Imagine your community devastated by floods and a massive rock slide. Before the floods arrived it was already under stress from gang activity threatening the lives of everyone in the region. Imagine over 300 people killed, a similar number injured and more than 100 people still unaccounted for. Now let’s count up the destruction and … More How the Church Changes the World
Friday is for Heart Songs Reading with the Pastor Matthew 12 and Psalm 18:1-30 The disciples and Jesus both fall under the criticism of the Pharisees. The Pharisees think they can battle Jesus with interpretations of Jewish law. Bad idea. Jesus turns the tables by quoting the example of David against their legalistic forbidding and then puts … More He is Able
I am at a church planting conference in Kansas City and one of the presenters told me that he has been using this particular post I wrote some time ago all over the USA (doesn’t work in Canada!) to talk about the need for prayer support of church plants. So I thought I might resurrect … More Four Types of Churches: With Apologies to the US Military
Sunday Afternoon Musings God had a problem with Israel. I suspect he might have the same problem with us. That thought was driven home to me while reading David Timms, Living the Lord’s Prayer. Chapter 8 is a meditation on the phrase “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Timms quotes … More A Love that Will Not Let Us Go Calls Us Out of Our Lethargy
Where’s the Love? The following article is from Kairos Journal and fits perfectly with my message to Trinity Church from last week. Let’s pray for one another that love would be the dominate mark of our faith. And Trinity people—pray that for yoru pastor too. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken … More The Challenge to Christians in every Generation: Where’s the Love?
It is a BLOOD-OF-JESUS Issue As a pastor committed to racial-reconciliation, justice, compassion, the cross of Christ and the gospel, it is CRAZY that the title of this post is even necessary. Unfortunately, such is the state of thinking about the gospel in the American church. There is a “hole in our gospel” as one writer has … More John Piper on Why We Should Care about the Issues Surrounding Ferguson, MO
Wednesday is for Prayer Psalm 119:129-136 (ESV) Pe 129 Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. 130 The unfolding of your words gives . light; … More Eight Things to Pray for the New Disciples in a Church Plant
Friday is for Heart Songs I am working through a delightful season of training and equipping elders to reinvigorate their understanding of what it means to be an Elder for the church of the Living God. As a part of that time, all the men have read, Alexander Strauch’s classic work, Biblical Eldership: An Urgent … More Biblical Elders Care for the Poor
Tuesday is for Teaching Pastoring a multi-staff church and multi-site churches and consulting with similar churches and other pastors, I am periodically drawn into the forest of a church’s counseling load. And in many instances, you see the people of God falling into the same traps and unproductive paths of thinking that sabotage real progress … More The Right Thing Is Not Always the Effective Thing.
Weekend Links Lots of links! Some that are not to be missed. You mileage may vary, but I found these articles alternately challenging, convicting, upsetting, and inspiring. I include them. I don’t necessarily endorse them all. Engaging Culture Ray Comfort’s Controversial Movie Comparing Abortion and Hitler Saving Lives (Christian News Wire) Federal Workers Paid Nearly … More Infuriating, Inspiring, Challenging and Provocative Links for Your Enjoyment and Growth
