Generally speaking, we should try to read books from cover to cover. . . . On the other hand, I also look at the growing mound of books that I have gathered in the various nooks and crannies of my office and home and I’ve begun to realize, life is too short for bad books.

In the end, we should never look for or try to build a fill-in-the-blank church. Rather, they should look for a church that bears the three marks: the right preaching of the gospel, the right administration of the sacraments, and the proper administration of church discipline.

In the end, remember that when you take your ordination trials that pastors and elders are looking for more than orthodox doctrine. They want to be assured that the man who stands before them is humble. Or, in the words of Paul, an elder must be self-controlled, able to teach, gentle, and not quarrelsome (1 Tim. 3:2-3).

Regardless of who they are, everyone in the church deserves your love, protection, and fair handling of accusations. Don’t be quick to rush to judgment because you might make the situation worse because you entertain a false or erroneous perception of a situation.

Taking time off to study and bone-up, therefore, is really important. What hay is to the horse and a whetstone is to a blade, a well-planned and used study break is to a pastor. It’s not just a vacation or an excuse to avoid preaching for a week. Well-used, it’s vital to a healthy ministry.

All of these things, and many others, convey to me the great joy that it is to be able to serve Christ and receive so many blessings in the process. Yes, the pastorate is a road filled with many difficult twists and turns, but it is most certainly a road filled with many tremendous blessings.

In short, don’t be a lemming. When you see the crowd going one way, stop, ask yourself why, and determine whether the world is conforming you to its patterns or whether the word of God is transforming your life to reflect more of the image of Christ.

Remember, Christ, Paul, and the other apostles were all subjected to withering criticism. If you’re a pastor and find yourself under the fire of criticism, then you’re in good company. Don’t look for a way out—after prayerful consideration of whether the criticism is valid—press on and follow in the footsteps of Christ. Press forward in the way of the cross.

Regardless of the nature of the conflict, for ministers there is the constant struggle to maintain a proper family-church balance. The minister has two churches that he has to shepherd—his family and his congregation. Both constantly pull at this attention, and the temptation is to see the congregation as the church with the greater need.

Read and re-read and don’t be afraid to work hard to learn. Read once, twice, three times if necessary. Outline the book. Take notes. In the end, you will reap the benefits, and more importantly, so will your congregation.