Category: Ministry
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The Value of Ministries of Mercy
It seems that Micah 6.8 is quite clear and straight-forward in its summary of living as God’s People in this world: He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?To do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Yet, for some reason, many Christians, and too many churches,…
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5 Simple Ways to Teach Anyone About Jesus
Writing a post for SeeJesus ministries, Jill Miller explores practical ways to share the love of Jesus with even those who may seem the most challenged to understand – young children, peoples with disabilities, etc. Jill begins with this conviction: I believe all of us can learn. We are made in the image of God,…
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Pastors and Their Friends
At the risk of being self-serving, I want to commend an article recently posted by ByFaith magazine, written by Walter Henegar, titled Your Pastor Needs Pastor Friends. I recommend it not only for those who are part of the congregation I serve, but also to all who regularly read this blog, as well as to…
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How to Make Disciples
Dallas Willard, in The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’ Essential Teachings on Discipleship, wrote: “The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live…
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3 Types of Preaching Styles
All sermons are not alike. They are not only differentiated by the personalities of the ones preaching, but also in the aim of how the Word of God will be proclaimed. Expository Sermon is a technical term meaning that the proposition, main points, and sub-points are all taken directly from the biblical text. The key…
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Christianity in Our Current Cultural Context
In March 2019, noted church leader Tim Keller delivered this keynote address at The Hendricks Center Gala. In this address Keller identifies some of the ways that ministering in our present cultural context may be different from ministering in the past. Whether one agrees with Keller’s assessments or not, all would be wise to at…
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Sir, We Would See Jesus
As a seasoned pastor, I have had the privilege to preach at a number of churches. Even as a seminary student I had the opportunity to speak in a number of small churches in rural communities throughout Mississippi and western Alabama. People would be surprised what might be found in some of the pulpits in…
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Race & the Church RVA: Why Do We All Look the Same?
The second gathering of Race and the Church in Richmond, Virginia took place on Saturday morning March 12. The theme was: Why Do We All Look the Same? A Cultural & Theological Analysis of Underlying Church Dynamics; featuring speaker Dr. Alexander Jun. Alexander Jun is a professor at Azusa Pacific University, a TED Talk speaker,…
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6 Ways Ministry Spouses Get Hurt By the Church
Researcher Thom Rainer identifies Six Ways Ministry Spouses Get Hurt. I have listed them below, slightly reworded: Complaints About Their Minister-Spouses Complaints About the Children Unreasonable Expectations About Ministry Involvement Gossip & Murmering Isolation Attacking the (non-Staff) Spouse to Get Desired Results Every non-staff church leader should be aware of these. Every church member should…
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Authentic Church: Road to a Re-newed Reality
I have been mulling on something the late Francis Schaeffer said: “There are four things which are absolutely necessary if we as Christians are going to meet the need of our age and the overwhelming pressure we are increasingly facing.” No doubt that the Church, in our culture as well as other cultures, faces increasing…
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Advent Conspiracy
For many Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – marks opening day for an exciting month long contact sport – shopping! For many others it is just one more cause for anxiety. In the midst of the seasonal hubbub, take a moment to watch this short video from the Advent Conspiracy. Share the joy…
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5 Reasons Church Should Not Be the Primary Place Where Children Learn About God
I agree with those who suggest that a vibrant children’s ministry is one of the five core programs essential to a healthy church or church plant. We are fortunate at the church where I serve to have a very capable godly Children’s Ministry Coordinator on our staff. But even having the best Children’s Ministry Coordinator…
