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Everything About the Office of Pastor

Rev. Chris Gordon and Rev. Dr. Dan Borvan tackle the challenging and often misunderstood realities of the pastorate.

Title

Summary

Rev. Chris Gordon and Rev. Dr. Dan Borvan tackle the challenging and often misunderstood realities of the pastorate.

Published

Oct 19, 2025

Hosted By

Pastor Chris Gordon

Where To Tune In

Youtube

Show Notes

Rev. Chris Gordon and Rev. Dr. Dan Borvan tackle the challenging and often misunderstood realities of the pastorate. They discuss why being a pastor is a demanding, 24/7 vocation that requires incredible resilience. They explore the difficult truth that a minister's family, especially their children, often face unique spiritual attacks. The conversation dives into the alarming statistics around pastoral burnout, moral failure, and the negative impact the ministry can have on a pastor's family, with 80% reporting negative effects and 75% wanting to quit due to stress.

A major focus is on the critical need for better pastoral support and accountability. Dr. Borvan offers a memorable quote: “You don’t evaluate your fire safety while your house is burning down,” highlighting the failure of churches to conduct proper, proactive pastoral reviews. They stress that a pastor's main priority must be the preaching of the holy gospel, not acting as a CEO. The episode concludes with a call for the church to conduct thorough, holistic reviews that encompass a pastor's family and personal life to ensure the health and longevity of their ministry.

Chapters
00:00:00 - Introduction 00:03:45 - The Pastor's 24/7 Vocation
00:07:00 - The Need for a "Rhinoceros Skin"
00:08:00 - Van Til's "10% Won't Like You" Rule
00:08:50 - Spiritual Attacks on the Minister's Family
00:10:45 - Shielding the Pastor's Family
00:12:30 - Top Reasons Pastors Leave: Burnout and Moral Failure
00:14:00 - The Shortage of Men to Fill Pulpits
00:15:30 - The Need for Close Friends in Seminary
00:16:00 - Ministry's Negative Effect on the Pastor's Family
00:16:50 - Lack of Conflict Resolution and Self-Advocacy
00:17:00 - Alarming Statistics on Stress, Depression, and Work Hours
00:20:45 - The Problem with Lack of Pastoral Reviews
00:21:50 - Quote: Evaluating Fire Safety
00:22:40 - Foundation Building with a New Pastor
00:24:45 - The Season of Adversity, Conflict, and Testing
00:25:40 - Leadership Unity in Resolving Conflict
00:31:30 - Blindspots that Form in the Pulpit
00:34:00 - The Pastor's Priority: Preacher, Not CEO
00:36:00 - Holistic Pastoral Reviews
00:40:00 - The Call for Strong Pastors

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The New Reformation Catechism On Human Sexuality

by Rev. Christopher Gordon

The New Reformation Catechism on Human Sexuality, authored by Rev. Christopher Gordon, is a new biblically based catechism giving clarity on critical issues concerning human sexuality.

"May God bless you richly as you grow in Christian liberty. May this book help you hold fast to the truth and better understand how the full counsel of God speaks to the godly priority of human sexuality."

~ Rosaria Butterfield