Category Archives: A Pastor’s Heart

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Three Things I Am Thankful For As A Pastor

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Pastor Andrew SchankIndeed, the ministry is not for the faint of heart! Serving in a leadership capacity is difficult and full of obstacles. Some of which concern your personal life, while others concern the people whom you are leading.

Ministry is a lot like going up a set of steps or stairs. In some instances, the hike up the steps can be pleasurable. However, it can be quite painful when your are hurting. In spite of the challenges in ministry, there are three special things I am thankful for!

Three Things I Am Thankful For As A Pastor

I Am Thankful For My Wife…

If it were not for my wife Shilo, then I would probably not be where I am at today. In the, soon to be twelve, years of our marriage, we have faced a lot. There have been numerous struggles that can be categorized in the arena of ministry. For example, there have been many days that I came home from church and was so discouraged that I did not want to serve another day. Exhausted and played out entirely, my emotions were getting the best of me. Shilo, has been very good about noticing this and she helps me recognize this discouragement for what it is.

Not only has she been very good about helping me with the stress and emotional toll of ministry, but she has been exceptional in the very practical ministry of raising our children. She has been diligent to be a great mother and school teacher(we home-school). Keeping up with five children, a home, school, and ME, is quite a chore! I simply could not do without Shilo!

I Am Thankful For My Children…

Shilo and I have two wonderful girls and three, very energetic boys. Yes, it gets very tiresome keeping up with them, but every moment is worth it all! For whatever reason, children are, many times, seen as a hindrance to ministry. I feel that this is quite contrary to the Biblical model! If it were not for my children, then we would have been extremely limited! Recently, in our home church, we were able to start a children’s Bible club in an apartment complex. We had a tremendous opportunity to reach many people… due to our children.

Aside from what I gain as a pastor, having these five wonderful children have been an enriching experience. I would not trade them for anything! They are a blessing to raise and I hope that we can instill a desire in them to serve Christ as we do!

I Am Thankful For The Opportunity To Serve…

Sometimes as pastor we get so busy with ministry that we do stop enjoying the fact that we GET to serve. As mentioned at the outset, ministry is not for the faint of heart. It is quite difficult at times. This should not, however, be allowed to rob us of the joy of serving Christ! Just to be able to serve the Lord, in whatever capacity, is a great gift. When a pastor’s heart for service has lost its sweet fragrance, then he had better watch out. He will soon wash out. All of us who serve, must remember that it is a grand opportunity to serve Jesus Christ!

Conclusion

At this juncture in the year, I wanted to share my gratitude for my wife, children, and opportunity. Without these three, very special things, my life would be drab. Outside of being saved by God’s amazing grace, what has been mentioned in this post means more to me than anything!

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10576: A Pastor & The Pastor"s Wife, Framed Sentiment A Pastor & The Pastor’s Wife, Framed Sentiment

By Larry Howland / Parsons Pen

Measures 15.5″ x 12.5″. Light oak finish frame. Neutral mat. A pastor is a faithful friend/Who has his Father’s flock to tend./He cares for us through trying days,/Retrieves the lamb who sometimes strays./He brings us loving words from God,/Of Moses’ feats with Aaron’s rod,/Of Daniel in the lion’s den,/Of godly women and their men./From parables the Master taught/To understanding what Paul thought./He speaks to us of God’s dear Son,/Of unity, so we’ll be one./When sick or sad he’s always there/To comfort, guide and offer prayer./He’s tender, caring, meek and kind;/The Spirit’s in his heart and mind. And She’s like a fresh and lovely rose/That angels planted, then God chose./He gave her soft and gentle ways/To help us through our trying days./She walks with us through pain and loss/And lives the meaning of the cross./She always thinks of others first/And loves us when we’re at our worst./She has such kind and gentle ways/And builds us up with words of praise./Her tears and prayers and long hours spent/Have helped so many to repent./A confidant with whom to share,/A partner when it comes to prayer,/Two blessings in a Christian’s life/Are pastor and his faithful wife.

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6 Fold Prayer Of A Passionate Pastor

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As pastors we have to pray for others because that is an intricate part of ministry. Among the timely prayers made for our family, friends and parishioners, one must not neglect to purposefully pray for self. We are not to be like the mechanic who is often reported to drive the shabbiest car because he is too busy fixing everyone’s car that he has no time to repair his own. We must pray for ourselves!

A great man of God was said to have prayed a 6 fold prayer for himself! This man was none other than Oswald J. Smith. Consider what he is said to have prayed for…

6 Fold Personal Prayer List For A Passionate Pastor

#1 – To Be A Victorious Man!

(Joshua 1:8) “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”  (KJV)

#2 – To Be A Spirit-Filled Man!

(Ephesians 5:18) “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”  (KJV)

(Galatians 5:22-23) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”  (KJV)

#3 – To Be A Man Of Prayer!

(Psalms 91:1) “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”  (KJV)

(Jeremiah 33:3) “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”  (KJV)

#4 – To Be A Man Of The WORD!

(1 Timothy 4:12) “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”  (KJV)

(2 Timothy 2:15) “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  (KJV)

(James 1:22-25) “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”  (KJV)

#5 – To Be A Surrendered Man!

(Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  (KJV)

#6 – To Be A Man Of One Purpose

(Philippians 3:13-15) “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”  (KJV)

Conclusion

I do not think I could add much more to this list. Certainly, if one would give himself to these 6 axioms of life, then I feel that the Almighty could use them. I challenge everyone who claims to be a preacher to seek after these sacred ingredients of a passionate pastor!

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Would you consider purchasing…

 

29056: Why Revival Tarries Why Revival Tarries

 

By Leonard Ravenhill / Bethany House

 

Leonard Ravenhill’s call to revival is as timely now as it was when first published over forty years ago. The message is fearless and often radical as he expounds on the disparity between the New Testament church and the church today. This book contains the heart of his message, A.W. Tozer called Ravenhill “a man sent from God” who “appeared at (a) critical moment in history,” just as the Old Testament prophets did. Included are questions for group and individual study.

 

 

 

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