Many Christians are living in fear of what may happen in the near future. Some have gotten angry and bitter over what has happened in the last several years. Some have given up in despair, resigning themselves for the worst. Others have developed a bunker mentality, some buying survival kits to hide out until bad times are over. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpg00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-08-30 13:45:062021-08-30 13:48:39The Church in These Days – by Marvin Yoder
Many of us who have grown up in the United States have never experienced significant persecution first-hand, and it may be hard to relate to the hostile environment in which the early church emerged, or the types of persecution that believers in many other parts of the world experience yet today. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Bonhoeffer.jpg646536Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-08-26 08:36:132021-08-26 08:44:40What About the Martyrs? (Part 2)
Good-hearted people have been grieved and repulsed these last several days about the prospects of what Christians and other groups (women and girls in particular) have already begun facing at the hands of the Taliban and associated groups in Afghanistan. Regrettably, Christians being targeted for torture and death is not entirely new news. In 2015, the world was horrified as they saw pictures of twenty-one Coptic Christians in orange jumpsuits kneeling on a beach in Libya before members of ISIS beheaded them. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Polycarp.jpg520794Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-08-26 08:29:112021-08-26 08:35:06What About the Martyrs?
Se você é fã de basquete, sabe exatamente o que é a defesa por pressão. Tal tática traz uma intensidade notável para tudo o que está acontecendo na arena. Se você não é aficionado por basquete, deixe-me mostrar um quadro, pois acredito que a “defesa por pressão” seja uma poderosa analogia com relação ao que acontece nas vidas das pessoas hoje. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpg00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-08-25 08:59:412021-08-25 09:02:33Como você está suportando a pressão?
When I first began to travel by plane, I remember looking down at cities I thought I knew well and being surprised at the difference in perspective a little altitude gives you. Just when you think you know everything there is to know about a place, a simple flyover opens your eyes to things you never saw before. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpg00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-08-25 08:49:592021-08-25 08:57:29A Book Review of Is Jesus in the Old Testament?
I don’t recall a time in my life when I’ve seen more opinions, theories, and speculations swirling around throughout the population with such intensity. It is essential now, of all times, to remember that our assignment is to preach oracles, not opinions. … read more
A pastor friend texted and asked my thoughts on how the original disciples had been changed by what they experienced in the second chapter of Acts. In other words, what were they like before and after that momentous event of being filled with the Holy Spirit? … read more
In my new book, Miracles and the Supernatural Throughout Church History, there is a chapter entitled “The Holy Spirit at Work in Northern Africa.” The vast majority of ancient church history took place around the Mediterranean Sea, and believers and leaders from Northern Africa played a vital role in the development of the church. Here is an excerpt from this chapter. … read more
It is always important for leaders to be focused, but it seems even more vital in the type of year we have been experiencing. I can’t think of a time in recent history when there have been more distractions and upheaval, and it has been challenging for spiritual leaders to help believers stay steady and on course. … read more
One of the Bible teachers that Brother Hagin referenced frequently when he was teaching along the lines of spiritual and ministry gifts was the British minister, Donald Gee (1891-1966). Known for depth, simplicity, and balance, Gee was an important voice for the Pentecostal movement in the Twentieth Century, and what he taught then is still powerful and relevant today. Re-reading his books recently has been tremendously encouraging to me, and I thought you would enjoy some of the following rich quotes. … read more
I recently shared with a number of ministers in the northeastern United States about how profoundly that region had been impacted in the past by such powerful ministers as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles Finney, D. L. Moody, and A. J. Gordon. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/DanielNash.jpg537516Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-05-08 11:05:512021-08-03 06:31:40Thoughts on Father Nash and Humble Gospel Helpers
How did the early church pray for those in the authority, including rulers they probably disliked? Paul refers to one of his fellow workers named Clement (Philippians 4:3). It is unknown if this is the same individual who later became a Bishop in the Empire’s capital city, but Clement of Rome prayed the following for “our rulers and governors upon the earth” toward the end of the first century:… read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/praying-hands-on-a-holy-bible.jpg13332000Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-04-25 08:21:202021-08-03 06:58:22Praying for the Emperor Who Exiled John to Patmos
This is such a great question. Initially, I was inclined to say that we should preach on things we have experienced, and that is a good approach much of the time. We don’t want to be overly theoretical or ethereal—always preaching things that seem out of reach for the common person. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/magnifying-glass-with-question-mark-on-yellow.jpg13332000Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-04-10 10:15:252021-08-03 06:59:08Should We Preach Something We Have Not Experienced?
We hear periodically about how ministers can get discouraged, even overwhelmed at times. And it sure is a good thing for all of us to have friends and people we can turn to in really difficult times. In that sense, we need to be our brother’s keeper!… read more
I recently had a great time teaching (online) third-year students at Rhema Brazil on “The Ministry of the Teacher.” My sessions totaled five hours (which is more than I had ever taught on that specific topic before), so I did some study and research to make sure I had plenty of material. This was not only enjoyable, but it was also challenging to me personally. … read more
Years ago, I received a call from a nurse at a local public elementary school. She was asking if I could help with a situation. When asked for the name of the family physician, the parents of a new student had written “Doctor Jesus” on the form… … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/could-be-used-in-multiple-situations.jpg13332000Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-03-02 09:34:522021-08-03 07:01:16Let’s Not Be a Stumbling Block
As ministers, a constant focus should be to make sure that what we are sharing is genuinely connecting with our listeners. This is more than simply asking, “Is my doctrine solid?” and “Are my points good?” Those have to do with us, but much of effective communication has to do with our hearers, and this brings us to two vital issues: (1) Do we really know our audience? and (2) Are we really connecting with them? … read more
2021 has come and with it, all the unknowns of a new year. The world learned in 2020 that things can change very quickly, sometimes without warning. I learned that there are hidden treasures tucked within difficult times, reminding us that God is faithful. What, of all the things we learned in 2020, will we be bringing with us into 2021? … read more
A mere forty-one days before his assassination, Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address. His speech contained 701 words and took less than five minutes to deliver. Amazingly, it was longer than his Gettysburg address, which had only 272 words and was delivered in less than three minutes. Perhaps there is a great lesson here for public speakers, but I will leave it unsaid lest I indict myself. … read more
One of the Bible teachers that Brother Hagin referenced frequently when he was teaching along the lines of spiritual and ministry gifts was the British minister, Donald Gee (1891-1966). Known for depth, simplicity, and balance, Gee was an important voice for the Pentecostal movement in the Twentieth Century, and what he taught then is still powerful and relevant today. … read more
With the possible exception of 1988 (88 reasons why Jesus was supposed to come back then), I don’t think I’ve seen a season where more emphasis has been placed on “predictive prophecies” than I have this year (2020). The difference is that this year, it is not just the stir from a single person making a prediction, but it seems like a plethora of voices are predicting things in the name of “The Spirit told me.” As a Bible teacher, it concerns me when I seem to see more emphasis on “What does prophet so-and-so say?” as opposed to “What does the Bible say?” … read more
I am no sports analyst, but I’ve seen several games, especially in basketball, where a team gets overly cautious, and instead of playing to win, they simply begin playing not to lose. Usually this happens late in the game and often coincides with a surge of momentum and increased effort from the opposing team. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpg00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-01-18 15:51:442021-01-18 15:52:23Going on the Offensive
2020 has been an unsettling and disconcerting year for many, and yet it has also been a time of great grace being poured out by God. There is nothing that this world can throw at us that is more powerful than God’s ability! In the last half of the year, I have shared at several events for leaders, and I have encouraged pastors and other ministers to consider the events this year in three perspectives: global, historical, and eternal. … read more
As you read each of the letters, imagine what it would be like to have been one of the pastors of the seven churches. Jesus Christ, the head of the church, communicates a letter to you through the legendary apostle John. It will be your responsibility to faithfully represent Jesus in stewarding that message and helping the congregation receive and apply all that the Lord has communicated. An ambassador is not assigned to a foreign land to share his or her own opinions, but to accurately represent the commissioning government. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpg00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-01-18 15:38:122021-01-18 15:38:12Jesus and His Messengers
Someone just recently asked me if I felt we are living in the age of the Laodicean church. As you probably recall, Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) was one of the seven churches Jesus spoke to through John when the aged apostle was exiled on the island of Patmos. Many people remember that church as one that Jesus described as extremely lukewarm. In short, my answer is “no,” but the topic is worth exploring. I see nothing in Scripture to indicate that there are seven different or distinct church ages. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpg00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TCM-LogoColor-300x105.jpgTony Cooke2021-01-18 15:28:192021-01-18 15:28:19The Age of Laodicea?
The Church in These Days – by Marvin Yoder
/in Articles by Others /by Tony CookeMany Christians are living in fear of what may happen in the near future. Some have gotten angry and bitter over what has happened in the last several years. Some have given up in despair, resigning themselves for the worst. Others have developed a bunker mentality, some buying survival kits to hide out until bad times are over. … read more
What About the Martyrs? (Part 2)
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeMany of us who have grown up in the United States have never experienced significant persecution first-hand, and it may be hard to relate to the hostile environment in which the early church emerged, or the types of persecution that believers in many other parts of the world experience yet today. … read more
What About the Martyrs?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeGood-hearted people have been grieved and repulsed these last several days about the prospects of what Christians and other groups (women and girls in particular) have already begun facing at the hands of the Taliban and associated groups in Afghanistan. Regrettably, Christians being targeted for torture and death is not entirely new news. In 2015, the world was horrified as they saw pictures of twenty-one Coptic Christians in orange jumpsuits kneeling on a beach in Libya before members of ISIS beheaded them. … read more
Como você está suportando a pressão?
/in Articles in Portuguese /by Tony CookeSe você é fã de basquete, sabe exatamente o que é a defesa por pressão. Tal tática traz uma intensidade notável para tudo o que está acontecendo na arena. Se você não é aficionado por basquete, deixe-me mostrar um quadro, pois acredito que a “defesa por pressão” seja uma poderosa analogia com relação ao que acontece nas vidas das pessoas hoje. … read more
A Book Review of Is Jesus in the Old Testament?
/in Articles by Others /by Tony CookeWhen I first began to travel by plane, I remember looking down at cities I thought I knew well and being surprised at the difference in perspective a little altitude gives you. Just when you think you know everything there is to know about a place, a simple flyover opens your eyes to things you never saw before. … read more
Opinions or Oracles?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI don’t recall a time in my life when I’ve seen more opinions, theories, and speculations swirling around throughout the population with such intensity. It is essential now, of all times, to remember that our assignment is to preach oracles, not opinions. … read more
Pentecost Changed Everything
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeA pastor friend texted and asked my thoughts on how the original disciples had been changed by what they experienced in the second chapter of Acts. In other words, what were they like before and after that momentous event of being filled with the Holy Spirit? … read more
Remembering Our North African Brothers
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeIn my new book, Miracles and the Supernatural Throughout Church History, there is a chapter entitled “The Holy Spirit at Work in Northern Africa.” The vast majority of ancient church history took place around the Mediterranean Sea, and believers and leaders from Northern Africa played a vital role in the development of the church. Here is an excerpt from this chapter. … read more
Vision vs. Forecast
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeIt is always important for leaders to be focused, but it seems even more vital in the type of year we have been experiencing. I can’t think of a time in recent history when there have been more distractions and upheaval, and it has been challenging for spiritual leaders to help believers stay steady and on course. … read more
Donald Gee on Prophets, Ministry Gifts, etc.
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeOne of the Bible teachers that Brother Hagin referenced frequently when he was teaching along the lines of spiritual and ministry gifts was the British minister, Donald Gee (1891-1966). Known for depth, simplicity, and balance, Gee was an important voice for the Pentecostal movement in the Twentieth Century, and what he taught then is still powerful and relevant today. Re-reading his books recently has been tremendously encouraging to me, and I thought you would enjoy some of the following rich quotes. … read more
Thoughts on Father Nash and Humble Gospel Helpers
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI recently shared with a number of ministers in the northeastern United States about how profoundly that region had been impacted in the past by such powerful ministers as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles Finney, D. L. Moody, and A. J. Gordon. … read more
Praying for the Emperor Who Exiled John to Patmos
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeHow did the early church pray for those in the authority, including rulers they probably disliked? Paul refers to one of his fellow workers named Clement (Philippians 4:3). It is unknown if this is the same individual who later became a Bishop in the Empire’s capital city, but Clement of Rome prayed the following for “our rulers and governors upon the earth” toward the end of the first century:… read more
Should We Preach Something We Have Not Experienced?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeThis is such a great question. Initially, I was inclined to say that we should preach on things we have experienced, and that is a good approach much of the time. We don’t want to be overly theoretical or ethereal—always preaching things that seem out of reach for the common person. … read more
Keeping Your Soul Whole
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWe hear periodically about how ministers can get discouraged, even overwhelmed at times. And it sure is a good thing for all of us to have friends and people we can turn to in really difficult times. In that sense, we need to be our brother’s keeper!… read more
Toward Better Teaching
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI recently had a great time teaching (online) third-year students at Rhema Brazil on “The Ministry of the Teacher.” My sessions totaled five hours (which is more than I had ever taught on that specific topic before), so I did some study and research to make sure I had plenty of material. This was not only enjoyable, but it was also challenging to me personally. … read more
Let’s Not Be a Stumbling Block
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeYears ago, I received a call from a nurse at a local public elementary school. She was asking if I could help with a situation. When asked for the name of the family physician, the parents of a new student had written “Doctor Jesus” on the form… … read more
Improving our Communication Skills
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeAs ministers, a constant focus should be to make sure that what we are sharing is genuinely connecting with our listeners. This is more than simply asking, “Is my doctrine solid?” and “Are my points good?” Those have to do with us, but much of effective communication has to do with our hearers, and this brings us to two vital issues: (1) Do we really know our audience? and (2) Are we really connecting with them? … read more
Where Christ Is
/in Articles by Lisa Cooke /by Tony Cooke2021 has come and with it, all the unknowns of a new year. The world learned in 2020 that things can change very quickly, sometimes without warning. I learned that there are hidden treasures tucked within difficult times, reminding us that God is faithful. What, of all the things we learned in 2020, will we be bringing with us into 2021? … read more
With Malice Toward None
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeA mere forty-one days before his assassination, Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address. His speech contained 701 words and took less than five minutes to deliver. Amazingly, it was longer than his Gettysburg address, which had only 272 words and was delivered in less than three minutes. Perhaps there is a great lesson here for public speakers, but I will leave it unsaid lest I indict myself. … read more
Predictive Prophecy, Part 2
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeOne of the Bible teachers that Brother Hagin referenced frequently when he was teaching along the lines of spiritual and ministry gifts was the British minister, Donald Gee (1891-1966). Known for depth, simplicity, and balance, Gee was an important voice for the Pentecostal movement in the Twentieth Century, and what he taught then is still powerful and relevant today. … read more
Predictive Prophecy, Part 1
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWith the possible exception of 1988 (88 reasons why Jesus was supposed to come back then), I don’t think I’ve seen a season where more emphasis has been placed on “predictive prophecies” than I have this year (2020). The difference is that this year, it is not just the stir from a single person making a prediction, but it seems like a plethora of voices are predicting things in the name of “The Spirit told me.” As a Bible teacher, it concerns me when I seem to see more emphasis on “What does prophet so-and-so say?” as opposed to “What does the Bible say?” … read more
Going on the Offensive
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI am no sports analyst, but I’ve seen several games, especially in basketball, where a team gets overly cautious, and instead of playing to win, they simply begin playing not to lose. Usually this happens late in the game and often coincides with a surge of momentum and increased effort from the opposing team. … read more
Unimaginable Grace
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke2020 has been an unsettling and disconcerting year for many, and yet it has also been a time of great grace being poured out by God. There is nothing that this world can throw at us that is more powerful than God’s ability! In the last half of the year, I have shared at several events for leaders, and I have encouraged pastors and other ministers to consider the events this year in three perspectives: global, historical, and eternal. … read more
Jesus and His Messengers
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeAs you read each of the letters, imagine what it would be like to have been one of the pastors of the seven churches. Jesus Christ, the head of the church, communicates a letter to you through the legendary apostle John. It will be your responsibility to faithfully represent Jesus in stewarding that message and helping the congregation receive and apply all that the Lord has communicated. An ambassador is not assigned to a foreign land to share his or her own opinions, but to accurately represent the commissioning government. … read more
The Age of Laodicea?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeSomeone just recently asked me if I felt we are living in the age of the Laodicean church. As you probably recall, Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) was one of the seven churches Jesus spoke to through John when the aged apostle was exiled on the island of Patmos. Many people remember that church as one that Jesus described as extremely lukewarm. In short, my answer is “no,” but the topic is worth exploring. I see nothing in Scripture to indicate that there are seven different or distinct church ages. … read more