DoublePortion_October2023_8.5x5.5_REV.indd

11 “ Get out of here, baldy ” “Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two boys” (2 Kings 2:24). ******** N ever in my four decades in ministry have I seen pastors in a more beleaguered state. As if things weren’t already challenging enough, the pandemic hit in early 2020, delivering a staggering blow.Thousands of ministers make an early exit annually and people aren’t lined up to take their place. Church conflict and forced terminations are the rule as opposed to the exception. Statistics support these claims, as a recent Gallup poll revealed clergy have a 42 percent approval rating among those surveyed. At least we still rank above lobbyists, car salesmen and members of Congress.This could drive us to long for the “good ole days,” but were they ever that good? Ministry is very rewarding, yet has always been hard, requiring thick skin and a soft heart. Biblically speaking, Paul would be the first to say, from an earthly standpoint, life was much easier before his Damascus Road experience. Jeremiah was called “the weeping prophet” for a reason. No doubt, Elisha would have enjoyed infinitely more peace

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