The Anonymity of Pastoral Work

November 14, 2022 Nate Holdridge

In our modern age, talk of pastoral work as anonymous work seems like a stretch. Maybe the pastor in a rural town on a dusty road is anonymous, but pastoring seems to be about as public as you can get these days. We live in a time when pastors are out front, obvious, visible. Many encourage us to leverage social media to minister to people (at best) or build a platform for ourselves (at worst). I mean, we live in the age of the celebrity pastor, so how can pastoral work ever be anonymous?

Archival Post: Marriage Principles From Non-Marriage Verses, Part 2 - The Spirit Transforms Us

October 18, 2022 Nate Holdridge

Marriage Principles From Non-Marriage Verses, Part 2
The Spirit Transforms Us

Archival Post

Christina and I are not the same people we were in 2002, the year we stood before God and witnesses and declared our covenant of love for one another. As age and life has ticked by, we have both matured. In a sense, because we were relatively young when we married, we have grown up together. But our personal growth is not due entirely to the natural flow of life. No, we have both experienced spiritual transformation at the hands of Jesus Christ. He has shaped and molded us over the years.

50 Healthy Church Leader Tips

September 26, 2022 Nate Holdridge

Having grown up in a church planting pastor's home, I love pastors and church leaders and strive to help them in any way I can. I recently wrote an article for my network at calvarychapel.com called *50 Healthy Church Leader Tips*. They might not work for everyone, and I probably don't do all of them at all times, but I hope they might help you as you serve our Lord. Enjoy!

Archival Post: Wall Dancin'

September 13, 2022 Nate Holdridge

There is a time for wall-dancin’, but you’ll never get to it if you don’t have a vision for it. Nehemiah, you see, had vision to build the walls of Jerusalem. He knew God’s city needed to become healthy.

Archival Post: Seek Like Ruth And You’ll Find Like Ruth

August 15, 2022 Nate Holdridge

Seek Like Ruth And You’ll Find Like Ruth

Archival Post

Ruth was new to Israel. She lived during the time of the judges, a time when everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25). God’s people lived as though they were not at all governed by God’s law. Self-will ruled the day. People did not search the Scriptures. The norm was to follow the dictates of the heart, not the word of God. But Ruth was new.

Archival Post: Build Up Your Advance Strength

July 22, 2021 Nate Holdridge

Build Up Your Advance Strength

Archival Post

Think of an Olympic weight-lifter. They train so they can shine on the day of competition. They do not work out on the day of the performance. No, that day is for demonstrating their strength. All the previous days and weeks and months and years of training built up their strength for that moment.

Archival Post & Podcast: When the Bees of Discouragement Swarm

March 11, 2021 Nate Holdridge

When the Bees of Discouragement Swarm

Archival Post & Podcast

Have the doubts and discouragements of life ever felt as if they were swarming around your head like a swarm of bees? Have you ever felt as though you couldn’t shake thoughts you knew to be from the pit, rather than from the cross?

Archival Post & Podcast: Character Study - Epaphras

November 23, 2020 Nate Holdridge

click to read and listen

Character Study: Epaphras

Archival Post: Planning & Organization - The Need

November 16, 2020 Nate Holdridge

Planning & Organization

The Need

Archival Post

In 2006, I was drowning. Our church had recently gone through massive changes, and I found myself in a brand new role. After years of working primarily with college and high school groups, I now found myself as an assistant pastor to the general church body. I was asked to wear quite a few hats. I was in a million meetings. I wrote down a million things a day. And almost every day, I had no idea where to start. (3 Minutes/700 Words)

6 Lessons I've Learned About Small Group Ministry

March 18, 2020 Nate Holdridge

6 lessons.jpg — 6 Lessons I've Learned About Small Group Ministry

Having pastored a church without small groups, and now having pastored a church where always at least half of the congregation is in a small group, I can tell you the latter is preferable. People need to know each other. People need to interact with healthy Christians. People need community. (7 Minutes/1800 Words)