I taught my first children’s Sunday school class at the age of 16. I was responsible for teaching all children under the age of 12 for the summer. I was given no curriculum or direction. However, I felt called to…
Webinar envisions ways preachers and church musicians might flourish together
Fostering church cultures where both pastors and church musicians flourish requires discerning the perspectives and challenges of the other, Methodist pastor Andy Stoker said during a webinar about pastor-musician working relationships. “Creating a culture whereby a pastor and church musician…
Dear Pastor Search Committee
Dear Pastor Search Committee, I appreciate the time and effort you are devoting to this process. Your church has entrusted you with an exciting and daunting task, to find your next pastor. Most churches will only host a few pastor…
We are all interims eventually
Last December my wife, Lori, and I officially joined Oakland Baptist Church in Rock Hill, S.C., after attending worship for several months. I particularly was grateful for the music and worship leadership of a new colleague (and now friend), Suzanne…
An honest job description for a children’s minister
God loves the senior ministers whose portraits are on the wall in the church parlor, but God knows the real saints are the ones who care for children. For almost 20 years, Julia Rassmann has been a big fun, big…
Letter to the Editor: The alternative to a senior pastor
July 11, 2023 Dear Editor: Herewith is my response to the insightful article by Mark Wingfield on the matter of associate pastors. I never wanted to be a senior pastor. Well, that’s not the whole truth. When senior pastors would…
A word of thanks for associate pastors
I never assume people know who I am, even though I’m more well-known than I deserve in the circles we travel in. That’s not entirely new to this role as executive director of Baptist News Global. In my previous life,…
The present crisis for church staff
Churches in America have been living amid rapid change for several decades now, accelerated like a dive on a roller coaster by COVID. Previously, much of our attention has focused on institutional change and challenges, the big picture of congregations…
How to avoid hiring a toxic pastor or church staff member
I recently listened to yet another pastor tell a story of havoc let loose in his congregation by a toxic staff member who never should have been hired and was difficult to fire. I’ve heard this story over and over,…