Jesus: From Ancient Days, Now from Bethlehem
This article first appeared at Small Town Summits. Peruse any “Top Christmas Hymns” list and you’ll find “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Every year, the song plays on radios and in shopping malls and is sung in churches around the world. This is so much the case, that if you were to ask a stranger … Continue reading Jesus: From Ancient Days, Now from Bethlehem
Church Planter, Where’s Your Trust?
This is part one of a two-part series that first appeared at Vermont Church Planting. This article deals with the dangers of trusting money more than God. In the next installment, we’ll look at the blessings of trusting God more than money. Which Master Rules Your Vision? One of the most prominent considerations for prospective … Continue reading Church Planter, Where’s Your Trust?
God Lets Us Pray
There may not be a topic more talked about and less practiced among followers of Jesus than prayer, which is why so many of us feel discouraged or guilty about the consistency of our prayer lives. In our busyness, we exchange closet prayer and intercession for “praying without ceasing” on-the-go (or praying that does cease, … Continue reading God Lets Us Pray
Gospel Hope for Faithful Shepherding
Gospel Hope for Faithful Shepherding The landscape of pastoral ministry is laden with pitfalls, and none of them is more insidious or subtle than a pride that wants to achieve greatness and accomplish great things. Of course we should want to be used of God, but vain ambition and pride can be easily cloaked by … Continue reading Gospel Hope for Faithful Shepherding
Unfinished Work and our Faithful God
It’s not uncommon to hear of pastors or parents taking up a hobby that allows them to monitor progress and see a finished result. Ask almost anyone that spends their life helping people and they’ll tell you that they enjoy working on projects that result in a finished product. Items on a to-do list get … Continue reading Unfinished Work and our Faithful God
Called to Jesus
I failed my church planting assessment. I know that’s a strange way to start a blog post, but it’s true. And what I appreciate about it now is that it proved that, left to my personality and my own abilities, I’m way under-qualified and should not be planting a church. I remember being asked in … Continue reading Called to Jesus
Sharing the Gospel in Power … Like a Nursing Mother
Do you share the gospel? If so, how? In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul tells them that his gospel “did not come to [them] in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction” (1:5). Upon reading that, it’s easy to think that Paul came with a boldness that … Continue reading Sharing the Gospel in Power … Like a Nursing Mother
Living In Between 