Volume 03, Issue 05
March 18 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formed, 1949. March 21 On this day, the U.S. Government closed the island prison of Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay, after 30 years as an icon of both law enforcement and gangster movies, 1963. March 23 On this day, President Ronald Reagan first proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative,
Prayer Of Jacob
Written by: Warren W. Wiersbe The church-growth people have been bandying about a new word: anonymity. At first I thought it was the name of one of the early church fathers. Instead, it seems to be the new idea that visitors (or “the unchurched,” as we call them before we “church” them) don’t want to
Aging
Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it. The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for. Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know “why” I look this way. I’ve traveled a long
Christian Bumper Stickers
Be ye fishers of men. You catch them – He’ll clean them. Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous. Don’t put a question mark where God put a period. Don’t wait for 6 strong men to take you to church. Forbidden fruits create many jams. God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
Educational Preparation
Pastors are much more educated than the average American. Over 9 out of 10 pastors (94%) graduated from college in preparation for church ministry compared to only 21 percent for U.S. adults. Three-fourths attended graduate school. Seminaries played a larger role in preparing pastors for ministry than Bible colleges. One third of pastors (35%) attended
First Ministry Position
The typical pastor assumed his or her first ministry position at the age of 25. The majority (59%) started out as a solo pastor with no other ministry staff at the church. Four in ten (38%) started as a ministry staff person in a multiple staff setting. Only three percent began ministry as a senior
Influences in Choosing Ministry as a Career
Strong sense of God’s call = 87%Pastor or mentor who modeled ministry favorably = 58%Parents = 27%Other family or friends = 25%Crisis event in life = 11%Spouse = 9% 2ProphetU2ProphetU is an online magazine/website, started by Warren Wiersbe and Michael Catt, to build up the church, seek revival, and encourage pastors.
Original Christian One-Liners
Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to sit in their pews. Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisers. It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one. The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close. When you get to
Profile of Today’s Pastor
Profile of Today’s Pastor: How Prepared Were You for Ministry? by John LaRue What kind of spiritual upbringing do pastors have? Are they well educated? Do they find anything lacking in their ministry training? When did they start their first ministry job and what did they do? The latest Christianity Today International research has some
Signs That Childhood Is Over
Just one peanut butter and jelly sandwich doesn’t do it anymore. Driving a car doesn’t always sound like fun. The average 10-year-old doesn’t have a clue who Bo and Luke Duke are. Being bad is no longer cool. You have friends who have kids. Saturday mornings are for sleeping. You are taller than the slide
Spiritual Beginnings
The typical pastor was converted to Christ just before the age of 13. This is significantly earlier than the typical evangelical Protestant who came to faith at the age of 17. Two-thirds of pastors (67%) in the study were raised by at least one Christian parent. The vast majority of these, five in six, were
Top 5 Things Thought Lacking in Seminary
Conflict management = 31%Business administration/management = 24%Leadership = 12%Spirituality = 7%Counseling = 6% 2ProphetU2ProphetU is an online magazine/website, started by Warren Wiersbe and Michael Catt, to build up the church, seek revival, and encourage pastors.