Paul was a traveling apostle, not the local pastor of Corinth. Nevertheless, he had to deal with the members of this flock in a pastoral way, teaching, encouraging and rebuking them. I’ve spend some years studying 1 Corinthians, and I must admit honestly, that if I had been Paul, I would have been heavily tempted... Continue Reading →
Advice for a teenaged young man
A few weeks ago, a young Christian friend of mine turned 13. His mom asked some of us to write out words of counsel for him. Here are things I wish someone had told me at age 13, given in no particular order and no with aim to be comprehensive: At this stage, your brain is keyed... Continue Reading →
Will the real Santa Claus please stand up!
St. Nicholas was a historical person! He was a pastor in Turkey in the 4th century. According to legend, there was a poor man in his parish who had three daughters, and he had no money to get them husbands. There was a danger that the girls would be sold into prostitution. Nicholas quietly raised... Continue Reading →
A Pastor’s Love for the Flock [Studies in the New Covenant]
The first great commandment for the Christian is to love God, the second great commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself (Matt 22:34-40). The first great commandment for the Christian pastor is to love God, the second to love one's neighbor, and especially one's flock. A pastor must represent Christ to other people, principally in... Continue Reading →