane Helene. I need not be descriptive; you have most likely seen the videos and pictures on social media. Many who were in our communities and in our lives are now gone. So many areas dear to our hearts in these mountains have been altered or destroyed. We are looking at a very long recovery period if there is any at all. Our lives have been rearranged.

Since Friday, I have been thinking . . .

1. This is a definite reminder of how temporal life here really is.

We are so prone to live as if we can control our lives and everything around us. We put so much stock in our weakness thinking we are strong. We are so prone to take life for granted—the next day will come, the next meal will be available, life will go on as usual. Yet, we are seeing the harsh reality of this vapor life and how quickly it can change.

In fact, you have made my days just inches long, and my life span is as nothing to you. Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor. Selah (Psalm 39:5).

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes (James 4:13-14).

2. God is merciful.

How could I say that? In His mercy, God is giving us another opportunity to live in the reality of eternity. There is coming a day when this life as we know it here will be over. There is coming a day when the Church will be raptured out of here (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). Soon to follow, this earth will endure seven years of unparalleled tribulation. Then the Lord Jesus Christ will descend from Heaven to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4-11) and set up His millennial kingdom to rule on this earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:2-7). This event is followed by the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem (Revelation 21).

Today you have the opportunity to be ready for eternity, which is more than just living life forever. Eternal life is the life of God dwelling in the soul of man from the point of salvation for all eternity. With that assurance, we understand the temporal nature of all that is around us, and therefore live with the end in mind.

Although my heart is grieved, burdened, and hurting for the thousands upon thousands who are affected by Hurricane Helene, there is a future which is only found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God is merciful in giving you another opportunity to turn to Him through the gospel.

May you be able to sing with full assurance in Christ . . .

We are the broken, You are the healer,
Jesus, Redeemer, Mighty to save.
You are the love song, we’ll sing forever,
Bowing before You blessing Your name.

Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
Highest praises, Honor and Glory
Be unto Your name,
Be unto Your name.

(Words by Gary Sadler / Lynn Deshazo)

Need a Pastor?

by Dale, posted in Family, Ministry, Pastoring, Uncategorized

“There are so many churches without pastors today! Why are there so few pastors?”

“What’s wrong with the colleges and seminaries? They are not turning out pastors like they used to!”

The first comment and question is valid.

The second question and comment is what I want to address.

First of all, the issue is not solely with the colleges and seminaries. Yes, there are institutions of higher learning that have drifted in their emphasis on pastoral ministry, but there is a greater need.

Where should future pastors and missionaries come from? Without question, they should come from our homes and local churches. May I offer the following?

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The Bi-Vocational Pastor and Rest

by Dale, posted in Ministry, Pastoring, Rest

When does a pastor who serves the local church and also works a full-time or part-time job find any rest?

When does he have time to study the Word for his own heart and the heart of his people?

When does he have an opportunity to have his spiritual and physical batteries recharged?

To begin, I want to address some glaring issues that are seldom given a thought.

Bi-vocational pastors cannot be expected to accomplish full-time ministry.

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Pastor, Lift Your Foot Off the Accelerator! | The Importance of Rest

by Dale, posted in Pastoring, Rest

It’s Monday.

Pastor, what are God’s plans for you today?

I understand that in the normal rhythm of life there are unexpected detours, but are you planning to rest today? Are you preparing to recharge your spiritual, physical, and mental batteries?

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Mentoring Ministry Leaders

by Dale, posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Pastoring, Uncategorized

Could the next pastor of your local church come right out of your own congregation?

Pastor, who are you preparing to follow you in ministry?

Are you training men to preach and to lead now and in the future (Matthew 28:16-20; Ephesians 4:11-16; and 2 Timothy 2:2)?

After COVID, the church where I serve became even more intentional about this task. With our current senior pastor’s leadership, we developed small groups that have continued to meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays in various homes around our area.

Eleven months out of the year, the small group leaders gather for an evening of training. Last year our leaders read Robby Gallaty’s book, Preaching for the Rest of Us: Essentials for Text-Driven Preaching. This was a helpful, practical, and insightful read and discussion.

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Mentoring the Next Pastor

by Dale, posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Preaching, Uncategorized

Pastor, what are you doing now to prepare your congregation for your departure?

“I need to get somebody ready to take my place when I retire.”

This or statements like it have been said many, many times by pastors in their 60’s or 70’s. Often they are accompanied with a bit of fear, concern, doubt, cynicism, and/or failure.

Pastor, what are you doing now to prepare your congregation for your departure? More than that, is your ministry one of mentoring the next generation of pastors? Who are you training?

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