Pulpits And Pews: Knitting the Hearts of Shepherds and Sheep

By Marc A. Crowley

Pulpits and Pews is a candid look at some of the pastoral challenges of leading God’s people. The intention of God calls for an interdependence of Shepherd and Sheep, therefore, a knitting of both hearts is necessary for the completion of their respective assignments. Prayer is the way to knit both hearts. This r

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Feb 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781640887206

Book preview

PULPITS AND PEWS

Knitting the Hearts of Shepherds and Sheep

Trilogy Christian Publishers

A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

2442 Michelle Drive

Tustin, CA 92780

Copyright © 2019 by Marc A. Crowley

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Cambridge Edition: 1769.

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Manufactured in the United States of America

Trilogy Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this book are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views and doctrine of Trilogy Christian Publishing or the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

B-ISBN#: 978-1-64088-719-0

E-ISBN#: 978-1-64088-720-6

Dedication

This work is dedicated to every shepherd who shoulders the burden of leading sheep and finds themselves wanting to quit every Sunday night or Monday morning. To every shepherd who screams inaudibly from the frustration, loneliness, and under-appreciation, I hear you! This work is also dedicated to the faithful sheep who do not always understand the challenges of shepherding but make intercession for their shepherd.

I dedicate this work to my family. Tonya, you have faithfully walked with me every step of this pastoral journey. Being the spouse of a visionary is not easy; however, I am blessed by your commitment to God and how you have always prayed and talked me through many challenging days. You have taught me to live, love, and learn. For everything you have sacrificed, words are inadequate to express my thanks and appreciation. I love you!

Marc II and Maya, you two have opened a depth of love in me beyond description. I am so proud of both of you. Marc, your entrepreneurial spirit and drive have blown me away. I sit in amazement at the things you are accomplishing. I’m humbled God chose me to be your dad! You’re the Champ! Maya, you are a perfect balance of beauty and brilliance. As I watch your dedication to school, acting and singing, and how you prepare for each role, I’m reminded success requires an all in commitment. Thank you for showing me the power of refusing to quit. What an honor to be your dad! Marc and Maya, I love you more than you will ever know!

Foreword

So, you have finally decided to accept what is perhaps the greatest challenge of your life! You have said yes to God and the local congregation. Maybe you received the phone call you’d been waiting for all of your life, or maybe you were the top selection from a list of candidates, or maybe with much prayer, you forged ahead and pioneered a work, regardless of the setting in which you now find yourself the pastor, these meditations are designed to help you survive and thrive the incredible highs that make you think life cannot get any better and the despairing lows that make you think it cannot get any worse.

I want you to take courage my friend, because what you are feeling, are going to feel, or have felt is not new; it’s just rarely spoken of. The picture that is often painted, aided by our hopes and assumptions, is you will pastor a fast-paced, multi-cultural and multi-generational progressive church. This is the reality for a few. Most likely and conversely, the work will not grow as quickly as you like, and you will find yourself in the crucible of personal growth much more often than the growth of your congregation.

One of the other conundrums you may very well find yourself in is the challenge of being authentically who God called you to be, which may not be popular, in demand, or what the congregation who hired you wants. If you do not intend to bow to every whim and wish of the congregation, you can expect turbulence. The pastor whose heart is to walk upright before God sets his or her sights on pleasing Him at the risk of personal comforts, conveniences, and the applause of men. It is much easier to please man than it is to please God! The former is steeped in carnality, the latter in spirituality. The 21st-century pastor who sets his or