Pastors

CT Pastors’ Top 16 Articles of 2016

From ministry temptations to high callings, here is this year’s best training and wisdom for pastors.

CT Pastors December 16, 2016
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2016 has been a year of highs and lows, cringes and fist-pumps. We started January fearing the spread of the Zika virus and welcomed November cheering (or weeping) over the Chicago Cubs’ World Series win. The presidential election dominated the year’s news cycle. Reporters and analysts reveled in the early primary cage matches, gaped in uncommon silence as ballots closed on election night, and scrutinized Donald Trump’s cabinet selections like sports commentators on NFL draft day. And, of course, there was the short-lived Pokémon Go phenomenon.

For Christianity Today’s pastoral resources, this was a year of transitions. After 36 years serving pastors with remarkable ministry insight, Leadership Journal published its final issue in January. But its legacy (and entire catalog of articles) lives on here at CTPastors.com. Through this transition, we’ve been able to feature a bounty of wisdom and tools for working pastors, written by some of the most thoughtful, humble, and hard-working church leaders I’ve ever met.

I pray that our articles and cartoons this year have made your calling a little clearer, your job a little easier, and your workdays a little brighter. Without further ado, here are our 16 most popular articles published in 2016.

16. Temptations in Ministry

by Mike MacKenzie

Sinful behavior may be visible, but the source of that behavior is beneath the surface.

15. Your Most Undervalued Role

by Lee Eclov

The slow, small, but immeasurably sacred work of pastoral care.

14. 3 Secrets of Leadership Training

by Karen L. Miller

What does it take to develop leaders in your church?

13. A Pastoral Rant about Pastoral Recommendations

by J. R. Briggs

An open letter to every single human being who has ever asked for a pastoral recommendation (or who might ask for one in the future).

12. Preventing Teenage ‘Faith Drift’

by Kara Powell

Our research underscores the crucial role of intergenerational relationships.

11. Are Pastors Discarding the ‘Evangelical’ Label? We Surveyed Hundreds

by Kyle Rohane

Here’s what we discovered.

10. Thriving in a Bi-Vocational Role

by Rob O’Lynn

5 pieces of advice I could have used when I started.

9. Should a Church Set Goals?

by Scott Scruggs

5 reasons, despite the resistance, to set goals rather than merely to make plans.

8. When They’re Really Mad at You

Interview with John Crosby

How to follow Jesus while dodging bullets.

7. The Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Sermon

by Abram Kielsmeier-Jones

From research to outline, and everything in between.

6. My Top 10 Resources on Pastoral Care

by Lee Eclov

A seasoned shepherd selects those most helpful for 'the cure of souls.'

5. Top 10 Productivity Tools for Pastors

by Drew Dyck

Apps, websites, software, and kitchen implements to help you conquer your ‘to-do’ list.

4. Thank You, Pastor

by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

Church leaders get a lot of criticism. So I want to express my appreciation.

3. What Will Pastors Preach after the Election of Donald Trump?

by Brandon Washington, John Ortberg, Aaron Cho, Samuel Rodriguez, and more

After a bitter, divisive election, what will the nation's ministers say?

2. Pastoring NewSpring Church after Perry Noble

Interview with Clayton King

Clayton King never expected to be a senior pastor. Now he leads one of the largest churches in America.

1. Hard Job, High Calling

by Heidi Hall

Reports of clergy attrition are often exaggerated, but pastors still face daunting challenges.

Our Latest

Wire Story

Study: Evangelical Churches Aren’t Particularly Political

Even if members are politically active and many leaders are often outspoken about issues and candidates they support, most congregations make great efforts to keep politics out of the church when they gather.

News

Investigation to Look at 82 Years of Missionary School Abuse

Adult alumni “commanded a seat at the table” to negotiate for full inquiry.

Have Yourself an Enchanted Little Advent

Angels are everywhere in the Bible. The Christmas season reminds us to take them seriously.

News

Western North Carolina’s Weary Hearts Rejoice for Christmas

The holiday isn’t the same with flooded tree farms and damaged churches from Helene, but locals find cheer in recovery.

News

In Italy, Evangelicals Wage a Quiet War on Christmas

Born-again Christians say the holiday is too Catholic and the celebration of Jesus’ birth isn’t based on the Bible.

The Bulletin

Exalting Every Valley with Charles King

The Bulletin welcomes historian Charles King for a conversation with Clarissa Moll about the modern relevance of Handel’s Messiah

News

After Assad: Jihad or Liberty?

A coalition of rebel fighters promises to respect Syria’s religious minorities.

Egypt’s Redemption—and Ours

The flight of the holy family is more than a historical curiosity. It points us toward the breadth and beauty of God’s redemption.

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