TCT Roundtable Discussion: Pastoring Well in Uncertain Times
TCT Roundtable Discussion: Pastoring Well in Uncertain Times
00:00: Introductions
07:30: Keeping Our Eyes Fixed on Jesus in the Midst of COVID19: Meditations from Hebrews 12:1-2 by Jordan Thomas
23:06: Resources available for shepherding well at tctnetwork.org
24:58: Q&A across the regions on practical ways to shepherd well
26:25: Are you continuing to preach through your current sermon series or have you placed your current book or series on pause and started something new in this time?
28:19: Are you live streaming only the sermon or the whole service? Are you administering the Lord’s Supper over live stream, and if so, how?
32:04: Video conferencing vs live streaming services
33:33: Ways to strategically offer soul care; plans in place regionally
44:44: Ideas for evangelism or Easter Service
50:55: Has Shelter-in-Place changed your ability to live stream?
53:08: Weddings and Funerals
56:34: Where are you meeting for Counseling conversations?
58:27: Further thoughts on “repeated weddings” at a later time
1:02:57: Feeding the homeless
Additional Resources
How to Lead Your Ministry Team During Social Isolation
How to Lead Your Ministry Team During Social Isolation
Author: Bart Garrett
Published: March 20, 2020 at Redeemer City to City.
Additional Resources
Letters to Congregations
The following letters were sent by some of our network churches to their members. We are sharing them here to be a help for other teams of pastors as they communicate care and leadership to their flocks.
The following letters were sent by some of our network churches to their members. We are sharing them here to be a help for other teams of pastors as they communicate care and leadership to their flocks.
Treasuring Christ Church
Raleigh, NC
March 18, 2020
Christ Redeemer Church
Woodbury, MN
March 14, 2020
Grace Church
Memphis, TN
March 19, 2020
Kaleo Church
El Cajon, CA
March 13 & 19, 2020
Covenant Life Church
Tampa, FL
March 18, 2020
Additional Resources
4 Steps to Help Small Churches Implement Online Giving
4 Steps to Help Small Churches Implement Online Giving
Author: Ed Marino
Published: March 23, 2020 at The Gospel Coalition.
Additional Resources
Pastoring Amid Pandemic: Counsel from a Pastor in China
Pastoring Amid Pandemic: Counsel from a Pastor in China
Author: Mark Collins
Published: March 18, 2020 at 9marks.org.
Additional Resources
How DC Churches Responded When the Government Banned Public Gatherings During the Spanish Flu of 1918
How DC Churches Responded When the Government Banned Public Gatherings During the Spanish Flu of 1918
Author: Caleb Morell
Published: March 12, 2020 at 9marks.org.
Additional Resources
Treasuring Jesus in our Ecclesiology
Treasuring Jesus in our Ecclesiology
2019 Eternal Joy Conference, Memphis Session 2
Speakers: Nathan Knight and Jim Suggs
Additional Sessions
TCT National Call with Robyn Huck
On May 22, 2019, we gathered as a network with counselor Robyn Huck via video conference call and she shared her research and wisdom on listening and empowering female voices in complementarian spaces.
Prized
Thoughts & Observations on Ministry Structures which Promote Female Leadership Spaces in Complementarian Churches
For the video and audio versions of this resource, click on the image below.
Members Only Content. This resource is only available to TCT Members. If you are a member and experiencing difficulty accessing the resource, please view this help.
On May 22, 2019, we gathered as a network with counselor Robyn Huck via video conference call and she shared her research and wisdom on listening and empowering female voices in complementarian spaces.
Robyn Huck is a counselor at CCEF New England with more than 15 years of counseling and speaking experience. Robyn is a regular Bible study leader and has spoken at many women’s events. She has a passion for teaching the Bible to women and helping connect biblical truths and comforts to the challenges of life. Robyn and her husband Karl are parents to three grown children and have two fabulous daughters-in-law and four grandchildren! They enjoy big band music, fox trot and swing dancing, tandem bicycling, traveling, the outdoors, and time with their family. You can read some of Robyn’s writing here.
TCT National Calls are hour-long video chats / webinars during which TCT features guest speakers who will share wisdom and focused content from their experience as pastors, planters, or ministry component strategists.
2018 P&W Retreat: TCT Network Updates
2018 TCT Network Updates | Tim Cain, John Pope, Sean Cordell
Payroll and Accounting Services By Hewn Group
The accounting firm Hewn Group has offered the following discounted services to TCT Member Churches and Planters. Contact Hewn Group for more information and mention that your church is part of the Treasuring Christ Together Network.
Hewn Group
(919) 335-5254
Online Contact Form
Payroll Services
Service is a holistic payroll solution. TCTN church would provide salary, housing payments, and benefits as well as submit hours and reimbursement amounts if applicable; Hewn Group would administrate all other payroll tasks.
Includes:
1. direct deposit with pay stubs emailed to each employee
2. new hire reporting if required
3. Form 941 quarterly (Federal payroll tax return form)
4. quarterly or monthly state payroll tax return forms
5. quarterly or monthly state tax deposits
6. state annual reconciliation form for payroll tax deposits
7. W-2 sent to each employee via email as well as W-3 to IRS
8. state unemployment quarterly filing if required
Bookkeeping Services
Service is a monthly after-the-fact bookkeeping. This means that Hewn Group would be using bank/credit card statements in conjunction with cash receipts to do the books.
Includes:
1. restricted funds reporting and allocations
2. budget tracking: Hewn Group would input a church’s yearly/monthly budget and be able to provide monthly statements that show progress against the budget
3. monthly financial statements delivered by 20th of following month that includes
- statement of activities (this is known as a profit and loss statement in the for-profit world)
- statement of financial position (this is known as a balance sheet in the for-profit world)
- functional expenses statement (this report shows expenses in the fundraising, general & administrative, and program expenses
- updated budget statement
TCT National Call with Dave Harvey
Members Only Content. The following resource is only available to TCT Members. If you are a member and experiencing difficulty accessing the resource, please view this help.
On February 21, 2018, we gathered as a network with our friend and brother Dave Harvey via video conference call and he shared wisdom from his decades of experience serving as a shepherd, particularly in the area of Rescuing Ambition.
Dave is a Teaching Pastor at Summit Church in Fort Myers/Naples, Florida, and serves as the Executive Director of Sojourn Network. Dave is also the founder of AmICalled.com, a leadership resource site helping men who feel called to plant or pastor, or are already in ministry. Dave has 30+ years of pastoral experience, with 19 years as a lead pastor. Dave chairs the board for the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) and has traveled nationally and internationally doing conferences where he teaches Christians, equips pastors and trains church planters. He is the author of When Sinners Say I Do, Am I Called, and Rescuing Ambition. Married for 35 years, Dave and Kim have four kids and two grandchildren.
You can follow Dave on Twitter - @RevDaveHarvey
Here are some articles by Dave from which TCT pastors have particularly benefited:
Preacher’s Toolkit: What Role Does the Spirit Play in My Preaching? | The Gospel Coalition
7 Ways New Preachers Bat from the Wrong Side of the Plate | AmICalled.com
How Much Should a Pastor Tell His Wife? | AmICalled.com
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TCT National Calls are hour-long video chats / webinars during which TCT features guest speakers who will share wisdom and focused content from their experience as pastors and planters.
Treasuring Christ Through Christ-Centered Education | Jordan Thomas
We believe that lasting joy is found in cherishing Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and Savior. Before we will help others prize Jesus, we understand that our own hearts must treasure Him. Put simply, we cannot export what we do not possess.
The Treasuring Christ Together Church Planting Network exists precisely for that great cause. Meaning, our partnerships are fueled by a passion to advance the much-making of Jesus Christ in and through our local churches. Among the core values we share is the sacred task of "education." More specifically, educating others to "grow in biblical truth, wisdom, faith, and love, which show Christ as our supreme treasure.” “Education” per se, is not our value. Education is a means toward the goal. We value the kind of education that leads people to treasure the One we supremely value (cf. Romans 10:1-3).
TREASURING JESUS THROUGH CHRIST-CENTERED EDUCATION
We believe that lasting joy is found in cherishing Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and Savior. Before we will help others prize Jesus, we understand that our own hearts must treasure Him. Put simply, we cannot export what we do not possess. John Owen wrote, “If the Word does not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us.” Our network name encapsulates our main agenda. We want “to know Christ” (Phil. 3:7). The same applies to our vision for pastoral ministry in each congregation. Because delighting in Christ is our goal, commending Him is our means. In our praying, preaching, teaching, counseling and discipling our approach is singular: “we proclaim Jesus” (Col. 1:28). Indeed, we profess “to know nothing...except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). We believe that “Christ and Him crucified” is the bottomless and brimless fountain of lasting delight. Therefore we “preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void” (1 Cor. 1:17).
As the old adage goes, “What you win people with, is what you win them to.” Because Jesus-treasuring is the goal of “Christian education,” Jesus-commending is the strategy. We audaciously aim to “present every man complete in Christ” (Col. 1:28). Therefore, we commend Him Whom we cherish (cf. Matt. 13:44). Every intercessory prayer and every ounce of our pastoral labor among God’s flock rises as incense from the altar of our desire for “Christ to be formed” in those we’re called to shepherd (Gal. 4:19). Our cross-hairs are set upon the lasting joy of all in our churches to experience the “measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). This is why we value the good work of Christ-exalting education!
PRAYER-SATURATED CHRIST-CENTERED EDUCATION
Even so, we understand that preaching and teaching are not enough. Folks who heard the risen Jesus Himself preach Christ-centered sermons still didn't get it until He opened their minds to understand (cf. Luke 24:45). If you are looking for a novel approach to the grand objective of Jesus-prizing, you've come to the wrong network. We have one strategy, with no backup plan. Our approach is as old as Christ's Church. "Devoting ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word" (Acts 6:4). That's it. Prayer-soaked propagation of the pure Word of God is the vehicle by which God saves souls (Js. 1:21). We set neither the goal nor the blueprint for how to achieve it. We are enlisted men (cf. 2 Tim. 2:3-4). Our commission from on high is to prayerfully unleash “the whole counsel of God” upon His people “with humility and tears” (Acts 20:28, 19).
We agree with Jesus that the entire Bible is about Jesus and His gospel work (cf. Luke 24:25-27, 44). Therefore, whether we are unpacking Malachi or Matthew, TCTN unabashedly values “educating others...to show Christ as our supreme treasure.” We pray for wisdom and help, then we pick a book of the Bible and go after it. The pages of the Old and New Testaments are dripping with Jesus. As we unfold the Christocentric riches of God’s inerrant Word, God’s Spirit empowers God’s people to prize God’s Incarnate Word. This is the kind of education we value. We don’t want fat heads with cold hearts. We teach for burning hearts (cf. Luke 24:32). The Spirit of God loves to bless the ministry of prayerful, gospel-telling, Jesus- exalting pastors (cf. Col. 1:7; 4:12-13).
May God help us! Richard Baxter reminds us:
“It is not a small matter to bring an earthly mind to heaven and to show man the amiable excellencies of God, to be taken up in such love to him that can never be quenched; to make him flee for refuge to Christ and thankfully embrace him as the life of his soul; to have the very drift and bent of his life change so that a man renounced that which he took his happiness, and places his happiness [in Jesus].”
Dear brothers, let us dig into the Word and dust off our prayer directories. Let us grab the horns of the altar, asking the Spirit of Christ to illumine His Word to those we shepherd. Our God can do more in ten seconds to dazzle people’s hearts with the glory of Christ than we could do in ten lifetimes. How much more will our Father pour out His Spirit if we will ask (Luke 11:13)? Let us join Samuel in declaring “far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you” (2 Sam. 12:23), and with our next breath, let’s preach and teach folks the very same stuff we are praying for them (e.g., Col. 1:9-14; Eph. 3:14-21).
Because we value the kind of education that “shows Christ as our supreme treasure,” we must not depend on ourselves (cf. Psalm 78:7). Human cleverness neither saves nor sanctifies (cf. 1 Cor. 2:1-4). “The secret of McCheyne’s ministry,” said the church janitor, “was face-down weeping...hands-extended weeping.” The Spirit of God blesses the supplication-soaked, Christ-centered, teaching of the Word of God (Jn. 16:14). Let us return to the prayer closet asking God to fertilize the soil of our hearts and the hearts of the precious ones He has entrusted to our care. Pray for the little people in your fold, as well as the most mature. Pray for the weak. Pray for the lost. Then, open the Bible and “educate them in the Christian faith.” We believe this kind of “labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58). Until Jesus returns, this is why we place the accent mark of our core values on education.
Jordan Thomas, is a pastor at Grace Church in Memphis, TN
A Plea for Well Nourished Pastors | Justin Perry
We live in a time when industries are constantly changing, technologies are rapidly developing, and skills are continually in need of sharpening. To stay current with the latest advancements, skills, and technologies in their fields, many professionals utilize (and many companies require) continuing education to help stay competitive, relevant, and effective.
We live in a time when industries are constantly changing, technologies are rapidly developing, and skills are continually in need of sharpening. To stay current with the latest advancements, skills, and technologies in their fields, many professionals utilize (and many companies require) continuing education to help stay competitive, relevant, and effective. As a pastor to several professionals who are continuing education in their careers, I am aware that this pursuit is costly and is most often undertaken in the midst of an already full life, with real responsibilities and pressing demands. I look to the nurse who is administering a new medicine to my daughter and to the engineer using new technology to build a home for my friends, and say, “It is worth it…too much is at stake to not give yourself to continuing education!”
Likewise, God’s word reminds us that the churches we serve desperately cry out to us (regardless if they ever utter these words), “It is worth it to continue being educated on who God is and His glorious works…too much is at stake to not give yourself to continuing that education!” To be clear, this post isn’t about the need for formal certificates, classes, or degrees. Rather it is an encouragement for pastors to pursue personal efforts to grow and help each other grow in biblical truth, wisdom, faith, and love, which show Christ as our supreme treasure.
Writing to Timothy, a pastor of the church at Ephesus, Paul commands him: Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you (1 Timothy 4.16 NASB). Simply put, watching your life and doctrine is the ongoing, continual task of pastoral ministry. Whether that is informal venues or simply the disciplined pursuit of growth in knowledge of and love for God, pastors cannot afford to cease being learners of God. Congregations cannot afford this. The glory of God is too precious for pastors to ignore this. While we know these statements are true, the temptations to grow complacent in giving ourselves to the study of God are numerous: the degree has been completed, the shepherding tasks are overwhelming, sermon preparation is demanding, counseling load is great, or simply doesn’t seem to be enough time.
Paul’s words pierce the heart of the complacent pastor, motivate the will of the lazy pastor, and fan into flame the obedience of the faithful pastor: persevere in these things. These things don’t simply refer to verse sixteen but to what Paul has stated throughout 4:6-16, of particular interest in verse 6: being constantly nourished on the words of faith and of sound doctrine which you have been following.
Our souls are meant to feast on and be nourished by the words of faith and of sound doctrine. The healthiest of sheep are found following nourished and healthy shepherds. Malnourished shepherds do not inspire the flock to feast at the banquet of God’s sufficiency because it is exceedingly difficult to call others to places you are unwilling to go yourself. Emerging from the requirements for elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 is a man who is exemplary in his satisfaction in God and thus in how all aspects of his life are impacted by this satisfaction.
We have been entrusted to care for the souls of others yet are prone to allow our hearts to go unattended. We are tempted to give diligent attention to the life and doctrine of church members, all the while neglecting our continuing education of God Himself - both the knowledge of Him and right response of worship to Him. We fill our days with reading, studying, sermon preparation, sermon delivery, and counseling for the benefit of others yet we do not labor to experience the transforming effect that truth has on our own soul. We can so easily rely on yesterday’s (or sadly even last year’s) excitement for, knowledge of, and intimacy with the living God to carry us into the challenges and opportunities that we face today. We can unknowingly allow other theologians and pastors to drink deeply of God’s goodness and truth for us as we keep ourselves busy with ministry demands.
Brother pastors, fight for time to give a grace-motivated effort in and attention to your study to know more of God. Sound doctrine matters. If you have grown weary in the good work of pursuing more knowledge of God, the place to begin is on your face before the One who deserves your best. Confess your sin. Then, considering the grace awaiting you on the other side of confession, walk humbly in repentance. Practically, read of good books, listen to sermons, and/or attend a conference that requires you to think deeply about the things of God. After reading, listening, and attending…take time to meditate on truths learned so that God will be more greatly cherished. Encourage other elders or ministry leaders to labor with you in making time to continue in this education of God. Invite them in for purposes of accountability to this pursuit. Lead the church you shepherd into the needed discipline of giving themselves to studying doctrine. Don’t underestimate how impressionable this is in your preaching, congregational singing, and counseling ministries. For the glory of God, the good of the souls of those around you, and for your unceasing joy, give yourself to be a student in the classroom of sound doctrine, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. Paul isn’t teaching self-atonement or that salvation ultimately rests with man, but he is accentuating the God-ordained human agency in the accomplishment of salvation. As you watch your life and doctrine, be confident that you will see the Savior work.
I praise God for the sweet privilege of being part of this network where our shared mission and theology leads us to grow and help each other grow in biblical truth, wisdom, faith, and love, all of which shows Christ as our supreme treasure. I am thankful that this value doesn’t merely adorn a webpage but is shaped regularly by the brothers in this network. These brothers are giving themselves to learning more of God and intentionally encourage me to do the same. I also praise God that this network seeks to ensure that the end of doctrine is not simply the education itself. A head loaded with truth falls short of what sound doctrine is intended to accomplish. It not only fills one’s head with truth but also inflames one’s heart with affections for God. TCTN, excel still more at diligently ensuring that our right doctrine about God leads to greater enjoyment of Him
Justin Perry is Pastor at Covenant Life Church
Spirit-Empowered, Multi-Ethnic, Planting
A Video from the 2018 BCSPasCon
Jarvis Williams has served as an Associate Professor of New Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary since 2013. He speaks in this video about the importance of spirit-empowered multi-ethnic church planting. Williams’s research focuses on soteriology (broadly defined) in Second Temple Judaism and the intersection of soteriology and race.
Speaker: Jarvis Williams
Spirit-Empowered Change
A Video from the 2018 BCSPasCon
Weyland Leach serves as the pastor of The Heights Church in St. Paul, MN. He holds an MDiv from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is also a graduate of The Bethlehem Institute. In this video he discusses spirit-empowered change.
Speaker: Weyland Leach
The Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the Gospel
Pastors Mark Dever and Paul Alexander provide a model of a biblical church in this resource for pastors, elders, and others interested in the vitality of their church. This highly practical book proposes an attitude of complete reliance on and submission to the Gospel in building a healthy church.
Authors: Mark Dever & Paul Alexander
Purchase online at Amazon
Do We Have a Policy?
Subtitled: ‘Paul's Ten Point Policy for Church Health and Growth’. What are our aims for the shaping of our church fellowship, and for its growth? Do we have an agenda or framework of desired objectives?
The apostle Paul had a very definite policy, and called it his 'purpose', using a Greek word which means – a plan or strategy displayed for all to see. This book sets out ten policy ideals, gleaned from Paul's teaching, all of which are essential for the health and growth of a congregation today.
Author: Peter Masters
Purchase online at Amazon
Polity: Biblical Arguments on How to Conduct Church Life
Edited by Mark Dever, this collection of writings reminds Baptists of their heritage of biblical church polity penned by Baptist leaders of centuries past and adds new essays by Albert Mohler, Gregory Wills and Mark Dever.
Edited By: Mark Dever
Ministry Challenges
A Video from the 2017 BCSPasCon
Jordan Thomas (M.Div. Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Memphis, TN) is one of the pastors of Grace Church, Memphis, which he helped plant in 2006. Grace Church is part of the Treasuring Christ Together Church Planting Network, as well as the Southern Baptist Convention. Jordan and his wife, Tracy, have been married for 17 years and have six children; four daughters and two sons.
Speaker: Jordan Thomas
Ministry Opportunities
A video from the 2018 BCSPasCon
Gregg is the Lead Pastor of Celebration Community Church of Celebration, Florida. Previously, he had planted Faith Community Church of Hudson, Wisconsin and served as its pastor for 21 years. He and his wife, Heidi, grew up in Faribault, Minnesota and have been married 35 years. They have three children and three grandchildren. Gregg has a BA in business and theology (Bethel College, 1981) and a MDiv (Bethel Theological Seminary, 1985). He has served as youth pastor, adjunct preaching professor, church planting coach, and Chief Learning Officer.
Speaker: Greg Heinsch