Posts Tagged ‘daniel darling’

Jun
25
2010

Friday Five Interview: Ray Pritchard

It is my privilege to interview a pastor whose ministry I have long admired. I discovered Dr. Ray Pritchard while I was on staff and editing a Christian publication and was delighted to excerpt some of his books. I began following his blog. He began blogging way before blogging pastors were cool.

Dr. Ray was the senior pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL for many years and is the author of numerous, best-selling books, including An Anchor for the Soul, which is distributed around the world and translated in many languages. Ray is frequently interviewed on radio stations across the country and is a prolific speaker at conferences around the world, including Word of Life. Dr. Ray now is the full-time director of Keep Believing Ministries which equips pastors and church leaders around the world with a resource-rich website, Ray’s books, and a speaking ministry that takes him around the globe.

I have personally benefited from Dr. Pritchard’s ministry. He has been a rich source of wisdom and advice on pastoral ministry, writing, and life. I consider him a great friend. I also regularly peruse his archive of sermons and blog posts for insight into my own preaching.

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Jun
18
2010

Friday Five Interview – Charles Stone


Several years ago, when I was working for a Christian organization and the editor of their monthly devotional magazine, I had the chance to meet Charles Stone, Senior Pastor of Ginger Creek Community Church. Actually I “met” him via email. We had the opportunity to print an excerpt from his then-new book, Daughters Gone Wild, Dad’s Gone Crazy. This was a great book that chronicled the  journey he took with his daughter who rebelled for a time but then came back to the faith.

Since then, we’ve become friends. Charles graciously endorsed Teen People of the Bible. We’ve also ran into each other at writer’s conferences, etc. I highly recommend his blog: charlesstone.net.

Well, now Charles is out with a brand-new book, 5 Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them. It is a revealing look at pastoral burnout. I’m nearly finished with the book and I can say that it has challenged me and has educated me on the rigors of ministry. I highly recommend it for both pastors, board members, and lay people.

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Jun
11
2010

Friday Five Interview – Andrea Mullins

In 2005, I had this crazy idea for a devotional book for teens, based on the lives of teens in the Bible. I was an unknown writer, with only a very short list of published articles. At the time, I was volunteering to help my good friend Margaret McSweeney and her husband David, with their congressional campaign. Margaret is a writer herself. And while we were standing in line at a parade, she asked me if I had sent a proposal to Andrea Mullins of New Hope Publishers. I didn’t know Andrea and I didn’t know New Hope. Well, six months later, I had a voice message on my cell from Andrea. She was interested in  my book. After I picked myself up off the floor, I called her and since that time, New Hope has been my publisher. I’ll be forever grateful for her taking a chance on me and helping to develop my writing talent.

I have found Andrea to be a wonderful friend, someone who is deeply passionate about sharing the gospel around the world. Andrea is the publisher/director of New Hope Publishers and the President of Worldcrafts. She is the author of several books herself and has a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Transformational Leadership from Bakke University. Andrea is a sought after speaker for women’s ministry events.

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May
19
2010

Book Review – 5 Ministry Killers by Dr. Charles Stone


What if you could give a pastor truth serum and ask him what ministry is really like? Behind the plastered-on smile and steady handshake are often men of God who struggle with depression, burnout, disappointment, and sin.

And yet, God continues to call ordinary men to the most extraordinary position as shepherd of God’s people. As a young and learning pastor myself, I’m humbled by the opportunity to stand in God’s place and speak the Word to His people. What a holy, humble, and high calling.

One of my good friends in ministry, Dr. Charles Stone, has written a powerful new book, 5 Ministry Killers. Charles rips the mask off of the ministry and reveals the heart of what it is like to be a pastor, going in depth into five areas that rob the joy and steal the fruit of a pastor’s ministry.

Stone compiles research from respected evangelical polling centers such as Lifeway Research, Barna, and Christianity Today. He combs through the research and layers it with his own personal experience—20 plus years in the ministry.

Rarely have I read a pastor so willingly vulnerable, eager to share his struggles and how God has carried him through.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At time the research arrested my attention. Other times I was forced to close the book and reflect and pray over my own flawed motivations. And the entire time I was challenged and strengthened by the book’s humble wisdom.

I highly recommend 5 Ministry Killers to any pastor, whether you’re like me and you’ve been in the pulpit only 2 years or you’re a grizzled veteran of church life. And you don’t have to be a pastor to benefit. I highly recommend church boards and key lay leadership read 5 Ministry Killers.

Kudos to my friend, Dr. Charles Stone, for a well-written, well-researched, and well-lived book.

Note: Click here to read a Friday Five interview with Dr. Stone that will officially post on June 18th.

May
10
2010

Free Tip Sheets

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Apr
24
2010

7 Factors to Determine Your Direction

I run into a lot of young people who are pretty committed to following Christ with their lives and yet they sort of live in this fog about exactly what that looks like for them. We tend to over-spiritualize God’s Will as if it is some hazy, foggy, wispy thing when it is really not that hard to discern.

Here are some biblical guidelines for pursuing, finding, and obeying God’s direction for your life. Read More

Apr
20
2010

5-4-3 Tools for Making Good Decisions

5 Things To Know:

1) Know What You Believe (Matthew 6:45; Proverbs 23:7)

What you believe down deep in your heart is the most important thing about you. Notice I said what you believe, not what your parents or pastor or guidance counselor believes. Every major life decision should be run thru the filter of your personal statement of faith.

2) Know Who You Are (Psalm 139: Ephesians 1:4; Jeremiah 29:11)

Who are you? A random speck, a useless statistic? Or are you special, called by God, chosen, adopted, redeemed, loved, wonderfully created, uniquely designed, carefully held? Before you can know what to do you must know who you are and who you were created to be.

3) Know Who to Talk To (Proverbs 11:14) Read More