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Winter 2003 - Refueling Pastoral Ministry
50th General Council to convene in D.C.
Interview with Thomas E. Trask
Find out why it is important to attend the 50th General Council in Washington, D.C., July 31 through August 3, 2003.
Theme Articles
Rekindling the call for pastoral ministry
Interview with Thomas E. Trask, Charles T. Crabtree, James K. Bridges, and George O. Wood
A fresh look at the statistics of the church indicates a slowdown in growth of churches and ministers in the U.S. This disturbing trend is cause for alarm. Four top church executives take up this issue and discuss how from a human point of view, we can cooperate with God’s work in seeing a new generation flood the ministerial ranks.
Reclaiming your call to the ministry
By James K. Bridges
Research indicates that 40 percent of all pastors will be out of the ministry within 5 to 10 years. Now is the time to reclaim your call and divine assignment to ministry.
Avoiding the paralysis of analysis
By George O. Wood
Will you choose to be an optimist or a pessimist in looking at projections for future ministers and ministries?
Stemming the tide of clergy fallout : lessons from a marriage
By H.B. London and the pastoral ministry team at Focus on the Family
While the culture of the world may not change dramatically, it is important to recognize both the dangers inherent in ministry and the power of God to protect and keep the minister and his or her family.
Misreading the unbearable in ministry
By Blaine Allen
Are you wondering what God is up to in your life? When ministry is under siege, the potential to misread God’s intent is great.
If I had to do it all over again
By Ben M. Kaufman
Many Christian leaders follow Christ and are intent on serving Him faithfully, but somewhere on the journey things begin to go bad. These leaders end up losing their ministry, and like a derailed train leave a path of destruction and chaos. Discover how to avoid derailment in your ministry.
Passing the torch: the art of mentoring staff
By Richard L. Dresselhaus
How should the torch be passed from one minister to another? Mentoring is a privilege of the highest order.
Be a Barnabus; pursue a Paul; train a Timothy
By Paul R. Martin
Discover how three ministry-development relationships from the New Testament are key to a declining attrition rate amongst ministers.
From pew to pulpit—preparing laity for full-time ministry
By C. Dan Betzer
Do you have a "diamond" in your church just waiting to be mined, cut, and polished for ministry? Start looking for ministry jewels among your lay people.
God’s call: triggering youth response
By Brad P. Baker
If God is continuing to call youth today, why aren’t more young people going into ministry? Could it be that church leaders are failing to establish an environment where God’s voice will be clear and the response certain?
Raising up young Samuels—affirming a child’s call to ministry
By David J. Boyd
Growing godly children is a cooperative effort between district, church, and family. Here are six ways to nurture the call of God in children.
Features
Drinking from a fire hydrant
Anonymous
Drinking from a fire hydrant is not bad if the water gushing out is the living water of God’s grace. You will be moved by this true story of God’s love, forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
Editorials
Ministry matters
By Gary R. Allen
In closing
By Charles T. Crabtree
Columns
word study
God’s call
By Stanley M. Horton
the leaders edge
A company of giants
By T. Ray Rachels
preaching that connects
Showing promise
By Craig Brian Larson
managing your ministry
Accountability with church staff
By Steve Marr
when pews are few
Can anything good come out of Nazareth?
By Greg Asimakoupoulos
worship in the church
Worship and the sanctuary choir
By Tom Matrone
financial concepts
Giving patterns in changing times
By Randall K. Barton
history is his story
George Whitefield—flaming comet of the Great Awakening
By William P. Farley
for women in ministry
Pardon me while I fix my halo
By Suzanne Jordan Brown
family life
Caught in the balance
By Linda Rose Hanik
college corner
It is not too late
By Robert H. Spence
Departments
- sermon seeds
- ministry ideas
- illustrate it
- book reviews
- news & resource
- marketplace
- advertising index
- with Christ
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