We live in a world where there is an oversupply of words with a corresponding undersupply of learning.
John Maxwell made an interesting observation when he said, “The illiterate are not those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn.”
Speaking as a pastor, I came to the conclusion some years ago that if all I did was preach about what people should be doing, I was in danger of hardening people’s hearts and causing them to become sermon tasters and sermon critics. My words were just the beginning of the process of communication.
I now have come to understand that there are three steps to the process …
Category: Christian Living
My Story: From Fear to Faith to an UnFolding Future
I have much to be thankful for my father who grew up in a harsh environment, left school at a very early age and then with great determination and courage sacrificially worked hard to provide for our family. For him, life was a great battle full of challenges, injustices and opposing forces. I remember him impressing on me to be careful not to “stick my neck out”, or it could get chopped off. Such was life.
I remember my father teaching me to drive a car. Before we started, he told me how I would be setting out on roads that were filled with dangerous drivers who could cause serious …
CONVERGENCE…….The Pearl of Great Price
As I reflect on my emergence as a leader over many years, I can discern a personal Time-Line that has progressed through various developmental phases which has given me perspective and the ability to see my present situation at any time in terms of my whole lifetime. In addition it has given me a sense of God given purpose which has guided me when making strategic career decisions along the way.
This has led me to believe that leaders are always emerging over a lifetime. Studies reveal that our most productive decades may be found in our fifties, sixties and seventies. This of itself does not guarantee that leaders will …
WORDS THAT HAVE SHAPED MY LIFE (94) “PASTOR YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD”
Sometime after I had finished pastoring in my last church, as I was walking through my neighbourhood, I sense the Lord impressing upon me these words, “Don’t forget Rod, that you are still a pastor in your neighbourhood.” These words have stayed with me and brought to mind the words of Jesus when He said we are the light of the world and the salt of the earth and His witnesses in the world in which we live, in our neighbourhood, school, workplace, local shopping centre, extended family or wherever the world in which we live takes us.
With this in mind, as pastors in our neighbourhood, Sue and I…….…