Laughter Is The Best Medicine

After a car accident three years ago, God used the recovery period to hone my old skills and birth new. Over the course of the process, He repositioned me for a different journey. The new path led to a transition from a secular K-12 setting to Christian higher education; yet, still within the context of supporting a diverse student population. My purpose became preparing and teaching ministerial leadership in a

Dangerous Calling by Paul David Tripp digs deep into the heart of pastoral ministry. Tripp unfolds the pastoral ministry of today to encourage and warn young and old pastors through stories, the Gospel and God’s Word. In Dangerous Calling, the book dissects the pastor’s life into three sections: Examining Pastoral Culture, The Danger of Losing Your Awe, and The Danger of Arrival. In each section, there are deep and real truths about pastoral ministry.

Biblical Counseling is making a strong impact in today's churches and community. Counseling is seen as one of the most productive ways of helping a

As a Christian counseling, I realize that I am an adjunct, specializing in a practice that is appropriately attached to and derived from the core practice, as it is legally defined (Clinton and Ohlschlager, p133). I also realize that I am more than a counselor; however, I have become a soul-care artisan, a disciple, a mentor, a spiritual director, and a guide into the deeper way of Christ (p132). Therefore, every Christian counseling session, I have encountered, has started with a prayer, to welcome God into the midst, as the Holy Spirit take the lead and guides what is said by me, as the counselor. As a Christian counselor, it is my hope that my knowledge of Spiritual formation reshapes the inner man, by being formed spiritually from the inside out, transforming from a selfish and carnal existence to a holy and joyful one; by one’s faith, as well as, the client’s faith, in God (Clinton and Ohlschlager, p130)

Dr. Larry Crabb’s book “Effective Biblical Counseling: A Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselor” Crabb, (1977), this book models how counseling can be gracefully integrated into implementation of the local church. The Goal of Christian Counseling that Dr. Crabb states within his book Crabb, (1977), is “any approach to counseling that is truly biblical will work most effectively when carried out into the context of a local body of believers” (pg. 13). As Dr. Crabb states within his book that “The goal of biblical counseling is to promote Christian maturity, to help people enter into a richer experience of worship and a more effective life of service” (pg. 31), This allows them grow

In today 's culture the congregational expectations on a pastor are quite different from the vocational spiritual disciplines required for faithful pastoral ministry. The office of the pastor, for the congregation, has become nothing more than a managerial position of running a religious organization. In response to this Eugene Peterson offers his take on the distinctive work of the pastor and the practices that shape pastoral integrity. In his book, Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity, Peterson outlines the practices of prayer, Scripture and spiritual direction as the backbone of faithful pastoral ministry. The following will discuss these practice, there benefit to pastoral ministry and why Peterson call to these practice are important to pastors today.

These systems historically have been fragmented and inadequate—causing program ineffectiveness and personal stress among pastors. The degree to which the African American pastors are effective is crucial to the health of the church. Pastors with strong support systems based upon sound theology, spiritual disciplines, management training, insurance systems, and outplacement services, have a better chance of producing strong effective ministries, as compared to unhealthy leaders producing unhealthy, ineffective leadership. Not only can ineffective leadership cause by certain types of stress and stressors produce poor ministries, but it can also produce unhealthy people living unhealthy doctrines. These issues have a spiritual effect on the pastors. These choices may lead to stress and, ultimately,

We need to be with people where they are without the need to ‘fix’ them, rather, trusting God to do what He is doing in their lives, hoping that He uses me as part of the process. I know that I will be learning and growing with those whom God sends me.” Pastor Renfro was then asked how has he evolved or grown as a servant leader. He responded, “Each of us follows a circuitous, sometimes difficult pathway in ministry, we learn, we grow, we become more aware of ourselves as people and as ministers. I am a country preacher, and although I have a wealth of formal education and training, I continue to grow and evolve daily, as a person, and as a minister.” Renfro continues, “the most difficult thing to overcome is our own tendency to be ostentatious - a lack of genuineness and openness; you need to go deep in faith and in ministry; my own history, as a country preacher, took a great deal of energy to integrate and allow this to be my greatest strength.” When asked what he believed are the advantages/disadvantages of being a servant leader, Renfro responded, “a strength and advantage would be to possess a non-judgmental presence, to allow people to be the who, what, and where they need to be in our encounters; the disadvantage in that is some people might consider this position as too indeterminate, lacking in absolutes.” Renfro commented on the partnerships he has forged in his life of servant leadership, starting with being a Clinical Pastor Supervisor (certified to teach at the graduate level), a Diplomate of the College of Pastoral Supervision, a nationally certified Professional Chaplain by the Association of Professional Chaplains, and also an Ordained Bishop in the Church of

Deena Stewart-Hitzke, conducted an interview and on-site observation at the St. Luke’s Supervisory Care Home. Her interview with the CEO of St. Luke’s, Beverly Heasley along with a rich setting description provided the necessary framework for understanding the observation. Immediately in Deena’s field notes, we see a description of where she was, who she met with, what was going on, what was said and observed. A combination of rich descriptive detail and direct quotations allowed the other members of the group to feel as though they were part of the observation too. It was a wonderful insight into a community meeting and the assimilation of a new client at the home. One can see how multiple observations may provide insight into the norms and behaviors that are rooted in the cultural dynamics which have been created within this

I thoroughly enjoyed the chapter on thriving. Thriving encompasses taking care of one’s self rather than working to exhaustion. In this chapter, the adaptive leader is given ways to thrive. Several years ago, I read the book, “Rest in the Storm” by Kirk Byron Jones. This book gives self-care strategies for clergy and other caregivers. An excerpt from the book states:

“Over the past twenty years significant interest and research has focused on the issue of clergy burnout and clergy health. A 1991 survey by the Fuller Institute of Church Growth reported that 50% of respondents had considered leaving their ministry vocation during the previous three months. In a 2008 survey of 358 parish-based clergy, 13% reported themselves as burned out, 23% as depressed and 45% rated themselves as high or moderate in emotional exhaustion.” (Jackson-Jordan 2013 Online) Clergy Burnout over the past decades has become more common, and a danger to a pastor’s well-being, however research shows that there are preventative techniques, increased coping mechanisms, and restoration of hope by congregations that can lessen the chances

As I walked into St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, I was welcomed by everyone I passed by. There was a pleasant odor filling the halls that a fresh cooked meal was being prepared making me feel like I was at home. As I walked into the hall members of all ages were there to attend the Wednesday Night Recharge ranging from cute little infants, to

The biblical counselor Paul David Tripp in his book Dangerous Calling addresses the challenges and temptations that are exclusive to or intensified by pastoral ministry. In his counseling ministry, Tripp has seen all, too much proof of an actual collapse in

I am a Clinical Social Worker at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Care Group, located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Also, I am an active member, a Pastor and a Counselor at the Transforming Life Centre in the national capital region of Ottawa, Canada. The Transforming Life Centre is an organization of over a 1,500 people from all over the world, different cultures; Canadians, people of African descents, people from the Caribbean and from Europe all meet several times every week for fellowship and transformational growth. And for many years I have immersed myself in community mobilization, leadership and volunteer work, centered mostly on women and families in Transforming Life Centre church. I am currently the leader of the Church Counseling Ministry and I oversee a team of 10 leaders/counselors in the Counseling Ministry of the church.

In examining my experience during the recent Cohort Intensives held at Payne Theological Seminary (PTS) in Wilberforce, Ohio; I was quite intrigued with how all of the scholars and guest speakers reinforced many of the initiatives I have already implemented in the context of my own ministry. Likewise, my time spent in class with my Cohort mentors Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie and Rev. Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson was both scholastically and spiritually invaluable. During the week-long Intensive class sessions with my mentors, I learned a number of new things about myself that I was not previously willing to address. In short, I had a moment of self-actualization that required some personal omissions on my part regarding my faith and yes some internalized oppression as labeled by author Gayraud S. Wilmore. Opening up in class and admitting a few of my own short-comings was nothing short of liberating. Suddenly, I felt as though I had an epiphany; that has given birth to a renewed zeal, mind, and spirit. For the first time in years I am certain that I am now moving closer to the apex of excellence where God intended me to be.