In sports, every athlete learns how to "play hurt" through injury. Playing hurt separates good from great athletes. Pastoral ministry is no different. Many times, in ministry the pastor must "play hurt!" The Pastor does not have the liberty to take time to heal. The only difference is that the owner of the organization understands how valuable the franchise player is and would not risk their player being hurt experiencing a career ending injury. It would be amazing if the church would take a page from the professional team owner's manual and protect the franchise player. Who is the franchise player? The Pastor. Playing Hurt invites you into eight difficult years of my life when God used discouragement, death, and depression to prepare me for ministry. This book will encourage the senior pastor, prepare the young preacher, and strengthen the pew member to understand that ministry hurts. Nevertheless, press on! Teron V. Gaddis, founder of Praying for our Pastors Fellowship, is the current pastor of Greater Bethel Church in Oklahoma City, OK. Pastor G has been preaching for 39 years and pastoring one church for 30 years. He is married to Janice for thirty-six years and they have 5 children and 12 grandchildren. Pastor G is known as a biblical preacher with soul-stirring illustrations. He began Praying for our Pastors in 2014 to encourage pastors to "run with endurance the race set before them." The mission statement is "no Pastor left behind." He is also an instructor in the district and state congress of Oklahoma where he teaches Creative Ways of Teaching and expository preaching. He also mentors young preachers helping them develop their love for the Word of God. Pastor G enjoys traveling around the country sharing with Pastors and parishioners the importance of prayer in the church.
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