This week’s podcast is with a church leader making a difference. I’m looking forward to what you’ll hear from Cal Jernigan, longtime pastor with Central Christian Church in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area.
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My friend Brook Brotzman calls it “The Art of the Hang.” If you get together with people who will challenge or encourage you, you’ll discover there’s no better way to spend your time. If you just hang with leaders who care about your ministry, your ministry will be better for it.
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I remember the first time a biracial couple visited the small church where I grew up. Everybody there that day noticed, in a “you don’t belong here” sort of way. I felt uneasy for those two then. And today, many years later, I’m still troubled by the lack of diversity in many local churches.
I realized very quickly that I was growing up in a church bubble. The people in my church looked like me, thought like me, dressed like me, shared the same values and preferences. We were comfortable inside our white, middle-class boundary.
But today I’m not comfortable.
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If you’re a pastor and you feel lonely, you’re not the only one. Loneliness can plague even the most productive pastor, especially after he got close to and got burned by the wrong confidant. When that happens, he may feel that alone is the only safe place to be.
I understand. In fact, I warned about that in last week’s post. But this week I want to share the other side. It is worth the risk of being hurt for the hope of being helped. Every pastor needs a friend who fits the following four descriptions.
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If Satan can’t get you one way, he’ll try another. If lust, greed, or pride don’t cause you to fail, something we don’t talk about as much may become your undoing. Disappointment can sap your energy, cloud your vision, or even turn you away from your mission.
And if we’re honest, we’ll admit every leader deals with disappointment. I’ve grouped mine under three headings.
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