Entries by Tony Cooke

Two Altar Call Extremes by Mark Boer

Doing the work of an evangelist, though not being one, has long been important to me as a pastor. I want to see people saved. I don’t want to pass up the opportunity to win them to Christ if they come to our Sunday services – thus the altar call. I am a believer in giving this type of invitation every Sunday and have seen first-hand the fruit that comes from giving an effective one. Because of this, I have given much thought to both what is said and how it is said. … read more

It Is Finished (Not “I Am Finished”)

Jesus’ death on the cross was so effective and so final that no one would ever have to add anything to what he had done. Jesus would never have to come back and die again for the sins of the world or for anyone’s sins. No human would ever have to supplement Jesus’ work with his own religious activities or efforts in order to come into right standing with God. What Jesus did was enough; it was sufficient, and it was absolutely effective. … read more

Honoring Moms and Dads

In the states, Mother’s Day was just observed, and Father’s Day is coming up in June. What do you and your church do to bring special focus to moms and dads on these holidays? How much emphasis do you place on them in your messages, and are there any specific things your church does (or has done) that has been particularly notable?

Your Personal Energy Management

How do you manage your energy level on a weekly basis? For example, what is your energy normally like on Mondays, and how do you plan accordingly? Are there things you strategically do to best manage your energy throughout the week? Are there things you try to do on certain days of the week to use your energy most effectively?

Laborers Together

If we are not careful, we will fail to realize how much our own labors (and whatever results might occur) are actually undergirded and enhanced by the labors of others who have gone before us. I don’t want to be that person “who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.” We have all benefitted from and built upon the labors of others. I remember one time preaching in a service and giving an altar call. A handful of people responded and I had the privilege of praying with them as they placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. … read more

O Treinamento de Líderes é Bíblico?

Recentemente, vi uma postagem compartilhada por diversas pessoas em uma rede social. Parecia que tal postagem questionava a validade do treinamento de líderes no contexto pastoral/ cristão. Ali, era apresentada a ideia de que o termo servo aparece mais vezes na Bíblia do que o termo líder. A mensagem era exatamente essa: Líder é mencionado apenas seis vezes na Bíblia (versão King James). Servo é mencionado 900 vezes! Por que, então, temos tantas conferências de líderes? Deveria, portanto, uma pessoa deduzir que ensinamentos sobre liderança são de alguma forma sem tanta importância ou até antibíblicos? … read more

Self-Awareness

What trait in your own life has been the greatest challenge to you in your ministry? How did you recognize it, and what did you do to overcome it or compensate for it so that it did not adversely affect your church and ministry (or minimized the effect)?

God’s Love and a Little Girl’s Mandolin

In a day when mega-churches with multiple campuses receive so much attention, it is important to always remember that God doesn’t just care about numbers, statistics, and masses of people; he cares about individuals. It is vital that we never forget the importance of one soul, of one person. We love the m-word: multiplication. We love another m-word: multitudes. All this is good, but it is not good if, in the process, we forget the value of the individual, of every person. … read more

What If I’m Not a Christian Superstar? by Greg Mohr

Many churches are famous for recognizing and platforming the super-gifted and talented members of the body. Those talented musicians, singers, or artists who can bring immediate benefit to the ministry of the local church seem to receive an inordinate amount of attention and respect by church leaders compared to the average, everyday faithful member of the church. … read more

It All Depends: Changing the Picture You Fit Into by Marvin Yoder

Having the life and ministry God wants us to have is not totally up to God; it is dependent or contingent upon our response to His will. Sometimes God tells people things they don’t feel they can do or accomplish. Perhaps they looked at themselves, their surroundings, and their resources and concluded they don’t have what it takes to do what they heard God say. And if that is all they looked at, they may be correct! … read more

Is Leadership Teaching Scriptural?

We see Paul conducting a leadership meeting in a “retreat” venue in nearby Miletus with the elders from the church in Ephesus. In Acts 20:17-38, Paul presents the example of his own life and ministry to demonstrate how they are to serve Christ. He presents such vital topics as humility, consecration, perseverance, and doctrinal content, and he provides details about the serious nature of their God-given responsibilities. … read more

Cristianismo Biscoito da Sorte

Tenho certeza que você já comeu alguma vez em um daqueles restaurantes chineses, em que o garçom serve biscoito da sorte após a refeição. Não creio que muitas pessoas levem tais mensagens a sério, mas as pessoas gostam de quebrar o biscoito para ver o que ele diz. Em alguma medida, parece que todos querem ouvir que tudo irá bem e que elas conseguirão obter o que querem. Em outras palavras, todos desejam esperança, confirmação e encorajamento; e isso é entendível. … read more

Best and Worst Traits

If there is one trait you love seeing in a staff member or volunteer, what is it? Similarly, what is one trait you feel is especially problematic in a staff member or volunteer?

Apreciando o Mover Sutil do Espírito Santo

Ao longo da História da Igreja, o Espírito Santo tem se manifestado para curar, para abençoar, para libertar e para encher de poder. Da mesma forma que é maravilhoso ler a respeito dos “sinais notáveis” de Deus (Atos 4:16), também é importante reconhecer e apreciar o total espectro do mover do Espírito Santo, incluindo sua forma mais sutil de se mover. … read more

90 Days of Believing God by Rodney Payne

A genuine faith in God leads you to commit completely to Him. Commitment is a responsibility given to believers by God. Failing to take care of your responsibility cannot be credited to anything or anyone but you. It’s up to you to hear from God by faith. It’s up to you to trust the plan of God, and it’s up to you to handle your responsibility of commitment to God. … read more

The Legacy of Youth Ministry by Dr. Pamela McNeese

The idea of gathering children for religious instruction has deep historical roots, as has been evidenced within the Jewish culture. The Hebrew people were considered nomads and the tribal leaders also were included in the role of pedagogy. History validates that every synagogue was a school and all the children were required to attend the schools on the Sabbath to receive that instruction. … read more

Fortune Cookie Christianity

It should go without saying that a Christian should not read the Bible the way a superstitious person might read a fortune cookie. Messages in cookies typically tell people what they want to hear, but the Bible tells us what we need to hear. I’m absolutely not against a Christian reading and being inspired by a single verse or an inspirational quote—those can be helpful sources of encouragement to us. I am concerned, though, that many people today treat Scripture as though its sole purpose is to provide encouragement and motivation … read more

Getting Counsel

How do you, as a pastor, choose who to receive counsel from? What are some examples of where counsel has been really helpful to you, and have there been instances where it was important that you reject certain counsel?

Tirando o “Dis” do Funcional

Disfuncional tem se tornado uma palavra bem popular em nossa sociedade. Alguns ouvem tal termo e pensam em uma anomalia médica – algum órgão ou parte do corpo não funcionando corretamente. Outros pensam em um contexto familiar pouco saudável em que a confiança e a paz foram gravemente corroídas. Além dessas situações, outras pessoas ouvem a palavra disfuncional e pensam em um contexto governamental ou de negócios em que a comunicação é fraca e a incompetência reina de forma abundante. … read more

This Generation! Every Nation? by Matt Beemer

Is it possible that our generation will finally be the generation that brings completion to the Great Commission? If we commit to key strategic choices, we can, and we will! “We can if we want to!” That was the conclusion five William College students came too as they sheltered under the cover of a haystack in the middle a Western Massachusetts farm. It was the summer of 1806 and as they were praying, they were caught in a sudden downpour. … read more

Appreciating the Subtle Workings of the Holy Spirit

All through church history, the Holy Spirit has manifested himself to heal, bless, deliver, and empower. As wonderful as it is to learn about the “notable works” of God (Acts 4:16), it is also important to recognize and appreciate the full spectrum of the Holy Spirit’s activities, including his more subtle activity. Instead of having a broad appreciation for God’s comprehensive work, the disciples tended to focus on a more spectacular aspect. For example, they were exuberant that demons were subject to them when they used the name of Jesus. … read more

Bouncing Back

I’d love to learn what other pastors have done in recovering from a misstep? Would you share (1) a mistake you made in pastoring, and (2) what you did to recover from that mistake?

Consequências Indesejadas

As pessoas amam previsibilidade. Gosto de saber que, se fizer tal coisa, obterei determinado resultado. Isaac Newton abordou tal fato em suas leis quando determinou que, “Para toda ação, há uma reação”. Em outras palavras, se eu pegar uma bola de borracha e quicá-la, ela voltará com uma velocidade simular. Espiritualmente falando, a Bíblia aborda sobre a lei da semeadura e da colheita: “Tudo aquilo que o homem semear, ele também colherá”. … read more

ENGENDERED: What Was God Thinking? by Patsy Cameneti

For many years, I’ve had the privilege of teaching the subject of marriage and family, a topic I believe is very close to the heart of God. The Bible schools where I taught were in different countries with different traditions and cultures regarding the subject, so I prayerfully asked the Lord to help me represent His thoughts and ways and not just the culture I was most familiar with or my personal experience. … read more

Getting the ‘Dys’ Out of Our Function

Dysfunction has become a popular buzzword in our society. Some hear the word and think of a medical abnormality—some organ or body part is not working correctly. Others think of an unhealthy family situation where trust and peace have been badly eroded. Yet others hear dysfunction and think of a business or government setting where communication is poor and incompetency abounds. God himself is a God who functions. In my book, Your Place on God’s Dream Team, I share that the Father plans, the Son performs, and the Spirit perfects. … read more