Fran Trascritti ministry

Ten Things a Pastor Should Do: #5- Exercise three times a week.

Over 18 months ago, my wife found a Groupon deal for this crazy sounding idea- we could go to a thing called “Boot Camp” and pay only $35 for twenty sessions. When she told me about it, my ears perked up- it was cheap, yes, but it sounded, well scary. Memories of my young adulthood and Army basic training immediately sprang up: frightening men in brown hats with deep yet shrill voices growling in my face as I “pushed the earth” countless times all day, every day. Reluctantly, I told her that I would do it and we bought the Groupon deal for the two of us.

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https://www.facebook.com/T3FitnessAndTraining

A short time later we did our first Boot Camp. I looked around and saw no big, ugly drill sergeants, no brown hats, no yelling, not even intimidation. Nope, none of that. I saw instead support, encouragement, and even (gulp!) smiles on the faces of the trainers. The one hour session was rough (real rough) but the supportive atmosphere helped me to want to come back. 18 months later, I am still going to Boot Camp. My Groupon deal has long since been used up, and I have gladly paid the regular price for exercising at T3 Fitness. While my wife also enjoyed her experience there, my son has grabbed on to it most of all, being greatly been changed in losing 62+ pounds and counting!

It is true that we should all stay in shape, but for pastors who often care about other areas of their lives but neglect the physical, exercise should be a priority. In 3 John 2, the Apostle John encouraged his readers when he wrote, “I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” Paul wrote to “glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:20). Many a pastor (this guy included) has spent hours of sitting, studying, visiting, and inactivity. Oftentimes, meals are quickly gulped down in the car while heading to another appointment. This lifestyle is obviously stressful, but add to this routine a lack of a dedicated time of exercise and disaster is bound to happen.

Ultimately, I was convicted to lose weight and get healthy as a testimony to others of discipline. It was my conviction that I was hypocritical in preaching discipline (of all sorts) when I wasn’t being disciplined myself. I could barely go up the steps to my office without being winded. I was out of shape, overweight, and had begun feeling a lack of energy. Once I began exercising regularly, my energy increased and I became more effective. I try to exercise at least three times a week, sometimes more, and I purposely schedule the time to do this along with my other appointments. It’s a physical life changer, as I have maintained a nearly 50 lb weight loss for over six months now and I can go up steps with no issues. Most of all, I feel as if I am being a good steward of the body that God has given me, and because of this care, I hope to enjoy a longer, healthier life of service to Him while here on His earth. 🙂

I’m not quite there yet, but I’m a work in progress. However, let me ask: How are you exercising on a regular basis? What has worked for you? 

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti discipline, ministry

Ten Things a Pastor Should Do: #4- Set healthy boundaries.

There it was, the survey I had dreaded to see. I clicked a link and went to an article on CNN called, 10 Signs you might be addicted to your smartphone. Ugh. I knew what I would see: “Blah, blah, blah, you’re checking your phone too much, blah, blah, blah, your too plugged in.” Yeah, I know it. What about it?

I even took the Smartphone Abuse Test, and, after trying to answer every question honestly, I scored 9/15. Not bad, right? Wrong. The makers of the survey let me know, in no uncertain terms, that answering having as low as a 5/15 means that you have a problem. Ouch!

Okay, there’s no reason to deny it, I look at my phone a lot. I mean, a lot. I get emails, texts, Facebook and Twitter messages, and once in a while, I even get a phone call. Needless to say, my phone runs out of its battery real fast, and life lived in the 5% battery range is both disturbing and thrilling at the same time.

Here’s what’s even scarier: I have gotten a whole lot better than in the past. There was once a time that whenever I saw a picture of me (and my wife takes a ton of pictures), the cell was attached to my ear. I have made adjustments, and though I do need to make even more, I know it’s progress, not perfection.

The greater point is this: Whether it’s electronic devices, long hours, or whatever you focus a whole lot on, a pastor with many, many demands and many duties must set healthy boundaries. This is for the sake of your marriage, your family, and your overall health in life and ministry. Cell phones should go off at a certain time. Email and texts can wait. Your kids and spouse should not see your face in front of an electronic device more than they see your face in front of them. In fact, they should see you period, like when they play in a game and you cheer them on from the stands or they have that bit part in the school play and yet still look for your face in the audience. After all, there are no small parts or meaningless games, especially if you are their biggest cheerleader.

Set a healthy boundary. Place being a husband, parent, and citizen of Heaven first. Keep the nonurgent question in the nonurgent category and wait to respond until you are back in the office. That text or email you got can wait (it really can), only to be efficiently answered by you the next day. Limit your ministry nights to no more than four nights, and let everyone know this rule should apply to others in the church too.

Can’t wait to take this test again in a few months. Will keep you posted.

Until He comes again,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti God's Goodness, ministry

Ten Things a Pastor Should Do: #3 Take one or two days off a week, and be sure to take vacations.

When I was younger and new in ministry, I used to brag to myself (and others) that I would work constantly without vacations, days off, or breaks. My goal then was that no one would outwork me in ministry- now I can see that this was such a fleshly, prideful mindset!

Truth is, ministry is hard work. The demands of ministry do not end at 5 pm and then begin again at 9 am. Often, the burdens of ministry are with you all of the time, hanging on your shoulders day and night, weekdays and weekends, during and outside of shadow walkingyour family “time.” There are late night phone calls, as well as emails, Facebook messages, text messages, and visits. The clock never stops for sermon and bible study preparations, and the constant dripping of the C.A.V.E. Dwellers can get on your nerves as well. There’s no surprise that statistics show the average tenure of a pastor to be three to four years. It’s true that there’s a high burn out rate in the ministry.

All that said, let me now be Captain Obvious for a minute: you can’t work all the time and not have time for rest. Rest is very important, even vital for the long term work of ministry. Rest is built into God’s creation, when He rested on the 7th day. Jesus often took time away from the crowds to rest and pray in quiet places (see Mark 6:30-31). We are likewise called to the Sabbath principle, a time of rest from life itself and to time with the Lord (Lev 23:3). Basically put, rest is important to God and it should be important to you.

So take that day off (or sometimes even two). Take that vacation with your family, even being willing to miss two Sundays in a row. Date your wife regularly. Break away from the cell phone, your witty Twitter posts, your snarky Facebook comments. Disconnect from the current routine and reconnect with God and your family. Remember that your relationships with God, your spouse, and your family are your prime importance and calling. After all, once you refresh yourself, you will be much more healthy and ready for the demands of your call to ministry. Now go rest!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Uncategorized

Ten Things a Pastor Should Do- #1: Pray

The other day, I put together a top ten list of things a pastor should and could do to stay healthy and effective, listed in no particular order. The first one on the list is to Pray fervently.

Jesus demonstrated and taught on prayer multiple times in the gospels. Even though He was inundated with the sick, the poor, the curious, and those who would oppose Him, Jesus would often go off to pray. He prayed before choosing the twelve. He prayed and enjoyed intimacy with the Father. He even prayed to affirm and submit to the Father’s will.

So why don’t we pray like we should? Why is the prayer life of the Christian and even the church leader so sparse and spotty? We know we should pray, and we want to pray, yet we don’t do what we want or know to do.

We don’t pray like we should because even as Christians, we are fighting the battle of the flesh. Galatians 5:17 says, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” The truth is that our sinful flesh wants to be independent of God, while God wants us to be dependent. Though we might want to be self sufficient and self reliant and self indulgent, we need to constantly remind ourselves that God’s grace is sufficient, autonomous, and glorifying of God.

So let me encourage you: recognize that the lack of prayer is a battle of the flesh, and go directly to the heart of the matter: repent and submit. Prayer is submission, plain and simple, It’s a submission to God and a recognition of His sovereignty. It’s a intimacy in the Spirit and a growth of one’s faith. It’s a passion for God who had a passion for you.

You are locked in a spiritual battle that will be resolved only after Christ’s return. Just as a soldier wouldn’t go into battle without being equipped, you need to be equipped spiritually. In fact, without being equipped, it’s just plain scary. Put on that full armor, “Pray at all times in the Spirit” (Eph 6:18) and increase your dependence and intimacy with the One who loved you and gave His Son for you.

Pray fervently.

Fran Trascritti discipline, ministry

Ten Things a Pastor Should Do to Stay Healthy and Effective

fran and teresaI have been in ministry for twenty plus years (yikes!), either serving on staff or as a senior pastor, and I will admit that through this journey, I have blown it many times. However, I am thrilled that God has given me grace over the years. One of my main struggles has been to manage myself and to avoid burnout. Boy, have I learned! That said, I thought that I would put together a top ten list of things a pastor should and could do to stay healthy and effective, listed in no particular order. I hope it helps:

  1. Pray fervently– never underestimate the need to pray and the power of prayer.
  2. Read God’s Word devotionally– don’t just read for studying purposes, read to take in the Word of God to speak to your heart.
  3. Take one or two days off a week, and be sure to take vacations. And don’t apologize for it, you need time away.
  4. Set healthy boundaries. Cell phones should go off at a certain time. Email and texts can wait. Your kids and spouse should not see your face in front of an electronic device more than they see your face in front of them.
  5. Exercise three times a week, at least. It keeps you in shape and lowers stress.
  6. Eat healthy. Fast food meals catch up to you fast.
  7. Get in a Bible study in which you are not the teacher. You need to learn and grow from a small group, too. I go to a community men’s study and go out of my way to be “one of the guys.”
  8. Date. I mean your spouse. Do it monthly.
  9. Go to special events. If you have kids or grandkids, go to their games, plays, etc. And don’t go as a pastor and talk to others- focus on them as a parent or grandparent.
  10. Have an accountability partner. Find another pastor, preferably outside of your denomination. I have had men in my past who I had as confidants, and it was so rich- and by the way, we never spoke about the nonessentials of theology.

I will be commenting over the next few weeks on each point, but in the meantime, I’d love to hear your comments on all of this, and if you think that there are other things I didn’t write about…

Thoughts?

Fran

Fran Trascritti God's Goodness

Putting on the Full Armor of God

Eph 6:18 (NASB), “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…”

This week has honestly been one of the hardest weeks of my life. Without getting into the details, my wife and I have been shedding tears in praying for a solution to a crisis. We ceased to eat at times, cried spontaneously at others, dreamed dreams about it, got angry, got numb, even tried to put it out of our minds, and nothing has seemed to work. It feels like our life has completely changed since last weekend, and in many ways, it has felt like a death has occurred in our family.

Yet, in God’s great love and provision, He has given us a gift: a wonderful church family. Last night, my church gathered to pray for me, my wife and our family. I began the night by saying that this was not about me, but it was all about Christ and His Kingdom, and my wife and I felt like we should pray for other families as well. However, my church recognized the trials that we were undergoing were spiritual trials, and that the enemy is the source of this spiritual warfare. Satan and his demons will attack God’s people with fiery darts wherever he can, and the collateral damage that we have been feeling in this crisis is only a taste of how evil the devil is. Satan, after all, seeks to kill and destroy (John 10:10a).

Yet, God is greater! What we experienced last night was one of the most amazing, incredible outpourings of love that we have ever felt from a church. For an hour and a half, we had person after person laying hands on us, praying for us, crying for us, and interceding for us. In the middle of a month in which many churches celebrate “Pastor Appreciation Month,” there was no greater way that I have felt appreciated than last night. We experienced love in action by our church family, our blessed family, forever bonded to us by the blood of Jesus!

We feel that we have fully put on the full armor of God and are ready for battle against Satan and his minions. If God is for us, who can be against us? The gates of Hell cannot and will not prevail, and the trials of today will only mean more glory for God tomorrow. I pray that this lesson that I learned from my church will apply to you: be honest about your battles with one another, care for one another, and most of all, love one another with a fervent heart. And know this: whatever your trial, God is always going to provide His Word, His way, His people, but most of all (and without fail), His presence.

Be blessed,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, Jesus

Why Am I Discouraged?

38696_1529145115233_1432873828_31339927_4328909_nPsalm 42:5-6, 8: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God…each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.”

Many of us suffer from the roller coaster syndrome of our faith. We have up seasons in the Lord, as we develop a closeness to Him and feel His presence constantly. We also have down times, times when we are dry, almost estranged from our relationship with God. This is a confusing period, and though we may know in our heads that God will never leave us nor forsake us, we still feel so alone.

Let me encourage you: God has never left you. He is still here, and He is still present. He pours His love in abundance, a love that lets you know that even when you don’t understand the reasons, the circumstances, or the future, you still have Him. It’s a love beyond understanding, a love greater than words.

If you are struggling with discouragement, maybe it’s time to let God take control of your burdens. Maybe it’s time to pour out your heart to Him and trust in His will. God will answer in just the right way and at just the right time of the day or night- He always does. I pray that you will do as the psalmist did and place your hope in God- as you do this, may you enjoy His presence and His incredible love for you!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, God's Goodness

Devotion: Comfort in the Midst of Crisis

2 Corinthians 1:3-5, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.”

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When tragedy strikes, people need comfort. Sometimes people need hugs, words of kindness, a smile, a tear, or just a sympathetic ear. There’s something to be said about the power of encouragement, as the loving presence of a loved one can change another’s overall outlook for hours, days, or even years.

Yet there is a greater comfort that is available for Christians: the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that if you are a believer and are hurting, He groans, He prays, He brings peace to you. Comfort, true permanent comfort, is found through the healing touch, the cool refreshing water of the Holy Spirit. It is an internal joy that comes from Him, knowing that although the situation seems impossible and the hurt seems limitless, the presence of God is still with you.

King David wrote in Psalm 30:5 that “weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” There is a joy promised, a hope before you, and a love around you. It may not feel like that right now, but God is surely with you, never to leave nor forsake you, never to forget your pain. Remember this as you suffer through the pain found in this fallen world.

May the power of God’s love surround you, and may the comfort of the Holy Spirit be with you in this time!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Uncategorized

One way to stay encouraged: an encouragement drawer!

Everyone goes through ups and downs in life. Sometimes we feel like we’re on a mountain top, looking around in seeing that everything is going right. However, there’s also times when we feel like we are in the lowest of the lows, the valleys, and in those times it seems like nothing can go right!

We can all identify with both perspectives in various degrees, but for now I’d like to speak to the second situation, the valleys of life. No one is immune from being down about our circumstances. When we look at Scripture, we can see many examples of God’s people getting discouraged about things going on around them. Elijah is one example that comes to mind, when he felt as if no one was following God and instead was following the false god, Baal. The Apostle Paul at one point in his ministry was deserted by everyone, and in spite of all of the work that he had done, he felt as if he had almost no one that he could turn to for support in time of need (see 2 Timothy). The point is, that no matter how you serve the Lord, He has called you to ministry. However, sometimes ministry and life’s struggles can be discouraging. So how do we stay encouraged and focused on the Lord?

Of course, we know the need to be in the Word and in prayer. Here’s an additional help: as a pastor, I got some good advice from a member a few years ago to keep an encouragement drawer. An encouragement drawer is just that- a place to store notes, cards, drawings, and other forms of encouragement from some of God’s people. When I get down or discouraged, I open up my encouragement drawer and remind myself that first, God is always with me, and second, God’s people love and appreciate me. Having an encouragement drawer is a visual reminder of the love that God has for me.

Today, my drawer has encouragement from people who have served together with me over the years. Some of these people are now with the Lord. Others have moved away to other places. But one thing is sure, their encouragement still lives on today. Fellow Christian and especially pastors, let me wholeheartedly urge you to you get an encouragement drawer. I pray that it will help you as God has allowed it to help me!

Romans 15:5-6, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”