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
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:322021-01-19 08:05:00Medical Description of the Flogging and Crucifixion of Jesus
Sometimes people have asked me why Christ died so quickly, in six hours, on the cross, while other victims have agonized on the cross for two and three days-and longer. He was weak and exhausted when He came there. He had been scourged, He was physically depleted. But when Christ died, He died voluntarily. He chose the exact moment when He expired. …read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:312021-01-19 08:09:54Great Thoughts Regarding the Cross, and the Suffering, and Death of the Lord Jesus Christ
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
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
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:292021-01-19 08:15:15Maintaining Your Passion in Ministry
Isn’t that amazing! John is writing about the most important event in human historythe resurrection of Jesusand 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
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:292022-07-22 07:57:13News Flash: John Outruns Peter in Sprint to the Empty Tomb!
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
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:282022-07-22 07:57:13Leading When the Results Aren’t What You’d Like
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. Being a good listener is not necessarily a trait that comes naturally to us. Oswald Sanders noted that, “Too many strong personalities are compulsive talkers.” […]
The Bible has much to say about good and bad leadership. It is unfortunately true that both secular and religious history have demonstrated repeatedly thatif 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
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:262022-07-22 07:57:12What Kind of Leader Are You?
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 information I had received concerning issues that you spoke about in your letter. We are seeing many strange things in regard to asking for money. […]
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
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:252022-07-22 07:57:12Internal Health is Vital
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
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:232022-07-22 07:57:12Immanence and Transcendence: How Do You See God?
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 rightwhen they are ugly or indifferentit is typically a reflection of who they are, not a reflection of who you are. ...read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:202022-07-22 07:57:11Avoiding the Ditches of Pride and Inferiority
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
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:202022-07-22 07:57:11When the Call Seems Small
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 peopleincluding ourselveshave 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
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 A couple of years ago, I was in an auto body detailing shop in Tulsa. Like many businesses, they had a sign above the counter expressing their motto – the philosophy with which they approach their work. It read: “It is our responsibility to be successful under conditions […]
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:02:172022-07-22 07:57:11Leading in the Midst of Adverse Circumstances
Why Giving Stops – Overcoming Cirrhosis of the Giver by Rev. Tony Cooke I became concerned a few years ago when I read some very startling statistics about how Christians were handling their money… especially in the areas of tithing and giving. According to the studies I came across: Only around 6% of those claiming […]
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:01:332022-07-22 07:57:11Why Giving Stops – Overcoming Cirrhosis of the Giver
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. In Whose Hands Are You? A basketball in my hands is worth about $19. A basketball in Tim Duncan’s hands is worth about $20 million. […]
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? 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 to impress God with your works.” “Don’t try to win God’s favor by your own efforts.” As he looked around the different congregations, he saw […]
What God is Not Learning Through the Process of Elimination Rev. Tony Cooke The article below is adapted from the audio CD series, “The Wonderful Nature of God. To learn more about that series or to order it, please click here. As much as we’d all like to be omniscient and get it 100% right […]
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:01:302022-07-22 07:56:45What God is Not – Learning Through the Process of Elimination
What Killed Lincoln’s Mother (And Why it Matters to Us)? Tony Cooke Click here to see a full picture of Nancy Hanks Lincoln’s gravestone. Click here to see a picture of the plaque near her grave. Some time ago, I was in Barstow, California, preaching for Pastor Bernie Samples. Both of us are originally from […]
Warning Signs of Financial Manipulation Tony Cooke The Apostle Paul was painfully aware of “so-called” ministers whose motives and methods were driven by greed. He made it a point to differentiate himself from those who were manipulative, and whose shady and unscrupulous practices brought reproach to the things of God. The same man who wrote […]
Weak Leaders Rev. Tony Cooke There’s a lot to be said for strength. Given the choice, I think most everyone would say they prefer strength over weakness. Everyone wants their health to be strong, their financial portfolio to be strong, their marriage and family to be strong, their church to be strong, etc. There are […]
Treasure that is New – Treasure that is Old Tony Cooke I was in a church recently, and during the worship service the congregation sang some of the newer worship choruses. Then, there was a seamless transition into one of the beautiful old hymns of the church. It was a powerful and moving time of […]
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2014-10-15 19:01:282022-07-22 07:56:44Treasure that is New – Treasure that is Old
Medical Description of the Flogging and Crucifixion of Jesus
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeThe 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
Great Thoughts Regarding the Cross, and the Suffering, and Death of the Lord Jesus Christ
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeSometimes people have asked me why Christ died so quickly, in six hours, on the cross, while other victims have agonized on the cross for two and three days-and longer. He was weak and exhausted when He came there. He had been scourged, He was physically depleted. But when Christ died, He died voluntarily. He chose the exact moment when He expired. …read more
One Size Fits All?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeEvery 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
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeOne 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!
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeIsn’t that amazing! John is writing about the most important event in human historythe resurrection of Jesusand 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
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeIf 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
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeHow 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. Being a good listener is not necessarily a trait that comes naturally to us. Oswald Sanders noted that, “Too many strong personalities are compulsive talkers.” […]
What Kind of Leader Are You?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeThe Bible has much to say about good and bad leadership. It is unfortunately true that both secular and religious history have demonstrated repeatedly thatif 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
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeFeedback 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 information I had received concerning issues that you spoke about in your letter. We are seeing many strange things in regard to asking for money. […]
Internal Health is Vital
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI 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
Immanence and Transcendence: How Do You See God?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI 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
Avoiding the Ditches of Pride and Inferiority
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeThe 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 rightwhen they are ugly or indifferentit is typically a reflection of who they are, not a reflection of who you are. ...read more
When the Call Seems Small
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeA 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
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeA 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 peopleincluding ourselveshave 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?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI 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
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeLeading 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 the counter expressing their motto – the philosophy with which they approach their work. It read: “It is our responsibility to be successful under conditions […]
Why Giving Stops – Overcoming Cirrhosis of the Giver
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWhy Giving Stops – Overcoming Cirrhosis of the Giver by Rev. Tony Cooke I became concerned a few years ago when I read some very startling statistics about how Christians were handling their money… especially in the areas of tithing and giving. According to the studies I came across: Only around 6% of those claiming […]
In Whose Hands Are You?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI 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. In Whose Hands Are You? A basketball in my hands is worth about $19. A basketball in Tim Duncan’s hands is worth about $20 million. […]
What is Scripture For?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeIn 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?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWho’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 to impress God with your works.” “Don’t try to win God’s favor by your own efforts.” As he looked around the different congregations, he saw […]
What God is Not – Learning Through the Process of Elimination
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWhat God is Not Learning Through the Process of Elimination Rev. Tony Cooke The article below is adapted from the audio CD series, “The Wonderful Nature of God. To learn more about that series or to order it, please click here. As much as we’d all like to be omniscient and get it 100% right […]
What Killed Lincoln’s Mother (And Why it Matters to Us)?
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWhat Killed Lincoln’s Mother (And Why it Matters to Us)? Tony Cooke Click here to see a full picture of Nancy Hanks Lincoln’s gravestone. Click here to see a picture of the plaque near her grave. Some time ago, I was in Barstow, California, preaching for Pastor Bernie Samples. Both of us are originally from […]
Warning Signs of Financial Manipulation
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWarning Signs of Financial Manipulation Tony Cooke The Apostle Paul was painfully aware of “so-called” ministers whose motives and methods were driven by greed. He made it a point to differentiate himself from those who were manipulative, and whose shady and unscrupulous practices brought reproach to the things of God. The same man who wrote […]
Weak Leaders
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWeak Leaders Rev. Tony Cooke There’s a lot to be said for strength. Given the choice, I think most everyone would say they prefer strength over weakness. Everyone wants their health to be strong, their financial portfolio to be strong, their marriage and family to be strong, their church to be strong, etc. There are […]
Treasure that is New – Treasure that is Old
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeTreasure that is New – Treasure that is Old Tony Cooke I was in a church recently, and during the worship service the congregation sang some of the newer worship choruses. Then, there was a seamless transition into one of the beautiful old hymns of the church. It was a powerful and moving time of […]