Ignorance of any subject is a guarantee of ineffective action. The most basic and necessary way to address a problem is to become informed. In our day it is almost criminal to be ignorant in the area of drug and alcohol addiction, yet much of the church labors in the dark. There are many sources of information available with a minimum of effort and expense. … read more
At our Bible Training Institute, annually we have over 200 graduates in ministry and leadership. Hundreds of pastors from various denominations have attended our ministry school in Lansing, Michigan or our church planter’s school in St. Pete Beach, Florida. We currently enjoy 216 credentialed ministers in our Mount Hope Church network. … read more
We all like to hear a powerful and moving message—one that touches our heart and challenges us to reach new heights and greater goals. However, we have all been the unfortunate victims of a poorly planned and executed message. This can be a mind-numbing and torturous event. In order to prevent unnecessary suffering on the part of our future listeners, I submit the seven major public speaking mistakes that people make. … read more
As a pastor, have you ever been so worn out in your work, that as my quick-witted grandfather used to say, “I am too pooped to pot? ?’ You are probably saying I have been there, done that and don’t want any more of those tee shirts! Ministry can make ministers bone weary and dog-tired! The spiritual/emotional drain on pastors is never ending. … read more
When I think of ministry and the fivefold ministry gifts, the concept of honor immediately comes to mind. However, in our day and age, society seems to have lost the heart of honor. Sadly, even many of our churches have pushed honor to the wayside, treating ministers without reverence and respect. … read more
Many variations of “How to Ride a Dead Horse” have appeared, especially on the internet, and I don’t know who the original author is. We’ve rewritten and adapted this slightly for churches, but every organization (whether it’s business, government, educational institutions, etc.) can have a tendency to hold on to old forms long after their effectiveness has diminished or ceased entirely. … read more
I asked the most beautiful woman in the world if she would marry me and she said “no!” So I asked the most intelligent woman in the world if she would marry me and she said “no.” So I decided to ask the most spiritual woman in the world if she would marry me and she said “no.” … read more
I am now in the final half of my life; perhaps final third. This past February I turned over the church I had pastored for 30+ years to my young protégé and assumed “bishop” duties in helping guide and oversee our 43 daughter churches in the United States and hundreds in Africa and Asia. So, I speak like a Father today. … read more
I know it is hard to believe, but we are only a month away from the end of 2011 which means that the Christmas will be here before we know it. While shopping for Christmas gifts and all the other festivities of the season are at the top of everyone’s mind during this time of year, it is also a great time to take some proactive steps to reduce your income tax liability. … read more
Pastor David Emigh writes, “The Scriptures below are taken from the Word of God and they are designed to help you get the Word of God into your heart to strengthen you and to help you receive what God has provided for you. So open your heart today and receive what God has said and you will find that His blessings will flow forth in your life. … read more
Christians have tried to explain why bad things happen, why they happen to good people, and why they happen in our own lives. In a message on the storms of life, Tony shares three biblical examples of why Jonah, the disciples, and Paul all encountered a terrible storm. Simply stated, Jonah’s storm was encountered because of disobedience, The Disciples’ in the midst of Jesus’ mandate to go to the other side (Mark 4:35-41), and Paul’s because of the decisions other people made that affected his life while on his way to trial in Rome (Acts 27). …read more
For several years now I’ve had Philippians 3:10-11 rolling around in my heart. I have prayed it many times over family members, friends and strangers. It is my standby prayer when I hear the sound of a police car or fire truck siren for the folks involved in whatever situation warranted that siren. There is a longing in my heart for people to “know Him” and all that the knowing entails, and so I find myself speaking this scripture often in prayer form. …read more
If you consider the statistics that George Barna has accumulated concerning the impact of ministry to children, it’s easy to realize the value we must place on this “single most strategic ministry activity”. He says that most people’s spiritual beliefs are “irrevocably formed when they are pre-teens” and “what they believe by the time they are 13 is what they will die believing”. …read more
We know from this verse that God seeks worshipers, those who will worship Him authentically and accurately. Currently in the church worldwide there is tremendous emphasis being placed on praise and worship, and most adults in the Body of Christ are aware of God’s desire for their adoration. But what about children? Can they also worship God in spirit and in truth? Does their age preclude them from what Joseph Garlington described as a “holy function enjoyed by angels, men and the entire created universe?” …read more
I can’t seem to let go of the idea that God gets great pleasure out of taking nothing or very little, and doing great things with it. From the beginning we see Him creating something from nothing. He formed man out of dirt and yet the Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Something happens when God breathes on dirt. Something happens when Jesus asks His Father to bless a few fish and some loaves of bread. …read more
One of the highest compliments I have ever received was said in a somewhat funny/sarcastic way: “You’re a Kid Magnet!” You’ve probably heard the phrase “money magnet” used to describe someone who seems to have money coming to him easily and in abundance. Likewise, a children’s minister is most effective when he or she is a Kid Magnet, someone a child is attracted to. …read more
This verse, applied in the context of the local church, can encourage pastors and department heads to take heed to the health and well-being of the workers who serve under their supervision. It can apply to every part of the local body, but in this article I want to focus on children’s workers. …read more
I was thinking recently about what God feels when we don’t obey Him, stay in fellowship with Him, or when we are oblivious to him and neglect Him. A number of human emotional words went through my head such as disappointed, angry, disgusted, displeased. The Old Testament says so much about how the children of Israel angered Him with their disobedience to the point that we can get the idea that God is always angry with us because we don’t always do things His way. …read more
John 15:9: “As the Father has loved Me, so have I you.” Jesus just chose the highest possible expression He knows of to tell us how He feels about us. In our minds, this phrase is a nice way to say He loves us, easy to read over quickly. But in Jesus’ mind, the way the Father in Heaven loves Him has no match. …read more
I heard the Lord tell me that this week. While studying on His constant Presence within the life of a child of God, He simply said something I’ve known in my head as long as I can remember, but not always experienced. He is always here, within as well as without. His Presence, though, is not always verified by our earthly, physical senses, as helpful as they are most times. …read more
Have you ever taught what you believed was a good message… you knew that the content was good, but it just didn’t seem to “connect” with the people? I don’t know about you, but I’ve found myself frustrated on several occasions feeling like I’d shared good information, but it didn’t seem I’d really done an adequate job of expressing it in a relevant, practical way that truly connected with the hearts of the listeners. …read more
If you are a pastor, are you feeling overwhelmed by all the expectations and demands of ministry? Do you need to take some tangible steps toward personal health and wholeness? If you are a church member who cares about your pastor, are you doing what you can do to make sure that your pastor is receiving all the help and support necessary for him or her to do the job well? …read more
Since the Church is ordained to help get people ready for eternity, we thought you’d want to see this. One trend we’re seeing is an increasing hunger among many pastors for greater evangelism and soul-winning from their churches, and we trust this information can be a helpful tool toward that end. …read more
If you dig a bit deeper into the historical record, you discover that these two great preachers, even though they had been close friends at Oxford, were often in sharp disagreement with each other. Wesley held strongly to Arminian beliefs (emphasizing free will), while Whitfield was a Calvinist (emphasizing predestination). Both men led countless thousands to faith in Christ, but they were at odds theologically. …read more
