Dad 4 Golf

Leaving and Cleaving. This is the title for the second chapter; part 2 of renewing the relationships of trust and commitment of the church. The Author emphasizes the need to leave a former leader and cleave to the new leader. He equates it to the relationship of a man and woman in Gen. 2:24. It is a same parallel which Paul makes when referring to the leadership in the church. A dysfunctional relationship can evolve if the congregation can not commit to a new leadership; whether from hurt, fear, or an unhealthy loyalty toward previous leadership. As we move forward, notice the importance of closure; that the first step in a successful leadership transition is the development of an effective strategy for dealing with the past. The author of "Confirming the Pastoral Call, Joseph Umidi , defines 3 main steps a church can make to ensure a healthy transition into new leadership: 1) a successful Exit interview, 2) Strategic Prayer, and 3) Communication. It is noted that 20% of t...

Do you remember meeting your mate? Perhaps, looking back, there is an awareness that God had been cultivating your life; grooming you for the right person. God matched you with another. A person who had like interests and challenges you, like Jack Nicholson, someone who "makes me want to be a better man." It is good to approach ministry in the same view as marriage; that there is an expectation that God will use it to impact your life, the churches' life. There should also be the same thoughtful preparation; building a relationship of trust to commit toward devotion and faithfulness. You must be able to look at a potential partner and understand and know them well enough to make a reasonable assumption of how they match your goals. You must understand yourself well enough to give them a chance to make the same decisions. When two parties come with a romanticized idea of what the relationship will be, anyone can see the trouble ahead. Maturity requires that you kno...

Excerpts from, "Confirming the Pastoral Call," by Joseph Umidi. (It's in our library and I have a copy I would gladly loan) Would you like to know what decisions you could make in choosing a Pastor, even if your main participation is attending services? I would humbly recommend this book to any who desire to be in ministry and or be lead to do ministry, or even just to support your leaders. As a church, everyone could gain from this book, or at least, the perspective it provides. "Part 1 helps churches and pastors prepare for a successful match through relationship renewal. Par 2 is written from the perspective of the church that is looking for a new leader, and Part 3 is written for the benefit of the pastoral candidate." Then the author recommends, "regardless of which side of the procedure you are on, you should read all sections in order to understand your own role and to see the process from the other side's perspective. It is enlighteni...