Darryl Dash's Blog, page 76
September 3, 2019
Shepherd the Flock of God That Is Among You
I don’t know how many times I’ve read Peter’s instructions to elders in 1 Peter 5. This past week, though, the first part of verse 2 jumped out at me: “shepherd the flock of God that is among you…”
It’s not too different from Paul’s instructions to the Ephesian elders: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers…” (Acts 20:28).
“The flock that is among you.” What an amazing phrase. Not some other flock somewhere else. Not the mass...
August 31, 2019
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
The Church: Love It, Don’t Leave It
When tempted to hit eject on the local church long term, we should be careful. There are always good reasons why it is better to stay with Christ’s church than it is to leave her.
Top Ten Tips on Leading a Time of Prayer
A friend recently asked me for advice on leading a time of prayer. Here’s what I came up with.
How to Prepare to Plant a Church Among the Poor
Many church planters and established pastors wonder how t...
August 27, 2019
The Work of the Pastor
I love learning from old, faithful pastors. We’re often drawn to the young and charismatic. I’m learning we need the veterans who served and finished well.
William Still was such a pastor. He served for forty years (1945 until shortly before his death in 1997) in Gilcomston South Church in Aberdeen, Scotland. Still gave five lectures on pastoral ministry in 1964 and 1965, which became the basis for his book The Work of the Pastor.
Still has a simple purpose: to remind pastors to focus on the...
August 24, 2019
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Daily Slogging in the Power of the Spirit
I am not impressed by young pastors who seem too eager to publish books and speak at big events and build “a platform.” What impresses me is my dad’s daily slogging, year after year, in the power of the Spirit, with no big-deal-ness as the goal or the payoff.
Ten Principles for Personal Productivity
Throw Out Comparisons Focus on Great Possibilities Mind Your Seasons…
August 20, 2019
The Hidden Life of Trees (and Churches)
I picked up a book on vacation: The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate―Discoveries from A Secret World. I was camping in a forest, so it seemed like an appropriate book to read.
I learned a lot. I’ve never given much thought to trees. “It seems to us that trees are static beings, only slightly more active than rocks.” The main reason for this view, according to the book, isn’t that trees don’t do anything. It’s that their timeline is much slower than ours.
The main rea...
August 17, 2019
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Gratitude leads to joy. Give it a try. It works.
Ray Ortlund and Sam Storms on Endurance in Ministry
So, this brief word today is primarily for the wives of pastors. Don’t ever underestimate the impact you have on your husband and his endurance in ministry.
Hey Church: A Fallow Year Ain’t A Bad Idea
Just as a farmer leaves a field fallow – unsown – for one season, in order to give the ground time to rest and render it more product...
August 13, 2019
J-Curve: Dying and Rising with Jesus in Everyday Life
I’ve always been perplexed by verses like 2 Corinthians 1:5: “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” And this one too: “In my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24).
Sure, Paul suffered a lot. But how could he say that he shared abundantly in Christ’s sufferings? And how can he say that there’s anything lacking in Christ’s afflictions? Jesu...
August 10, 2019
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Make Sunday Mornings Uncomfortable
These rules make our Sundays less comfortable, but more rewarding. If you’re tired of comfortable, you might want to give them a try!
3 Reasons Drifting From the Faith Starts With Drifting From the Church
We must not abandon the church if we want to persevere in the faith. We must keep going to keep ourselves going.
Most Growth Will Be Slow Growth
Today’s Scripture reading and praying, today’s confessing and repenting,...
August 6, 2019
How to Grow Anniversary and Giveaway
This week marks the first anniversary of the release of How to Grow: Applying the Gospel to ALL of Your Life. To celebrate I’m giving away three copies, as well as reflecting on the book and listing some of the most popular quotes.
ReflectionsWriting How to Grow was a blast. I learned lots about how I work best at a bigger project, and about the publishing process. I can’t say enough about my agent, Steve Laube, or my publisher, Moody. I love how Moody invests in people they believe in, even...
August 3, 2019
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Being a Pastor Isn’t ‘Just a Job’
If you’re one of those who thinks pastors whine too much and work too little, I want to share with you some reasons you may not have considered that pastoral work really is different.
When Your Sermon Feels Like Trash
My sermon is not about me. It’s not about the effectiveness of my sound or my appearance. It is about God’s word being faithfully preached.
The Enduring Witness of a Normal Life
As culture—even Christian c...
