Shepherding the Shepherds is...
After forty-plus years of serving as a senior pastor, Pastor Brandt fully recognized the demands and challenges of ministry. In 2008, he founded Shepherding The Shepherds for the purpose of offering shepherding care to pastors and their ministries. With on-site events at your ministry’s location to customized visits, connections are designed to provide loving, Biblical care for each individual and/or ministry.
A Healthy Shepherd
A spiritually healthy pastor is one of the best ways to assure a spiritually healthy congregation. Paul knew that. He poured himself into the early church’s leadership in many ways, but none more important than calling pastors to seek godliness (character) and righteousness (practice).
It is the same today. Shepherding seeks to encourage pastors in their daily, personal pursuit of godliness. Why? Because being a man of God is more important than doing things for God. In fact, those who ‘do a lot’ without ‘being/growing a lot’ are easy prey for the wiles of Satan. When Satan successfully attacks the shepherd, the flock becomes more vulnerable.
As you gratefully express your appreciation to God for the pastoral staff and workers at your church, pray for their daily growth in Christ. As their prayer and devotional life increase, so will their spiritual health. Their spiritual health will greatly increase, not only their effectiveness, but also the overall health of Christ’s Body on earth.
Now who would have ever thought God would give a ‘health tip’ through Pastor Brandt! God is amazing.
FRESH
“Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into FRESH wine skins and both are preserved,” Matthew 9:17. My daughter Kayla said, “Dad, just because it looks clean doesn’t mean…
BOO!
“But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world,” 1 Peter 5:9. What spooks you in ministry? Finances, conflict, meeting expectations, cold calling, counseling … any of those send a shiver down or up…
COMFORT & COMFORTERS
“For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus,” 2 Corinthians 7:5,6. A spiritual leader depressed? Must not have much faith. Probably living in some kind of compromise. Maybe he’s been…
GIVE ME A HAND?
We are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together [k]by what every joint supplies, according to the [l]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:15b,16 I did a lot of…
ON GUARD
“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,” 2 Peter 3:17. In the sport of fencing, the French phrase ‘en garde’ (on guard) means prepare to defend yourself. To not take it seriously, is…
SEEING
“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 This summer I finally got around to having my eyes tested. My wife said, “Your ears need a little attention too!” To which I responded, “Hey, do you want me…
RECLINING
“When it was evening He came with the twelve. As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me–one who is eating with Me.,”John 9:4. There is just something about a recliner. After a busy day, those…
REMEMBERING
“Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.” Revelation 2:5 What’s your first love? If you’re a Christian, especially a Christian leader, you…
The Crossroad of Ministry
“And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the CROSS, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed,” 1 Peter 2:24. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy…
March Madness
It’s tournament time! District and Regional tournaments have been a rush. Blowouts, upsets, and the expected have stirred fans and talk all over town. In fact, some, who show no interest during the season, sit on the edge of their seat just to listen to the evening TV sports report.…