I was very impressed with the deadly serious honesty in Wade Hodges’ e-book, Before You Go: A Few Sneaky-Good Questions Every Minister Must Answer Before Moving to a New Church, about pastors leaving churches and what they need to think about. So I asked Wade to write something up for this blog about why he wrote that book, and here are his reflections:

From Wade Hodges

I occasionally get a comment on my blog that perks me up like a shot of caffeine straight to the vein. This one is from an elder and search team leader in a church currently looking for a new pastor.

He writes:

“. . .the new pastor has no idea what he or she is stepping into. The person running the search could be a real power broker that makes back room deals to get things done. Being on this side of a search process, a pastor is really a sitting duck not knowing all the politics and the players. It really is a pretty big act of faith to accept a call to a new church.”

It’s bracing to hear someone “on the other side” acknowledge what seasoned pastors already know and what naive pastors desperately need to learn before they put themselves and their families in church environments hazardous to their long-term spiritual health.

Pastors and former pastors, What is one question you wish you had asked before moving to your current ministry?

I wrote Before You Go in an effort to share insights resulting from my own naivete in working with two churches, as well as from conversations I’ve had with pastors who are convinced that moving to a new church is the best way to relieve frustrations with their current ministry. I suggest a number of probing questions that will benefit both pastors and churches as they navigate the complexities of the search process. [Read more...]

Today I want to open up the Comments to anyone who wants to record memories of John Stott, and you can also drop links to obituaries and memorials about this great man’s ministry. Perhaps you want to comment on what you have learned from him, which of his books has been most influential, or some personal experience.

I hope to get a post up soon about one of my favorite books by Stott. Until then, I’d love it folks would offer comments and links. There is an official site for John Stott, and I do hope you can visit it. Already there are hundreds of comments.

But first, and Kris has asked me to add this, a story of mine about Stott from One.Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow:

It was the summer of 1975. Kris and I were in Belgium at a huge Christian event called EuroFest. I was sitting at a panel discussion and someone I admired, a British pastor and minister to college students all over the world, John Stott, was one of the panelists. A long-haired young man to my right asked John Stott a question we were all facing and that we all face: How can I discern the Lord’s will for my life?

John Stott made an observation that clarified my dream for me, and I’ve pondered his answer over and over in my life. I’ve used his answer in countless talks and conversations. Here are his words as I recall them: “Here’s how to determine God’s will for your life: Go wherever your gifts will be exploited the most.” I can recall the moment as if it was yesterday.

I saw these two links yesterday — floating my on my Google+ feed. [Read more...]

No surprise here.

But last Saturday was a super-soaker, almost 7 inches of rain: “At O’Hare International Airport, 6.86 inches of rain had fallen as of 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the highest single-day total in Chicago since records were first kept in 1871, according to the National Weather Service. The city’s previous single-day record was set Sept. 13, 2008, when 6.64 inches fell, according to the weather service.”

Good post on evangelicals and missional by Dave Dunbar. And John Piper sings about John Stott’s expositions.

He makes all things new. Thanks Ann.

Todd Littleton has a post about irruptions of the real in church life today. Sometimes Kurt Willem likes to stir it up; this one is a very serious confession. Messianic Judaism and advocacy for Israel, and Derek’s right that many pro-Palestinian today have become anti-Israel … why not justice for both? Speaking of Israel, bravo!

Good post on Muslims, terrorists, and the ordinary Muslim.

We shaved his head — you gotta love this one.

He should shave his head.

Speaking of music, I knew exactly four of these.

[Read more...]