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Many pastors can relate to Dave Browning's former "addiction."
Dave's high didn't come from a bottle or a needle, but from those Sunday mornings when a big crowd packed his church, everything went just right and he hit the ball out of the park with another power-packed sermon. The need for that rush nearly destroyed everything Dave cared about.
"I had to admit my first addiction was to ministry and to church leadership," says Dave, pastor of Christ the King Community Church (Burlington, WA). "Ministry was more important to me than my family, and even more important to me than God. It was in the way of my love for God."
As the years went by, Dave's addiction to ministry spawned other relational and personal problems. When he finally hit rock-bottom, Dave found the courage to seek help in a strange place for a pastor--in a 12-step group. |
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"It was like a bad joke. . . a pastor, sitting in an AA meeting," Dave says. "That's where they confess all their sins, right? I thought I wouldn't need all of that. But I realized in that group how broken I was. I had no idea the stuff in me that was not redeemed and healthy."
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Dave's story highlights a powerful trend in some of America's leading churches--a shift toward triaging the wounded, helping them deal with their sources of pain and walking with them through the winding, bumpy road to recovery and restoration . . . |
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State of the Canadian Church
Canadian Church monthly attendance fluctuated between a high of 41% in 1975, to a low of 30% in 2000, before rebounding to 34% in 2005. Weekly attendance, however, has dropped from 70% in the 1950s to 20% today . . .
70% of American Children Live in Two-Parent Homes
A majority of American children (70%) live in two-parent homes and the vast majority (90%) of those live with both of their biological parents, according to the most recent data from the Census Bureau. This means that of all American children, 63% are living with both their biological parents (60% married and 3% cohabiting) . . .
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Conservative Theology Means Smaller Bank Accounts
Conservative Protestants tend to hold the following beliefs regarding money and wealth, according to a recent study:
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Divine guidance about money and work has merit. For example, more conservative Protestants than other people surveyed are likely to pray about financial decisions. |
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Excess accumulation of wealth is undesirable. More conservative Protestants said money prevents one from knowing God than other people surveyed . . . |
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European Outreach Netting Results
Europeans are encountering God in the most unlikely places through the vibrant ministry of the European Church Planting Network.
In 2007, 28 participating churches in 15 European countries planted 163 new churches. Many of the new plants meet in non-intimidating venues such as pubs and parks that are conducive to straightforward, relational ministry.
| In this month's episode of Audio Advance, leadership community director Christopher Willard talks about churches that are leading the way in creating cultures of generosity and stewardship. |
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Jane Wolf, pastor of Life Path Ministries at Salem (Oregon) Alliance Church, oversees one of the longest-running recovery ministries in North America. Launched in 1991, it currently serves some 450 people in 33 recovery groups. Learn how the ministry has grown and how churches can apply the principles of deliberate growth Jane describes.
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Visit Leadership Network Advance Archives for valuable information on a variety of ministry topics, including the links to recent issues listed below. Select VIEW ARCHIVES LIST for the full list of Advance archives.
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