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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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On the Importance of New Testament Elder Leadership.
Why Shared Leadership is Essential for Healthy Churches Churches are fascinating creatures. Churches exist solely through the atoning...
Ben Francis
Mar 104 min read
155 views
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Do Church Members Have Responsibilities?
What does it mean to be a Church member? What is required of those who join a local Church in covenant church membership? Perhaps you’ve...
Ben Francis
Feb 55 min read
73 views
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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...
Ben Francis
Dec 15, 20248 min read
72 views
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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...
Ben Francis
Sep 9, 20247 min read
1,153 views
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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...
Ben Francis
Jul 12, 20246 min read
133 views
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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...
Ben Francis
Jul 2, 20246 min read
90 views
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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,...
Ben Francis
Mar 27, 20248 min read
578 views
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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...
Ben Francis
Mar 18, 20247 min read
255 views
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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...
Ben Francis
Feb 23, 202413 min read
94 views
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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...
Ben Francis
Jan 26, 20248 min read
188 views
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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...
Ben Francis
Nov 20, 202313 min read
874 views
2 comments
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...
Ben Francis
Nov 13, 20237 min read
219 views
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How do We Actually Experience God’s Sovereignty?
Sovereignty: God’s absolute and unquestioned control over every single detail of creation, including our lives and choices. So, how do we...
Ben Francis
Sep 5, 202310 min read
108 views
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The Unique Grief of Miscarriage and the hope and help of Jesus Christ.
We recently lost our daughter to miscarriage. It happened somewhere in the 10-14 week range of the pregnancy. My dear friend summed up...
Ben Francis
Jul 20, 202315 min read
652 views
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An Open Letter to the Person County Library, and Person County Government from her Pastor-Shepherds.
An Open Letter to the Person County Library, and Person County Government from her Local Pastor-Shepherds. On behalf of the members of...
Ben Francis
Jul 10, 20239 min read
1,238 views
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Raising Kids in a Screen-Saturated World
A Review I am thankful for Eliza Huie and the folks at the Biblical Counseling Coalition. They are producing some great work in really...
Ben Francis
May 23, 20234 min read
65 views
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What Does it Mean to Be Pastored?
Life in the Local Church Belonging to a local Church of the Lord Jesus Christ entails all sorts of things: Membership, fellowship,...
Ben Francis
Apr 28, 20238 min read
204 views
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A Lament for the Hard Things: The Joy of Pastoral Ministry; A Follow-Up…
When I sat down to write the previous post, “A Lament for the Hard Things,” my goal was to share a tangible illustration of what I had...
Ben Francis
Apr 15, 20238 min read
129 views
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A Lament for the Hard Things…
This painting hangs in my study reminding me of days like today. Like the man in the painting, pastoral ministry calls men to come in...
Ben Francis
Apr 11, 20235 min read
245 views
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What's Shaping My Life?
This question lodged itself in my mind during our Sunday morning Bible study. "Are Christians in danger of living in a delusion?" We were...
Ben Francis
Apr 4, 20238 min read
58 views
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