Darryl Dash's Blog, page 49
March 19, 2022
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Are You Principled or Just a Contentious Jerk? (part of a new 9Marks Journal)
I am calling on you to say the right things in the right way. To set your sights on honest unity instead of bludgeoned conformity.
Two Hundred People Left Our Small Church
We called our missing sheep, and found four main reasons that suggest four actions.
Our usefulness in ministry is inextricably tied to our delight in Christ.
March 15, 2022
The Pastor with a Side Hustle
I once went to a physiotherapist who was also a chiropodist and chiropractor. He also dabbled in a few other things. While treating me, he’d share his opinions on other topics too. He was somewhat effective, but I didn’t know how much to trust someone who didn’t seem to know how to stick to his core business.
I’ve seen the same thing with pastors.
Pastors must know God well and love people. We’re called to do a lot of things: preach, provide pastoral care, and do some administration. Many ...
March 12, 2022
Saturday Links
Podcast: I enjoyed talking to Blake Long about his book Gospel Smugness on Gospel for Life podcast.
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Go Ahead. Pray for Putin’s Demise.
The imprecatory psalms give us permission to push boldly against evil.
Praying the Lord’s Prayer for the Ukrainian Church
Here’s how you might pray the Lord’s Prayer for the Ukrainian church as they grapple with the conflict with Russia.
Living an obedient life in Christ has nothing ...
March 8, 2022
Pastors Aren’t the Brand
We’re told these days how important it is to develop a personal brand.
A brand represents who you are and what you stand for. A personal brand is what makes you stand out from the rest and is what people remember about you. It helps you develop an online platform, and it’s what people expect from a leader.
And it’s exactly what pastors don’t need.
I’m intrigued by the pressures that Paul faced in Corinth. We know that Corinthians valued wisdom and desired a certain kind of leader: a goo...
March 5, 2022
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
There’s no theological “secret” that will fix you. There are only the tiny, unspectacular means of grace.
Is Congregational Singing Dead?
The church will always be weird in a secular culture, in far more ways than our music. In music – as in so many other parts of the church’s life – this is a weirdness worth embracing.
Evangelical Self-Criticism: A Plea for Openness
An evangelicalism that can freely acknowledge i...
March 1, 2022
Enjoy God’s Gifts Now, Not Just in Hindsight
On January 30, 1969, around noon, the Beatles appeared on the rooftop of their Apple Corps offices in London’s Savile Row and began playing Get Back. While cameras rolled and crowds gathered, they played nine takes of five songs before heading back inside.
Many who heard the sound were thrilled. People assembled on neighboring rooftops to watch and on the streets below to listen. The Beatles hadn’t performed in public in three years, and this would turn out to be their last public performance...
February 26, 2022
Saturday Links
Podcast: I enjoyed talking to Chris Martin about his book Terms of Service on Gospel for Life podcast.
Curated links for your weekend reading:
To Stay and Serve: Why We Didn’t Flee Ukraine
We have decided to stay, both as a family and as a church. When this is over, the citizens of Kyiv will remember how Christians have responded in their time of need.
Are We Too Distracted for Revival?
Here are three dynamics of distraction today that might make revival in the Western church unli...
February 22, 2022
From Strength to Strength
Your professional decline is coming sooner than you think, writes Arthur Brooks in his new book From Strength to Strength. It may have already happened. In almost every high-skill profession, decline sets in between one’s late thirties and early fifties. The problem is a decline in our fluid intelligence: the ability to reason, think flexibly, and solve new problems.
We often try to fight or deny this decline, but it’s inevitable, and it will flatten us if we’re not prepared. Those who ha...
February 19, 2022
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Some Thoughts on Those Canadian Truckers
If you are concerned for Canada, please do pray for peace and justice within the nation.
Why is “Re-Converting” Easier than Repenting?
I wish my church experience had seen more repentance and fewer re-conversions.
...There is then no reason to object to what the Bible says about judgment. All any cynic should need is the assurance that God is the fairest person there is.
February 15, 2022
You Can’t Hack Your Way to a Faithful Ministry
Every pastor I know wants to be effective. We want depth: we want to have souls that have been shaped by God and have something to offer. We want impact: we want people to encounter God and his grace through our ministry.
An industry has grown to help us. Books, blogs, podcasts, and conferences offer us tips and hacks for ministry.
But here’s what every pastor needs to know: you can’t hack your way to a faithful ministry. You can’t learn pastoral ministry from blogs (including this one) or...
