Don’t be quick to talk about your accomplishments. Don’t think too much of yourself. In the words of Proverbs: “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips” (27:2).

Divine pruning of your congregation can be discouraging—loss of members, friends at a distance, and looking out on a smaller number of people as you peer over the pulpit. Use the opportunity, however, to reflect on your need for God’s grace in your ministry, to pray that God would motivate you to get the word out to see new people, even new converts, fill the pews.

What things should you consider when you’re considering taking a call? Some seminarians don’t think much about it and are willing to serve whoever they can get a church, but others have very specific criteria

At seminary I always look forward to May because it means graduation! I’m excited for the students who have worked hard for a number of years and finally reach the end of their goal—they are the proud owners of a shiny new masters degree!

Whether in the Christian life or in the ministry, don’t fear the cruciform life. As much as we might wince and fear the Father’s refining fire, we must pray that he would enlarge our eyes of faith, fill us with courage, and that we would find joy as we pilgrim in the way of the cross.

The first step in having a sacrificial ministry is to understand the nature of sacrifice itself. All too often use words without having a good grasp of what they mean. Look at what happened to Old Testament sacrifices, for example.

If God does truly ordain everything, even when the hairs on our heads fall to the ground (Matt. 10:30), then nothing in our lives happens by chance. God uses crooked sticks to draw straight lines, and in this case, he uses false accusations to conform you to the image of Christ.

If we spend a large part of our lives seeking our own interests, it can be very difficult to break from this pattern and live sacrificially for others. The more we entrench ourselves in self-satisfaction, the less capable we are of denying ourselves.

“Some people believe that Christ only advances his kingdom through the exercise of great power and manifestations of the spectacular, but that is not what I’ve found. I find that it is the seemingly very small deeds of ordinary ministers of the gospel and others that push the darkness back—small acts of kindness, love, and biblical instruction.”

As counterintuitive as it might seem, sometimes a silent presence is the most effective thing you can do as a pastor.