Finding Your Niche & Maintaining Pastoral Poise: Thoughts for the New Pastor

In any new journey there is always the unknown factor, and one can never be completely prepared for every situation. There are, however, some shortcuts and advantages that are available if a person knows where to look. One of the greatest places to find those precious gold nuggets and priceless tidbits of treasure is in the knowledge offered by an experienced friend or colleague! This goes double for ministers and pastors that are involved in ministry in today's environment! Every day there are many men and women answering God's call to ministry without a clear and established pathway that will direct them after they have stepped into their calling or into their churches. They may undergo a formal and organized process, but, still may not have, or be given, the necessary tools to handle many of the situations that will be facing them in real life ministry. Any pastor or minister should be willing to concede that finding their way by the seat of their pants was very uncomfortable and should be avoided by any means if possible. The best advice comes from a trusted friend or colleague that is willing to share from their own experiences and include the good, and the not so good. There is no better classroom found that beats experienced and wise counsel. This work is designed to offer some helpful insight to those brave men and women known as ministers and pastors. This work may benefit any church or church member that is interested in better understanding the daily life of that individual they call their pastor. This work is intended to positively impact the lives of those who will follow in ministry and help them to have a better perspective of what they may face as they fulfill the call.