OSAGE BEACH – Pastors must maintain a balance between their ministry and their relationships.
That’s why Jeremy Plymale, president of the Missouri Baptist Pastor’s Conference and pastor of CrossHaven Baptist Church in O’Fallon, has developed the theme, “Fanning the Flames without Flaming Out” for the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) annual meeting, Oct. 27.
“We pastors get wrapped up in our ministry and sometimes neglect our relationship with God and our relationships with our spouse and families,” Plymale said. “It can be unhealthy.
“The conference deals with pastors fanning the flames of their ministries, but some flames have almost burned out, because they are so identified with their ministry they have become burned out. It’s about maintaining appropriate balance. The number of pastors flaming out morally or quitting the ministry because they are depressed is staggering. We want to refuel and recharge pastors.”
Speakers for the conference include: Thom Rainer, president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources; Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Executive Committee; Michael Lewis, executive director of pastoral care & development for the North American Mission Board (NAMB); Jeff Iorg, president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary; Buddy Perstrope, pastor of First Baptist Church, St. Charles; and Matt Kearns, MBC leadership development team leader. Music will be provided by the CrossHaven church music band.
Although Sight and Sound Theatres, with a facility in Branson, is sponsoring much of the Pastor’s Conference, Plymale said that he encourages pastors to give an offering to help defray expenses of speakers for the pastor’s conference. He suggested some churches may want to include an offering as part of a pastor’s convention expenses.
“We want to encourage pastors to hang in there,” Plymale said. “I think it will be relevant to pastors. I’d like to see pastors come and be encouraged.”
For more information on the pastors conference and a detailed biography of the speakers, go to mobaptist.org/annualmeeting/pastors-conference.
