Entries by Tony Cooke

Helpful Resources for Pastors

We recently surveyed a number the pastors that receive our monthly mailings and asked them to provide information about web-sites, e-newsletters, and magazines/journals that they find helpful in their devotions, studies, and sermon preparation. Inclusion on this list does not imply that TCM agrees with or endorses every thought or idea from a particular minister or organization. It simply means that one or more of our pastor-friends has found information they deem helpful through these resources. Each of these Web sites resides on servers not under our control, and may change at any time.…read more

Why Is the Church in North America Plateauing or Declining?

One reason for the decline is much of the “church” has become more concerned with growth in numbers than growth of spiritual maturity. In trying to be politically correct, much of the church has become irrelevant. What causes true growth is a refocusing on Christ as the only way of salvation, loving God, loving others, and remembering we are here to advance the kingdom, not “cleanup” the world. — G.K.  …read more 

Medical Description of the Flogging and Crucifixion of Jesus

The heavy whip is brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs. At first the heavy thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continue, they cut deeper in the subcutaneous tissues, producing first and oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin, and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles. …read more

One Size Fits All?

Every true minister deeply appreciates the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the whole counsel of God’s Word. But when it comes to ministering to people, does “where they are” influence and affect how we minister to them? What we minister to them? Is our message “one size fits all,” or are there different emphases that are appropriate for different individuals and groups based on where they are with God, their level of maturity, their level of consecration, etc.? …read more

Maintaining Your Passion in Ministry

One occupational hazard of ministry is that the work of God can become routine to us. Another sermon, another church member with a problem, another meeting, etc. All of it can accumulate, taking a toll on a pastor, and result in our simply going through the motions of ministry. …read more

News Flash: John Outruns Peter in Sprint to the Empty Tomb!

Isn’t that amazing! John is writing about the most important event in human history—the resurrection of Jesus—and he makes two references to outrunning Peter! John was quite old when he wrote this (it was probably 50 or 60 years after the resurrection), and I’m sure there was a smile on his face when he included this detail. He probably had teased Peter about it over the years… the way competitive guys will sometimes do in a good-natured way. ...read more

Leading When the Results Aren’t What You’d Like

If you are like most leaders, you tend to judge yourself very hard, and you are inclined to take it quite personally when things don’t go well. For example, if someone leaves your church, you assume it’s a failure on your part. If someone doesn’t receive the help you offer, certainly you are to blame. If your church is not overflowing with people, it’s obviously your fault These types of self-imposed expectations and assumptions can create enormous frustrations in the life of a pastor, especially when the results we all desire are contingent not just on our efforts, but also on the response of those to whom we minister. …read more

How Leaders Listen

How Leaders Listen By Tony Cooke With so much busy-ness and so many distractions in life, good listening typically doesn’t happen by accident; it takes a decision, diligence, and discipline. […]

What Kind of Leader Are You?

The Bible has much to say about good and bad leadership. It is unfortunately true that both secular and religious history have demonstrated repeatedly that—if allowed to— power can have a very corrupting influence upon an individual. It has been said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” …read more

Feedback from Indulgences Article

Feedback on Indulgences Article Several people responded to the article about Indulgences.  Here’s what they said:   “What a blessing to read your newsletter!  I had been wrestling with some […]

Internal Health is Vital

I was recently re-reading what I consider to be a classic book, Ordering Your Private World, by Gordon MacDonald. As vital as outreach is, our personal internal health is also essential. The author refers to a natural phenomenon we occasionally hear about: sinkholes. Periodically we hear in the news about a house that is swallowed up, or a section of a street that collapses and disappears. …read more

Four Methods for Mishandling the Greek New Testament by Pastor Keith Trump

Pastoring remains at once both an astounding privilege and sober responsibility. The Chief Shepherd clearly admonishes us to carefully and faithfully feed his blood purchased flock. Thankfully, the one dispensing this command also provides his under shepherds with abundance of spiritual food. In today’s church culture, marketing consultants drag before pastors a nearly endless parade of sugarcoated sermon aids. … read more

Immanence and Transcendence: How Do You See God?

I grew up in a tradition that emphasized more of the transcendence of God… His over-arching, enduring, unchanging, and eternal reality. We acknowledged that “God was with us” in a general sort of way, but I don’t ever recall any expectation conveyed that He would ever doing anything significant in our midst. We knew that God ruled in yonder heaven, and everyone seemed content with that; we didn’t know to expect anything more than that … read more

A Mobster’s Discovery

Humor Section (cont) A mobster discovers that his deaf accountant has cheated him out of ten million bucks.  He confronts him, bringing along an interpreter.  “Ask him where the money […]

Avoiding the Ditches of Pride and Inferiority

The good news, though, is that we can truly base our identity on who we are in Christ, not based on our performance or the opinions of others. It was Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” It is vital to keep in mind that when other people don’t act right—when they are ugly or indifferent—it is typically a reflection of who they are, not a reflection of who you are. ...read more

When the Call Seems Small

A friend recently shared an important truth… that we need to know how to handle it when the call seems small. Perhaps you’ve had workers in your church doing what you know is valuable work, but they are unsettled, thinking they’re supposed to be doing something they consider more important. Pastors can also feel frustration because their church or budget isn’t as large as they’d like. …read more

Approval, Appreciation, and Affirmation

A philosopher once observed, “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” We might dispute his conclusion, arguing instead that man’s need for God is the deepest need of human nature. However, I think we would all agree that people—including ourselves—have a need to feel valued and appreciated. Mark Twain expressed how much the affirmation of others meant to him when he said, “One compliment can keep me going for a whole month.” …read more

What About Bob?

I recently ministered for Pastor Jerry Piker in Laurie, Missouri. Over the past 20 years, Jerry and Shirlene have built a great church in a small community (the sign as you drive into town says, “Population 663”). Jerry has a servant’s heart, and like many pastors, he’s done whatever it’s taken over the years to get the job done (mowing the yard, maintenance, etc. in addition to preaching and caring for the people). …read more

Leading in the Midst of Adverse Circumstances

Leading in the Midst of Adverse Circumstances A couple of years ago, I was in an auto body detailing shop in Tulsa. Like many businesses, they had a sign above […]

In Whose Hands Are You?

I first saw this piece in “A Contemporary Handbook for Weddings & Funerals, by Aubrey Malphurs and Keith Wilhite (Kregel Publications).  I’ve updated it slightly in a couple of places. […]

What is Scripture For?

In listening to some modern voices, you would get the impression that the Word of God is given only for encouragement and enlightenment. Some teach that if believers will simply be enlightened as to who they are in Christ, then everything else in their life will automatically fall in line. If that were the case, then Paul would have said that Scripture was simply for enlightenment, but he did not say that. … read more

Who’s Trying?

Who’s Trying? I heard about a critic who had visited various churches and listened as preachers made such statements as: “Don’t try to earn your way into heaven.” “Don’t try […]