Sharing is Caring

  Our strength       [Nehemiah 8:9-12]     It is said that there is no mysterious insect like an ant among insects with life.   Have you ever seen an ant dragging prey many times larger than itself with its small body?   An observer who was watching an ant dragging a dead locust weighed the ant and found that the ant was dragging 60 times more weight than itself.   How can the ant do something like that?   That ability is a wonderful gift that God gave to creation (Internet).   Proverbs 6:6 tells us: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!”   How do we compare ants to us?   We humans are gifted with greater strength and abilities than ants.   That is why Paul confessed, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).   But too many of us, Christians, live a powerless life.   ‘I can do all things in the Lord who gives me strength’ is a verse in the Bible,...

“Now strengthen my hands”       [Nehemiah 6:1-9]     If we look at the book “Burnout in Church Leaders” (by Peter Kaldor & Rod Bullpit), we will find survey data of 20 denominations, 7,200 church pastors, and 430,000 believers.   Pastors who are more at risk of burnout say six things, two of which have gotten some attention:   (1)     It is said that the degree of stress and exhaustion was higher in younger group.   The fact that the younger you are, the greater your risk of burnout reflects several facts: The fact that youth ministry is not easy, that leaders have too high expectations of themselves or others have too high of them, that they are inexperienced in dealing with tensions.   (2)     It is said that the level of burnout was higher in leaders who are raising young children.   The reason that burnout levels are higher among people under 40 is because they are takin...