Let's pray.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.

If any team of pastors, any team of elders, any embattled church, any embattled pastor lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.

And so, Father, we want to ask now in this session. In one sense, this can be one extended ask for you to give us wisdom.

Every pastor in this room is in need of your wisdom, ongoing wisdom.

For every step of the way in pastoral ministry, sometimes we feel it in a more dire way, sometimes less.

So wherever we are this afternoon, Father, would you meet us now in these moments and help us to be

wise pastors? In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Imagine if we gathered a list from just this room of the present pastoral challenges that you're facing.

Just the men in this room right now.

These are needs for wisdom.

I'm confident that our list would be far too much for any of us to bear.

Thank God there are broad enough shoulders for it all in King Jesus.

And I'm sure that some of you in this room this afternoon have one particular,

intractable need for wisdom.

It's on your mind, on your heart as you come to this conference.

Just consider in general the various kinds of needs for wisdom that we have as pastors.

There's the easy ones, like what to preach on.

And for how long?

And what applications to make?

And how and when to update bylaws, constitution.

...