The Pastor: Tender Heart and Thick Shell

Mature Christians are eager to be gentle, but ready to be bold, they live in the flesh, but not according to the flesh, and they love peace, but engage in war.

When Paul had to exhort the Corinthians, he pleaded with them with the meekness and kindness of Christ, but he also did not hesitate to be bold and bold ( 2 Cor 10:1-2). He was eager to be gentle, but also ready to be bold. Paul cultivated a tender heart for the brothers and sisters of the churches, but he also knew that the ministry required courage and thick skin. No pastor will survive in ministry if he takes every conflict and criticism to heart. And yet, no one wants a hard-hearted, callous pastor. This workshop will explore the biblical tension that exists at the heart of pastoral ministry – the subtle blend of compassion and authority, the right balance of sensitivity and insensitivity, the juxtaposition of love for neighbor without giving in to complacency.