Strength for Today's Pastor

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The Bible is replete with examples of men and women who were clearly called by the Lord unto something He would work through them to do. Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Paul, Timothy, etc. are a few of many such examples. 

Calling is one thing.

Living out one's calling is another thing altogether. Samson failed because rather than live out his calling, he repeatedly decided to live life on his own fleshly terms. 

If we are to hit the bullseye in life, we must not only know our calling, but use it as the baseline and chief decider concerning how we're going to fulfill it.

Calling provides direction, courage, authority, and leadership direction. 

This is why the pastor-teacher must meditate upon his calling into the office of pastor-teacher, and then follow it. The pastor-teacher probably ought to think on these things every day. And then, calculate what he says "yes" to, and what he says "no" to, accordingly.

Podcast 125 is part one of two episodes on this all important subject. We hope it's encouraging to you who shepherd God's people.

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

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From hippie commune to the business world; from the business world to planting and pastoring a wonderfully fruitful church FOR 30+ years, from senior pastoral ministry to Poimen Ministries, and then on to the mission field with Poimen Ministries, and now back in the U.S. strengthening pastors and their wives … Bob and Jeanne Claycamp have seen and experienced much. In fact, there's not much that they haven't seen or heard or experienced in pastoral ministry.

Listen to their story as they tell of the faithfulness and power of God through willing vessels.

Being used of God … many lessons contained in this couple’s life together. It's a School of Ministry overview.

Bob and Jeannie now live in Colorado and are available for assignments that will strengthen senior pastors and senior pastoral couples. 

www.poimenministries.com/bob-claycamp

https://www.amazon.com/True-Love-Begins-God-Corinthians/dp/0990924513/ref=sr_1_1?crid=S9JSLQ0LRUYS&keywords=True+Love+Begins+with+God&qid=1658593860&sprefix=true+love+begins+with+%2Caps%2C621&sr=8-1

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

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Nick Cady's book The God I Won't Believe In: Facing Nine Common Barriers To Embracing Christianity is an amazing apologetics book like no other. 

Written in response to on online poll he initiated, The God I Won't Believe In responds to the top nine responses to the phrase, "I could never believe in a God who ________________________________." After a sermon series in response to these objections to Christianity, pastor Nick turned it into a book. A well written, simple, and thoroughly sound theological work.

Topics include "I could never believe in a God who Condones Genocide, Says Some Love Is Wrong, and who Doesn't Answer My Prayers.

Join show host Bill Holdridge as Nick unpacks the heart of this book, and highlights key parts of it. 

This book is a must read, and has already been super helpful to pastors and leaders in equipping their congregations in solid, basic apologetics totally relevant to the age in which we live. 

And for the skeptic or pre-believer, this book will answer questions that have been simmering in their minds for (perhaps) many years.

Nick Cady is the lead pastor of White Fields Community Church in Longmont, Colorado. He spent 10 years as a missionary, pastor, and church planter in Hungary, and holds a Master's degree in Integrative Theology from London School of Theology.

Website: nickcady.org

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

Comments? Questions? Send us a message!

In this podcast episode we will hear from Pastor John Miller, Senior/Lead pastor of Revival Christian Fellowship in Menifee, CA.  

John will be sharing with us on the subject of Expositional Bible Teaching and Preaching, and specifically, he’ll be presenting the case for Expositional Bible Teaching/Preaching. 

What is Expositional Teaching and Preaching? 

Why does it matter whether or not a pastor preaches/teaches expositionally? 

What is the place and purpose of exegesis in preparing an expositional teaching? How does it contrast with eisegesis? 

What is the difference between the text governing the sermon and the preacher's own thoughts? What are the reasons that pastors today MUST preach and teach expositionally? 

Be ready to be challenged and encouraged, pastor. This is for every pastor.

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

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In this podcast we’re with Doug Eagle of Eagle Retirement Plans, Inc. 

John Wesley once famously stated in a sermon entitled “The Use of Money” that believers should “earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can.”

It’s good to have Doug Eagle with us today to talk about these things, especially geared towards senior pastors. Doug will be bringing hope and encouragement to pastors in the light of a possible retirement from the senior pastorate; hope and encouragement for those who opted out of Social Security years ago and want to know how to move forward with what seems to be a limited income; and hope and encouragement who just want to be better stewards of what God has allowed them to have.

From the Eagle Retirement Plans Website: "Doug is the President and Registered Principal of Eagle Retirement Plans, Inc. He is a Registered Investment Advisor through Crown Capital Securities, L.P. He also holds Series 7, Series 24, Series 63, and Series 65 Securities Licenses, along with a California Life and Health Insurance License.

"For nearly two decades, Doug has built a following of loyal clients who rely on his proven expertise to lower their taxable incomes and build their financial resources. He specializes in using retirement plans as a foundation for financial success. With an in-depth understanding of the varied retirement options available, he has guided individual investors and large companies in creating robust retirement plans for themselves and their employees. Using a conservative financial strategy designed to deliver value over the long-term, Doug has established a proven record of performance."

So stay tuned…

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

Comments? Questions? Send us a message!

Nate Holdridge is the Lead Pastor of Calvary Monterey (California), a church started 43 years ago by his father, Poimen Ministries Director Bill Holdridge.

In this podcast, Nate interviews his dad on his own podcast, called "Jesus Famous with Nate Holdridge."

In a conversational, father-son style of back and forth, dad and son talk about the history of the church, comparisons between the Jesus Movement of the 60s and today's world, Bill's own calling into ministry, and so on. Lots of subjects, encouraging for the pastoral soul.

Podcast producer Jeff Jones, at the end of the show, predicts that this will be a podcast listened to over and over again.

Lots of lessons from Bill's 27 years with the church, including ventures of faith.

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

Comments? Questions? Send us a message!

Ron Arbaugh is the senior and founding pastor of Calvary Chapel San Antonio, Texas. Ron is a gracious and wonderful leader, and the Lord has blessed the ministry big-time in San Antonio, and expanded the church's reach amazingly.

Ron was kind enough to invite me to join him on his call in daily (M-F) radio program entitled "Word to Stand On for Life" (https://www.calvarysa.com/radio-1). As he thought might happen, no one called in that day. Apparently (as Ron told me), people don't call in if the convo Ron is having with his guest is interesting!

Anyway, it was an organic, fun conversation about a number of topics which I hope you'll find interesting and edifying.

Listening to Ron, I am always encouraged in the areas of vision and faith. I trust the same will be true for you.

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

Comments? Questions? Send us a message!

Jimmy Morales pastors a wonderful church body in Las Vegas, Nevada. The name of the fellowship is Calvary Chapel Lone Mountain. 

I (show host Bill Holdridge) had the privilege of being with this congregation early in February of 2022. One of the plans we had for my time there was to record a podcast interview with Jimmy ... only in this podcast he would be the one interviewing me. He wanted to hear about pastoral transitions, so he prepared a list of commonly asked (or unasked) questions on that topic. So, that's what we talked about. 

Jimmy is not in the process of transition himself, nor is he planning a transition. He's still young, the church is exploding, and he's got a lot of gas left in his ministry tank.

But Jimmy does have a heart for other pastors, and thus, the questions.

When is a good time for a pastor to retire from his church pastorate?

How does a transition process move forward? 

What should pastors do now, even those pastors who have years ahead of them in their present church?

Is it better to choose a successor from within the fellowship, or from without?

How involved should church leaders be in helping the pastor transition?

And so on. 

Listen in. Pass it on. 

As we've said many times before, unless Jesus Christ returns before a pastor dies, someone else will pastor that church. Why not (at the very least) start pastoring as a pastor who is in transition? Why not have an emergency plan in case something happens to you? Why not invite outside counsel to come in and help with your thinking process?

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

Comments? Questions? Send us a message!

Bob Larson of Calvary Chapel Caldwell, Idaho, doesn't do things the way others expect him to do. He has a clearly defined set of priorities, and he lives them out in family life and in church life.

He also applies (literally) the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8 ... and in doing so, his thought life has been profoundly affected. 

Prepare to hear a different slant on the rhythms of pastoral life and ministry. Is in unbiblical or unspiritual for a pastor to have fun?

This podcast contains tools/concepts that every pastor can use, and tailor make for himself.

Enjoy. 

__________________________

Pastor Bob Larson was born in Boise, Idaho. He grew up in a military family and moved around during his childhood, living in Germany and California as a teenager. He eventually moved back to Idaho and gave his life to the Lord. In 1998, with seven other people, Pastor Bob founded Calvary Chapel in Caldwell, Idaho.

He has a passion to teach the truths of scripture in a very real and practical way and therefore provides the congregation with lessons that apply scripture to every day life.

Bob’s vision for Calvary Chapel Caldwell is to preach the gospel and make disciples.

Pastor Bob resides in Caldwell with his wife, Suzie, and their three children, Steve, Dave and Dan.

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!

Comments? Questions? Send us a message!

This has been a long-anticipated episode of Strength for Today's Pastor. We have the blessing of being with Bruce Hebel, author of the incredible, life-changing book entitled Forgiving Forward: Unleashing the Forgiveness Revolution. 

In episode 118, Bruce makes the case that God treats us in our relationship with Him as we treat other people, specifically in forgiveness. In fact, this is a major part of the Lord's prayer, and a huge part of the gospel. Forgiveness of others is central to the message of the cross of Christ.

The parable of Matthew 18 (the parable of the unforgiving slave) and its intended meaning is huge re: this discussion. Unforgiving people are under torment as long as they refuse to forgive.

There is also time spent on the subject of the difference between forgiving someone and becoming reconciled to them. Forgiveness of others is mandatory for the true believer; reconciliation is a matter between two individuals, and may or may not happen.

Show host Bill Holdridge has been significantly affected by the teachings of Jesus as taught in Bruce's book. He now considers himself a part of the forgiveness revolution.

Forgiveness of others may be the key to revival, if a wholesale revival is to come. Church congregations will become free with the freedom with which Christ has set us free in His crucifixion and resurrection.

For Poimen Ministries, its staff, ministries, and focus, go to poimenministries.com. To contact Poimen Ministries, email us at [email protected]. May the Lord revive His work in the midst of these years!