The Wounded Shepherd: Recent Episodes
Pastor Kevin Moore
When a person's call to ministry is challenged by difficult situations or people, the Shepherd becomes wounded and ineffective and the call to ministry is questioned. How do we find our way back? How do we put things into perspective? When all I want to do is run, how do I bring honor and glory back to God? That is the focus of the Wounded Shepherd.
John and Diane Finkelde love the church and the pastor family. They have both dedicated their lives to the ministry of Jesus Christ and have learned many things along the way. In this episode, John helps us understand how the leadership of the church can help support the pastor family and keep the church healthy.
I have been married for 40 years next March – Have 2 married children – 3 gorgeous grandsons. I have many years of ministry experience which has given me a wealth of practical down to earth knowledge and wisdom. I have a passion to see women understand and appreciate their uniqueness, be who God has called them to be and be released to reach their full potential in God.
After a difficult time, it is often hard to find your way back to a normal life. In this episode, Pastor MacCuaig shares his very powerful story of redemption and restoration. Through the love of a healthy church, and the constant love of God, Steven helps us find hope in the midst of disaster.
Ron and his wife, Rodetta, have been married 40 years. They have actively served the Lord together in ministry during their entire married life and are co-founders of Care for Pastors (CfP). Ron earned his BS degree from Liberty University in 1979. Upon graduation, he pastored two churches in West Virginia from 1980-1988 before returning to Lynchburg, VA, to complete his Masters Degree in Counseling at Liberty. He was also on the pastoral staff at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg from 1989-1997. Ron and Rodetta came to Florida to serve at First Baptist Church of Leesburg, and in April of 2000 he was called to be the Senior Pastor at a new church plant called Southpointe Baptist Fellowship.
Meditation is structured prayer, an opportunity for a listening Christian to hear the voice of God through the intentional focus on His Word. During this episode, we take some time to dispel the myths of this very biblical practice. Inspired by the book, Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, Fr. Nathan Hale, Demetrius Hunter, and Pastor Kevin discuss the ways that allowing God's Word to speak to your soul is a practice that we all will benefit from.
From the time I was in junior high I sensed a calling on my life from God to lead others and preach the gospel. Even though I loved Jesus, I did not particularly love the gentle, yet firm voice of His calling that was a constant companion and a growing conviction in my life. I honestly spent a few years running from that calling.
But finally in the summer of 2002 I quit running and surrendered to God’s calling to go into pastoral ministry. I told God I was willing to go wherever He wanted me to go (figuring it would be somewhere in a tropical region complete with white, sandy beaches and palm trees). But again, God had other plans!
Michael and Rachel are small-towners with big dreams. They live in suburban Appalachia with their 3 children and their Labradoodle pup, Barnabas. They are both in love with one another, Jesus, good books, black coffee and their local community. Over the past 2 years, God has walked them through a difficult season in which they saw the death of loved ones and even their owns dreams. Graciously, God allowed them to emerge wounded yet with vision, healing and hope of how He desires to use them both now and in the future. With a heart for discipleship and their local community, Michael and Rachel are the visionaries and founders of The Sparrow Company--a discipleship and mentorship ministry.
Leading people spiritually requires focus and integrity. This episode was recorded immediately following the tragic shooting that took place at a music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 1st, 2017. Pastor, how are you going to answer the difficult questions that are being asked? If we are so consumed with our own issues, we can't. My prayer today is that, through the help of God, you will be able to effectively lead the people entrusted to you through these difficult times.
Dave was a pastor for twentyeight years before retireing in 2006 and starting Small Church Pastor. Small Church Pastor provides coaching, consulting, resourses and encouragement to pastors of small churches. Dave also is the moderator of the Small Church Pastor group page on Facebook and blogs at http://www.davejacobs.net. Dave is a published author with his third book '100 IDEAS that work in a small church' scheduled for release this year.
Remembering the call to ministry is essential to healing and finding fulfillment in ministry. We must recognize that we are not alone and that when God calls, He is faithful to pursue the one He has called and is persistent, never letting go. In this episode, I challenge you to remember that call and seek to get back in touch with it.