Do you want to be a better pastor? Do you want your pastor to be a better pastor? Of course you do! We would be crazy not to desire this!

As we approach this time of year, many of us try to take a spiritual inventory of our lives. We examine our strengths and weaknesses. Much thought is given to our past mistakes and how we can refrain from making them again. Conversely, we evaluate what we did right and try to improve even more!

Concerning Personal Life…

“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” – Dwight L. Moody (Story behind quote)

#1 – Spend QUALITY time in personal prayer… set specific goals.
#2 – Spend MORE time in prayer.
#3 – Try to read your Bible through, COMPLETELY, this year.
#4 – Spend QUALITY time in Bible reading and devotion.
#5 – Spend MORE time praising the LORD than anything else.
#6 – Memorize Scripture – Verse a day, week, month, etc.
#7 – Keep sins confessed.
#8 – Do not tolerate sins… besetting sins.
#9 – Exercise FAITH  in God’s integrity each day.
#10 – Obey the Word of God daily.

(1 Timothy 4:16) “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”  (KJV)

Concerning Family Life…

“Home should be a place of mutual responsibility and respect, of encouragement and cooperation and counsel, of integrity, of willingness to work, of discipline when necessary, with the tempering quality of love added to it, with a sense of belonging, and with someone to talk to.” – Evans

#11 – Spend QUALITY time with your spouse.
#12 – Spend QUALITY time with your children.
#13 – Spend QUALITY time with your parents.
#14 – Spend QUALITY time with your siblings.
#15 – Pray TOGETHER as a family.
#16 – Have family devotions.
#17 – Express consideration toward each other.
#18 – LISTEN to family members.
#19 – Lead family by the RIGHT example.
#20 – Enjoy recreation time with family… OFTEN.

(Joshua 24:15) “…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”  (KJV)

Concerning Leadership…

Speaking to the subject of becoming a spiritual leader, Samuel Logan Brengal said:
“It is not won by promotion, but by many prayers and tears. It is attained by confession of sin, and much heart searching and humbling before God; by self-surrender, a courageous sacrifice of every idol, a bold uncomplaining embrace of the cross, and by an eternal, unfaltering looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves, but like Paul, by counting those things that are gain to us a loss for Christ. This is a great price, but it must be paid by the leader who would not be merely a nominal but a real spiritual leader of men, a leader whose power is recognized and felt in heaven, on earth, and in hell.”

#21 – Great “leadership” starts with great “followship”.
#22 – SEEK to be the leader God wants YOU to be.
#23 – Be yourself.
#24 – Don’t ask of others what you would not readily perform yourself.
#25 – Seek balance in your leadership.
#26 – Don’t exploit the mistakes and sins of others for personal gain and promotion.
#27 – Lead, don’t manipulate, drag and force.
#28 – Lead with confidence balanced by meekness and humbleness.
#29 – Emulate the positive aspects of other great leaders.
#30 – Embrace difficulties, trials, and persecutions as CHALLENGES not problems.

(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)

Concerning Pastoral Care…

“Faith is a life: Committed beyond its means…Expecting what sense cannot certify… Based upon God’s promise… Depends on God’s supply…Motivated for God’s glory…and Confident in God’s integrity.” Dr. Ken Connolly

#31 – Treat others as you would want to be treated.
#32 – Give folks the benefit of the doubt.
#33 – Spend time with your people.
#34 – Gain knowledge about your people and earn their respect.
#35 – Express concern when needed… some pastors never do this!
#36 – Practice impartiality.
#37 – Exercise patience with your people.
#38 – Keep PRIVATE things PRIVATE… never betray the confidence of others.
#39 – Always take the high road, not necessarily the easiest.
#40 – Be AVAILABLE.

(1 Peter 5:1-4) “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”  (KJV)

Concerning Evangelism…

Robert Murray McCheyne was quoted as saying, “the saddest sight on earth is to see a dead preacher, preaching to dead sinners the living word of the living God!”

#41 – Remember where God brought you from.
#42 – Keep your tears.
#43 – Maintain your BURDEN for the lost.
#44 – Pray for BOLDNESS when dealing with the lost.
#45 – Handle sinners as a surgeon would a patient.
#46 – Don’t burn any bridges.
#47 – Witness daily.
#48 – Sow seed wherever you go – tracts, etc.
#49 – Be kind and genuine.
#50 – Remember that God, The Holy Ghost, drives the combine through the harvest field and not YOU!

(Psalms 126:5-6) “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”  (KJV)

Concerning Pastoral Influence…

“Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence.” – Bernard Montgomery

#51 – Remember that you are growing your own crop of young people.
#52 – Keep all business dealings honest.
#53 – Don’t use your position for personal gain.
#54 – Don’t add fuel to the fire when there are problems.
#55 – Be a firm and solid voice for God.
#56 – You are the only Bible some ever read.
#57 – Treat everyone with the same courtesy as your dearest church member.
#58 – Conduct your affairs so as to be a positive influence on the next generation.
#59 – Try to train your “Timothy’s” with your life as well as your lips.
#60 – If there is a question mark, then do not proceed any further.

(1 Timothy 3:1-7) “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”  (KJV)

Concerning Bible Study…

“Some people mark in their Bibles, but few are ever marked by their Bibles.” – Pastor Roger Baker

#61 – Involve yourself in Bible study DAILY.
#62 – Search for the hidden treasures of the Word of God for personal benefit… FIRST.
#63 – Preach from the overflow of study.
#64 – Some things you learn should remain in the study and not disseminated from the pulpit.
#65 – Share your study habits with all who will listen.
#66 – Consistently project a deep love for God’s Word when teaching and preaching.
#67 – Keep a journal of personal growth.
#68 – Keep a good filing system for things you learn today so they can be easily utilized tomorrow.
#69 – Read behind great men.
#70 – When you get to digging deep… come up for air from time to time. You might find that you are in an area all by yourself. I think you know what I mean here!

(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)

Concerning Ministry Vision…

“Achievements ordinarily follow in due course when a person, after planning his work, works his plan.” -Bowman

#71 – Have a vision!
#72 – Convey a clear message of your vision.
#73 – Pray, pray, pray, and pray over it. When you get done praying, then pray over it some more.
#74 – Encourage others about your vision.
#75 – Try to let others take ownership of the vision. Who cares who gets credit! After all, it’s ALL about JESUS and not us!
#76 – Keep the main thing the main thing.
#77 – Always found your vision upon Biblical precept, not your own premise.
#78 – Provide the means to get it done after counting the cost.
#79 – Inspire progress.
#80 – Prayerfully set sail in the direction that your vision is leading you!

(Proverbs 29:18) “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”  (KJV)

Concerning New Ideas…

“We have had enough of the program of Ahab and Obadiah: it is time to assemble on Carmel, and prove God by the test of Fire.” – Vance Havner

#81 – New ideas are not all bad, but are usually re-wrapped old ones. Be sure that they are not an excuse for failing to do the RIGHT thing.
#82 – Test new ideas by the SCRIPTURES.
#83 – Consider the ORIGIN of this new idea.
#84 – Consider the PROMOTERS of this new idea.
#85 – Consider the RESULTS of this new idea.
#86 – Consider the proposed BENEFITS of this new idea.
#87 – Consider the IMPLEMENTATION of this new idea.
#88 – Consider the LONG TERM EFFECT of this new idea.
#89 – PRAYERFULLY move forward with the new idea.
#90 – BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ENDORSE!

(Ecclesiastes 1:9) “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”  (KJV)

Concerning The Old Paths…

“Every farmer takes care of his “line fence” because it defines the borders of his farm. If all line fences were torn down, things would go on fairly well for the generation which knew where the fence used to be. However, there would be trouble in time to come with generations who never knew where the fence used to be.” – John E. Ashbrook

#91 – SEEK the old paths.
#92 – STAND in the old paths.
#93 – STEER others into the old paths.
#94 – STRUCTURE your ministry in the shadow of the old paths.
#95 – STRIVE to maintain the old paths.
#96 – SOCIALIZE in the old paths.
#97 – STRENGTHEN the influence of the old paths by living a clean life!
#98 – STAY of out the ditches by the old paths. EXTREMES lay on both side and are to be avoided at all costs!
#99 – STUDY the history of the old paths.
#100 – SOLIDIFY your position in the old paths so others will not move you.

(Jeremiah 6:16) “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”  (KJV)

“Reading maketh a full man; speaking, a ready man, writing, an exact man.” – Francis Bacon

“Read not to contradict or confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tested, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” – Francis Bacon

(2 Timothy 4:13) “The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.”  (KJV)

Would you consider purchasing this set of commentaries? 

The John Phillips New Testament Commentary, 19 Volumes

By Kregel Publications

Explore the entire New Testament in greater depth. This complete set of New Testament commentaries from the pen of expositor John Phillips will provide pastors, Sunday school teachers, and students of the Bible with doctrinally sound interpretation that emphasizes the practical application of Bible truth. Preachers especially will appreciate these commentaries as they provide a model and resource for sermons and lessons. Working from the familiar King James Version, Dr. Phillips not only provides helpful commentary on the text, but also includes detailed outlines and numerous illustrations and quotations. Anyone wanting to explore the meaning of God’s word in greater detail for personal spiritual growth or as a resource for preaching and teaching will welcome the guidance and insights of this respected series.

A frequent speaker at churches, conferences, and workshops across North America, John Phillips served as assistant director of the Moody Correspondence School as well as director of the Emmaus Correspondence School, one of the world’s largest Bible correspondence ministries. He also taught in the Moody Evening School and on the Moody Broadcasting radio network. He and his wife, Betty, live in Bowling Green, Kentucky.