Pastors Articles
Find help in understanding the unique trials and joys that come with pastoral leadership.
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- A Mentor Chuck Swindoll gives a moving, personal tribute to one of the mentors in his life, Ray Stedman. He says that those who best qualify for mentoring others are those who are battle-worn and tested and who have come through years of trials and hardships with their faith firmly intact. Chuck suggests that the ability to pass on what we’ve learned in our later years gives us purpose and vision that will sustain us through the rocky times.
- A Shepherd's Heart
- A Tough Assignment
- A Weekly Furlough for Your Pastor This article includes a tongue-in-cheek job description for the pastor every church desires, which serves to illustrate the kinds of pressures every pastor faces. We sometimes forget that pastors are human and thus imperfect, just like the rest of us. They also need spiritual enrichment, which the author directs them to find in Chuck Swindoll’s pastor’s blog.
- Analysis of a Courtroom Fiasco This very informative article helps us see just how great were the injustices of Jesus’s trials before the Jewish religious leaders. It lists all the religious and governmental rules these leaders chose to break in order to quickly dispense of the One they saw as their top rival and threat to the power they relished. But learning about His trials also helps us better understand Jesus’s self-control and His assurance that God’s ultimate judgment would come at the appointed time.
- Breaking Point: One Pastor’s Story of Pain, Porn, Addiction, and Redemption
- Cultivating a Tender Heart and a Tough Hide Anyone who takes a strong stand for God and His truth must learn to withstand harsh criticism. Chuck Swindoll offers the tenacity of the apostle Paul as a great example to follow when enduring false accusations. Chuck lists seven characteristics Paul exhibited that we can all emulate when facing strong opposition.
- Delegate the Workload
- Easy Ways to Help a Family in Need
- Encountering Jesus along Life's Road Chuck Swindoll focuses on the familiar story of Jesus walking alongside two disciples on their way to Emmaus right after His resurrection. Unable to recognize Him, they discuss Jesus’s death while He’s right there speaking to them! Chuck helps us see how their situation isn’t as foreign to us as we may think. We often have expectations and desires that keep us from seeing how God is working in a specific situation.
- Helping Men Who Are Addicted to Internet Sex: For Pastors
- Listening to Jesus Beside the Sea Chuck Swindoll focuses on the apostle Peter and his relationship with Jesus. Peter proved himself to be impetuous, reactionary, and driven by emotions. These qualities led him to make some major mistakes he later regretted. But Jesus’s love transformed him, and his devotion to his Lord qualified him to be a great leader of the early church.
- Practical Advice for Perilous Times When current events constantly remind us that we live in a fallen, decadent world that is sliding down the slippery slope of sin, how do we as Christians keep our bearings and not get swept away by it all? Chuck Swindoll offers four principles that can help us keep our focus and stand firm on unchangeable truths. The love of Christ that we have to offer is never more attractive than when it stands in a sharp contrast to the harsh reality of life.
- Seven Building Blocks for Leaders Using the Jewish leader Nehemiah as an example, Chuck Swindoll outlines seven characteristics that all effective Christian leaders should exhibit. Anyone who aspires to leadership or who is currently in a leadership role can be challenged by this article and can use it to pinpoint areas of growth on which he or she needs to concentrate.
- Sharing Your Testimony Swindoll explains the persuasive power and impact of an individual Christian’s conversion story. He provides us with specific pointers for composing an effective, genuine, and articulate account of how we met the Savior and recognized our need for a relationship with Jesus. No believer should be without this effective evangelism tool—a heartfelt, genuine testimony!
- Ten Essential Characteristics of a Healing Church
- The Gathering Storm Chuck Swindoll helps us understand why Jesus got so angry at the activities of the religious leaders of His time, especially inside the temple. Jesus provides a stellar example for us of how to stand up to corruption and hypocrisy, even if the corruption and hypocrisy come from our spiritual leaders. His actions and teachings show us that standing up for truth and righteousness may cost us popularity and even our safety, but staying faithful to God makes it well worth it.
- Unambitious Leadership Chuck Swindoll reminds us that in the school of spiritual leadership, God is the teacher. And only God knows the moment when someone is ready to lead. If you know someone who is aspiring to lead others and can’t wait to start, give him or her this article to read. This person may need to slow his or her upward climb and wait for God’s appointment.
- What Should I Say to Hurting People?
- What to Do When A Leader Falls This article addresses the sad, unfortunate situation when a Christian leader is willingly violating God’s standards without a repentant heart. It outlines how, when, and why to discipline the offender and thus helps you to go beyond the conflicting emotions involved. The apostle Paul gave some specific directions on this topic so that the sacredness of God’s ministry and His calling could be protected.
- What We Need to Help Us through Trials