At God’s House Christian Church, Pastor Timothy Pender and his congregation believe that everyone was born with a purpose, on purpose. In other words, God has a plan for each one of us (Jeremiah 29:11). And this episode, we’re talking about God’s specific plan for pastors when it comes to reaching out for mental health support.
We’re thrilled to welcome Pastor Pender and have him share about his time in the military, how he manages his PTSD, and what God says about unity in churches and between pastors. We’ll cover many truths about the importance of asking for help when you need it and surrounding yourself with trusted individuals who can support you.
If you’re listening today and struggling with your mental health, please reach out to us at 95Network or to Full Strength Network (link below).
Links to Resources Mentioned or Related
- God’s House Christian Church Website
- Full Strength Network Website
- Use code PODCAST to get 10% off anything in our store!
- Read Stalled: Hope and Help for Pastors Who Thought They’d Be There By Now
- Watch Podcast on YouTube
Key Takeaways
1) In Matthew 7:7, Jesus calls us to ask, seek, and knock. These are action verbs! When you’re aware of an issue in your life (personal or professional), you can’t just sit there and hope for the best. You’ve got to move.
2) Pastors should be the most unified group, but we’re often one of the most splintered groups. Satan’s goal is to get us to focus on the things that divide us so that we miss the point, which is unity in proclaiming the Gospel. As pastors, we need to focus on what brings us together.
3) Jesus has opened the way for you to have relief. We have to live what we preach. If we preach that our churches need to be unified, then we need to be unified as pastors because that’s where there is strength. We need other people because we’re not designed to be isolated.
4) While we can’t change the past, we can look towards the future. As Hebrews 12:1-2 says, Jesus endured the cross “for the joy set before him.” He was choosing to focus on the joy that was ahead. If you’re in the midst of a struggle, just remember to S.U.D.—START where you are, USE what you’ve got, DO what you can.
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