September financial update with David Spika
By BP Staff
NASHVILLE (BP) – David Spika, chief strategic investment officer for GuideStone Financial Resources, joins Jonathan Howe for September’s monthly financial update.
The two discuss the latest jobs report, COVID’s lingering effect on the economy the Biden tax plan and GuideStone’s Global Impact Fund. They also look at the risks faced by investors and how the stock market is likely to respond.
New Lifeway podcast deals with ministry life
By Joy Allmond/Lifeway
NASHVILLE (BP) – When Ben and Lynley Mandrell left the Denver-area church they planted to answer a call to lead Lifeway Christian Resources, they weren’t prepared for the journey their inner lives would take. On the heels of this seismic shift in ministry assignment, they found themselves in counseling to work through issues not dealt with due to the busyness of ministry life.
“It was a drastic shift,” Lynley said. “We spent 17 years pouring into families and walking with them through their own challenges. You don’t realize how much of yourself you’re giving to ministry without pausing and tending to your own needs. And we were emotionally depleted.”
On Sept. 20, Lifeway will release a new podcast, “The Glass House,” hosted by the Mandrells. The episodes will feature transparent conversations with ministry leaders who live in a “glass house” – an environment where they are left vulnerable to the stress of church life and the criticism of others.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began dramatically changing church life, pastors have expressed to Lifeway Research that certain stressors associated with ministry life have become more prevalent. Personal exhaustion and maintaining unity were among the top five concerns of pastors in a 2020 Lifeway Research survey.
And in recent years, pastors’ spouses indicated they had their own unique struggles. According to a 2017 Lifeway Research study, more than two-thirds (69 percent) of pastors’ spouses said they had no one to confide in, more than half (59 percent) said church commitments limit family time, and nearly half (49 percent) felt they lived in a fishbowl.
‘Encouraging the Pastor’ podcast hosted by Mark Dever
By BP Staff
Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and president of 9Marks, a ministry to churches and church leaders, is host of “Encouraging the Pastor,” a new podcast featuring conversations with pastors about the lessons learned in ministry.
The first episode features a conversation with Pastor Kevin DeYoung. The next will feature H.B. Charles, pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla.
Related posts:
SBC DIGEST: IMB 2021 stats; First baptism among people group; Lifeway, B&H Español awards 
2018 brings memorable milestones for LifeWay 
GuideStone to provide employee benefits for newly formed Global Methodist Church 
Lifeway conference encourages women to lead with confidence from the Lord 
Sills files defamation suit against SBC, Lyell, others 
SBC DIGEST: GuideStone releases pastoral wellness survey, Kingdom Impact Report 
In new book, Hawkins redefines ‘VIP’ 
Bible Study: Be ready for His return
