Praise God!!! August 7th is the first “Day of Play” event for pastors and wives. Schalamar Creek Golf Club in Lakeland Florida has opened arms of love to God’s annointed leaders to come and enjoy a day of refreshing, fun and relaxation. For more details go to the events section.

I don’t know about you but I like having a group of fellow brothers holding me responsible each and every week. These guys faithfully cheer me on to be more like Jesus in my personal life. They encourage me to be the best possible husband and father I can and each week I set “To Do’s” for myself to achieve. When I succeed they cheer when I fall short they pick me up and then challenge me . In many ways they are Jesus in the flesh to me. They hold me to a level of accountability that if alone I could cheat or slip without anyone noticing. I need someone noticing. I need them asking me each week how did I do.

I also am responsible for helping them reach their weekly goals or “to do’s”. It is a great blessing to have trusted friends to help me and challenge me to stretch to a higher level of obedience and service, but it is just as important to be the faithful friend to those who count on me.

Why accountability? Very simple! Because I want to be more of the man God created me to be. I want to be challenged to do the extraordinary so that I will not be ordinary. We are called to be different, to be transformed, to set the standard by being like Jesus. I realize that by being called “Christian” people expect me to be like Jesus, especially the lost world, especially our own families.

By being a part of a Champions Group I recieve the accountability that I need, and by the way, I developed the most trusted friends I could ever have. I use to feel very alone with no one to really talk to, that is not true today. These Champions are committed to helping me be the best I can be and I am commited to them as well. Accountability is helping me to become a better husband, father, son and servant, overall helping me to become a Champion. 

The APP luncheon was a tremendous blessing. Many Pastors shared how being in a Champions Group is impacting them. The next Lakeland Florida luncheon is May 27th at Abundant Life Church of God.

The APP / Bay Life Church in Brandon Florida Pastors luncheon was great. There were 56 in attendance at one new Champion Group scheduled a meeting time and place for next week. There are several other Pastors who registered to join or start a Cjhampions Group as well.

The Lakeland “Highland Park Church or they Nazarene” is hosting the April 29th Pastors Luncheon. We want to invite any Pastor in the area to attend.

New Lakeland Florida Champion Groups that have started are impacting several local Pastors lives. They are saying that having a safe place to talk is a brand new experience. Making trusted friends is something they never expected to happen. Thank the Lord!

The next two luncheons will be in Brandon, Florida at the Bay Life Church on Kingsway Rd. on April 21st and in Lakeland Fla. on April 29th. The Lakeland location should be announced within the next few days.

The APP Luncheon that was hosted by 1st Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland had about 40 in attendance. The testimonies were very encouraging and new Champion Groups are going to be getting started. The food was catered in by Edward Pagano owner of Opus Catering and everyone loved it. Pastor Kelvin McCree won a vacation.

Thursday March 11th was the birth of two new Champion Groups in Ocala Florida. Praise God!!! Pastor Don Grant has committed to helping Pastors connect and start building real and lasting friendships. Pray for Don as he serves the local Pastors and strives to see many more Champion Groups get started.

We have been blessed by what God is doing within the New Champion Groups in Lakeland, Florida. Many Pastors are coming together to start building genuine trust with encouragement and accountability. Pastors who just weeks ago were strangers have already bonded together in Christian brotherhood. It is this kind of trust that helps us feel the freedom that Jesus gave Himself up for.

Jesus said, I am the truth! In this time where truth is questioned and God’s Word is under attack, we call upon you to stand strong on the Word of God! We are challenged to look within ourselves to see how truthful we have been. Have I compromised my faith by NOT speaking up when I should have. Have I Not spoken up to my Champion Table when I needed them. Have I spent time with people who have a negative , defeatest attitude and not spoke up with a word of victory, hope and faith.

I invite you to make this the year of truth. The truth of Jesus that is alive in His children gives hope and life to the dying and hopeless. Pray for us to have the courage to be an encourager and to speak the truth. Truth can be sharp like a sword and it can be soothing like an ointment, whichever it may require pray that we will share as Jesus expects us to.

Be Blessed!

All Pro Pastors has a Facebook and Twitter presence. We are actively trying to invite everyone who cares about Pastors and their families to become connected with us. We ask that you put words of encouragement in your messages and posts. The challenges that you may be facing have been shared by many and Pastors are no exception.

The wife of a Pastor is often taken for granted and called on by the church to do many things that makes her very uncomfortable. This year try to remember that many of these precious ladies have children who need her undivided love and attention. Being the wife to a Pastor can be very demanding and impact the family in many ways that the body of Christ is often unaware of. They need time to be mom and wife just like all mom’s do.

The life of a Pastor is a special call and challenge that only Pastors/wife’s can grasp. This year help us encourage the Body of Christ to stand behind their “Pastor Family” and give them time as a family that is uninterupted! Insist that they take timeoff to be a family and a couple away from the high activities and demands of the church. 

The refreshing of any family can bring strength and life back in to any relationship. Be Blessed!