A Weblog Dedicated to the Discussion of the Christian Faith and 21st Century Life

A Weblog Dedicated to the Discussion of the Christian Faith and 21st Century Life
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I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this also I believe, –that unless I believed, I should not understand.-- St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109)

Saturday, March 09, 2013

What Pastors Wish They Knew Before They Became Pastors

From Thom Rainer:
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1. I wish someone had taught me basic leadership skills.

2. I needed to know a lot more about personal financial issues.

3. I wish I had been given advice on how to deal with power groups and power people in the church.

4. Don't give up your time in prayer and the Word.

5. I wish someone had told me I needed some business training.

6. Someone should have told me that there are mean people in the church.

7. Show me how to help my kids grow up like normal kids.

8. I wish I had been told to continue to date my wife [husband].

9. Someone needed to tell me about the expectation of being omnipresent.

10. I really needed help knowing how to minister to dying people.
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The details are here.

2 comments:

Mike Helbert said...

What's really cool, is that in M. Div. cohort, one of the guys who was facilitating small groups took ours to his church and gave us a notebook entitled, "Things They Never Taught Me in Seminary." These "things" are exactly what is being discussed in this post. I really think that every M. Div., or ministry 'hopeful' needs to here about the real life issues of being in pastoral ministry.

Allan R. Bevere said...

Mike,

It's good to hear that these questions are being addressed.