Friday, August 03, 2007

The Pastor's Wife

The topic of caring for one's pastor is dear to my heart.

I am the son of a pastor and his wife. I am grateful to God for my parents and the environment in which they trained me. Having observed and experienced the finer details of a pastor's personal life, the recent blog by Pastor Erik struck a chord with me.

While the role and responsibilities of a pastor are often many and trying, a married minister does not bear the burden of his calling alone. I firmly believe that when a married man is called into the ministry, so is his wife. God created Eve to be Adam's helper. It is understood from Scriopture than wives are their husband's helpmeets in whatever the husband is called to do. The pastor is called to evangelize, shepherd, disciple, counsel, encourage, correct, and love the parishiners within his church. The pastor's wife, as her husband's helper and co-minister of the love of Christ, should involve herself in similar endeavors. In doing so, the pastor's wife encourages her husband by doing the Lord's work along side of him.

With this in mind, churchmembers should be keen to encouraging and uplifting not only their pastors, but their pastors' wives as well.

Pastor Erik begins his post with these words:
I have commented before on the 'burn out' rate of pastors as being somewhat of a crisis in the church. I truly believe that the neglect of the home and family is a big part of the problem. But, the problem doesn't come only from the pastor's neglect of his family, but also from the church's neglect of the pastors families. Pastor's are reticent to call the church to care for their families- it seems self serving and manipulative. But, it is a necessity- if we take the strain upon pastors and their families seriously.

Please read the rest of this post here, and put into action the practical ways to take care of our pastor's wife.

The church pastor wears a great burden upon his shoulders. Bu let us not forget our pastor's better half--the pastor's wife. May we make opportunities to encourage our pastors and their wives and show our appreciation to them for the persevering love which they continually demonstrate to us.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Broken, Burning Bridge


In light of this week's catastrophe in Minneapolis, I want to point you to two important writings on the tragedy. One is from John Piper who lives and pastors near the disaster in Minnesota; the other from Charles Spurgeon. You can access both articles via Fide-o.blogspot.com.

As we think on this sad providence, may our prayers go up on behalf of the surviving victims and affected familes, and more importantly, may our hearts and minds be lifted to to know see and know "the God of all grace" who administers both mercy and wrath. May many people's hearts be moved by the Spirit to understand the dire state of their lives away from Christ and flee to Him for eternal salvation, comfort, and peace.

"...Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."