Miscellaneous Church
Church/Ministry/Pastor/Elders/Other Miscellaneous Thoughts
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How would you rate yourself as a communicator on Sunday morning sermons?
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How do you know when a congregation is experiencing true worship?
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What should the members of the congregation experience on Sunday mornings?
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What criteria do you tend to use to evaluate success in ministry?
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In outreach and missions, what is the correct balance between meeting physical and spiritual needs?
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What emphasis should the church have with youth and children?
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What is the purpose of gathering together for a church service?
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Do you believe in the five-fold ministry? How should it function in the church?
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How would you bring correction in a service to a prophecy that does not match the Word of God?
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How would you address a guest speaker if they taught something contrary to scripture?
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What do you feel are your spiritual gifts? How have they been affirmed and confirmed?
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Have you personally mentored/discipled anyone? What does a healthy mentor program look like.
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How would you rate yourself as a communicator on Sunday morning sermons?
I enjoy the opportunity I have to relate with the congregation during
the sermon. My passion is to make sure people can clearly understand the
message and know how it applies in their everyday life. My teaching style is
relaxed, often using PowerPoint to help keep the congregation following along. I
would consider my style to be more of a teacher/preacher.
How do you know when a congregation is experiencing true worship?
When the congregation has entered into the presence of God we sense a holy peace
and joy that only God can provide. The people are focused on worship and nothing
else seems to matter. Entering into that place of worship is more of a personal
journey and can be experienced even when others are not there with you. The
heart of the individual is open and ready to receive the Word of God.
What should the members of the congregation experience on Sunday mornings?
Whenever the congregation gathers together to worship on Sunday or any day, they
should experience an intimacy with God - a time when they come face to face with
God’s holy presence. It is vitally important that their hearts are open to receive
teaching from the Word of God with a willingness to live the Christian life. They
should want to return, not because they are being entertained, but because they
realize their need and love for Christ.
What should a church look for in a pastor?
A church who is seeking a pastor or people who are looking for a church
to attend often wonder who is the right pastor. This is a heavy responsibility which will
have an affect on their life and the life of their family for many years to come.
Often a church with a new pastor hopes the pastor will be able to fit into the
vision the church has already created without realizing that every pastor
has been given a vision from God that fits their personality, character,
temperament and calling. It is important for the church to discover the heart
and vision of the pastor to determine whether that vision will fit with the
direction of the church. The vision of the church does not have to match
perfectly but must be compatible with the vision of the pastor.
My vision is “to devote my life to help people discover and develop their
gifts, talents, and abilities enabling them to live their purpose and fulfill their
destiny by impacting and transforming those they influence with the saving
knowledge of Jesus Christ”. My desire is to teach the uncompromising Word of
God and prepare believers to fulfill their God-given destiny. Without realizing it,
Christians have been increasingly adopting spiritual views that come from
eastern religions and other worldly philosophies. Because we remain a largely Bible
illiterate society, few are alarmed or even aware of the slide toward syncretism. We
must prepare our congregations and the congregations of the future to recognize and
know the True Gospel and settle for nothing less.
What are your views on church growth and church planting?
(Becoming a mega-church or planting smaller churches).
Both are beneficial and depends upon the vision and resources of the church,
the qualifications and availability of the leadership willing to be involved in a
new church start. My first preference is to grow the church large enough and healthy
enough to have a strong, positive influence in the community.
A larger church, because of manpower and finances, can accomplish an
enormous amount of good for the kingdom of God.
However, because there are leaders who have a call to pastor,
these future pastors should be encouraged to fulfill God’s purpose in their life.
This would require them to be prepared, equipped and released to either
pioneer a church or plant an off-shoot from the larger church.
Developing future pastors and leaders and helping them plant new
healthy churches should be the responsibility of the larger church.
Providing direction, finances and temporary oversight will help build the
kingdom of God and not man’s kingdom.
What criteria do you tend to use to evaluate success in ministry?
Success is obedience to God’s purpose for your life.
Pastors and churches have a tendency to judge success by numbers
in attendance and finances. Because of this, we have plenty of large
churches filled with content people who do not know Jesus as Savior
nor do they realize they are following a polluted worldly philosophy
that has been dressed up to look like the Gospel. Numbers are important
when they truly represent people who are being discipled, equipped and
released to do the work of the ministry.
In outreach and missions, what is the correct balance between meeting physical and spiritual needs?
Meeting a physical need is often the doorway which allows you to meet
the spiritual need, that of presenting the Truth of Jesus Christ.
While the physical need is often easier and more visible, the spiritual
need is eternal and more important. A good balance is to do one without
neglecting the other; looking for unique opportunities to share
The love of God in a practical way while sharing the Gospel.
What is your favorite Bible translation? Why?
My preferred version is the New King James Version.
The New King James keeps the strength of the original wording of the King James while making difficult passages easier to understand by replacing old English with today’s modern English. My second choice is the New Living Translation.
On what social and moral issues do you feel the church should take a stand and how is this properly expressed?
Every moral issue is important to the church. Traditional, family values are
constantly under attack with a culture war raging. To say one issue is more
important and the church should respond to this alone would be inappropriate and
wrong. The church should be made aware of, and kept abreast of, the social and
moral issues of the day. It is then that we allow the Holy Spirit to move upon our
hearts as individual believers, encouraging us to respond as God leads us.
What is the place of the small group in the life of the church? What is the ideal structure and content of a small group?
Small groups have become very popular and effective in ministering to
the needs of the people. These groups are an important part of the
ministry, especially in preparing leaders and developing individual gifts
in the attendees. Small groups allow for more intimate relationships to be
developed, assist in shepherding the flock and create an atmosphere for
people to build lasting relationships. The structure of the group will depend
upon the vision of the church for small groups and the character of the community.
Content may be determined by the make-up of the group, such as singles,
seniors, or other homogeneous groups where the content
is established by a specific purpose for that group. Small home groups have become
a vital part of today’s church.
What emphasis should the church have with youth and children?
Strong youth and children’s ministries are vital for the health of the church.
if children enjoy attending church, while at the same time
learning God’s Word, they will be more likely to remain faithful
to God when they are older. It is the responsibility of the leadership
to prepare and present the Gospel with excitement, yet without compromise.
Special preparation for youth must be incorporated into their biblical instruction
with the purpose of preparing them to remain faithful and strong to their faith
while they attend secular college.
What is your view on unusual spiritual manifestations?
This is another area that is difficult to be dogmatic. I have seen things
that I believe were not of God and needed to be dealt with,
while on the other hand, I have seen God move in unique ways with
supernatural results. We should remember just because there are
manifestations we are unfamiliar with or uncomfortable seeing
does not always make them unscriptural or demonic.
What is the purpose of gathering together for a church service?
The Bible tells us to not forsake gathering together.
The apostle Paul makes it clear that Jesus established the church, not man.
According to Christ the church is where the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher equip the saints for the work of the ministry. The church is a place where the lost can hear and see a practical and living demonstration of the Gospel.
It is also where Christians are discipled, their gifts developed, and their calling recognized and proven. The church is a place where believers, as a family, come together to worship God and love one another.
Do you believe in the five-fold ministry? How should it function in the church?
Absolutely, the five-fold ministry is the plan of God explained clearly in Ephesians chapter four. When the five-fold ministry is operating within the local church, the congregation receives from each of the gifts. Each of the five-fold ministry gifts have a special anointing to impart. When the pastor ministers the Word of God, he imparts from his unique anointing to the body of Christ. When the evangelist or prophet preaches, they impart their unique anointing. It is beneficial when the five-fold ministry is able to work together within the church.
How would you bring correction in a service to a prophecy that does not match the
Word of God?
If the word is obviously incorrect, it must be responded to. A soft answer explaining the error can correct the mistake and yet not destroy the person who is trying to be obedient to God. If the prophecy comes from someone who is condemning or out of line, the correction may need to be more severe and public.
How would you address a guest speaker if they taught something contrary to
scripture?
It is understood that a guest speaker may not believe everything the host pastor or church believes. This is normal and not necessarily a reason to respond.
Hopefully the congregation is being taught how to judge the Word for themselves and will recognize an opinion that is different. If there is a major issue such as rejecting salvation by grace, a response
would be warranted. First, I would clarify what was said, making sure it wasn’t simply misunderstood. Then I would respond by stating what we believe on the matter. Thankfully, in all my years as a pastor this has not happened.
Who should maintain order in a service?
The pastor is the person responsible for the service. If the service is out of order, he alone should respond. If someone else, such as an elder, believes there is a problem that person should go to the pastor
and discuss it, with the final decision being made by the pastor. If the pastor is involved in the service and there is a problem the leaders should take the initiative and handle the problem.
What do you feel are your spiritual gifts? How have they been affirmed and confirmed?
The gifts of the Spirit I have most often seen operate in my ministry is the word of
wisdom, word of knowledge, discernment and prophecy. Other gifts such as faith
and gifts of healings have flowed on occasion. These have been affirmed and
confirmed through many years of ministry where people have acknowledged how
the operation of the gifts made a difference in their life.
What do you like most about the ministry? Least?
I like the personal touch, whether it’s teaching God’s Word or mentoring people
who are hungry for a deeper intimacy with Jesus. I enjoy being with people who
love worshipping God. I really enjoy studying God’s Word whether it’s for sermon
preparation or personal, spiritual development. I don’t enjoy strife and conflict or
having to correct or rebuke a fellow believer who refuses to live as they know
they should. I least like being in ministry when I see people continue to make
wrong choices even after they have had good, godly counsel. The bad goes with the
good, but the good outweighs the bad.
How would you describe your temperament? Your social style? How do you use this “style” to build teamwork?
If you are familiar with the four categories called choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic,
melancholy, I am choleric with a second being sanguine. The choleric is an
assertive, natural leader who is internally motivated and driven. The sanguine is a
people-person with a spirited personality. The two personality traits together make
for a good leader. This personality enables me to be able to lead with a friendly, yet
assertive attitude. I don’t easily get angry, yet neither do I allow leaders to fall
behind in their responsibilities.
What is your personal practice in regard to tithing? What is your view of tithes and offerings in the local church?
I believe tithing is scriptural and should be practiced by every believer.
My wife and I are committed to tithing and giving offerings.
I preach on tithing once a year in a stewardship series and more, if necessary.
During offerings I teach a short thought on tithing or giving to build faith for
giving and to encourage the believers to be faithful in their tithes and offerings.
What experience have you had with conflict in the church?
Over the years I have had my share of conflict. Earlier in my career I did not
handle it as well as I should have. Over time, I have grown in wisdom through
many years of experience. I have learned to wait on the Lord and allow Him to
counsel through the Holy Spirit before I become involved. More recently, I rarely
seem to have much conflict. I am not sure if it is that I have more wisdom and do
not respond the way I used to therefore neutralizing the possible problem.
Another answer for less conflict in my life and the church could be that what at one
time seemed urgent does not seem as urgent today.
When you find yourself in conflict with someone, should reconciliation be sought? What is the best method for reconciliation?
Reconciliation is always the best result, when possible. Sometimes that can
only come with time and healing. Some people live to cause problems and regardless
of what you do, they will remain contrary to you and the situation. The only thing
you can do is forgive them and go on. Hopefully, over time, they will realize the
error of their way and return with a humble heart. When that happens, respond
properly to their appeal and love them as Christ would. Asking forgiveness and
humbling oneself is the quickest and most godly way to begin the process of
reconciliation. If this fails, give it to God and move on. Do not allow their
unforgiveness and unwillingness to obey God hinder you from moving forward with God.