One of my personal goals is to stay in shape physically, and over the years I’ve tried several workout routines. But I will never forget when my son asked me to try a program called Insanity. It’s a workout where you perform long bursts of maximum-intensity exercises with short periods of rest. … read more
Did your Mom ever tell you that your needed an attitude adjustment? There have been so many times in my life that I needed to do just that. I used to be a negative person. I could tell you what’s wrong with many things and many people. I have to fight being critical and judgmental. I hated winter, tax preparation, slow moving traffic, standing in lines, etc. How about you? … read more
God has made a lot of promises to mankind. He’s made a lot of promises to you and me, and one of the primary ways God keeps His promises and delivers the help mankind needs is through the avenue of angelic activity. Angels are here to help heaven help us. … read more
I’ve noticed a reoccurring issue in many churches including my own. It’s as if there is this invisible revolving door located somewhere in our church that apparently only new people are able to see. If your church is anything like mine, we didn’t have a problem getting first time guests to show up, but we definitely had problems getting them to come back. … read more
Some people think organization is of the devil. God help them. I read in verse one, “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.” That’s when the trouble happened, “when the number of the disciples were multiplied.” You can’t run a thing the same way when it is multiplied as you did when it was beginning. … read more
As ministers across the country fall into moral sins and have to step down from their pulpits by personal decision or board mandates, the cry of many seems to be, “where was the accountability?”Organizations are set up for accountability and many join. Yet, the problems still persist. Where do we as ministers go for accountability? … read more
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
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
We consistently see a yearning in pastors for greater results. Every pastor wishes there were more people in attendance. If they have 50 people, they want 100. If they have 500, they want 1,000. If they have 5,000, they want 10,000. In addition to the desire for greater quantity, every pastor desires greater quality in the spiritual lives of their people. …read more
There is a great need in this day for ministers to differentiate between the negotiable and the non-negotiable, between style and substance. I love the statement from Thomas Jefferson: “In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock.” Solomon was focusing on the aspects which should not change when he said, “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set” (Proverbs 22:28). …read more
A New York family bought a ranch out west where they intended to raise cattle. Friends came to visit and asked if the ranch had a name. “Well,” said the would-be-cattleman, “I wanted to call it the Bar-J, my wife favored the Suzy-Q, one son liked the Flying-W, and the other son wanted the Lazy-Y. So, we’re calling it the “Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy-Y.”…read more
We know that ministry has its challenges, and we trust that you are abounding in grace as you work for Him. I remember hearing one minister say that the requirements for ministry are: the heart of a child, the mind of a scholar, and the hide of a rhinoceros. Speaking of the toughness that ministry requires, Martin Luther once said, “A preacher must be both soldier and shepherd. He must nourish, defend, and teach; he must have teeth in his mouth and be able to bite and fight.” …read more
In Genesis 26, we read about how God greatly prospered Isaac. But the blessings he experienced were not received without challenges. Genesis 26:15 says that, “…the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. …read more
