INTRODUCTION On the last week of our Leadership Pipeline training, I told you that when we chose the titles for each level, Scripture influenced our decision to reserve the title Pastor for Levels 4 and 5. And last week, I began explaining why. As I shared, I grew up in the Assemblies of God, where the title Pastor is used very broadly. And when we planted New Day, I brought that same understanding with me. But over the years, as I studied Scripture, I began encountering passages that … [Read more...]
The Pastoral Office: Scope
MY TRADITION I grew up in the Assemblies of God. I attended an AG church, went to an AG Bible college, and originally planted New Day as an AG church. So naturally, much of what I believed about church and ministry came from the Assemblies of God. And in the Assemblies of God, the title Pastor is used very broadly. It applies to both men and women, and to those serving in all kinds of ministry roles. Do you work at a church? You’re a pastor! Do you perform weddings or funerals? … [Read more...]
Three Words, One Office
When we read the New Testament, we find three different words used for the men entrusted with the leadership of a local church. At first, that can make it sound like Scripture is describing three different positions. But when we look at how these words are actually used, we discover that they refer to the same office. Each word simply emphasizes a different aspect of who these men are and what they are responsible to do. 1. Elder — πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros) The first word is presbyteros, … [Read more...]
Development Requires Focus
As we continue rolling out our volunteer leadership pipeline, one question keeps coming up: How many places can one person serve, and how many places can they lead? Those are two different things. Serving in multiple areas can be healthy. It allows people to use their gifts, build relationships, and discover where they are strongest. But leadership requires greater focus. Serve Broadly. Lead Narrowly. One of the easiest things to do in ministry is to identify someone who is … [Read more...]
The Freedom to Work on What Matters Most
A while back, I was reading Cal Newport’s Slow Productivity when I came across a quote from Benjamin Franklin that stuck with me: “I am settling my old accounts and hope soon to be quite a master of my own time… I am in a fair way of having no other tasks than such as I should like to give myself and of enjoying what I look upon as a great happiness—leisure to read, study, make experiments and converse at large on such points as may produce something of common benefit to mankind—uninterrupted by … [Read more...]
The Power of Practicing Your Sermon
I’ve been reading Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, and I came across a fascinating observation he made about George Whitefield’s preaching. Franklin heard Whitefield preach often enough that he could tell the difference between a sermon Whitefield had recently written and one he had preached many times. The difference was refinement. Franklin observed that Whitefield’s frequently repeated sermons became so polished that “every accent, every emphasis, every modulation of voice” was … [Read more...]
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