Expressing appreciation for your pastor (and other church leaders), doesn’t have to be a big banquet, a new car, a trip to the Holy Land, or a lawn tractor. Sure, all of these may be good suggestions for entire congregations. But individual members can also express appreciation in a variety of simpler, yet still meaningful, […]
Hilton Head First Baptist is a great example of how a church should show appreciation for its pastor by taking care of one of his family members who is facing a serious health crisis. Pastor Brett Myers’ wife, Kristin, was diagnosed in early 2021 with MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance), a precancerous condition that […]
In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul writes, “So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14). A few verses prior, Paul rhetorically asks, “Do we not have a right to eat and drink?” (1 Cor. 9:4). In his letter to […]
Church ministry — whether you’re serving as a preaching pastor, an elder, a missionary, or otherwise — is a lot like baseball. It’s an exercise in managing failure. Here’s what I mean: Ted Williams, arguably the greatest hitter in professional baseball history, finished with a .344 career batting average. This means the “Splendid Splinter” succeeded […]
An odd thing happened at my ordination council 48 years ago. As participants offered advice to me, a 21-year-old serving on a church staff and heading for pastoral ministry, one man’s counsel set off an inner alarm: “Don’t get close to your people.” What? I thought pastoral ministry was about engaging people. How does that […]
Pastoring a church is not an easy job. Here are 10 ways you can encourage your pastor (or pastors): 1. THANK HIM (OR THEM). It’s not easy to preach every week. It’s not easy to carry the burden of ministry every day. A pastor rarely hears “thank you.” A good pastor isn’t in the ministry […]
Numbers don’t do justice in describing the last two years for Kevin and Casey Kilgore and their family, but it’s a start. In just a little more than 24 months, the Kilgores have surpassed 70,000 miles traveled in their RV. They’ve visited and encouraged 265 pastors and missionaries. They’ve been to 48 out of 50 […]
Losing their building to a fire has only further ignited the faith of the members of Hagood Avenue Baptist Church in Barnwell. As the building burned Aug. 11 following a lightning strike, church members and leaders gathered in the parking lot to pray and support one another. On Aug. 12, the congregation held a prayer […]
A former South Carolina youth pastor is facing 26 counts of voyeurism and 32 charges of criminal sexual conduct, many involving minors, in two counties, according to WYFF-TV. County court records show 21 new charges were filed against Daniel Kellan Mayfield, 35, the last week in June. The investigation is still ongoing and the number […]
Their sanctuary is gone — now only a charred shell. A lightning bolt likely ignited the blaze that gutted the building on Sunday, July 2. But “the church is the people,” interim pastor Joe Hayes Jr. maintains, and the spirit of Camp Creek’s members remains undaunted. They will continue to worship on the northern Greenville […]