E-Mail and the Ordinary Pastor

by | May 5, 2008 | Ordinary Pastor, Technology, Time/Life Management

A few weeks ago, I linked to and posted a question about how to handle e-mail clutter. I think it is safe to assume that the vast majority of modern and ordinary pastors deal with e-mail and thus they deal with the clutter that comes with it. A significant portion of my conversation with a variety of people takes place via e-mail. I am fully aware of the possible impersonal downside to ministry by e-mail. However, we should probably be slow to chide conversation by e-mail (For a humorous take on this see HERE). Long before the advent of the telephone and well before cars could take us a few hundred miles in a round trip visit within a day, pastors and people in general used to correspond and communicate via letter.  E-mail, if done thoughtfully and handled carefully could be a good means of carrying on helpful, engaging, fruitful conversation – but that sounds like different post for a different month. While I don’t want to suggest that phone calls are unimportant or a hand written note is not valuable, I simply want to say – don’t discount e-mail as a valid and helpful means of communication. So, how do I handle e-mail and use it for the benefit of an ordinary pastor’s ministry? My approach is my approach. I neither commend it or suggest it as THE most helpful means of dealing with electronic correspondence. I’m open to help and helpful recommendations. But, then again, I am but an ordinary pastor. Here’s some thoughts: Keys to Quicker Responses and Clean In-Box Those who know me well, know...

Church Unity

by | May 4, 2008 | Ecclesiology

The most recent 9 Marks e-journal has come out.  It has an entire syllabus for a 13 week class on Church unity, in addition to a number of books reviews, links to audio interviews and a an article on conversion. May/June 2008 Editor’s Note –...

T4G Reflections

by | May 3, 2008 | Miscellaneous

I had about three good days after arriving home from Together for the Gospel before getting sick and laying in bed for a week, so, while I’ve had some time to think about it, I have been unable to post any reflections on what was an outstanding conference. Some of the items I found most helpful: The Simplicity Yet Depth of the Music. Mark Dever was responsible for the selection of the songs (as well as the choice of instrumentation). Bob Kauflin did a masterful job of leading from one lone piano on the stage. What I enjoyed most were the songs chosen after each speaker. The hymns fit the message as a perfect expression, both in content and passion of what our hearts were thinking and feeling. “How Sweet and Awful is the Place” was stunning as it was powerfully sung by over 5,000 mostly male voices, just after John MacArthur finished an excellent message on Human Inability. The singular instrumentation was perfect for allowing our voices to carry and our minds to remain focused on the truth of what we were singing. While I love lots of instrumentation, it was wonderfully simple and helpful to remain undistracted as Bob led from the piano. C.J.’s Charge to Bless Our Wives. After reminding us that “Conference Life” was not real life and that our wives were the only ones experiencing real life, C.J. exhorted all of us to return home, take our wives to an unhurried, childless dinner and share with her all we heard. I very much enjoyed doing this with Kel, who had dealt with two sick...

Pastoral Testimony Working with a VA

by | May 3, 2008 | Time/Life Management

Here’s a testimony from a pastor who employed a virtual assistant.  I don’t doubt that this will become more of a reality on a wider scale in ministry as well as business in the near future. Working with a Virtual Assistant : W. David Phillips – missional. theological....