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How to Thrive Through the Dog Days of August

Life's Healing Choices

God's Power to Change Your Life

The Daniel Plan Study Guide with Streaming Video

There comes a point in every great work when you will begin to get tired, disillusioned, and discouraged. Fatigue at the halfway point of anything worthy of your dedication is inevitable. This is true for pastors and church leaders, especially in August. I’ve noticed that about half way through the year I always tend to get a little lethargic and down. Part of it is the warm weather. Part of it is the fact that everyone is on vacation. And part of it is just calming down after the big springtime push for growth and health in our churches. In August, or at any point you feel that sense of fatigue and discouragement, remember these things. 1. Feelings are unreliable. “Like an open city with no defenses is the man with no check on his feelings.” Pr.25:28 (NAB) “Trust wholeheartedly in God; put no faith in your own perception.” Pr. 3:5 (NJB) Feelings come from a variety of sources: past, present, and future. Our feelings often lie to us and give us a false sense of reality. The Bible describes life as a mixture of conflicting emotions. If we're going to be effective over the long haul, we must constantly manage our alternating emotions. People often compare life to a roller coaster of hills and valleys. But actually, life is more like two rails on a railroad track. One rail represents the good and positive in your life. The other represents the bad and painful in your life. And you will always have both at the same time! When I’m unsettled - I tend to think everyone else is unsettled. When I am discouraged, or anxious, or experiencing low morale, I tend to think everyone else feels the same way. They don’t! The world is not falling apart just because it's August. 2. Life is a series of opposite actions. “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven… A time to plant and a time to uproot… A time to tear down and a time to rebuild… A time to keep and a time to throw away…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-6 NLT). We love the times of planting, but rarely we love the times of uprooting. We like to rebuild and disdain the times of tearing down. But life involves both! Some years of ministry are years of waiting and pruning in preparation for future growth for broth. These years bring less excitement about expansion, but are just as necessary for long-term church health. 3. Dry spells are times to build character. Whether or not your church is growing numerically is often a separate consideration from whether you are personally growing. Dry spells are like desert moments with quiet times alone with God. Look at dry spells as prime opportunities to develop your spiritual walk and grow richer and deeper in your personal character. 4. We serve for Jesus' sake. Paul was crystal clear in his motivation for doing ministry. He did it for Jesus' sake. “Don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ” (Colossians 3:22-24 The Message). Your persistence is always determined by your perspective. You must continually ask, “Why am I doing this?” And the answer to why often determines how long you do something. 5. We make an eternal difference in ministry. Paul also said, “All this is for [their] benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15 NIV). We serve for the benefit of others, so that they may come to know Jesus Christ. If you don’t love people you’ll never last in ministry. 6. God has eternal rewards in view. The Bible says, "For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT). The final secret of staying power is to focus on our future with Christ. The most powerful motivation is neither internal, nor external – but eternal! Ministry is a marathon, not a 50 - yard dash. And I’ve noticed that the crowd thins out as the race progresses. But it is not how you start the race that matters, but how you finish it. Never forget that everything God does for you, in you, and through you – he does by grace. Remind yourself daily of this fact. We are all trophies of grace. You are freed from the performance trap. And you don't have to be defined by failures. Grace gives us the power to start over, to keep going, and to never give up! photo credit: aneye4wonder

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The Pastor’s Guide to Difficult Personalities

By Rick WarrenMinistry would be easy if it weren’t for the people!But as every pastor knows, one of the greatest challenges in ministry is dealing with difficult people. They come in all shapes and sizes, but they have one thing in common: They drain your energy, distract your focus, and derail your momentum.Jesus had to deal with difficult people throughout his ministry. And if you’re going to follow his example, you need to learn how to deal with them too.Here are four practical strategies Jesus modeled for handling difficult people.1. Realize You Can’t Please Everyone"By myself I can do nothing. . . . I seek not to please myself but him who sent me" (John 5:30 NIV).Even God doesn’t please everyone. One person prays for rain, another for sunshine. You’re not God—and you’re not called to be a people-pleaser. Your job is to please the Lord.If you let other people’s demands drive your decisions, you’ll burn out fast. Instead, stay focused on God’s calling for your life and ministry.2. Refuse to Play Their Game"But Jesus knew their evil motives. 'You hypocrites!' he said. 'Why are you trying to trap me?'" (Matthew 22:18 NLT).Difficult people often try to manipulate you with guilt, fear, or anger. But Jesus never fell for their traps. He responded with wisdom, truth, and clarity.You don’t have to meet every expectation. You can say no. And when correction is needed, speak the truth in love. Some people aren’t interested in solutions—they just want to argue. Don’t get caught in their game.3. Don’t Retaliate"You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury. . . . But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also" (Matthew 5:38-39 NLT).Retaliation gives up control. When you strike back, you’re no longer responding—you’re reacting. And that means you’re letting someone else set the tone for your life.Instead, take the high road. Respond with humility, patience, and grace. That doesn’t mean you never set boundaries—it means you do it with the right spirit.4. Pray for Them"But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" (Matthew 5:44 NLT).Prayer is the game-changer. You can’t change a troublemaker by ignoring them, retaliating, or giving in. But when you team up love and prayer, you create space for God to work a miracle. That’s what Jesus did—and it’s what he calls you to do too.Difficult People Come in Many FormsYou’ve likely encountered these personalities in your church:The Sherman Tank – Runs over anyone who disagreesThe Megaphone – Dominates every conversationThe Bubble Buster – Deflates every new ideaThe Volcano – Explodes with angerThe Crybaby – Constantly complains and poutsThe Nitpicker – Obsesses over minor flawsThe Space Cadet – Lives in a different realityYou may not be able to avoid these personalities, but you can learn to respond with wisdom, grace, and strength.Make this your goal: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18 NIV).You won’t always get it right. But as you grow in these Christ-like responses, you’ll free up energy for what really matters: shepherding the flock God has entrusted to you.

Five Ways to Lead Your Church Toward Unity

By Rick WarrenPastor, few things weigh heavier on your heart than seeing conflict among your people. Nothing breaks a shepherd's heart like watching the sheep squabble. Unity isn't just a nice bonus for your church; it's essential. In fact, Jesus taught that your church's witness depends on it. God can work through many weaknesses in your church, but he won't work through disunity.As you shepherd your people toward unity, here are five principles to guide you:1. Maintain an attitude of acceptance.Don’t major in minors. Not every issue requires total agreement. Some disagreements are simply over disputable matters. Paul addresses this in Romans 14:1-23, using the example of disagreement over dietary guidelines to remind believers not to let minor differences divide them. Instead, maintain an attitude of acceptance.Isn't it a blessing that God made us different? He loves variety! When conflict arises, your first task is to discern whether it's over essentials or non-essentials. If it's essential, address it biblically. But if it's not, lead your people to accept one another's differences.2. Focus on your common mission.Nothing unites a church more than a shared purpose. That’s why at Saddleback we always insisted that every new member go through our membership class. There, we clearly lay out the church’s purpose and direction.Your church isn’t the only church in town, and that’s okay. Other Bible-believing churches may do things differently. Make sure people know what your church is about before they join. Clarity upfront can prevent division later.3. Control your tongue.Pastor, when gossip shows up, you need to shut it down immediately—and train your leaders to do the same. Gossip is sin. When you listen to it, you become complicit. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Don’t say anything that would hurt ⸤another person⸥. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you” (GW).What is gossip? It's when you share a problem or criticism with someone who is neither part of the problem nor part of the solution. If they're not involved, leave it alone. Preach on this often and remind your leadership regularly. It's that important.4. Teach your church to support church leadership.Hebrews 13:17 says, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (NIV).That verse should humble every pastor. One day, you will stand before God and give an account of how you shepherded his people. That reality drives us to our knees, praying for wisdom and guidance.With that accountability comes authority. Without authority, you can't be held responsible. God gives pastors authority to lead his church. Teaching your church the biblical basis for leadership authority isn’t about propping yourself up—it’s about protecting the unity that God cherishes.5. Practice God's method of conflict resolution.Jesus outlines the process for handling conflict in Matthew 18: “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along. . . . If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:15-17 NIV).When someone brings you a complaint about another person, your first question should be: Have you talked to them directly? That’s where biblical conflict resolution begins.If they refuse to listen, involve one or two others. If they still won't listen, bring it before the church. And if there's still no repentance, treat them as you would an unbeliever—with love, but with clear boundaries about church membership.Jesus said that unity is a powerful witness to the world. It's not natural for people from different backgrounds to come together as one family. But when churches work together to fulfill God's mission, people notice. Unity attracts.My prayer is that your church will experience the kind of unity that honors God and draws people to the cross.

Walking a Different Path—and Why It’s Worth It

“Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.” Genesis 6:9 (NLT)Pastor, if you want to keep fulfilling your calling—and stay faithful in a world that’s resistant to the gospel—you must be willing to walk a different path than the surrounding culture.That’s not always easy, especially on a Monday morning. Maybe Sunday didn’t go the way you hoped. Maybe you’re wondering if anyone was really listening. Maybe you're tired. But your faithfulness, even in weariness, is exactly what God notices.Noah’s generation was in full rebellion against God. Genesis 6:12 says, “God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt” (NLT). That must have felt incredibly isolating for Noah—yet he stayed the course. The Message paraphrase says it like this: “Noah was different. GOD liked what he saw in Noah” (Genesis 6:8).Let that sink in: God liked what he saw in Noah.Would he say the same of you today? Absolutely. When you preach the Word even when people don’t respond, when you pray over your congregation with love, when you lead with integrity even when it's hard—God sees. And he smiles.You don’t have to be flashy. You don’t have to go viral. You don’t even have to feel effective. Keep doing what God calls you to do. That’s what set Noah apart. He walked with God, even when the rest of the world walked away.As our world moves further from God, pastors like you shine all the brighter. Your steady, faithful ministry matters more than you realize.

Before You Say Yes: 3 Questions Every Pastor Should Ask

“If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn’t find fault with them.”James 1:5 (GW)You’re likely reading this on a Monday. Yesterday, you poured your heart for your congregation—preaching, shepherding, and leading your people. Now, you’re tired. God wants you to get your proper rest. If you’re burning the candle at both ends, you’re not as bright as you think you are. You’re going to burn out!Every week, you’re probably offered more ministry opportunities than you could take on in a month. That counseling appointment, that community invitation, that extra meeting—they’re all good things. But without wisdom, even good opportunities can become spiritual quicksand.When a new opportunity crosses your desk, take these three steps:Ask, “Is it worth it?” Will this serve the kingdom in the way God has wired you to serve? Is it worth the time, energy, and emotional bandwidth it will cost? Every “yes” is a trade—you’re giving away part of your life for it. Is it worth that kind of exchange?Ask, “What will I have to give up?” Saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to something else. Maybe your family. Maybe margin for prayer and reflection. Maybe the deep work God’s been calling you to. Make your “what-matters-most” list before you make your to-do list. Let God shape your priorities before your calendar does.Ask, “Should I just say no?” We’re used to running at the speed of crisis, but constant urgency isn't godly—it’s exhausting. Learning to say “no” is an act of faith. It’s trusting that God can lead your church better than you can. It’s believing your value isn’t in how much you do, but in who you are in Christ. If something isn’t on your “what-matters-most” list, it may be best just to say no.Remember, you don’t need to figure this all out on your own. James 1:5 promises that when we ask for wisdom, God gives it—generously and without shaming us for needing it.So take a breath, pastor. Take your list of opportunities to the Lord. Ask him for wisdom. Then choose what matters most—and rest knowing that obedience is more important than busyness.

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