New England news & perspectives
Check back often for fresh articles, or click below to receive a monthly summary of articles by email.
The Pastor and Good Health
This year I turn 46 years old. While that may not be old, it does mean I feel the decline of age! In 2020, Covid affected me with long-term symptoms that are still not entirely gone. Two years ago, I tore my achilles tendon playing basketball with my son, and needed reattachment surgery. Recently, my lower back pain has been unrelenting (probably due to limping for two years!). Maintaining good health is not as easy as it used to be.
Church Red Flags
Not all churches are equal, and not all ministries are the same. While some are healthy and vibrant, others are spiritually harmful. Here are some red flags to identify a church that is heading in the wrong direction, and how to take actions against them.
Persevering as a Pastor
How do we persevere in pastoral ministry? Churches should want pastors who persevere till they go on to glory or retire – and even if retired, continue to serve in some capacity until they can no longer do so. As pastors, what can we do now to ensure we persevere to the end?
Pastoring through an Election Year
This year no doubt will be filled with a perpetual barrage of politics. From Super Tuesday to November 5th, our church people will be bombarded with political ads, phone calls, news segments, and presidential debates. As pastors, how do we pastor through a year like this?
Ministering to Mental Illness
Mental health is a rising concern in the United States, and pastors are on the front lines of ministering to people with all kinds of mental illness. Most likely you have counseled and cared for people with anxiety, depression, bipolarity, or even schizophrenia and paranoia. Like most pastors, I took a few counseling classes in seminary but I am not a clinically-trained or licensed counselor. My advice comes from the place of a pastor trying his best by the grace of God to minister to my church and community.
A Plan of Discipleship?
If you have been a pastor for some length of time, you have probably been asked “What is your plan of discipleship?” By this, many are likely thinking of some program or book that outlines specific steps through which to walk members. Or, they may have in mind a one-on-one mentorship where an older Christian meets with a younger one. While I am not against utilizing a program, this may miss the biblical picture of what making disciples is all about. To understand that, we need to look at the Great Commission.
How should we think about Israel?
Things are happening so fast in the world, I cannot say for sure what will have changed between when I write this and when you are reading it. We can say that on October 7th, 2023, the profound hatred against Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas has led to the tragic loss of numerous lives. Even here in the United States and throughout Europe, the sentiment towards the State of Israel has changed. Antisemitism is on the rise. How should we think of Israel?
The Early Church’s Strategy of Radical Love
The early church was used by God to transform the world, and they did it extraordinarily quickly. How did this happen? Let’s take a brief look at four means of radical love they used to transform the known world, and glean insights for us today.
Pastoral Lessons from Titus
Titus is one of the three Pastoral Epistles, written by the Apostle Paul to Titus who filled a sort of pastoral role over a group of churches on the island of Crete. This summer, I preached through the three chapters of the letter to my congregation, and I learned some crucial lessons for pastoral ministry along the way.
Dealing with Difficult People
People can be difficult. We know this because we are people! In all likelihood, you have been a difficult person to someone else at least at some point in your life. Pastoral ministry is no exception to this. In fact, being a pastor probably means you deal with a higher number of difficult people than most. How should we deal with difficult people? Here are a few suggestions borne from experience and failure.
Tear Down the High Places
The Bible talks about the “high places” throughout Israel’s monarchical history. These were locations outside of the Jerusalem Temple where Israelites went to offer sacrifices and worship, often intermingling Canaanite idolatry with the worship of the Lord. They were originally built by Solomon during his latter reign, as he grew more and more pluralistic.
The Upcoming Pastor Shortage (And What Can Be Done)
By now, you have probably heard about the upcoming crisis of pastoral vacancies. The average age of pastors has skyrocketed, in statistical terms, in a drastically short time. According to an extensive Faith Communities Today (FACT) survey, “In the last two decades the median age of the religious leader rose from 50 in 2000 to 57 in 2020.” This is a trajectory that has been trackable for some time. While many factors contribute to this, the bottom line is younger clergy are not replacing aging and retiring clergy.
Be a New England Missionary
I am a New Englander, through and through. Born and raised in Massachusetts, I love to travel, but there is nothing like coming home to the Atlantic Ocean, the colonial homes lining the streets, and the four seasons. New England is not only my home, but also a ripe mission field. Here are a few things to keep in mind about New England.
When A Pastor Should Not Leave His Church
Pastoral transitions happen. Life happens, and sometimes pastors need to move on. If not, in time our mortality will force a transition! These transitions can be extremely difficult for a pastor, his family, and for the church body. Sometimes leaving is for the better, but too often this kind of transition leaves a wake of broken hearts and missed opportunities.
Laser-Focused Mission
Light is a powerful force. When spread out over a room, it is neutralized. It can however be focused to such a degree that it cuts through steel. When it comes to the mission of the church, laser-focus is especially important. The mission of the church is to make disciples.
Multiply Your Outreach
I am certainly not an expert on outreach. Doubtless there are pastors and churches who are far more effective than me on this. However, I’ve learned a few things, mostly from my mistakes! Let me share a few things that have worked for me, and perhaps they will spur you on to find ways that work for you and your church.
Jesus lived, Merry Christmas!
Christmas is right around the corner! We as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as God coming, crashing into our world, in history and clothed in flesh. There is a growing objection to Christmas that goes something like this: “We don’t even know if Jesus was a real person. He may have been a myth made up by the Church.” The good news is this is a question we can answer without too much difficulty, since our faith is a historical one, rooted in God’s work within time and space.
Preaching lessons
After having just finished a lengthy series through the Epistle to the Romans, which took over a year, it is a good time to reflect on the ministry of preaching. Here are some practical tips I have found helpful that other preachers might find helpful as well.
Ordinary ministry
The ordinary means of grace is what Christians have been practicing for two millenia worldwide, and through them God has transformed the world. There is a tendency as pastors and church leaders to want to find the latest and greatest fad, to keep up with some megachurch trend. For me, it has been immensely refreshing getting back to the ordinary.
The first female missionary
As Baptists in New England we can claim as our own, Charlotte White (1782-1863), the first unmarried woman sent out from the United States to the global mission field. As such, she was appointed by the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions making her the first official female missionary (while others, like Ann Judson, went along with their appointed missionary husbands).