SOONER OR LATER, CHURCH CONFLICT WILL THREATEN TO STEAL YOUR DESIRE TO SERVE GOD AND PEOPLE.
Pastors are maturing. Deepening. They want substance for their congregations—and nourishment for their own soul. The Pastor’s Soul series unleashes pastors to do what really matters. To step beyond skills. To give of their unique gifts. To minister authentically and grow in the intangibles of ministry like integrity and character. In this changing culture, pastors need dedication to do what God wants them to do. They need hope that the suffering they experience while serving Christ has purpose and meaning.
Some of the first words uttered by a new pastor are “Seminary never prepared me for this.” Often “this” refers to church conflict. Most pastors, rookies and veterans alike, experience the betrayal, the hurt, and the anger that comes with working in a church. The pain of conflict cuts to the soul, and only words that address the soul can begin the healing process. Longtime pastor Gary Preston has been wounded, but instead of techniques to handle conflict better, he explores how the conflict he has faced as a pastor has driven him to God. Preston speaks not with cynicism but with candor about the realities of local church work. He points pastors back to God and offers hope for finding grace and comfort in the midst of suffering.
