When a young couple in their mid-thirties visits your church, what are some of the first things you ask them? Who are you? What do you do? How many children do you have? It’s a natural assumption to ask whether a couple has children. But it’s the next series of questions that can create discomfort or even pain.

In the end, we can water, nurture, and care for the sapling that God has given us but, God’s Spirit must provide the Son-shine—the light of Christ’s gospel that causes the growth and maturity. We must ultimately entrust our children into the hands of Christ because he is the only one who can save them.

As we learn doctrine, we must earnestly pray that the grace of God would not only inundate our minds but that this knowledge would trickle down into our hearts until they are immersed in the truth of God’s word.

Each and every day affords us the opportunity to give thanks to our faithful and loving triune God

For churches, therefore, caring for widows (and by extension, widowers) is of vital importance. I dare say that the quality of care for its widows and widowers is a barometer of the spiritual health and maturity of a church. If a church neglects its widows, then something is definitely amiss.

Don’t’ be afraid to go to a physical library and explore a topic of interest. Go to the stacks and find your book but let your eyes scan the other titles that stand watch next to your book. Just maybe you’ll have your own serendipitous encounter and find other interesting books that provide you with great joy.

One of the more difficult questions to answer in a pastor’s life is determining when it’s time to retire from ministry. When should a pastor retire? This is a tough question for several reasons, but mostly because it all depends on a number of circumstances. Thus, there is no one set answer for this question; it ultimately calls for wisdom.

What do you do when you’ve spent four years in college, three or four years in seminary, spent ten years in the pastorate and then inexplicably lose your call? Does this mean you should change vocations? Do you search for another call? What should you do while you wait for your next opportunity to serve?

What happens if you graduate, and there isn’t a call or internship in sight? What happens if you’re riding the pine rather than starting the game?

In team sports if you have the skill and ability, you can be a starter on the team. From the very first tick of the clock the coach puts you in the game. There is a great degree of satisfaction in being a starter. This parallels the experience of a seminarian who, upon graduation, is a starter. In other words, soon after graduation the former student has an internship or pastorate lined up.