Preachers must the difference between the message and the method. As preachers of the Word, we have a sacred duty to be true to the Word of God as revealed in scripture. But we have freedom in the methodology we use in communicating that truth. “3 points and a poem” is not the 11th commandment. As Calvin Miller points out, … Read More
Time to Stand With Our Leaders
Leaders need to learn to take a stand against the critical members of the body that are wreaking havoc on the church.
Sowing Activity in Your Life
Many people see the New Year as an opportunity to do something about finally losing those unwanted pounds or becoming healthier.
The Roots of Civility
In the aftermath of the tragic shooting in Tucson, pundits and politicians have called for a return to civility in public discourse. In his recent column in The New York Times, however, David Brooks observes that, at its core, civility is rooted in theological truth: “The problem is that over the past 40 years or so we have gone from … Read More
A Cup Running Over
Kris Barnett explains how true satisfaction is found in the presence of God and how that is a safeguard against moral failure in ministry.
Merry Christmas! (It’s Jesus’ Birthday!)
Michael Duduit sets forth the reminder that amidst a society that is consumed with materialism, it is our job as believers to share the real “reason for the season”.
The Incarnational Example
I was experiencing topographical whiplash. Twenty-four hours earlier I had watched black and yellow Triggerfish dance along a colorful reef on the Island of Maui. Now, I watched the tumbleweeds dodge sand-stained mesquite trees on the desert plains of West Texas. The whiplash hurt. Our Hawaiian vacation had drawn to a close and the parched West Texas desert provided a … Read More
Meet My Friends, the Puritans
Middle school was a crisis time for me. Bespeckled with Coke-bottle frames and sporting braces and a bowl-haircut, I was the poster-child for the socially awkward. What I longed for as a shy, self-conscious seventh grader was the proverbial “friend who sticks closer than a brother”—an encourager and advocate, someone who could speak comfort and counsel to my preteen circumstances … Read More
The Pastor’s Best Tool: The Church
What does every pastor need? Surely dozens of answers might be offered. A nice facility? Or, perhaps, a growing community surrounding the church that would provide a field ripe for harvest might head the list. I suppose every pastor might desire an expanding budget to allow for additional staff or upgraded technology. Each of these is legitimate. But I think … Read More