In Depth:  Phil Moon

Phil Moon

I normally take notes when someone else is preaching. It helps me concentrate and remember what is said – especially the good bits.

And, borne out of years trying to help others develop as preachers (and wanting to encourage others to do the same for me), I still tend to write down a few comments which I hope might help the preacher. Recently, I jotted down "grapeshot?"

Phil Moon

Some years ago, I was chatting to Peter Lewis, the former pastor of Cornerstone Church in Nottingham. We were having coffee at half-time in a meeting for pastors, and I was wondering how he had stayed so long at Cornerstone. I think at that point it was 37 years, but I may be mistaken. And I’ve never forgotten what he said.

Peter told me how every so often he’d pause and ask himself one question (undoubtedly surrounded with prayerful thought and discussion with at least Valerie, his wife). That one question was this: "Where can I be of most use?"

Phil Moon

As a leader, do you listen? I hope so, as I think you really need to. But sadly, it’s a bit too easy not to listen and far too easy to get into the habit of not listening.

There’s lots of listening we should be doing. Listening to the Lord through his Word. Listening to the world in which we live. Listening to those in authority over us. Listening to our spouses and children when they tell us they’ve forgotten who we are… I’d like to look at three other areas of listening where we may just be getting slightly deaf.

Phil Moon

Note: This article contains content that may be triggering for some readers.

I recently had a really helpful call from someone, and it made me think more about manipulation in Christian ministry.

Phil Moon

Are you sitting comfortably? Maybe, just maybe, you shouldn’t be!

There are real strengths to the senior minister sitting in a variety of places in church.

the pastor's toolkit

Phil Moon

When church leaders get busy, or just simply older, it’s very easy for some leadership qualities - and the things leaders are supposed to actually do - to fall by the wayside.

That doesn’t help our leadership, nor does it help those we lead. Here are seven leadership qualities that can so easily drop off the radar:

the pastor's toolkit

Phil Moon

We live in a world of reviews, don’t we? Hardly a day goes by without several emails turning up, wanting me to review something.

I imagine that’s presumably because they want to do better - and so, I hope, do we. All the time. I hope and pray that my next sermon will be my best yet, the next meeting I chair the most effective so far, the next mentoring meeting to start to be useful, and the next bit of training I deliver, simply out of this world. Or better than last time anyway…

the pastor's toolkit

Phil Moon

I admit it. I love change. I recognise that most people find it far more of a struggle than I do - strange I know - so I’ll try and go gently.

A part of who we are

You’re a Christian? That does mean that you have experienced the greatest, most significant change that anyone could ever experience. You’ve started a new life. You really have. So, change is not altogether alien to us, is it? And as the Holy Spirit works in us, He is changing us, often very slowly, to become more and more like Jesus. Real change. It’s just part of who we are.

the pastor's toolkit

Phil Moon

Am I the only one to notice that there seems to be such a thing as a 'first year dive’? It may be my imagination, but I think there's something to it.

I have a number of friends and know of several others who've got about one year in to a first position of responsibility – where you’re the senior pastor or vicar – and suddenly it hits them.

the pastor's toolkit

Phil Moon

Finished! Or is it….?

We’ve all been there, and most of us still are. Writing a sermon or talk, and then the moment you click 'save' - if you’re anything like me - it’s downstairs for a coffee and the sermon doesn’t get another look-in before that final read through.