Which Parts of the Bible Does Your Doctrine Make Invisible? Tony Cooke I was recently pondering all of the conflicting views that Christians have about a wide variety of doctrinal […]
Diamonds in the Rough Rev. Tony Cooke I recently visited with a pastor who went through some rough years as he grew up. His mother was a determined woman who […]
The Grinches – Dealing with Difficult People Rev. Tony Cooke You are probably aware of “The Grinch That Stole Christmas.” He was a mean-spirited creature who was determined to ruin […]
DO YOU HAVE A “DISCIPLE” OR “CHURCH” MENTALITY? Rev. Tony Cooke We just recently conducted a “second generation” In Search of Timothy seminar. This seminar builds on the concepts presented […]
Zebras, Ostriches, and Corporate Grace Tony Cooke When believers think of God’s grace, they often think in terms of how it affects them personally. God certainly has grace for each […]
The Strange Case of Brother Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Rev. Tony Cooke You’ve probably never heard of “Brother” Jekyll before. For this article, I’ve made a slight adjustment to the […]
Christocentric By Tony Cooke I like that term. It simply means that the Lord Jesus Christ is at the center. If Scripture teaches anything, it teaches that Jesus is supreme, […]
The Blood Still Speaks This is an illustrated sermon. It not only includes a message, but also involves a dramatization of a courtroom scene portraying the victorious redemption brought to […]
BONES IN THE BODY By Rev. Tony Cooke Various Scriptures remind us that the Church is the Body of Christ in the earth. For example, 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now […]
Birth and Growth Tony Cooke I recently saw what I thought was an interesting quote by the late Dallas Willard, and I posted it on Facebook. His statement was: "In […]
Benefits and Benefactors Rev. Tony Cooke Everyone likes benefits! One of the great insights students of the Bible receive is that God offers benefits to His children. A prime example is […]
How Precious is This Book? By Rev. Tony Cooke “So great is my veneration for the Bible that …the earlier my children begin to read it, the more confident will […]
Beautiful Giving by Tony Cooke During the Christmas season, much is said about giving, and rightly so. “For God so loved the world that He gave…” is perhaps the most […]
Bearing False Witness Tony Cooke In the Bible, the first time the phrase “false witness” is used is in the Decalogue—the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:16 says, “You shall not bear […]
Beautiful Balance Tony Cooke Do you remember trying to learn to ride your bicycle without training wheels? In a word, you were trying to achieve balance. You wanted to stay […]
Note from Tony: We wouldn’t think of using the following excuses to neglect making a house payment, yet these same kinds of excuses are used by individuals who neglect to […]
There’s an App for That Tony Cooke If you’re the least bit tech savvy, you’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “There’s an app for that.” In January 2011, the American […]
Seven Things You Need to Know About God’s Commandments Tony Cooke Last month we addressed the topic, “What Does ‘I’m Not Under the Law’ Really Mean?” We established that we are […]
Seven Unders That Will Put You Over by Rev. Tony Cooke Introduction People are continually looking for that special something that will give them an edge in life. They are […]
Five Things You Need To Know About The Baptism of the Holy Spirit 1. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience that follows salvation. The Holy Spirit is […]
Three Questions Regarding Confession and Forgiveness Tony Cooke Last months article—Why You Don’t Have to Confess Sins (You Didn’t Commit)—evoked some questions, and I thought it would be good to […]
The Four-Wheel Drive Christian by Rev. Tony Cooke Having lived in Oklahoma since 1979, we never saw much need for four-wheel drive. However, living in Colorado this past winter presented […]
I wonder which translation pastors preach from the most? Study? If you use one predominant version in preaching, which other translations do you most often refer to in order to provide other shades of meaning? What is it that you like about the translation(s) you use the most, and why do you consider it to be the most effective for you?
I’m trying to get a handle on my schedule and bring some order into my world. Do other pastors have some kind of routine in their schedule? Do they do certain tasks (sermon preparation, time with staff and leaders, prayer, counseling, administrative tasks, time-off, etc.) in designated blocks of time on specified days, or do they do their tasks randomly, whenever they can?
What do other churches do to inspire people to become volunteers, to recruit them, to train them, and to appreciate them?
