This guide is mentioned on Episode 18 of the Pastor in the Middle podcast.
Sample theological and ministry questionnaire
This sample questionnaire could be helpful for many search committees, as referenced on “The Pastor in the Middle” podcast, Episode 12, January 10, 2023.
Series Map Example – for Pastor in the Middle Podcast
The Series Map file for my sermon series on the book of Micah is below.
Sermon Series Map: Book of Genesis
Attached below is a PDF of my plan for preaching through the book of Genesis, which I just completed in 30 weeks at Trinity Baptist Church. I call this my sermon series map, and I send it out months in advance to my pastoral staff (especially our worship pastor!) and key volunteers who need it. It is helpful in service planning, prayer, and sermon preparation.
This series was somewhat unique in that I approached the book in an expository way, but I didn’t read every single verse. There were multiple sections where I summarized, especially in the genealogies and in the story of Joseph, for example. Also, you will notice that I combined certain accounts that are not adjacent to one another – such as the stories of Abraham and Isaac’s lies about their wives. I think that the main points of truth and application from those texts are basically the same, so I preached them together as one sermon.
I hope this is helpful to you. God bless you.
An Enemy on the Inside
This morning, I came across this shocking news story about a Polish man who leads an institute investigating war crimes from World War II; evidenced has surfaced of him offering the Nazi salute, and making statements sympathetic to Nazi beliefs: https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/.premium-head-of-polish-institute-researching-wwii-crimes-photographed-giving-nazi-salute-1.9559008
Right away, I thought of the irony of this man leading an organization designed to fight what he believes. My guess is that he’s a mole – intentionally placed there in order to thwart the work of that institute! How fitting an illustration this is of the internal battle we all have with sin. We can’t trust our own hearts to lead us in the right direction, because they are deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9, Genesis 6:5). There’s an enemy on the inside – our flesh! There’s a battle between the flesh and the Spirit within us (Romans 8:4, Galatians 5:16-18, 2 Peter 1:4). Paul himself shared openly about his internal struggle (Romans 7), but he reassured us that the same Jesus who forgave our sins will rescue us “from this body of death” when we trust in him (Romans 7:24).
An Illustration for our Sinful Nature
My wife just sent me this article about a man who committed a carjacking, only 20 minutes after being released from prison: https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-back-bars-carjacking-16-year-girl-20/story?id=75901321
It made me think of our sinful nature and its persistence (Psalm 51, Jeremiah 17, Romans 5, Ephesians 2), as well as Paul’s frustration in Romans 7 about frequently returning to the sin he hates. This story could also illustrate the ongoing battle of the flesh vs. Spirit in Galatians 5.
One thing I know that I would need to guard against in using this illustration is making it humorous. Although the story is definitely ironic, I wouldn’t want to encourage people to laugh at this man’s sin, to mock his situation, or to swell up with pride in our own hearts about how we think we aren’t like him. But for the grace of God, there go I.
Learner’s Permits and Shadows Pointing to Christ
I’m preaching tomorrow on Colossians 2:16-23, where Paul tells us to reject shadows and hold to Christ, the Substance of our faith. One example of “shadows” is the set of Old Testament regulations, which New Covenant believers are no longer bound by. The book of Hebrews takes pains to show that the Old Covenant was a copy or shadow of the real covenant instituted by Jesus and his completed work. Paul encourages believers in Colossians to hold to Christ as the only Way of access to God.
One illustration of this principle is the learner’s permit for new drivers. Teenagers get these and work under supervision to learn how to drive safely on their own. There are specific restrictions to a learner’s permit – limitations on what hours they can drive, as well as requirements for an adult driver of a certain age to be in the car at all times. Finally, after around a year of the limited learner’s permit, the young person can get the full driver’s license, with all the rights and privileges that go with it. Why, after getting that, would they go back to the learner’s permit? Why would they go back to that which was just a shadow of their full freedom? That’s how nonsensical it is for believers to try to go back to that which was only meant to point to Christ. Christ alone is the Substance of our faith, and he alone provides access to God, forgiveness, and eternal life. Don’t hold to anything instead of Jesus, or in addition to Jesus.
This could illustrate Colossians 2, but also Ephesians 2, Hebrews 4, Hebrews 8, and Hebrews 10.
Gang Members Baptized
I read this article a while back about gang members who gave their lives to Christ and were baptized: https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/texas-church-gang-prison-baptized?fbclid=IwAR2FmsbjuobhhhGdqKmBSiWeZN2NLzp9OrI-VIyzDk2ON0O5lhsbj1OTxeM
In the United States, it’s not usually a risk to publicly profess Christ. It’s true that some people experience family alienation when they are baptized, but here it doesn’t usually lead to risk of actual bodily harm. Many of our brothers and sisters around the world are living in areas where this risk is very real. And this story is an example of that from behind prison walls in America.
This story could illustrate the fullness of commitment that we make when we repent and believe in Christ. It could illustrate the fact that Jesus does not just become our Savior, but our Lord (1 Corinthians 6). It would work with many of the passages on baptism, as well (Matthew 28, Romans 6, Colossians 2). This would also be an excellent illustration of reconciliation between Christians (Ephesians 2), as these gang members who were formerly mortal enemies are now brothers in Christ. It also illustrates faith (Hebrews 6), as these believers are trusting the Lord to take care of them in light of their courageous and dangerous decision.
Walk-off Homers and Heaven
This illustration idea comes from a walk-off home run in 2018 and an article that I read about it here: https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/what-is-heaven-like/
I used this illustration a few weeks ago myself in a sermon on Colossians 1:3-14, while making a point about the encouragement that our faith can be to other believers. Paul specifically mentions this in Colossians 1:4.
2018 MLB season: Bottom of the ninth, Cubs at home at Wrigley Field, down 3-0 to the Nationals, two outs, bases loaded. Pinch hitter David Bote, who had been up and down from the minors a lot that season, is up to bat with everything riding on his at-bat.
And with two strikes, Bote got a low fastball in the zone, and he CRUSHED it over the center field wall. 4-3, Cubs win (I hear Harry Caray saying that in my head), WALKOFF grandslam, game OVER. (The incredible video is here if you want to watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI8uH4_pzeo.)
The article I linked to above asked, “Is This What Heaven is Really Going to be Like?” And if you use this illustration, you’ll want to be careful to not make US the hero of the story. JESUS is the One who gets ALL the praise, and spiritually speaking, none of us get one step toward Heaven, much less make it “home,” apart from his death and resurrection. As Colossians 1:14 says, “In HIM we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” But Scripture in multiple places uses athletic illustrations as metaphors for the Christian life, and finishing well.
The picture of Bote rounding third and heading home shows well the impact we have on each other – the encouragement, the celebration at the salvation of one sinner (Luke 15:7), the great cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews 11-12, the shared rejoicing at spiritual victories and growth (Colossians 1:4), and finally, the expectant hope of arriving at Home with Jesus (Colossians 1:5 – “hope reserved for you in Heaven”).
Sermon Illustr8r 