I was ordained in 2000 and in the years since, I’ve learned some things about pastoral ministry. In what follows, I’ll share ten practical tips. These go beyond what should be understood by every pastor: keep your focus on the gospel, preach Christ urgently, pray for your people fervently, be careful with “gold, girls, and glamour.” I don’t want to say that those things go without saying, because there are plenty who take them for granted. They’re crucially important to God-honouring ministry, but you’ll hear that advice from countless others. My practical tips are more along the lines of what you might not hear from anyone else.

Always Take a Sabbath

Taking a day off is a basic discipline every pastor must learn. It helps stave off burn-out, it serves your wife and children, and it also corresponds to God’s plan for us to rest one day per week. I always took off Saturdays. I originally did that because it was the day my kids had off from school and I wanted to spend time with them. I always tried to get everything prepared for Sunday by Friday night, and then with Saturday off, I’d be well-rested for Sunday. Other pastors prefer taking off Mondays – to each his own.

Read a Book about Preaching Each Year

It’s crucially important to continue developing as a preacher. You do that as you gain experience, but also as you learn from others. Many good books have been written about preaching and newer ones are appearing each year. But don’t ignore the older authors like Spurgeon and Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

Keep Working with Your Biblical Languages

Language skills are perishable. If you don’t use them, you lose them. You spent all that time learning Greek and Hebrew in seminary, what a shame it would be to see that time wasted as you give in to the temptation to take short-cuts. Moreover, your preaching will almost always be enhanced if you continue to work with the original languages of Scripture. Read More»

Wes Bredenhof | “Ten Tips for New Pastors” | (August 10, 2026)

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