Pastors and Missionary Marriages Links - AdobeStock_129833562The following are web site links and resources we recommend to help pastors and missionary marriages.

We pray they will minister to your marital relationship as you use them in your life together. May they help you to reflect the love of God to each other in the mission of your marriage!

And may your love for each other be used by God to draw others to Him! We pray you will go from strength in your marriage to strength in helping other marriages become strong in Christ Jesus.

PASTORS AND MISSIONARY MARRIAGES LINKS TO WEB SITES:

 

• Askamissionary.com: This is a web site designed in a question and answer format. In it you will find a growing number of questions posed and then answered by a missionary for those who are missionaries. This particular page deals with questions for “Singles/Families.”

• Caregiversforum.org: This is a network of like-minded people who support each other in “ministering to ministers.” They have a great Resource Directory of Ministries available for your use. The ministries represented at the Forum provide a wide variety of services. They range from rest and relaxation to spiritual retreats. There is also intensive counseling available, and everything in between. This voluntary listing is a great resource for those seeking help as well as referrals.

• Christianrecovery.com: Christian Recovery International is a coalition of ministries dedicated to helping the Christian community become a safe and helpful place for people recovering from addiction, abuse or trauma. This is the best overall Christian recovery site on the Net with a broad focus on all recovery issues.

Additionally, for Pastors and Missionary Marriages Links:

• Clergy Care Network: Ministry is a high calling; but it’s not for the faint of heart! Inherent in this line of work can be long hours, expectations of others, self-sacrifice and incredible times of joy. The Clergy Care Network and Focus on the Family Canada are here to help provide guidance when life is challenging. They also rejoice with you when things are going well.

• Clergyrecovery.com: The Clergy Recovery Network exists to support, encourage and provide resources to religious professionals in recovery. If you are a pastor, missionary, religious professional —or a spouse of one —this may be a place where you will find help for the struggles you are experiencing. For the last 10 years they have been providing mentoring services to clergy and their families and their web site represents some of the things they are learning. They encourage you to “reach out for all the grace you may need.” All of the categorized articles “are deliberately interactive like Blogs so you may participate.”

• Crossculturalworkers.com: This website contains 45 “brochures” on topics relevant to cross-cultural workers and four E-books. Cross-cultural workers anywhere in the world can visit this website to read, download, print, copy and distribute the information free of charge to anyone who can use it.

• Globalmembercare.com: The Global Member Care Network connects you with resources, updates, links and people working in the realm of member care around the world. They also have a Blog, which you can join, for the latest updates and discussions, and stay connected by subscribing to the GMCN newsletter.

— Plus —

Here are more web site links that can benefit pastors and missionary marriages:

• Howtothriveasapastorswife.com Christine Hoover has been creating content for pastors’ wives for years, and you can find it all at her web site. Whether it’s podcast episodes, articles, or free printables, feel free to make yourself at home on the web site and leave refreshed and ready to run your ministry race.

• Intermin.org: This is the International and Internet ministries of Mike and Diane Constantine. They have resources for you designed to help you and those you care about build stronger marriages, homes, and lives.

• Just Between Us: This is a magazine published to provide encouragement, inspiration, spiritual support and practical insights for ministry wives and women in church, para-church and missions leadership.

• Maninthemirror.org: This is a ministry that serves pastors and leaders who are equipping men for success. They are accomplishing their God-given mission and vision through men’s Bible studies, Christian literature, seminars, and leadership training and networking.

In Addition:

• Missionarycare.com: Through New Hope International Ministries, Ron Koteskey and his wife, Bonnie, offer on-field help to independent missionaries, to missionaries whose agencies have no one designated for missionary care, and to missionaries who would prefer talking with someone outside their agencies.

• Missionfinder.org: This web site contains Classified Directories of Christian Mission Opportunities. The purpose of the Mission Finder web site is to provide assistance to committed Christians who want to find a suitable mission agency with which to work. They draw upon years of mission experience, a good data base, and their own network of relationships and contacts. Since then, they have helped —at no cost to them —tens of thousands of people find their place in mission projects, worldwide.

• Narramore Christian Foundation: Every year at least five thousand missionaries leave the field unnecessarily. This happens because of excessive stress involving personal, family, social, and ministry-related problems. Those remaining on the field face life stressors at least 2-3 times those experienced by individuals at home in the United States. The Narramore Christian Foundation is committed to serving these dedicated men and women, and their families. In addition to their headquarters staff in the United States, NCF teams with ten outstanding Christian Associate Staff Psychologists and Psychiatrists. Together they minister in various regions of the world including Kenya, West Africa, France, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Africa.

ADDITIONALLY, FOR PASTORS AND MISSIONARY MARRIAGES:

• Pastors and Missionary Marriages Testimonies: This link takes you to testimonies you can read of other marriages in your field of ministry.

• Pastorswife.com: This web site is founded by Janice Hildreth, how has been married to her pastor-husband for many years. Concerning this web site she says: “When I searched for resources specifically for pastors’ wives and did not find any, I decided to create something that would be helpful to myself. The result was The Pastor’s Wife newsletter, a 6-page monthly publication. Because of publishing costs, it became a webzine. In the past few years, because of time constraints due to writing, family, church, and work, it has become a quarterly newsletter to offer practical and spiritual encouragement to pastors’ wives.”

• Pastorswives.com: This is an online ministry of help and encouragement to wives of pastors, and missionaries. At this web site, you’re the pastor’s wife, and you’re among friends! Those online at pastorswives.org, help each other thrive in a “fishbowl life,” not just survive. If your husband is in vocational ministry —whether he ministers part-time or full-time; to children, youth, or adults —you have found an online community of women facing similar joys and challenges. You, as a pastor’s wife, truly are among friends at this website that honors, supports, encourages, and helps all pastors’ wives, regardless of denomination.

AND THEN THERE IS:

• Peterswife.org Peter’s Wife web site ministry is a great place for women working outside their home culture to connect and help one another. First browse their site. And then choose the ways that best fit your needs. The newsletter is the core of their service. For ten years Peter’s Wife was mailed until printing. But postage made it too costly. The Internet breathed new life into their vision. And then in May, 2000, Peter’s Wife began again as an email newsletter. You can sign up for them on their web site.

• PreachitTeachit.org: This ministry is committed to providing Biblically solid resources for Christian pastors, missionaries, and Bible teachers. They seek to equip them with sermons, Bible studies, and devotionals. Plus there are other practical leadership tools available for Christian ministry. There are free sermons, and podcasts available. Plus there are free devotionals that will enhance your walk with God and your ability to minister effectively.

• Romans12ministries.org This ministry is located in Tucson, Arizona. Romans 12 Ministries exists to come alongside Christians at a crossroads with the support, advice, and direction that you, your pastor, or your ministry needs to continue your Kingdom work. Romans 12 was also created to come alongside our church leaders (and their spouses), before they come to the point where they think leaving the pulpit is the only option, and assist them in any way that we can. Our goal is to refresh, refocus and reignite the passion that leads them to dedicate their lives to the ministry so that they can continue their God-given work.

AND THERE’S MORE:

• 2equal1.com: This web site uses the most effective venues for ministry —the living rooms of the world. With an incredible worldwide network of leaders, you can tap into our powerful in-home courses anywhere from Argentina to Zimbabwe. It ministers to families around the world in 90 countries and 30 languages. The reason we wanted you to know of this web site is because they have a section titled “Advice Articles.” These articles minister to others but also to your own marriage.

• 20 Ministry Resources to Help Pastors Fight Pornography: This resource list is compiled by the ministry of Preach It, Teach It. Within it, you will find links to resources, which can help pastors in their marriages as well as in their churches, to fight against the sexual assault led by the enemy of our faith to break up marriages and homes.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES FOR PASTORS & MISSIONARY MARRIAGES:

• Choosing to Cheat: Who Wins When Family and Work Collide? -written by Andy Stanley, published by Thomas Nelson. This book presents a strategic plan for resolving the tension between work and home. Written by a pastor himself, you’ll find ways to deal with the busyness that wreaks havoc with the relationships you consider most important. Author Andy Stanley confronts us with truth and transparency. Just as he had made a commitment in his own life to balance his family time with his work, he encourages us to make similar commitments. Every couple, every parent, and every leader needs to read this book and consider the question: Who wins when my family and work collide?

• Counsel for Pastors’ Wives -written by Diane Langberg, published by Zondervan. This book could have been titled, “14 Frequently Asked Questions by Pastors’ Wives.” That is because it is based on 14 letters written by the concerned wives of pastors to Christian counselor, Diane Langberg. In this book, Dr Langberg provides prayerfully addresses the hurts of pastors’ wives.

“For many pastoral couples, the challenge of pastoring is one of survival. High expectations to provide pastoral leadership and Christian ministry in a congregational setting too often turns to disillusionment and discouragement. Can the experiences really be changed into a positive ministry with real fulfillment?” Dr Langberg believes that it is possible to turn that around. In her book she addresses how to accomplish that goal.

FOR PASTORS AND MISSIONARY MARRIAGES:

• Heart of a Great Pastor: How to Grow Stronger and Thrive Wherever God Has Planted You -written by H.B. London and Neil B Wiseman, published by Regal Books. This book focuses on encouraging pastors. It is written to help you to flourish in the ministry God has given you. This book helps you as a pastor to discover strength in having a mentor. It helps you to learn how to overcome obstacles and find yourself. God wants your ministry to blossom right where you’ve been planted.”

• How to Thrive as a Pastor’s Wife Christine Hoover, knows firsthand the unique struggles and opportunities afforded a pastor’s wife. She’s been filling that role for more than 20 years. Coming alongside as an understanding friend, she offers encouragement and guidance to the struggling pastor’s wife, showing her how to make meaningful personal relationships with God, her husband, her children, her church community, and other women—relationships that will sustain her and help her thrive.

• MISSIONARY MARRIAGE ISSUES: This is a booklet available as a PDFyou can download for free. It is written by Ronald L. Koteskey. It centers on the issues in missionary marriages “because married couples living in cultures other than their passport one face some issues that make marriage more difficult than it is for people remaining at ‘home.'” This book is written in “short, independent chapters.” It can be downloaded without any cost to you.

• Seven Practices of Effective Ministry -by Andy Stanley, Lane Jones, and Reggie Joiner, published by Multnomah. This insightful book speaks to every church leader who yearns for a simpler, more effective approach to ministry. It contains a parable about one overwhelmed pastor. This is followed by an overview of seven successful team practices. Each one developed and applied in a ministry setting. The points are reinforced by discussion questions which are relevant, clear and easy. The strategic practices are aimed to turn any ministry into a “winning team.”

— Lastly —

Among the many resources that are out there, here is one more that can benefit pastors and missionary marriages. If you know of any more, please let us know. In the meantime, consider this one:

• Why Great Men Fall -written by Wayde Goodall, published by New Leaf Press. As a pastor and mentor, Goodall points to easily identifiable signposts that have trapped men and eventually caused them to fall from grace either morally, ethically, or criminally. His thousands of hours of counseling also provide unique insights into character flaws that contribute to “falls from grace.”

Some of the topics covered are: Why Great Leaders Fall, and Entitlement. There is also: Entrepreneurs without Balance, and Compartmentalization. Additional topics include Expectation of Silence, and The Sex Issue. And then there is: Integrity, Anger, and Accountability. Conscience, Mentors and Coaches, and Ethics are a few additional topics. Plus, there are to topics of Stress and Pressure, Money, Depression, Moods, and more.