Ed Braswell

Jesus follower, husband, daddy, pop, youth pastor, teacher, student, work in progress...

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

One pastor said, "I had become a full-time pastor and a part-time Christian."

That's called losing your soul.

It's too common in church leadership, but doesn't have to be.

15 STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING YOUR SOUL

1. Connect regularly with God — as a Christian who needs him (not primarily as a pastor or sermon-prepper)

2. Prioritize solitude — my favorite definition is from Cal Newport: “time spent free from the input of other minds”

3. Rigorously practice weekly Sabbath — rest to pray, play, and intentionally lay down any striving

4. Spend time with real friends — people who don’t really need you as their pastor

5. Identify your personal warning signs & invite input — give trusted people permission to point out areas of concern.

6. Invest in counseling — an experienced person to help you process limits, losses, and the wear-and-tear of life.

7. Use every minute of vacation — it’s not lazy (“a lumberjack never wasted time sharpening his axe”)

8. Develop healthy pressure release valves — the pressure will come out one way or another, so intentionally decide for it to come out in good ways

9. Create sweet personal & family practices for Christmas & Easter — these are moments to practice being a private Christian, not just a public pastor

10. Don’t let other people decide what is an “emergency” — their emergency is rarely your emergency

11. Regularly practice retreat days — time to zoom out, take inventory, & invest in yourself

12. Create a folder of ministry implosion stories — read and review this annually as a warning to your soul

13. Develop a plan for intentional sabbaticals — this will be healthy in the long-run for you, your family, and the church

14. Structure your week with margin — you can’t red-line forever

15. Put “developing leaders” on your job description — it’s the only way to build a sustainable ministry that doesn’t depend on you

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Follow me @lukedsimmons for more resources to help you have a faithful & fruitful ministry that endures.

I'm pulling for you!

[John Piper @JohnPiper]

From the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 1:11

So, with boldness,

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” Psalm 96:3

[Ed Braswell @TheEdBraswell]

@iamnot_elon Yes! Flat tax now!

[Mike Winger @MikeWingerii]

The more you do the sin
The more you’ll want the sin
The less the sin will satisfy you

The less you do the sin
The less you’ll want the sin
The more satisfied you’ll be without the sin

[Ed Braswell @TheEdBraswell]

@hodgetwins #MAGA

[Ed Braswell @TheEdBraswell]

@stephenasmith Come on Stephen A.! I expect more from you than this drivel. Kobe, LeBron, Mahommes, Curry, Durant, Harden, Woods, Watson, Cooper, Prescott, Wilson, etc. And 1 white girl's fame and popularity is proof of a racist system/country. Really?

[Church Curmudgeon @ChrchCurmudgeon]

Today is Thanksgiving Eve, which God made from Thanksgiving Adam.

Celebrate with a McRib.

[Timothy Keller (1950-2023) @timkellernyc]

Preaching is not only explaining the text but also using it to engage the heart.

[Greg Stier @gregstier]

When you make the gospel about what you do for Jesus (turn, try, cry, commit, pledge, etc) instead of what Jesus did for you by dying in your place for your sin on the cross, you put yourself and your commitment as the center of attention, not Jesus.

This kind of “gospel” insults his finished work on the cross and makes the gospel about you and what you do for Jesus instead of Jesus and what he did for you.

But when you preach faith alone in Christ alone as your only hope for salvation, you put the spotlight on Jesus.

He did all the work. He gets all the glory. We simply receive it by faith (John 1:12.)

All other gospels are “means of the flesh” and self-centered instead of Christ-honoring. They distract from the cross, appeal to the flesh and lead to boasting instead of worship.

“Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.
Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:12-14

[Scotty Smith @ScottyWardSmith]

The Gospel is never “us-versus-them,” but always, “Jesus-for-all-of-us.”

[Greg Stier @gregstier]

So excited that we now have a “pandemic proof” way to share the GOSPEL through our #LifeIn6Words App! Share the gospel with friends virtually by using the audio story portion of the app. I’ve used it twice this am! Now is the time to share hope! #Easter https://t.co/2vqIobcGtV

[Ed Braswell @TheEdBraswell]

Be sure and tune in to the WBC live stream at 10:30am tomorrow. https://t.co/nE5NBeS4kX. #thechurchiseverywhere

[Timothy Keller (1950-2023) @timkellernyc]

Religion: I obey therefore I am accepted.
Gospel: I'm accepted therefore I obey.

[C. S. Lewis @CSLewisDaily]

“Love is unselfishly choosing for another’s highest good.” – C.S. Lewis

[Timothy Keller (1950-2023) @timkellernyc]

If the Bible never challenges your assumptions, it's possible you aren't really hearing it.

[J.D. Greear @jdgreear]

“If the unborn is growing, it must be alive. If it has human parents, it must be human. And living humans like you and I are valuable, aren’t they?” (The 10 second pro-life apologetic by Stephen Wagner)

[Kevin Laymon 💛 @KevinLaymon]

A special moment for my dear friend @TheEdBraswell getting to co-counsel with @BobKellemen.

[Ed Braswell @TheEdBraswell]

Honduras 2019 Promo: https://t.co/DPUHcOfsN2 via @YouTube

[Ed Braswell @TheEdBraswell]

Had a great day at Love Life in Charlotte. 5000 strong praying for life.. coming along side of women and men considering abortion to help and live out the HOPE… https://t.co/QxC5D1CFY9