Wrong Question. Why not both? Why not strive for balance between extremes? I am currently taking our church leaders (we call them elders) through a study on the biblical concept of an elder’s roles and duties. This morning we met at 6:15 for prayer and study, working through the last pages of lesson 3 in … More Planned or Spontaneous Prayer?
I doubt it. But I suspect that most people have verbalized those five words or that sentiment in their spirit after some particularly convicting portion of Scripture was exposited on a Sunday morning. Most pastors (in my experience) don’t try to deliberatley make people feel guilty. I know I don’t try to do that. But … More “My Pastor is Guilting Me.”
Another short article from the online Kairos Journal. A picture of truth lived out in the crucible of life, this story from missionary Hudson Taylor’s life is encouraging both for its simplicity and its practicality. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 Firm Faith—Hudson Taylor … More What is Faith?
Prayer. Praying. I have had a 40 year journey of growing and regressing, and stumbling and growing, and falling again, and wondering if I knew anything about prayer, to thinking I knew all about prayer, to KNOWING that I knew nothing about prayer to longing for a deepening and authentic prayer experience. I know that … More How to Pray for Your Prayers
A vast literature has developed over the last four decades beginning and reaching its zenith in the 1970’s and 80’s. The “Church Growth” industry has slowed but the number of blogs peppering the internet with “how to do church better” has more than filled in the gap. Some of it can be helpful. My shelves … More Jesus Had a Plan for Church Growth
Today in Ameirca, over 435,000 children are in foster care. Of those, over 110,000 are awaiting, hoping, and praying for a family to adopt them. And each year more than 20,000 kids age out of the system, depending on what state they are in, at the age of 18 or 21. Have Children, Love Children, … More National Orphan Sunday
Tragic truth: 90 percent of this post was written before the shooting in California occured in anticipation that it was only a matter of time before it would be needed. More evidence of a deep sickness at the core of American society in these shootings in California. It is yet another indiscriminate shooting by a … More Before the Shooting in California
He has a name above every name. One day, perhaps one day soon, “Every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11) The good news of the gospel is the sound of God … More Reck With This if Ye Will
I’m in the office working on final message prep for Sunday and thought of a passage from my 2012 book titled PICKING A PRESIDENT OR ANY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL. The message has NOTHING to do with politics but the following story about the Great Wall of China will make a good illustration for the second … More Can a Wall Protect an Immoral Nation?
I am listening to an audio book in my car. It is a book from the Jack Ryan franchise started by Tom Clancy and carried on now by Mark Greaney. The latest books are not as focused on naval submarines, ships and procedures as the original Clancy novels but they are just as fascinated with … More A President We Could Admire
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