How about some encouragement for today? So many pastors are wrestling with concerns and soul care issues today. They are wanting to know, “Is it OK where my church is right now?” This encouragement for today comes from our podcast with Greg Surratt the founding pastor of Seacoast Church in the Carolinas and also a founding member of ARC, Association of Related Churches, which trains, coaches, and equips church plants across the country. He shared from his own ministry experience over the decades and offers wisdom and encouragement to struggling church leaders.
Encouragement for Today
1. You’re not alone in your struggles.
The last couple of years have been some of the hardest between the pandemic changing everything, racial tensions, the elections, division about vaccines, mask-wearing, and more. Church leaders are dealing with so many emotional issues from all of these burdens in addition to their concerns about their church. Depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief are all very real for many pastors right now. We all need encouragement for today!
2. Go by faith.
Discouragement can be an occupational hazard in ministry. There are times in your life when you don’t feel encouraged, but you still need to encourage others. By faith keep doing what you need to do. But having internal disconnect should be the exception and not the norm. Examine your life to make sure you have an integrated inside and outside. Living with this sort of integrity is the only way to sustain ministry for the long haul.
3. Find friends who can help you.
Get a group of people around you who love you and are an encouragement to you, but also people who are not impressed with you and will call out pride in your life. Surround yourself with people who know you, are concerned about your future, and want to help you get from here to there.
