Pastor's Conference in Maryland and Pastor Stats

Sandy Cove Ministries in North East, Maryland

The "Pastor's Conference" May 19-21 was a good time with approx. 700-800 attending.

It was a lot of words of encouragement and of exhortation to keep keep the main thing the main thing - That is putting God's Word first in our lives and in our preaching. I really enjoyed that the ministers were quite transparent, and shared their personal trials and tribulations. Making all present that we are all people, and all go through stuff. The first night there was also a exhortation to keep ourselves pure (in thought and deed). This group of ministers that shared for three days I believe all are living lives pleasing to the LORD. That's almost hard to say in this day of moral decline outside and IN the pulpit.

So bottom line, it was refreshing and I got to know that I am not so unique in my trials and tribulations as a pastor - actually quite normal - LOL!

Praise God for His sustaining power.

Meanwhile below are some startling stats, that should cause you to be praying for your pastor and his wife. You are welcome to also keep us in your prayers :-)

Pastor Stats:

These statistics came from across denomination lines, and have been gleaned from various reliable sources.

Pastors today are faced with more work, more problems, and more stress than any other time in the history of the church. This is taking a frightening toll on the ministry, shown by the (North American) statistics below:

Pastors:
· Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout or contention in their churches.
· Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.
· Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
· Eighty-five percent of pastors said their greatest problem is they are sick and tired of dealing with problem people, such as disgruntled elders, deacons, worship leaders, worship teams, board members, and associate pastors. Ninety percent said the hardest thing about ministry is dealing with uncooperative people.

Pastors' Wives:
· Eighty percent of pastors' spouses feel their spouse is overworked.
· Eighty percent of pastor' wives feel left out and unappreciated by the church members.
· Eighty percent of pastors' spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.
· Eighty percent of pastors' wives feel pressured to do things and be something in the church that they are really not.

Pastors' Relationship With the Lord:
· Seventy percent of pastors do not have a close friend, confidant, or mentor.
· Ninety-five percent of pastors do not regularly pray with their spouses.
· Eighty percent of pastors surveyed spend less than fifteen minutes a day in prayer.
· Seventy percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons.

I don't have to become a negative statistic.

There is victory for you and me at the foot of the cross.

Keep us (Joyce and I) in your prayer that we don't become any of these negative stats. But in ALL things we will always put Jesus first and live in such away that will be pleasing to HIM.

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few...

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Matthew 9:37, 38

I believe we are in the last of the last days and there is a harvest of souls out there.

As I seek God's continued direction as to my part as one of His workers in this end time harvest let me give you an update from the ministries God is using me in.

Here we are in mid-May and weather is still cooler than my liking. But getting close to wonderful. In a month the weather here will be the envy of many of my friends and family who are in warmer climates.

Let's give you a full but brief run down on whats going on in the different ministries.

First, Community Fellowship Church (http://www.kanepa.org/) seems to be going through a time of testing. I need to make some major decisions as to what direction we should take with the church. Next week I go to a Pastors Conference for 3 days with about 700 other pastors, so that will be good as I seek God's direction for our church. Also, we are excited to have our sermons now on CD, and hope to soon have them in MP3 format on our website so you can listen for free.

Now we'll move on to different aspects of Go Proclaim Ministries (http://www.goproclaim.com/)

BibleFood Devotional (http://www.biblefood.org/) - We have added a new writer Dede from Oregon. She has such a pleasant and refreshing way of sharing God's Word.

To receive BibleFood devotions and her devotions through BibleFood you must subscribe to our FREE e-mail list (4500 members) at:

http://family-safe-mail.com/SubscribePages/BibleFood.html

Christian Pool Players Association (CPPA) - http://www.christianpoolplayers.com/

We have had some exciting new members of join of late who really want to see CPPA become all that I believe God intended it to be. So I'm hoping to see CPPA go to the next level this year. We have members in over 30 states and worldwide.

To join CPPA subscribe to it at:

http://family-safe-mail.com/SubscribePages/ChristianPoolPlayers.html

and e-mail me or post here of your interest in being involved in this nationwide ministry so I can contact you and get you involved with us. We need volunteer directors all over the country.

BTW - I had to break down my 9' pool table when we moved a year ago and found out it won't fit in my basement, so it's been in pieces for a year now. I want to get back into the game and moving forward with CPPA. So I got permission from my wife to set it up in our garage for the time being (yeah you don't take a garage from your wife for a pool table without first getting PERMISSION). I'm planning on selling it, and finding a table I can fit into my basement (and give the garage back to my wife). Thanks Joyce for parking outside (and giving me the garage) so I can work on my pool game and ministry.

Finally, I have been invited to preach the gospel in India (again), Africa (Nigeria) and Pakistan (seeking God on that).

I am seeking God about going to Nigeria (maybe Kenya), Africa this fall.

I have wanted to go to Africa to proclaim the Gospel for as long as I can remember.

Now days a lot of people go to Africa, I have desired to do so for such a long time, that when I first wanted to go, back then (many, many years ago) it was not a "popular" missionfield like it is today. So pray with me for the finances to make this trip to AFRICA this fall.

There are other ministries I'm involved in, but these are the nationwide/worldwide ministries in my life that need your prayers for them to be all that God intended for them to be! It's plenty enough for me!

Also, keep me in your prayers now and always! THANKS!

Jim :-)