Kevin Presseault

During this Sabbatical, I've been blogging and journaling different thoughts and feelings as I've quietly listened to God's voice. In devotions, prayers, worship, readings, and other pastors' sermons, it has been humbling to see how God is bringing various things together at this stage of life and ministry. One of the biggest works God has been doing is in my identity. Now, as followers of Jesus, we "know" that our identity is in Christ and not in what we do... what has been so good for me is to have what I do stripped away. As I've attended churches across our city for nearly four months, I was hit with an important truth: I'm not the guy! I'm completely and totally anonymous! No one knows who I am. No one knows about my spiritual gifts, my talents, experiences, and abilities. No one is looking for me, learning from me, expecting something from me, thanking me, or even talking to me. I'm anonymous. And if I were really, really honest, deep dow...

I'm just finishing the third month of my four-month sabbatical. It has been a great journey of rest and drawing closer to God, my family, and the people around me. I have greatly benefited from this and am excited to complete the journey, seeing how God uses this time to bear more fruit in my life and ministry at Greenbelt Church.  Back in November, I shared my Sabbatical plan here on the blog. While I ended up reading very different books, most of the plan has stuck. I've seen great results in all areas... except one... My Fitness and Weight Loss Goals I've tried multiple workout programs, apps, and routines. None have given me the results that I've seen in the past from 2020 to 2023.  The reality is, the issue isn't the routine; it's me. I need to refocus and get back to some key basics.  If you've struggled with healthy living and exercise, then maybe these are questions you need to answer as well! 1. What is your "Why?" Why do you REALLY want ...

A healthy soul. That sounds great. But what exactly does that mean? The answer you get to that question depends greatly on who you ask. Most Christian leaders, hopefully, will answer based on what the Bible teaches us. After all, the Bible is very clear that we need to be healthy. The Apostle Paul instructed the church in Corinth:  Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Our body and spirit can be pretty contaminated from everything our toxic culture throws at us. Our soul can also be toxic from the sin that lurks deep within our own hearts. Yes, even us Christian leaders and Pastors. An honest look at our hearts should QUICKLY tell us we all have work to do in this area of our lives. Sadly, most of us give priority to the wrong things and put our own spiritual health as a lower priority in our schedule. Lance Witt's book, Replenish - Leading fr...

  Over the past decade, several sources have commented on the state of pastors and their relationships.  The conclusion they come to is that 70% of pastors do not have a close friend, a confidante, or a mentor. While none of the research directly quotes a 70% number, they still paint a sad reality for pastors and Christian leaders. Lifeway Research has conducted surveys that emphasize pastoral loneliness. In 2021, their survey found that 55% of pastors feel frequent loneliness and report having no one they can confide in about deep personal or ministry struggles. Barna Group studies consistently show that pastors struggle with relational health, especially younger pastors. A 2022 study found that 40% of pastors considered quitting. Isolation was the leading cause for this consideration, significantly higher than dealing with the 2020-2021 pandemic lockdowns. Pastors constantly teach and preach about how spiritual growth and Christ-likeness are developed in the context of meani...

April has, traditionally, been a hectic month for our family. When the kids were little, summer activities would begin and juggling between here, there, and everywhere was a normal routine. Even though our children are all grown, this April still proved to be a hectic month. Both Danielle and I celebrated birthdays. We went out of town for Easter - the first time in 15 years! And I travelled to Istanbul. The trip was such a blessing. I was able to experience firsthand the work that my daughter is doing. I was so encouraged by her passion and love for all the people there.  I'm still processing all that I witnessed there and how that is affecting my view of the local church in Canada and the role we play in our society.  But while I process, let me share a little of what I did during my week. My trip included a 23-hour layover in London, England. I have never been to London before. I've only seen its rich history on television or in pictures at my grandparents' house. Using ...

If you were to attend my church for a few weeks, you would definitely hear me say "What you believe about God will drive how you live your life." I believe this statement to the core of my being.  Finding a book that drives home the exact same thought saves me from having to write it! John Mark Comer's book, God Has a Name, is a deep look at the character and nature of the creator of the universe. In Exodus 34:6-7 we read about Moses' introduction to the God of Israel. Remember, Moses was raised in slavery in Egypt. He doesn't know who this God speaking to him from a burning bush is. God himself explains who he is to Moses: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” C...

"Your theology drives your methodology." If you've heard me preach, you have heard me say this repeatedly. What we believe about God will drive how we live our lives. When I say belief, I'm not talking about just a superficial acknowledgement of God. The devil "believes" in God! What you believe about him, his character, his nature, his holiness, his will, his plans for humanity - all of those combined will drive how we live. We either live out of our understanding of him, or our lives are dictated by our lack of knowledge. And in some cases, even out of rebellion. Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortund takes the reader on a rich, theological dive through the Bible to unpack the LOVE of Jesus Christ. We can sing Sunday school songs that "Jesus loves me, this I know, cause the Bible tells me so." But do we actually know what the Bible says about Jesus' love for us? Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke up...

Do you have an intentional, thoughtful, and integrated plan to draw you closer to God? Me neither! Obviously I practice spiritual disciplines like prayer, study, and all the other classics. But do they accomplish exactly what I would expect of them?  Danielle and I have reviewed Peter Scazzero's writings for the past decade. We first learned about his Emotionally Healthy Spirituality at our Fellowship's National Convention. Peter and his wife Gerry were the main speakers that year. We were moved by their testimony of how ministry, in many ways, drew them further away from God and each other! We knew immediately that we never wanted to end up in the same spot the Scazzeros found themselves in! We repeatedly tried to implement EHS into our life and ministry rhythms. Some years, we saw tremendous success. Others? Not so much. In 2023, I reread The Emotionally Healthy Leader . I knew I would need better spiritual practices with all that was dealt with in ministry during...

  It's not often that I find a book that I believe every Christian should read, apart from the Bible, that is.  Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer is DEFINITELY one of those books! I had never heard of John Mark Comer until I attended my retreat at Kerith Waters, sponsored by Focus on the Family. During our one-on-one sessions, the Director read a passage to Danielle and me that really resonated with me, so I picked up the book as soon as we returned home.  Comer guides the reader through a discipleship pathway focused on Jesus, emphasizing true spiritual transformation rather than simply gathering information. Our modern-day view of discipleship is more in line with education than apprenticeship. The church can feel more like a school, with classes, programs, studies, and a curriculum that guides us from one step to the next, building our knowledge without much change to the deeper, innermost parts of our spirit. Being an apprentice is different. It requires...

I spent most of the past week at Ellele Ministries Canada in Westport, Ontario. Ellel has played an important part in our wellness journey for the past several years as the Father has brought both Danielle and me spiritual and emotional healing through their amazing team.  As we have pursued God's healing in our bodies, souls, and spirits, we have participated in several different events and retreats at Ellel. Last week we had a Prayer Ministry Appointment (PMA) where we met with a couple of members of the team to pray together and listen to God on areas that he wants to on. Being on Sabbatical has allowed me to spend some great, quality time with the Father, but during that session, God revealed something new that he wanted me to be delivered from. Fear. Most of us deal with some form of fear. Whether it is anxiety, worry, or a phobia, fear can play a significant part in our lives. Lots of pastors struggle with people pleasing and the fear of letting their church down.  These...

  "Let's just relax today." If you are anything like me, that simple statement may have caused you serious feelings of dread! "Relax?" HOW???? I have NO CLUE how to relax! Over the past few years, I have been on a journey of wellness - mentally, physically, and spiritually. A significant part of this journey has been to develop sabbath rhythms in my life and home. Daily, weekly, and yearly intentionality to deepen my connection to my Heavenly Father. It is no surprise to anyone that we live in an incredibly busy culture. At one point I counted that I had 7 different ways that people could reach out to me, awaiting an answer, and I don't even know if a message came in! Rest in a busy culture seems incredibly counter-cultural. As churches and Christian leaders who have spent the last couple of decades watching the rise of mega-churches and high-performance, CEO-like pastors, the message of rest sounds almost legalistic. How can we possibly rest when there are ...

Can I tell you a secret? I'm afraid of balloons! Really. I hate them. I hate the feel of them. I hate having them close to me. And I especially hate blowing them up. I'm afraid of the loud POP! when they are overblown. Every time I hear that exploding sound I feel like I've lost a week of my life. Ok. This may sound extreme, but I don't like balloons! During one of the teaching sessions at Kerith Waters, our Director took out a balloon and started to inflate it. He kept blowing it bigger, and Bigger, and BIGGER. All the while, walking closer and closer to me. The discomfort as I prepared for the balloon to POP grew and I was about to jump out of my seat. A balloon is made to take a certain amount of pressure. Then, as soon as that limit is hit, weak points begin to form in the latex. Just a tad more pressure and the weak point fails and the ballon POPS! The same is true of you and me. We can actually take a lot of pressure. Just think of some of your difficu...

The first step of my Sabbatical is a week long retreat with Danielle at Kerith Waters. If you are not familiar with this place, it is run by Focus on the Family Canada as a part of their Clergy Care ministry. Here is brief description from their website.  This seven-day ministry leaders renewal retreat offers you personalized care and group instruction to help you achieve a healthier rhythm in your personal and vocational life. Pausing from the busyness of ministry life has helped over 1000 guests examine and overcome the distractions that have hindered their personal lives and relationships. Those who have attended this retreat have returned to their homes and churches feeling refreshed and renewed through His Spirit. We have heard great things about the retreat, but don't fully know what to expect. I'm trusting that the Father will use this time away to speak and give some direction to how he wants to meet with me throughout the Sabbatical.  We arrived safe and s...