Entries by Tony Cooke

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

2019 Focus

What do you, as a pastor, see yourself focusing on in 2019? Are there areas of personal growth, staff development, or overall church goals that you have in your heart? What do you want to see happen in this coming year in your life, in your church emphases, and in the lives of those you lead?

Consolo ao Ferido

Recentemente, eu falei para a congregação do pastor Terry Roberts, perto de St. Louis, Missouri. Ele me pediu para ensinar a respeito do luto, e, depois, foram lançados alguns grupos para auxiliar pessoas nesse processo. Foi bom voltar atrás e revisitar alguns materiais do meu livro, Vida após a Morte: Redescobrindo a Vida após a Morte de um Ente Querid. Não somente aqueles que estão de luto precisam de conforto, mas … read more

Focus On Your Purpose by Marvin Yoder

Several years ago I enrolled in an online personal growth program. One of the things I had to do in that program was to state in one sentence what my life was about, and it had to include what I do on a daily basis. It took some time and some soul searching for me to write a sentence that described my purpose in life and in which I was involved in every day. … read more

Thoughts on Discipleship by Virgil Stokes

Back in 1983, when I was just about to get out of Bible school, the Holy Spirit spoke to me by tongues and interpretation. He said, “A life lived selfishly is a life wasted. The only reason for a man to live is to bring others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and teach them to do likewise. For this reason I have called you. Don’t forget it.” … read more

Unintended Consequences

People love predictability. I like knowing that when I do certain things, I will get certain results. Isaac Newton communicated this regarding the laws of motion when he stated, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In other words, if I take a rubber ball and throw it down hard, it will rebound or bounce back at a similar velocity. Spiritually speaking, the Bible refers to the laws of sowing and reaping: “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Unfortunately, especially in the short term, the laws of human interaction are not as predictable as the laws of physics … read more

Changes

We are looking to formalize a process for handling benevolence needs. How do other churches handle such requests, and what processes do they have for receiving, reviewing, and approving benevolence requests? Do other churches use deacons or other staff members for such matters?

Help for the Hurting

The reality is that (1) God is good and (2) we live in a fallen world with much pain. God is not the source of our pain, but is the source of our comfort. As much as we want to be positive people and “stay on the victory side,” there is much to be said for the awareness of our need for comfort and to be comforters. British Minister, F. B. Meyer said, “If I had my ministry over again, I would devote far more time to the ministry of comfort and encouragement.” … read more

Teaching Our Kids to Expect Everything God Has for Them by Steve and Denise Olsen

Our God is a truly amazing, loving, limitless God! Over the years of our lives, we may have limited our thinking, and limited our faith by inaccurate teaching we grew up on, or by experiences we’ve had. But when we’re teaching our kids about God, or ministering to them in a church setting, we need to remember to present God’s Word in its fullness, without filtering it through our own tainted lenses. … read more

Em Desvantagem: Quando as Probabilidades Não Estão a Seu Favor

Na vida, enfrentamos situações em que os números não estão a nosso favor. Circunstâncias, pessoas, estatísticas, tempo e outros fatores parecem trabalhar contra nós. Sentir-se em desvantagem, sozinho e isolado pode gerar diversas formas de miséria, incluindo desesperança, autopiedade e desespero. Nesses casos, é vital nos lembramos que Deus é o Supremo Diferenciador na equação! Nunca se esqueça que Deus + Você = A Maioria! … read more

Benevolence Requests

We are looking to formalize a process for handling benevolence needs. How do other churches handle such requests, and what processes do they have for receiving, reviewing, and approving benevolence requests? Do other churches use deacons or other staff members for such matters?

What to Do When Things Go from Bad to Worse by Pastor J.B. Whitfield

We are all being influenced by someone or something. You may think you are a free-thinker, and you don’t allow anyone to influence the way you act or think, but you are a result of the influencers you have had in your life. Influence is the capacity to affect a person, thing, or outcome of events. Sometimes we face situations in our life, marriage, family or finances that the influencers around us can’t help. … read more

O Dever de Alertar?

Se uma ponte está interrompida e alguém coloca um aviso para me informar, seria isso algo ruim? Uma pessoa verdadeiramente me ama se me vê indo em direção a uma catástrofe e negligencia em me avisar? Não cometa erros com relação a isso: o chamado e o dever de um ministro é o de proclamar o Evangelho – a boa nova sobre Jesus Cristo! Jesus direciona Seus discípulos originais: “Vão pelo mundo inteiro e anunciem o evangelho a todas as pessoas” (Marcos 16:15, NTLH). … read more

Effective Offerings

What tips can you give that will help a pastor be more effective in receiving regular tithes and offerings? What about receiving special offerings, such as for a missionary or guest speaker? Any principles I should understand and implement?

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit Will Strengthen Your Church! by Rick Renner

There are three very important words in First Corinthians 1:8 regarding the impact of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life of an individual or a congregation. The words “confirm,” “end,” and “blameless” are vital to understanding the long-term effect of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Let’s see what these words meant when Paul wrote them and how they should be applied in our lives now as they pertain to the gifts of the Holy Spirit… … read more

Transitions by Steve Roll

A transition is a change from one thing to another. One life season ends, another begins. A chapter in our life’s book ends. A new chapter waits to be written. What was is no longer. What is going to be is on life’s radar screen. When seasons change, life is not the same. Transitions can be welcome, or unwelcome. Expected or unexpected. Planned or unplanned. By choice or forced. Pleasant or unpleasant. … read more

Outnumbered: When the Odds Are Not in Your Favor

Often in life, it seems that we face situations where the numbers are not in our favor. Circumstances, people, statistics, time, etc. can all seem to be working against us. Feeling outnumbered, alone, and isolated can breed all kinds of misery, including hopelessness, self-pity, and despair. In these cases, it is vital to remember that God is the Supreme Difference Maker! Never forget that God + One = A Majority! David wrote Psalm 142 from a cave, not from a palace. He felt trapped and was overwhelmed. … read more