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Shepherding Thoughts
by Pastor Ben Francis
Welcome to Shepherding Thoughts: An inside look at a Southern Baptist Pastor's comments on navigating popular topics in Christianity and Religion.
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Ben Francis
Dec 15, 20248 min read
A Pastoral Guide to Preparing for Communion
Communion ; the Lord’s Supper ; also called the Eucharist . ** A Note upfront : This guide represents the Baptistic tradition and...
62 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Oct 22, 20245 min read
Why American Christians Can No Longer Vote for Democrats.
For much of American political history, American citizens have shared a common worldview, which led to basic agreement on a great many...
471 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Sep 9, 20247 min read
Walking Our Wives through the Valley of Miscarriage: An Encouragement to Husbands
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they...
1,136 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Jul 12, 20246 min read
Give us Preachers, not Shepherds!
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do...
132 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Jul 2, 20246 min read
How God Decorates our Lives
“Sunday morning worship is a Saturday night decision.” Maybe you’ve heard that said, or maybe you’ve said it yourself. And it's right. It...
89 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Jun 13, 202413 min read
The 2024 Southern Baptist Convention in Review…
For those of you interested in a recap of the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention, here is a broad, and hopefully fair overview of the main...
712 views0 comments
Ben Francis
May 7, 20245 min read
Down Go the Boy Scouts: Weak Men get Weaker
In an unsurprising move, the Boys Scouts of America (BSA) announced on Tuesday, May 7th, that the Organization would be changing its name...
365 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Apr 5, 202411 min read
Is the Southern Baptist Convention Overstepping its Authority?
A discussion of Creeds, Authority, and Autonomy There is a growing discussion in some corners of the SBC that the Convention is preparing...
571 views2 comments
Ben Francis
Mar 27, 20248 min read
Pastor Ben's Reading List: A Guide for Christians, Bible Students, Pastors, Parents, and More.
I’ve put this list of resources together for Christians, Church ministry leaders, Sunday School teachers and small groups leaders,...
565 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Mar 18, 20247 min read
What Are Pastors Doing During the Week? 10 Things...
I often get a lot of questions about how I spend my time as a Pastor. People are understandably curious about what I do. Some people are...
240 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Mar 5, 20245 min read
10 Leadership Lessons from the Movie: Greyhound
In 2020, the Movie Greyhound was released on AppleTv in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a groundbreaking movie for several...
160 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Mar 1, 20246 min read
10 Lessons about Church I've learned from the Gym…
I go to the gym 5 days a week (most weeks anyhow). I do it for several reasons, but mostly for my own personal well-being. Caring for the...
167 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Feb 23, 202413 min read
What's Happening when the Pastor is Preaching?
Every single week, 52 weeks per year (and more if you include Sunday nights and Wednesday nights), Pastors rise to speak the Word of God...
91 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Feb 15, 202410 min read
A Pastoral Guide to Preparing for a Funeral.
**Note, this post is written in view of North Carolina Law.** Funeral planning comes during some of the most difficult moments of our...
132 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Feb 10, 20242 min read
Developing a Christian Political Worldview
The 2024 political season will be tumultuous. It already is. That much is a given. Lots will be said and written…and probably thrown. For...
66 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Jan 26, 20248 min read
Our Responsibilities in Baptizing Our Children
In Matthew 19:13-14, we read these words, “Then children were brought to Him that He might lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples...
185 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Dec 26, 202311 min read
Male and Female He Created Them: The Bible and Homosexuality
The issue of homosexuality confronts Christians everywhere we look today. Our twenty-first century culture is inundated with the full...
144 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Nov 20, 202313 min read
How Should Christians Practice Santa Claus?
Christians, Christmas, and Santa Claus. And Elf on the Shelf, the Easter Bunny, and More… SHHHHHHHHH! Don’t tell the kids…but, Santa...
874 views2 comments
Ben Francis
Nov 13, 20237 min read
The Priority of Sunday Christian Worship
Is Sunday morning Church important? With the rising list of activities and committments facing us today, is gathering with our Church...
215 views0 comments
Ben Francis
Sep 21, 20237 min read
How God is Saving Me from Preaching
Thoughts from a growing Pastor-Shepherd… I'm a Pastor-Shepherd, and I preach and teach every week; multiple times each week. And by God’s...
360 views0 comments
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