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Crosswalk Pastors Resource Informing and Encouraging Church Leaders http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.87.26366.1.1698058 Monday, September 13, 2004 Welcome to Crosswalk Pastors Resource, a free newsletter from Crosswalk.com. Crosswalk Pastors Resource brings you timely and informative articles, special offers, and other resources to help you in your ministry. We hope that this newsletter is an encouragement to you. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs, please use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this newsletter and you will be removed immediately. >> My Biggest Challenge as a Pastor Ray Pritchard Pastor, Calvary Memorial Church Between services this morning, I decided to sit down for a few moments on a bench in the new portico. While I was sitting there, a young man came up, sat down next to me, and asked, "What is the biggest challenge you face as a pastor?" I didn't immediately respond because there really isn't one particular answer to that question. It depends on the day or the week because the challenges change all the time. So before I could formulate an answer, the young man offered his suggestion: "I think it's the counseling." That probably wouldn't have been my first answer because these days I don't do much counseling. That's handled by other people, either other staff members or trained lay people. * * * * * * * * * * * * ADVERTISEMENT * * * * * * * * * * * How can you change the world? Help save a child through World Vision's child sponsorship program. For just $26 a month, you'll provide clean water, regular medical care, a secure food supply, and access to education. Request your no obligation packet today! http://l.salemweb.net/worldvision0604/past/091304/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Years ago I used to do nearly all the counseling myself, but in recent years I haven't done as much, which I'm happy about because pastoral counseling is not one of my gifts. We have gifted people who truly enjoy listening to people's problems and helping them find biblical solutions. When I do counseling, it tends to wear me out. So the young man went on to offer this further comment: "I would imagine that it's frustrating to deal with people who don't want to change." As a matter of fact, that's often a problem. Sometimes people come to see a pastor, not because they truly want help, but because they simply want someone to confirm them in their own behavior choices. Change is hard for all of us - and I definitely include myself in that. In a sense, the happiest and saddest moments of the pastorate converge at exactly the same point. Nothing brings more satisfaction than seeing lives changed by God's power. And nothing discourages pastors like dealing with people who choose to stay the same when confronted with the need to change. Sometimes we see both things happen at the same time - one person who says yes to God, and another person who says no. That's part of the mystery of working with people. And it's also part of the hope, because people who say no today may say yes tomorrow. I suppose the real answer is that dealing with people is both the biggest challenge and the biggest blessing, and I think most pastors would say the same thing. >> Dr. Ray Pritchard, Senior Pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL, has >> ministered extensively overseas and is a frequent conference speaker and guest on >> Christian radio and television talk shows. He has written 23 books, including An >> Anchor for the Soul, Man of Honor, What a Christian Believes, The ABCs of Wisdom, >> Keep Believing, and The God You Can Trust. To sign up for Pastor Ray's free weekly sermon email list, click here. You can find his daily weblog, online sermons, travel schedule, and other resources at www.keepbelieving.com. You can write Pastor Ray at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Find more great articles on our Pastor Channel: http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.87.26366.1.1698058 ____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________ * This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. To unsubscribe from this newsletter immediately, simply click on the link below. If this link is not clickable, simply cut and paste it into the address bar of your browser. http://www.salememail.com/unsub/87/1698058.aspx * Copyright C 2004 Salem Web Network and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. 1698058 Questions or comments can be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/BCfwlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> <a href=http://English-12948197573.SpamPoison.com>Fight Spam! 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