Healthy relationships are vital to healthy ministry. Church-planting pastors who don’t cultivate healthy relationships won’t build healthy churches.
As Paul wrote to churches in the New Testament, he constantly emphasized how the gospel ought to shape the relationships among God’s people.
- In Ephesians 4, he instructs people to be humble, gentle, and bear with one another in love.
- In Colossians 3, he exhorts believers to forgive one another as the Lord has forgiven us.
- In Romans 13, we’re told to love one another with brotherly affection, and to outdo one another in showing honor.
- In Philippians 2, we’re told to count others more significant than ourselves as we follow Jesus together.
So Paul is clear: The church is to be marked by healthy relationships. If this is what the New Testament calls churches to, then pastors need to be exemplary in this area. And that’s why we believe church planters need to be men who cultivate healthy relationships.
But what does this actually look like? To help us think about healthy relationships in church planting, I’m excited to have my friend Lucas Parks with me today.
Listen to this episode of Churches Planting Churches.
Related:
Are You a Frustrated, Weary Pastor?
Being a pastor is hard. Whether it’s relational difficulties in the congregation, growing opposition toward the church as an institution, or just the struggle to continue in ministry with joy and faithfulness, the pressure on leaders can be truly overwhelming. It’s no surprise pastors are burned out, tempted to give up, or thinking they’re going crazy.
In ‘You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Weary Churches,’ seasoned pastors Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture into every aspect of their churches.
We’re delighted to offer this ebook to you for FREE today. Click on this link to get instant access to a resource that will help you cultivate a healthier gospel culture in your church and in yourself.
