Ministers/Preachers – Page 2

When Ministers are Embroiled in Scandal. Malachi 2:1-9.

I am an organization man. A team player. I have a tendency to trust institutions like schools, churches, and the government. Many people are wired the same way. When I was ordained a deacon, I was encouraged to support the church and its staff when others raised difficult questions. Having worked in church staff positions,Continue reading “When Ministers are Embroiled in Scandal. Malachi 2:1-9.”

A PASTOR/SHEPHERD IS A SERVANT, NOT AN ENTERTAINER. Ezekiel 33-34.

My childhood pastor, John Bisagno, had “a flair for the dramatic.” He was an engaging preacher with a powerful voice and a rich imagination. Sometimes I became so swept up in the moment, I focused more on the delivery than the message. Brother John was not just a preacher, but an orator. I was enthralled.Continue reading “A PASTOR/SHEPHERD IS A SERVANT, NOT AN ENTERTAINER. Ezekiel 33-34.”

LIFE IN THE FISH BOWL. Ezekiel 24:16,18.

Imagine a goldfish, swimming around a glass bowl all day, his every move on display. No privacy. Pastor’s families live in a fish bowl: everything they do is watched by the church—watched and judged. It is not easy. Being in ministry means living selflessly. When you “put on the collar” people see you differently. YourContinue reading “LIFE IN THE FISH BOWL. Ezekiel 24:16,18.”

TREMBLE. Isaiah 66:2.

I remember the fear I felt one night when I was a little boy. We were in a fourth-floor apartment in New York City visiting my aunt and uncle. My brother and I had gone to bed and the lights were off. Suddenly I looked at the window and saw a man on the fireContinue reading “TREMBLE. Isaiah 66:2.”

Hands Off.

Saul knew God had chosen David to replace him, and he became obsessed with jealousy. David spent at least eight years a fugitive, running from a man who wanted to kill him. How would you feel? What if one day while you and your men were hiding in a cave, Saul came in alone toContinue reading “Hands Off.”

Sexual Abuse in the Church.

Though Saul had been trying to capture and kill David for years, David twice refused to lay a hand on him when he had the chance. But when Nabal repaid David’s protection with a refusal to feed David’s men, David gathered 400 soldiers and swore to kill Nabal by morning. Why the difference? David respectedContinue reading “Sexual Abuse in the Church.”