The Bible NETWork ~ Impacting the World for Christ one post at a time!

Hello. I am helping to plan a weekend for ministerial students on "The Minister's Personal Life", and would appreciate getting a listing of suggestions from you about what topics should be covered.

I want to invite you, your spouses, even your kids to weigh in on this.

You can either give a one line title of a suggestion, or give the title and then a brief description of what you mean by it and what should be covered in it. For instance - We'd all agree that "your personal prayer life" is important. Spell that out for these students - what does that MEAN?

Thanks in advance!


Jim

Stay in control of your schedule.

There are many factors in the Minister's life which, if he allowed, would spin his schedule out of control. Emergencies, hospital visits, family events, funerals, etc. can all crowd the ever important need to study and keep his personal devotions. Often Ministers will opt for reducing their family time and thus, over time, begin to neglect the needs of their family to "minister" to their church. IMO all young ministers need to learn early what I've had to learn on the go (and am still learning). Set strong boundaries for personal devotions and family activities both within the daily schedule and weekly schedule and prioritize those above "ministry" priorities. Be there for your kids and don't allow "Mrs. so-in-so's" crisis to take you away from the elementary award ceremony for your daughter.

Lock your study door (or study @ home with the phone off) while you study and are in prayer. "Joe Italktoomuch" and sister "Iwontgoaway" need to wait in the hall or come at a better time. Don't let them interrupt your prayer & study.

Tell the students that there will be those who get mad at you because of keeping a solid prayer, study, & family schedule. There are those who insist upon having the right to interrupt you and encroaching upon your family activities. Allow them to "guilt" you into conceding and you, by your actions, tell your family who is more important to you. Generally those who take this attitude will monopolize your time and drain you of energy.

There are some things that can and should interrupt certain family activities and prayer/study. Those few things are very rare and obvious to the discerning minister.

Blessings,
Randy

How about how we live. The Bible makes it clear that we eath live for God or sin. So first what is sin? It is any dosobedince to God. So how do we live for him well most would say it is by what you chouse I say it is by why you chouse do you chouse to let God come inside of you and rule you or do you chouse to try to rule yourself

_________________

I am putting together notes on the Spiritual Disciplines for a women's retreat our church is planning ..... but this is not limited to women and the principles would be just the same in a men's retreat. It is just the leisure activities that would need to be different.

Once anyone has a basic knowledge and understanding of the Disciplines, then they can be practiced during day to day life .....

Why are they so important? .... because they help us to live focused on Christ, so that we live and work in His strength and not our own.

Would recommend books by Dallas Willard, Richard Foster and Eugene Petersen. Eugene Petersen especially writes as a Pastor on the Pastor's spiritual life.

joy

Dinah

_________________
Forum Code of Conduct
Forum Statement of Beliefs

I'd suggest the 3 G's....

Girls--keeping your marriage healthy and staying pure.
Gold--stewardship with integrity, your ministry is a calling not a job
Glory--avoid the need to be famous and addicted to popularity

Those things have always been in the forefront of my mind as a leader.

_________________
About A Burning Fire Network
Chicago, IL
http://www.aboutaburningfire.com/wordpress

When asked how to draw a crowd, 19th century evangelist John Wesley said "I set myself on fire and people come and watch me burn".

I've been reading the Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray McCheyne for the first time and came across a self-examination that he wrote called 'Reformation'. It begins almost 1/3rd of the way down into chapter 6, which you can read here. Writing down the results of one's soul-searching looks like a very good and beneficial idea, for pastors especially.

"...if we examined ourselves, we would not be judged." (1 Corinthians 11:31)

_________________
Andrew Bernhardt
"Salvation costs me nothing. Discipleship costs me everything."
my homepage / my blog

Do you know the book Liberating the Ministry from the Success Syndrome? The ministry is about faithfulness rather than success. It brought hope and revival to me!

Since you are praying - you might teach them conversational prayer if they have not been exposed to it. I was first exposed in college and it has provided a lifelong benefit.

It is better to talk with God as a person than to give a speech to Him.

John

_________________
"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Gal 5:6b

Pastor John C. Blackburn