Darryl Dash's Blog, page 23

A Jewish Rabbi, Emotional Sabotage, and Non-Anxious Pastoral Ministry

I met with a friend for lunch. When I mentioned the difficulties I encountered in ministry, he emphasized the significance of maintaining a non-anxious presence.

"What does it mean to have a non-anxious presence?" I asked. “Tell me more.”

It turns out he’d been reading Edwin Friedman’s book A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix. In fact, he said it was the best leadership book he’d read. I picked up the book too and found it to be a helpful resource for pastoral ministry.

The B...

Suffering Leads to Glory (Psalm 22:22-31)

Big Idea: The resurrection means that Jesus is vindicated, you are included, and that God’s church will keep growing.

If you were here last week, you know that the first part of Psalm 22 is anything but happy. Psalm 22 is the cry of a righteous person who is suffering for no fault of their own. It is intense. The psalmist feels abandoned and ignored by God, and taunted and despised by people. It’s a heartbreaking cry for God to listen. After describing his anguish, the psalmist cries out:

But you,...

Saturday Links

Curated links for your weekend reading:

The Christian’s Hope Isn’t Complete without a Bodily Resurrection

The future will be bodily glory. Our future will be bodily life. And therefore, Christians have this kind of hope to help them persevere.

How (and How Not) to Fight Sin

How should we fight sin and temptation?

An Open Letter to the Church Member Hurt by Their Local Church

Every church family hurts people one way or another. What the Lord has done is to arm us with wise, Christ-honoring habits of re...

Every Pastor I Know Struggles With One of These

Every pastor I know struggles with one of two temptations.

The first temptation is a poor work ethic.

One pastor I knew was paid full-time, but told me that he had found a way to do his job in about four hours, including worship services. He told me that he parked the car in the church parking lot, turned on the lights of his office, and took a bus to watch movies during the day.

That pastor may have been a little extreme, but I’ve met other lazy pastors: ones who are unaccountable with their time ...

Saturday Links

Curated links for your weekend reading:

Preachers, Aspire to Be Relentlessly Interesting

I want it to be hard for a listener not to pay attention, because the sermon is so interesting it continues to pull them back toward the text.

Pastoring is Tortoise Work: A Lesson for the Young and Aspiring

Alongside your study of Scripture, theology, preaching, and ministry methods, befriend patience also.

Six Responsibilities for the Elders of Every Church

What is the job description of an elder or of an elder’s...

Buddy’s Rescue

Buddy was the rescue dog I wasn’t sure I wanted.

It was my idea. I sent my family to the pound to see if they had any black labs. I figured they wouldn’t, but they did — a Labrador-retriever, to be precise. Buddy came home to join our elderly lapdog who was nearing her end.

It didn’t take long for us to regret bringing Buddy home.

I don’t know what happened to Buddy before we got him, but he made life difficult. He scratched up doors. He broke through cages. He destroyed our carpet and part of a co...

The Greatness of Jesus Applied (Hebrews 13:1-6)

Big Idea: The greatness of Jesus leads us to love, sexual purity, and contentment.

Last week, someone asked me why I chose Hebrews as my first series here. I responded: I thought it would be good to begin with a book that’s so Jesus-centered. I agree with the British preacher Charles Spurgeon who said:

Of all I would wish to say this is the sum; my brethren, PREACH CHRIST, always and evermore. He is the whole gospel. His person, offices, and work must be our great, all-comprehending theme. The wor...

Saturday Links

Curated links for your weekend reading:

Atomic Habits and Bible Intake: How Tiny Changes Add Up

Consider four ways Bible intake parallels diet and exercise habits and why even our smallest efforts matter.

Repent Boldly. It’s a Super Power.

Repentance is a power, a strength.

Recognizing Generational Values That Could Divide Your Church

As you minister to a mix of generational values and beliefs, remember they all need Jesus. Love them. Listen to them. Lead them.

I Am One of The Eighty-Five Percent Who D...

A Checklist for Pastors

Ministry may be complex, but so much of what’s important isn’t up for debate. Put the central pieces in place and you will be well on your way to focusing on what matters most.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul describes his ministry. In doing so, he sets describes the nature of his ministry while he served among them. His list provides a helpful checklist for anyone in pastoral ministry.

Do you want a strong ministry? Ask yourself how you’re doing in three areas.

A Pure Message

Read 1 Thessalonians 1 and yo...

A Tale of Two Mountains (Hebrews 12:18-29)

Big Idea: Never try to approach God by trying to be good enough. It will destroy you. Through Jesus, receive his unshakable kingdom, and then respond in thankfulness and worship.

Why should God accept you? That is a question that should concern all of us.

When you get to the end of your life and stand before God, why should he look at you and say that you are acceptable? How can we pass the ultimate final exam, the only exam that truly matters, as our lives come under the scrutiny of God? How can ...