Six Major Areas Where Pastors Want to Reset Their Ministries

Podcast Episode #508

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Ministry routines and rhythms can get out of balance at times. Today we discuss what areas are commonly most in need of a reset for pastors.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

  • When you get busy as a pastor, one of the first areas that gets neglected is outward focus.
  • Don’t let the tyranny of the urgent compromise your fulfillment of the Great Commission.
  • Whatever time you allocate for a meeting will likely get filled.
  • What would change if you could cut church staff meetings in half and turn that time into evangelism and outreach?

The five things former pastors tell us they miss most about pastoring are:

  1. Evangelism and outreach: “I must do more!”
  2. Pastoral visitation: “I must equip others!”
  3. Meetings: “I must say ‘no’ more readily!”
  4. Family: “I must make them my first ministry!”
  5. Counseling: “I must be more careful!”
  6. Prayer: “I must calendar it to be a priority!”

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast

Rainer on Leadership is a member of the LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network


Episode Sponsors

Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped thousands of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church.

For more information, visit WeStaffTheChurch.com.


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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.

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Rhapsody of Realities 6 February 2019 – His Awe-Inspiring Light

Rhapsody of Realities 6 February 2019 By Pastor Chris Oyakhilome – His Awe-Inspiring Light

Topic: His Awe-Inspiring Light

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9).

The Bible lets us know that God is “Light” and the “father of lights”; therefore, we’re children of Light, dwelling in the light. That’s what we read in the latter part of our opening text above; we’ve been brought into God’s marvellous light; that’s your location in the realm of the spirit; you live in His awe-inspiring light. Therefore, there’s no darkness about your life.

It readily brings to mind the words of Jesus in John 8:12; He said, “…I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” We have, and must walk in the same light in which God dwells and functions. This means we’re to walk in His Word, for His Word is light (Psalm 119:105). Walking in His light means your mindset and perceptions are a result of the Word; you view and live your life only from the perspective of the Word!

God’s Word should be the only light by which, and with which you see. Under that light, you see only possibilities and victories; you see the glory of God; and because you see it, you talk and walk accordingly. When you agree with what the Word says about you, and then affirm accordingly, you’re walking in God’s light. God gave you His Word to light up your path, so there wouldn’t be darkness or uncertainties as you journey through life.

Colossians 1:12-13 says: “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” You’ve been brought out of darkness, and translated into the Kingdom of God’s love-Son, where there’s no darkness, sin, death, evil and corrupting influences of the world. You’ve been catapulted to the gracious and glorious liberty of the sons of God. See and live from that realm; it’s the realm of victory, dominion, peace and joy evermore.

PRAYER
Blessed be God! He brought me out of darkness, and the miry clay, and set my feet upon the Rock to stay; that Rock holds me firm and fortified against the pressures and adversities of life. I dwell in the light wherein there’s no darkness or pain, but victory, dominion, and glory forever, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:
Colossians 1:12-13; Proverbs 4:18; Isaiah 60:1-3

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Matthew 25:31-46 & Exodus 31

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Matthew 12:39-50 & Genesis 37

Click HERE to Read previous Messages

Rhapsody of Realities 6th February 2019 Devotional was written by Pastor Pastor Chris Oyakhilome (D.Sc., D.D.). President of Loveworld Inc. aka Christ Embassy Int’l.

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100 yr old widow was killed on way home from church by mugger desperate for cash, court hears

Artur Waszkiewicz is alleged to have knocked Zofija Kaczan to the floor, robbed her green handbag and left her to bleed in the middle of the road as she made her way to church on May 28 last year.

Polish-born widow Ms Kaczan suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured neck and cheekbone, before her condition deteriorated.

She died from pneumonia in hospital on June 6 – a condition which would only have been brought on by the injuries sustained in the attack, the court was told.

Derby Crown Court was told Waszkiewicz had been driving around quiet residential streets in a Seat Leon car insured in his father’s name, and had slowed down as soon as he saw the easy target.

The defendant’s fingerprint had been found on a receipt from Ms Kaczan’s handbag and no money was present when it was recovered, the court heard.

A jury panel of seven men and five women was told the 40-year-old was so desperate for money that he had tried to sell his dog to neighbours before the incident.

The prosecution said the force used in the attack was so great that the green handle on the victim’s handbag was ripped off.

Ms Kaczan, who was held in a Nazi camp during the Second World War, told police she was attacked from behind, at 8.45am, close to the junction of St Chads Road and Empress Road in Normanton, Derby.

The prosecution alleges that after the incident, the defendant changed his…

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Two responses to the Ralph Northam controversy

Ralph Northam served eight years as a United States Army medical officer, then became a pediatric neurologist. He served in Virginia’s state Senate and as lieutenant governor before becoming governor earlier this year.

On January 30, the governor voiced his support for legislation that would allow abortion until the point of birth. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) spoke for many when he responded: “In just a few years pro-abortion zealots went from ‘safe, legal, and rare’ to ‘keep the newborns comfortable while the doctor debates infanticide.’”

Then came the yearbook controversy. On February 1, images from Northam’s medical school yearbook were published. On his page in the yearbook, they picture an unidentified person in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan hood.

After admitting that he was one of the figures in the photo and apologizing, Northam later denied that he was in the picture. However, he admitted to wearing blackface for a Michael Jackson dance contest around the same time the photo was taken.

Pressure to resign has been escalating since the yearbook picture was published.

“Seize the opportunity”

Harvard’s James Herron perceptively defines racism as “a lens through which people interpret, naturalize, and reproduce inequality.” Since 64 percent of Americans say racism remains a major problem in this country, we should not be surprised that such prejudice makes the news daily.

One response is African American History Month, which is observed each February. Its purpose is to “[pay] tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.”

This emphasis began in 1926 as “Negro History Week.” The second week in February was chosen because it coincides with the birth of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and Frederick Douglass on February 14. Its focus was on encouraging the teaching of the history of African Americans in the nation’s public schools.

In…

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Christian MP quizzes Government 50 times in one day over its response to persecution

David Linden wrote letters to the Foreign Secretary last week individually highlighting every country included in the Open Doors World Watch List.

The list ranks 50 nations where believers receive the worst treatment – including North Korea, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia and Pakistan.

 

His note, a written question, said: “To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart [in the country] on its inclusion in the Open Doors 2019 World Watch List of the top 50 countries where Christians face persecution.”

In 50 identical responses, Jeremy Hunt said concerns for religious minorities in other countries are raised “routinely” by ministers.

 

His written answer said: “The Foreign Secretary and I, alongside other British Government Ministers, routinely raise our concerns about the persecution of religious minorities, including Christians, where this occurs.

“He recently asked the Bishop of Truro to conduct an independent review of the persecution of Christians around the world to help inform this important area of our work and ensure it is targeted and effective.

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Cheers as pope celebrates historic mass in Abu Dhabi

A day after making a broad appeal for Christian and Muslim leaders to work together to promote peace and reject war, Francis celebrated what some considered the largest show of public Christian worship on the peninsula, the birthplace of Islam.

Cheers erupted inside and outside the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi as Francis arrived and moved through the crowd in his open-sided Popemobile, as chants of “Viva il papa” (Long live the pope) and “We love you!” echoed from the crowd, estimated to be around 135,000.

 

Organisers said faithful from 100 countries would attend, as well as 4,000 Muslims from this Muslim federation – evidence of the enormous diversity among the 9 million people who live in the UAE.

“We have to say it is really a big event for us which we never expected,” said Sumitha Pinto, an Indian native who has lived in the UAE for nearly 20 years. She attended the Mass with her husband and four sons, the youngest of whom held up sign with the pope’s photo that read: “Welcome Pope Francis. Make Me a Channel of Your Peace.”

The Emirates’ Catholic community is something of an anomaly for the region – large, diverse and thriving at a time when the wider Middle East has seen an exodus of Christians fleeing persecution at the hands of the Islamic State group and others.

The Catholic Church estimates as many as one million of the over nine million people…

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Breaking Family and Generational Curses by Pastor Paul Enenche

2019 BLESSING SUNDAY – 3RD FEBRUARY 2019
ANCHOR SCRIPTURE(S): GALATIANS 3:13-14
MESSAGE TOPIC: BREAKING FAMILY AND GENERATIONAL CURSES
BY: DR. PAUL ENENCHE

SERVICE OBJECTIVES:

  1. Knowing the reality of family and generational curses
  2. Understanding what it takes to break them

WHAT ARE FAMILY OR GENERATIONAL CURSES?

  1. They are negative patterns or occurrences that are noticeable within particular families or communities
  2. They are negative bloodline transfers, possibly from disastrous parental transactions with the enemy
  3. They are limiting or disempowering forces of ancestral or generational connection (Zech. 1:19-21)

SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES OF FAMILY OR GENERATIONAL CURSES:

  1. Abraham’s extended family had negative family patterns which God brought him out of. (Gen. 12:1-3)
    THE NEGATIVE PATTERNS IN HIS BLOODLINE:
    i. Starting without finishing
    ii. Dying before time
    iii. Living without relevance
  2. Jacob’s determination and desperation brought him deliverance from the negative patterns of his family house (Gen. 32:24-28)
    THE NEGATIVE PATTERNS IN HIS BLOODLINE:
    i. Barrenness
    ii. First born irrelevance/denial of the blessing
    iii. The struggle for things
  3. The widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-15)
    THE NEGATIVE PATTERN IN HER BLOODLINE:
    i. The loss of the male seed

FORCES FOR THE BREAKING OF CURSES:

  1. The Blood of Jesus (Gal. 3:13-14; Col. 2:13-15; 1Pet. 1:18-19)
    The reason why what affected your parents, or people in your village is not permitted to affect you is because of the Blood of Jesus
    The Blood of Jesus disconnects you from your natural bloodline and connects you to a new, spiritual
    bloodline; that is what it means to be born again
    You may have inherited some good traits from your parents but without your permission, negative traits were also handed over to you but by the Blood of Jesus, those negative traits are not permitted to happen in your life anymore!
    You cannot be a Christian and be imagining that what happened to your mother or father (negative things) can happen to you
    Anytime you take the communion, you are enforcing your deliverance; that is why the communion
    is called the Cup of the Blessing (1Cor. 10:16)
    All you need to do about the darkness is to turn on the light; similarly, all you need to do to break the curse is to receive the Blessing (1Cor. 10:16)
  2. The revelation of Truth (John 8:32, 36; John 1:1-5; Jer. 31:29-30; 2Cor. 2:14)
    Truth is stronger than fact!
    Truth: By His stripes you are healed (Isa. 53:5)
    Fact: Everyone in your family has hypertension or diabetes
    The truth is stronger than that fact!
    The Word is Truth; sickness is a darkness. Once the Word shines inside the darkness of sickness, the darkness cannot comprehend it and must bow!
    Never over-empower the problem; no demon is stronger than the truth!
    Dream a negative dream 1,000 times, if it is contrary to the Word, it is TRASH!
    The Truth is absolute
    Increase in Light is the decrease of fear
    If you see your fear of things is increasing, then it means that your Light is low
    The knowledge of the Word is our reason for triumph (2Cor. 2:14)
  3. The force of prayer and fasting (Gen. 32:24-28; 1Chron. 4:9-10; Isa. 58:6,8; Matt. 17:21)
    The power of desperate praying broke the curse on the lives of Jacob and Jabez (Gen. 32:24-28; 1Chron. 4:9-10)
  4. The power of the Blessing (Gen. 12:2; 1Chron. 4:9-10)
    Whatever connects you to the Blessing, connects you to deliverance and excuses you from the curse
    Service brings you the Blessing (Ex. 23:25-26); tithes and offerings connect you to the Blessing (Mal. 3:10); Sacrifice connects you to the Blessing and excuses you from the curse; Obedience connects you to the Blessing (Deut. 28:1-2); Righteousness connects you to the Blessing (Ps. 5:12).
  5. The prophetic mantle (Hos. 12:13; Num. 6:23-26)
    God’s prophets are relevant and vital in the deliverance of God’s people from captivity

PRAYER:
Father, thank You for the Light of Your Word that we have received today. To You be all the glory Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

COVENANT RENOUNCEMENT:


Father, I come before You today, to renew my relationship with Jesus Christ. I come today to rededicate my life to Jesus. And today, I come to reject every ancestral, generational and family curse, every work of diabolism, or witches and wizards; I reject you! Every altar fighting my life, I reject you by the altar of Calvary; every blood sacrifice fighting my destiny I neutralise you by the Blood of Jesus; every decree fighting my life and destiny, I neutralize you by the decree of Jesus on Calvary when He said, ‘It is finished’; today, I reject every spirit of failure, backwardness, limitation, stagnation, delay, I refuse and reject you! You have no place in my life! Your tenure in my life expires today! GO!

FEBRUARY 2019 PROPHETIC PARENTAL DECLARATIONS:

  1. The Lord bless you, and keep you, the Lord cause His Face to shine upon you, the Lord be gracious unto you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and the Lord give you peace in the Name of Jesus.
  2. I declare that the Lord will cause every ancestral curse, every family curse and every generational curse of your life to be swallowed up in the Blessing in the Name of Jesus.
  3. The Lord will cause your days to be fulfilled. Every force or altar of your father’s house that is after your life and after your existence on the earth, I declare that they are set on fire, in the Name of Jesus!
  4. The Lord cause your destiny to open up; may He cause His purpose for your life on the earth to be fulfilled without any hindrance in the Name of Jesus
  5. The Lord cause every stubborn affliction, every stubborn situation, every stubborn condition and every stubborn operation of your life to perish today in the Name of Jesus.
  6. The Lord cause every distraction of your life – everything that distracts your worship of God and your focus in life, I declare that they be instantly arrested in the Name of Jesus. Receive the grace to serve God without distraction in Jesus’ Name.
  7. The Lord release upon you the Blessing of direction and the Blessing of guidance; the Lord cause you to take the right steps and to make the right moves for your life and destiny in the Name of Jesus. May He cause you to be at the right place at the right time in Jesus’ Name
  8. The Lord visit you with every Blessing that is available in this Commission and upon this altar; every favour, every help, every mercy, and every breakthrough that is available in this Ministry that you heard about, every testimony you have heard on this altar that you desire in your life is released for you in Jesus’ Name.
  9. In the Name of Jesus Christ, February shall favour you. It is well with you. It is well with Nigeria. It is well with your family in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

COMMUNION FOCUS:

This Communion will mark the beginning of a turnaround; by the speakings of the Blood of Jesus, every spell in your life is finally broken! Whatever my Father in Heaven has not planted, today, they are uprooted; may you have an encounter and a testimony to tell!

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS:

  • From this international global platform, people shall be raised that will impact the world and influence their generation!
  • Anyone in any sort of field of design, I prophesy, it shall move to the next level!
  • Whatever be your profession, career and field of specialization, I prophesy, from today, it shall move to the next level!
  • Nothing is too lost to be found; it doesn’t matter how long it has been lost, it shall be found!
  • In your life, family, and endeavours, nothing is too lost to be found. Whatever the devil has taken from you, I declare, restoration is here!
  • Whatever has limited your life, family and destiny, today they shall be scattered!
  • Whatever has come to you from your father or mother’s bloodline that is hindering your life and destiny, today by the Blood of Jesus, they shall be flushed out!
  • Everything that affected people in your family line, in your lineage or your village, you are coming out of it!
  • What they said people from your father’s house or community could not achieve, you shall be the first to achieve it!
  • God is about to use you to terminate the negative trends in your family
  • You are the one God will use to break the pattern, tendency and challenge in your lineage!
  • The devil shall not silence your voice!
  • Whatever it is in your life that is a negative pattern, today, in the Name of Jesus, the resurrected Lord, that pattern is broken!
  • Children bury parents, not parents burying children, therefore I declare, every spell of premature death is broken!
  • Every curse against your life is deleted by the Blood of Jesus!
  • Whatever is not of God in your life, shall be swallowed up by the Blessing today!
  • I prophesy, light and Truth are coming for you!
  • I stand here by the privilege of God as pastor over this House and I take authority over every curse and work of darkness, I break that yoke and break the curse in Jesus’ Name!
  • For a long time you have struggled for what is yours, from this moment, what is yours shall look for you

You can READ other MESSAGES from same author by clicking HERE

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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Joyce Meyer Devotional 5 February 2019 — Keep Your Peace

Topic: Keep Your Peace [Joyce Meyer Devotional 5 February 2019]

But they all alike began to make excuses… — Luke 14:18

To have peace, keep your eyes on God. Get alone to fellowship with Him. If you have to get in a closet and sit in the middle of all your shoes and hang clothes over your head to hide in order to find solitude, do it! Then focus on all that God has done for you.

Jesus said to go to your most private room when you pray to the Father, and He will reward you openly for the time you spend with Him (See Matthew 6:6). Don’t miss out on God’s abundant blessings for your life.

Prayer Starter: Father, in the midst of everything I have to do today, I ask You to fill my heart and mind with Your supernatural peace. Help me to continually grow closer to You and receive the peace and rest You have for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Joyce Meyer Daily Devotional HERE’’

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.

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TREM Devotional 5 February 2019 – The Love of God Knows No Bound

Topic: The Love of God Knows No Bound [TREM Devotional 5 February 2019]

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 KJV

The love of God knows no bound. That is why it is called Agape. That is why it is called perfect love. The love of God is a perfect love that casts out fear. Human love loves you as long as he doesn’t know some of your secrets. The moment he knows some of your secrets, he begins to reduce his love. But God’s love loves you in and out. God’s love tells you: I will never leave you nor forsake you. I am always with you. You can never be alone. That is God’s love. Think of what it will do to you when you wake up every morning and remember that He who owns the universe loves you dearly. He loves you to the point that He cannot do without you. Think of it!

In the book of Ephesians 3:16-19, Apostle Paul prayed that the Church will be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. He prayed that we may be able to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and to be filled with all the fullness of God. The Church needs to know this love. How does He love me? I am a criminal yet He still loves me. How do I understand that? It is a revelation! It is the love that “passeth” knowledge.

In spite of your weakness, your shortcoming, your mistakes and your inadequacies, God still loves you. This love is unconditional! It is irrevocable! It is blood-bought and iron-clad. Nothing can change it. And because nothing can change it, He is favourably disposed to dispense only good to you. He will not watch you die of that sickness because of His love for you. The Church must leverage on this love that does not fail.

Further Reading: 1 John 4:7-19, Romans 5:5-10, Ephesians 3:16-21

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Exodus 36-38; Evening- Matthew 23:1-22

“If you missed yesterday devotional click HERE to read TREM Daily Devotional by Dr. Mike Okonkwo’’

Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.

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Open Heaven 5 February 2019 Prayer Points on Today – Prepared For The Storm?

Open Heaven 5 February 2019 Prayer Points on Today – Prepared For The Storm?

Prepared For The Storm?

1.I worship and adore You, my Father, because You are the way, the truth and the life. (Click HERE to read Open Heaven 5 February 2019)

2.Thank You, Father, for the revelation of Your truth to us, through Your word, that became flesh.

3.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.

4.Father, please deliver me from every storm of life in Jesus’ Name.

5.Father, please grant me the wisdom to adequately prepare for the storms of life. You know all things before they happen, please guide my feet to the place of all-round security in You in Jesus’ Name

6.Father, empower me to always tell the truth, without fear or favour, no matter the cost or consequence, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, help me never to hold Your truth in unrighteousness, in order to avoid Your wrath upon my life, in Jesus’ name.

8.Father, as a leader in my own right, help me to surround myself with people who will always tell me the truth, and not sycophants and flatterers, in Jesus’ name.

9.Father, please, help me to live through today, without committing a single sin, in Jesus’ name.

10.Father, let every plant You have not planted in the life and ministry of Pastor E.A. Adeboye, be uprooted, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures; help him to overcome every challenge of getting these prayer points across to Your children timely, on daily basis, in Jesus’ name.

12.Your Personal petitions. (Philippians 4:6)

13.In Jesus name I pray. (John 14:13-14; 15:16)

14.Thank you Father for answered prayers. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

These prayers have no expiry date! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye’s book Ministry, in Jesus name.

Open Heaven 5 February 2019 Prayer Points on Today – Prepared For The Storm?

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