Pastor Essentials · Tier 1

Member Roadmap

This roadmap will help you get your first “win” quickly, find your way around the site, and start taking back time for your family, friends, and ministry.

Step 1 – Log In & Reach This Week’s Sermons

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Find your welcome email.
Look for the subject line like: “Welcome to Pastor Essentials (Here’s Your First Step)”. It contains your login link and password/reset link.
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Log in to the member area.
Click the login link in your welcome email and sign in. If anything doesn’t work, reply to the email so we can help you right away.
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Go to “This Week’s Sermons” first.
On the dashboard, always start with the page that has this week’s Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel sermons, plus the Bible study and service flow.
Goal: You can log in and reach this week’s sermon bundle without hunting for it.

Step 2 – Get Your First Quick Win

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Choose the passage you’ll preach this Sunday.
Pick one of the three lectionary sermons (OT, Epistle, or Gospel) that fits your context best this week.
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Download or copy the full sermon and Bible study.
Save the sermon and the Bible study/outline to your computer or notes app so you can mark it up and customize it.
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Schedule 1–2 focused hours to customize.
Add your own stories, local examples, and applications. The goal is to move from a blank page to a tailored message in one short block of time.
Goal: Your next sermon is drafted by mid‑week, not Saturday night.

Step 3 – Use the Service Flow & Scripts

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Review the complete service outline.
Walk through the suggested welcome, prayers, scripture readings, transitions, and closing. Adjust anything to fit your church’s style.
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Plan to use at least one prayer or transition as‑is.
Start by using some pieces exactly as written. You can always customize more later. Let this save you mental energy.
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Post the blog/podcast script for shut‑ins.
Share the weekly blog script on your website, email list, or social media so those who can’t attend still receive the heart of the message.
Goal: Your whole Sunday (not just the sermon) feels smoother and more prepared.

Step 4 – Join the Pastor Community

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Log in to the pastor community area.
Click the “Community” or “Pastor Forum” link in the member dashboard to enter the discussion space.
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Introduce yourself with one simple post.
Share your name, where you serve, how often you preach, and what you’re preaching on this Sunday. This is your first small step into community.
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Ask one practical question.
For example: “How do you handle sermon prep when you’re bi‑vocational?” or “What’s one illustration that really connected for you lately?”
Goal: You feel less alone and know there are other pastors walking this road with you.

Step 5 – Know Where to Get Help

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Save the support email.
Add our support address to your contacts so our replies don’t end up in spam. Whenever you’re stuck, just hit reply on any email you receive from us.
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Mark your calendar for the Weekly Live Pastors Call.
We meet once a week for a live video conference to answer questions, walk through the current week’s texts, and share ideas. Bring your questions and sermon challenges.
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Complete a short “How can we best serve you?” survey.
When you see a link from us asking how often you preach and what you need most, take 2 minutes to fill it out. This helps us tailor future resources to you.
Goal: You always know how to reach us and when you can get live help.

Step 6 – Your First Week Summary

By the end of your first week as a Pastor Essentials member, aim to be able to say:

You don’t have to do everything perfectly. The goal is progress: a little more margin, a little less pressure, and a little more joy in preaching each week.