about

There has always been a special weight to ministry. As pastors come to lead their churches, they recognize very quickly the task they have been called to comes with very special expectations. And with each passing year, it feels like we now live in a time when pastors and ministry leaders can no longer live up to those expectations. Burnout is rampant. Pastors are stepping down in order to protect the well-being of themselves and their families. Moral failings seem to bring down leaders we once viewed as giants. And amid all of this, upcoming pastors are entering the ministry with the difficult task of finding hope in trying times.

Mark Dance addresses this frustration in his book, Start to Finish. In this book, ministry leaders will find the guidance to finish the race well from start to finish. Whether you are ten years into your ministry or have not even taken the first steps, this book will discuss the important steps to take that will encourage the reader to serve well, lead well, and end well.

the author

Mark Dance served as a lead pastor/planter for 27 years before launching Lifeway Pastors, the Care4Pastors Network, and Oklahoma’s Ministry Pipeline. He currently serves as the director of pastoral wellness for GuideStone Financial Resources. Mark earned a BBA from Howard Payne University, an MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a DMin from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He speaks at conferences and seminaries and regularly contributes to books, blogs, and magazines. He and his wife Janet have two grown children and live in Dallas, Texas. They enjoy backpacking and leading ministry marriage conferences together across North America.

excerpt

IS YOUR HEART TOO CLUTTERED?

“As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.” (Luke 8:14)

When God’s Word competes with our wills, it will expose a cluttered, selfish heart. There are three common culprits of a cluttered heart: worry, wealth, and wants.

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