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Who Will Rule Over You?
Something believers need to strongly consider these days is the issue of authority, and more specifically, God’s authority. A fundamental question every human being must answer has to do with whether or not they will submit their lives to God’s rule and reign. …read more
Life-Long Learning
I’ve heard it said that pastors need to be life-long learners. That makes sense to me, but I wonder exactly how pastors go about accomplishing that?
There’s Power in Praise by Aimee Flanders
There’s power in praise. Some would probably call this a cliché, but I don’t know of a statement that holds more truth. I think sometimes we forget that praise is more than just a part of our church services. Amazing things happen when we praise. …read more
Can You Have a Healing Service in Today’s American Church Culture? by Wyatt Brown
Today’s American church culture does not lend itself to having a Healing Service on Sunday service meetings, nor does it lend itself to long, protracted services. But, healing the sick was a large part of Jesus’ ministry and purpose of His redemptive work on the Cross. …read more
Building Relationships that Last by Norm Dubois
Recently, I read an article that stated between 1,700 and 1,800 pastors leave their assignments each month, most due to burnout or marital stress. Honestly, I read statistics like this and tend to think they will never affect me, my circle of friends or my sphere of influence. Recently, however, I had a big wake-up call. …read more
Why I No Longer Believe in Food
In the past I did, but I no longer believe in food. If you stop and think about it, there is no unity or agreement in the food industry, so how could food be true? All you have to do is drive down the street and you’ll see countless contradictions when it comes to food. One place has Italian food, another place offers Chinese food, while yet another place promotes Barbecue. If you keep driving, you’ll see pizza joints, fast food places, and Mexican restaurants, all of which claim to provide—you guessed it—food. …read more
Accessibility?
I’m a pastor who is endeavoring to balance church, marriage, family, work, etc. How accessible should I be? Should I be accessible 24/7 to everyone? Who should know my cell phone number? My house number? What is a healthy balance? I’d like to hear how other pastors manage their accessibility and make sure the people are properly cared for.
Q & A – What Does the Bible Say About Preborn Children?
The Apostle Paul said, “…even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace” (Galatians 1:15 NLT). “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. …read more
What Kind of Leader Are You? by Marvin Yoder
Solomon gave us some insight concerning leadership, and its effects on people, organizations, and nations. He said, “A good leader motivates, doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit.”(1) He went on to describe good leadership by saying, “Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation. …read more
Healing and the Power of Relationship by Phil Edwards
In 2004, I began experiencing some nagging abdominal pain in my lower abdomen. I went to my family doctor who is also is my cousin. She felt I needed to have an MRI on my abdomen. So, it was scheduled for the next week at North Carolina Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC. …read more
Insist or Assist? by Jeff Jones
There are basically two types of people on the planet. Those who insist, and those who assist. One type insists everything goes their way, and insists things are done the way they want them done, and if they are not, then you are going to hear about it. They are not looking to add value to anyone, they are takers, self-absorbed and self-consumed. For them it is, “my way or the highway.”… read more
Six Reasons Why You’re Not Necessarily Right (and Neither Am I)
In closing, let me reference something Abraham Lincoln said. He remarked, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” The great president had it right! It’s not God’s job to validate us for our ego’s sake; it’s our job to represent God for the sake of His glory. With humble hearts, let us seek to exalt and to promote the One who is always right! …read more
Listen and Live by Edwin Anderson
The last few days of February and the first few days of March, 2015, found me shredding the slopes of Vail Mountain in Colorado. For the past few years, my wife and I have spent a week with our oldest son, his wife, and their two boys skiing somewhere in the Rockies. …read more
Why Should Christians Study Apologetics? by Pastor Jay Stillinger
As we look at the world around us, there is little doubt that our culture has changed dramatically in the last several years. When I first attended Bible school back in 1979, the training I received was fine for that day but there was no way of knowing what significant changes would take place in our world in the more than thirty years following. …read more
Doing the Possible
After preaching a service this past May in Thonon-les-Bains, France, I was looking around the church bookstore as we waited for the pastor to finish visiting with the people. The titles were all in French, but I recognized some names of the various authors and one of the titles caught my attention. I don’t know exactly what it said, but I could tell it was something about trusting God for the impossible. …read more
Church Software and Apps for Today’s Giving
With technology changing at a rapid rate, it seems confusing trying to find the right user-friendly software to handle the giving records at church. I wonder what church software the different churches are using and why? Also, what apps and other systems of giving are churches using, and how are they working? Are such avenues creating an increase in donations, and if so, how much? There are so many ways today to give like cash, check, credit card, online, phone apps, etc.
Reaching the Muslim Nations for Christ by Pastor Massoud Sadeghi
Despite all the negative things that we are hearing and seeing happening, God is miraculously expanding His Kingdom in the hearts of Iranian Muslims in Iran under the strict ruling of Islamic government, which harshly opposes the Gospel and openly persecutes Christians. Even with all these challenges, Iranians are coming to Christ at an unprecedented rate. Read this article by Massoud Sadeghi
Evaluating the Risk Factor by Marvin Yoder
Risks are necessary, but they are not to be done without caution or wisdom. Taking risks does not mean we blindly leap from the cliff, and hope there is a safety net somewhere. We must value what former US General George Patton observed, “Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.” Read this article by Marvin Yoder
Developing Young Leaders by Hayne Schurz
In life and ministry settings, we often have young, potential leaders around us. Some are young in age, others are young in experience or leadership roles. But, can we identify and develop these diamonds-in-the-rough? Not only can we do this, we must! Read this article by Hayne Schurz
No More Whack-a-Mole
Have you ever seen someone playing the game called Whack-a-Mole? They stand before the game board with a padded hammer, just waiting for one of the little critters to pop its head up, and they try to whack it before it goes back in the hole. The longer they play, the faster and more erratic the moles are in popping up their heads. …read more
The End-Times
I believe I need to do some more end-time teaching than I have in the past. What are some of the approaches that other pastors take in teaching on such issues, and what are the basic things that pastors teach along these lines? I realize there are many different views when it comes to eschatology – how can I teach my people healthy, wholesome doctrine that avoids weirdness? What resources are recommended?
Better Funerals
It looks like I will be doing my first funeral as a pastor in the very near future. I’d love to hear from some seasoned pastors about what they’ve learned from their experiences in conducting funerals? How can I most effectively minister to the family and those in attendance? Are there some do’s and don’ts I should be aware of in conducting funerals? I’d also be interested in hearing the experiences of pastors who’ve had to do “difficult” funerals. Thanks for the tips and advice.
Reaching Out With Heaven by Terry Roberts
Heaven has not had an appeal to many people simply because it seemed so “other worldly.” As I child I somehow picked up the idea that Heaven would be everyone in a big room in choir robes singing songs. What a bore! Who wants to spend eternity in a never-ending church service? …read more
