Tag: Pastors

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!

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.

Continue reading “Mentoring Ministry Leaders” →

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?

Continue reading “Mentoring the Next Pastor” →

This Is The Best Advice I Have Received

by Dale, posted in D & D Ministries, Easter, God's Word, Pastoring, Preaching

Oh my! Easter dinner!! What’s not to like?

The table is beautifully set. Everyone has their favorites, their “must haves.”

It’s time to eat! My wife has prepared Katie Brown chicken, almond/lime green beans, mashed potatoes, honey drizzled rolls, angel eggs, strawberry avocado salad, and then . . . coconut cake with lemon filling for dessert!!! Wow! Oh so good!!!

The best approval rating came from our grandsons who cleaned their plates!!

Recently I answered the question, “What is the best advice you ever received in life?” There are many things that came to my mind, but one that stands out is a piece of advice that I heard many times from a mentor 40 years my senior.

Continue reading “This Is The Best Advice I Have Received” →

Pastor, You Need Friends!

by Dale, posted in D & D Ministries, Ministry, Uncategorized

“Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

There are many, many blessings and joys of being in the ministry, but a common characteristics of being a pastor is loneliness. But does it have to be this way?

Loneliness in ministry can be attributed to . . .

  • A weak marriage.
  • A “Lone Ranger” mentality.
  • Isolation.
  • Fear.
  • Past hurts and unconfessed bitterness.
  • “The Elijah syndrome” (I am the only one . . . )
  • Keeping everything bottled up and refusing to share.
  • Not cultivating friendships outside of the congregation.

Just as loneliness is a common characteristic among those in ministry, I have found a common parallel . . . the lack of pastors intentionally reaching out to other pastors with the goal of developing different levels of friendships.

Continue reading “Pastor, You Need Friends!” →

MS, Lupus & Life

by Dale, posted in D & D Ministries, Discipleship, Evangelism, Uncategorized

“Everything! I have many things for which I need prayer! My husband has been diagnosed with MS, two of my children have lupus, and my job.”

This was the response from our server at a Mexican restaurant recently when we ask if we could pray for her when we thanked the Lord for our meal.

People everywhere are hurting, needy, struggling, fearful, anxious, lonely, and despondent just like this server who was discouraged about life and having to work so hard for her family.

The greatest crisis for everyone without a personal relationship with God through Christ alone (John 14:6) is their inability to save themselves from an eternity in hell.

Last week, while watching the Barna Group webcast, 2024 The State of Pastors Summit, one set of statistics particularly grabbed my attention.

The mandate for the local church and its pastors in this age remains: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20). We are continuing the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 1:1-11), the One Who came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).

Pastor, . . .

  • Have ministry demands caused you to be so busy that you have forgotten people, especially those without Christ?
  • Have you been tempted to believe the lies of the devil and flesh that have dampen your heart for the Great Commission?
  • Are you possibly so discouraged and burdened down with care of the church and/or the current conflict that your eyes have grown dim to the plight of lost souls around you, maybe even next door?

Pastor, how about inviting another brother in Christ to lunch. Read the Scriptures or a book together. Then, when the server comes along, ask them how you can pray for them. This is discipleship that Jesus spoke about in the Great Commission.

Perhaps make a coffee shop your place to prepare your message for Sunday. (Just a gentle reminder, obedience has no excuses.)

One of the best ways to get the focus off yourself and perhaps your deep dive into discouragement is to go be a blessing to someone else. Christ that dwells in you endured great contradiction/hostility/insults from others (Hebrews 12:3). He is your life, your strength, your Shepherd. You are crucified (Galatians 2:20), so go live in and through Him!

Pastor, there’s a server and millions of others out there that need the gospel; that need you to just care for them. As the Lord continues to seek and to save, you follow His initiative as He lives His life out of you.

Enjoy the journey! As He leads, you follow!

Contentment On the Mountain and In the Valley

by Dale, posted in D & D Ministries, Ministry, Pastoring, Uncategorized

The church auditorium was 3/4 empty on Sunday . . . . Christ is enough.

The church auditorium was packed to overflow . . . . Christ is enough.

Sunday’s sermon was a failure . . . . Christ is enough.

Sunday’s sermon was theologically, exegetically, practically sound . . . . Christ is enough.

Continue reading “Contentment On the Mountain and In the Valley” →

A Reset For My Heart

by Dale, posted in Men, Ministry, Prayer, Prayer Advances

“I’ve been attending Men’s Prayer Advance for twenty-plus years. This is my yearly reset!” These words were spoken by a pastor who understands the value of intentionally setting aside time to seek and meet with the Lord in such a gathering as Men’s Prayer Advance.

My wife knows that Men’s Prayer Advance is a non-negotiable on my yearly calendar. Having attended for many years, she knows the effect upon my life, ministry and our marriage that she strongly encourages me to go. That’s way cool!

Continue reading “A Reset For My Heart” →

A VERY Different Monday

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

This is a Monday that I have not experienced in 40 years. Except for a brief few months, God has enabled me to be a lead pastor shepherding His flock in two states, Tennessee and Indiana.

First of all, let me say that I am NOT retiring, just changing roles at Boones Creek Bible Church and moving into a new ministry that Denise and I have had on our hearts for a long time. 

Today, Andrew Isbell is the lead pastor, and I’m the associate pastor. Also, one of the “D’s” in D & D Ministries.

How did it happen?

Continue reading “A VERY Different Monday” →