As a pastor, what is the most unique and innovative ministry that you have seen? Maybe it’s a ministry that your church does that is unique to you, or maybe it’s something that you’ve heard of someone doing that is totally “out of the box.” I’d love to hear creative ways that people communicate the love of God and meet the needs of others.
According to recent data, only 1 in 6 men attend weekend services. We are not connecting with them. In fact, most times when we do address men in our Churches, we are telling them what they are doing wrong or how they are neglecting their responsibilities. Who wants to be told on a regular basis that you are not doing a good job? … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2020-03-10 00:30:452020-10-08 23:34:22Men’s Ministry by Pastor Ron McKey
Acabamos de passar pelo natal – uma época do ano em que todos estão à procura de descontos. Talvez você tenha acordado super cedo na véspera de natal e tenha batalhado com a multidão ou talvez tenha vasculhado a internet, tentando pegar um ou mais presentes com um grande desconto. Todo mundo adora fazer um bom negócio quando se trata de comprar presentes, não é verdade? … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2020-03-10 00:15:012020-03-10 00:15:01Onde Descontos não se Aplicam de Tony Cooke
As a pastor, what is the most unique and innovative ministry that you have seen? Maybe it’s a ministry that your church does that is unique to you, or maybe it’s something that you’ve heard of someone doing that is totally “out of the box.” I’d love to hear creative ways that people communicate the love of God and meet the needs of others.
A few weeks ago, we had the joy of seeing many friends from far and wide during Rhema’s Winter Bible Seminar. I am always reminded how richly blessed Tony and I have been to experience such good friendships throughout our 40-plus years since moving to Oklahoma to attend school. It also reminded me how important it is to nurture those friendships, to spend time and effort to reconnect, and to catch up on each other’s life journeys. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Lisa Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngLisa Cooke2020-03-09 23:03:482023-04-10 14:47:43The Art of Being There for Each Other by Lisa Cooke
If you want to keep your spiritual life fiery hot for the rest of your life on earth, you need to maintain a consistent intake of the Word of God. It’s the first key to keeping your heart ablaze for Jesus because it is foundational to all the other types of fuel you need to add to the fire in your heart: prayer, the Holy Spirit, worship, a passion for souls, generosity, holiness, humility, regard for authority, and the fear of the Lord. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2020-03-09 22:47:562020-10-13 21:32:28Ablaze With God’s Word—The Fiery Effect of God’s Word in the Heart by Rick Renner
As Lisa and I prepare to head back to Australia next month, we do so with some really great memories. When we finished our first year of Bible school in the spring of 1980, our very first venture in ministry was to Australia. It was quite an initiation into faith and ministry for us at that age (we were 21 and 22 years old at the time)! … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2020-03-09 21:38:082021-01-17 21:25:08Forty Years Ago: Back to Where We Started
Let me ask you a question: How did you get close to the people you’re close to? How did you get to know your parents, your best friend, your love, as well as you do? The answer is, you talked to them. You spent quality time with them. You listened to them and shared your heart with them. You couldn’t wait to hang out with them … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2020-02-12 15:13:162020-10-13 21:26:24How To Experience A Deeper Relationship With God by Karen Jensen Salisbury
When we find ourselves in a moment that we sense God has ordained, we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the opportunity so that His presence is accommodated. At the beginning of our conversation, when I first began to realize that the Lord wanted me to talk about Him to this young man, I didn’t know exactly what I would say. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Lisa Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngLisa Cooke2020-02-12 14:56:232023-04-10 14:47:43The Place He Chooses by Lisa Cooke
There are many moral, ethical, and practical implications in what the Bible teaches, but at the core of God’s involvement in our lives is the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. There are descriptions in the New Testament of how the Holy Spirit works in the life of a believer—a work that actually starts before we even come into faith. … read more
In 2 Corinthians 7:5-6, Paul talks about a time when he was troubled and discouraged, and yet he was comforted and encouraged by the coming of Titus. As a pastor, what types of things have brought you the most encouragement when you were facing a difficult time. Can you give a specific example or two?
Unless we die an instantaneous death, it is a journey we will all be forced to face, with very little preparation, skills, resources or past experiences to guide us through. Honestly, when was the last time you searched your favorite bookstore for resources on how to die strong? Again, even those two words do not naturally fall together. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2020-01-08 20:59:472020-10-13 21:24:27Journey at the End of Life by Jodi Diehl
I was attending a church service once, and during the worship time the congregation sang some of the newer worship choruses. This was followed by a seamless transition into one of the beautiful, old hymns of the church. It was a powerful and moving time of worship, and I appreciated the richness of both the new and the old—both were Christ-exalting, and God’s Presence was readily sensed in both. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2020-01-08 19:55:072021-01-17 21:33:05Treasures—Old and New
As a pastor, you encounter people’s highest highs and lowest lows. We know Paul said to rejoice with those that rejoice, and to weep with those that weep (Rom 12:15), but how do you personally manage ministering to people individually during such times? Also, do you have any thoughts on directing your pulpit ministry when you know that some people in your congregation are celebrating great victories, and at the same time, others are going through great challenges?
Anyone who knows me knows how much I value journaling. I often recommend it as a therapeutic practice to write out insights, feelings, circumstances and the corresponding prayer requests. I try to write every day at least a little bit and it has been enlightening to go back through a particular year and see how those prayers from that time have been answered. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Lisa Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngLisa Cooke2020-01-08 19:34:402023-04-10 14:47:43The Notebook by Lisa Cooke
Até sua morte em 1791, aos 88 anos, Wesley havia viajado 250.000 milhas, ministrando a Palavra de Deus (maior parte a cavalo). Ele pregou 42.000 sermões e escreveu 250 livros e panfletos. Ao longo de sua vida e ministério, Wesley experimentou e testemunhou muitas manifestações do poder sobrenatural de Deus. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2019-12-05 11:27:262019-12-05 11:27:26Encorajadoras lições de John Wesley
As we recently toured the country of Israel, in a building honoring Mary Magdalene in the town of Magdala, I saw a beautiful painting of the woman with the issue of blood touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. It was mostly a grouping of dusty men’s feet in sandals, but you can also see a hand reaching through all those feet and touching the hem of Jesus’ robe. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Lisa Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngLisa Cooke2019-12-05 09:51:482023-04-10 14:47:43Point of Contact by Lisa Cooke
We are at a time of the year when everyone is looking for discounts. Maybe you got up super early on black Friday and fought the crowds, or perhaps you scoured the internet on Cyber- Monday endeavoring to snag one or more gifts at a deep discount. Everybody loves getting a great deal on gifts, don’t they? But some things in life are so sacred that only paying full price is appropriate. God paid full price for us when Jesus died on the cross—truly the debt of our sin was paid in full. … read more
A parte que vem chamando a minha atenção é a que diz: “Sinto que sou vacilante, pronto a deixar-te, meu Deus”. Vendo as coisas na perspectiva do nascido de novo, eu quero contestá-la. Tenho vontade de dizer, “Sou uma nova criatura em Cristo. Eu tenho a vida e a natureza de Deus dentro de mim. … read more
Have you ever had a preconceived idea of what you thought you were going to do, only to have God interject a different plan—his plan—into your agenda? How did you deal with that? Were you flexible, and did you willingly make the required adjustments? All of the great biblical heroes experienced and responded favorably to a divine interruption. God disrupted their regular routines in a huge way. … read more
I have been very interested these days in the concept of spiritual journey—the personally unique process that the Holy Spirit leads us through as we live out our lives on this earth. I like Henry’s quote because it expresses the idea that our lives are a road going somewhere, to the place that Jesus went to prepare for us (John 14:2), not just a short existence on this planet. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Lisa Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngLisa Cooke2019-11-13 19:50:312023-04-10 14:47:43On The Road To Our Father’s House by Lisa Cooke
It seems like our church has been in a slump recently… like we’re going through the motions and are seeing some decline. What have other pastors done when they felt it was necessary to revitalize their congregation.
Algum tempo atrás, eu estava lendo sobre os diversos reis que passaram pelo Antigo Testamento e me deparei com a seguinte descrição que me deixei espantou! En 2 Crônicas 21:20 (NTLH), Jeorão tinha trinta e dois anos de idade quando se tornou rei de Judá. Ele governou em Jerusalém oito anos. Quando morreu, ninguém sentiu falta dele; ele foi sepultado na Cidade de Davi, mas não nos túmulos dos reis.
Aqui também diz que ele “foi sepultado na Cidade de Davi, mas não nos túmulos dos reis”. … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2019-10-13 14:27:102019-10-13 14:27:10Lições Tiradas de Reis Passados
In Revelation 2-3, Jesus spoke to seven local congregations. To six of them, he gave commendations, telling them what they were doing well. To five of them, he gave words of correction—encouraging them to make needed adjustments. If Jesus were to address your congregation, or the church-at-large in your area, what aspects of the church do you think he would commend, and what area(s) do you think he would say needed to be changed?
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2019-10-13 14:08:452020-10-15 14:44:42What Would Jesus Say Today?
When he died in 1791 at the age of 88, Wesley had traveled 250,000 miles ministering the Word of God (much of that on horseback). He had preached 42,000 sermons, and authored 250 books and pamphlets. Throughout his life and ministry, Wesley experienced and witnessed many expressions of the supernatural power of God. He recorded several healings … read more
https://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.png00Tony Cookehttps://tonycooke.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TCMLogo2022-300x138.pngTony Cooke2019-10-11 12:10:402021-01-17 21:52:50Encouraging Lessons from John Wesley
Book Recommendation
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs a pastor, what is the most unique and innovative ministry that you have seen? Maybe it’s a ministry that your church does that is unique to you, or maybe it’s something that you’ve heard of someone doing that is totally “out of the box.” I’d love to hear creative ways that people communicate the love of God and meet the needs of others.
Men’s Ministry by Pastor Ron McKey
/in Articles by Others /by Tony CookeAccording to recent data, only 1 in 6 men attend weekend services. We are not connecting with them. In fact, most times when we do address men in our Churches, we are telling them what they are doing wrong or how they are neglecting their responsibilities. Who wants to be told on a regular basis that you are not doing a good job? … read more
Onde Descontos não se Aplicam de Tony Cooke
/in Articles in Portuguese /by Tony CookeAcabamos de passar pelo natal – uma época do ano em que todos estão à procura de descontos. Talvez você tenha acordado super cedo na véspera de natal e tenha batalhado com a multidão ou talvez tenha vasculhado a internet, tentando pegar um ou mais presentes com um grande desconto. Todo mundo adora fazer um bom negócio quando se trata de comprar presentes, não é verdade? … read more
Unique and Innovative Ministries
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs a pastor, what is the most unique and innovative ministry that you have seen? Maybe it’s a ministry that your church does that is unique to you, or maybe it’s something that you’ve heard of someone doing that is totally “out of the box.” I’d love to hear creative ways that people communicate the love of God and meet the needs of others.
The Art of Being There for Each Other by Lisa Cooke
/in Articles by Lisa Cooke /by Lisa CookeA few weeks ago, we had the joy of seeing many friends from far and wide during Rhema’s Winter Bible Seminar. I am always reminded how richly blessed Tony and I have been to experience such good friendships throughout our 40-plus years since moving to Oklahoma to attend school. It also reminded me how important it is to nurture those friendships, to spend time and effort to reconnect, and to catch up on each other’s life journeys. … read more
Ablaze With God’s Word—The Fiery Effect of God’s Word in the Heart by Rick Renner
/in Articles by Others /by Tony CookeIf you want to keep your spiritual life fiery hot for the rest of your life on earth, you need to maintain a consistent intake of the Word of God. It’s the first key to keeping your heart ablaze for Jesus because it is foundational to all the other types of fuel you need to add to the fire in your heart: prayer, the Holy Spirit, worship, a passion for souls, generosity, holiness, humility, regard for authority, and the fear of the Lord. … read more
Forty Years Ago: Back to Where We Started
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeAs Lisa and I prepare to head back to Australia next month, we do so with some really great memories. When we finished our first year of Bible school in the spring of 1980, our very first venture in ministry was to Australia. It was quite an initiation into faith and ministry for us at that age (we were 21 and 22 years old at the time)! … read more
How To Experience A Deeper Relationship With God by Karen Jensen Salisbury
/in Articles by Others /by Tony CookeLet me ask you a question: How did you get close to the people you’re close to? How did you get to know your parents, your best friend, your love, as well as you do? The answer is, you talked to them. You spent quality time with them. You listened to them and shared your heart with them. You couldn’t wait to hang out with them … read more
The Place He Chooses by Lisa Cooke
/in Articles by Lisa Cooke /by Lisa CookeWhen we find ourselves in a moment that we sense God has ordained, we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the opportunity so that His presence is accommodated. At the beginning of our conversation, when I first began to realize that the Lord wanted me to talk about Him to this young man, I didn’t know exactly what I would say. … read more
A Supernatural Life
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeThere are many moral, ethical, and practical implications in what the Bible teaches, but at the core of God’s involvement in our lives is the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. There are descriptions in the New Testament of how the Holy Spirit works in the life of a believer—a work that actually starts before we even come into faith. … read more
Encouragement
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeIn 2 Corinthians 7:5-6, Paul talks about a time when he was troubled and discouraged, and yet he was comforted and encouraged by the coming of Titus. As a pastor, what types of things have brought you the most encouragement when you were facing a difficult time. Can you give a specific example or two?
Journey at the End of Life by Jodi Diehl
/in Articles by Others /by Tony CookeUnless we die an instantaneous death, it is a journey we will all be forced to face, with very little preparation, skills, resources or past experiences to guide us through. Honestly, when was the last time you searched your favorite bookstore for resources on how to die strong? Again, even those two words do not naturally fall together. … read more
Treasures—Old and New
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeI was attending a church service once, and during the worship time the congregation sang some of the newer worship choruses. This was followed by a seamless transition into one of the beautiful, old hymns of the church. It was a powerful and moving time of worship, and I appreciated the richness of both the new and the old—both were Christ-exalting, and God’s Presence was readily sensed in both. … read more
Handling the Swings
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeAs a pastor, you encounter people’s highest highs and lowest lows. We know Paul said to rejoice with those that rejoice, and to weep with those that weep (Rom 12:15), but how do you personally manage ministering to people individually during such times? Also, do you have any thoughts on directing your pulpit ministry when you know that some people in your congregation are celebrating great victories, and at the same time, others are going through great challenges?
The Notebook by Lisa Cooke
/in Articles by Lisa Cooke /by Lisa CookeAnyone who knows me knows how much I value journaling. I often recommend it as a therapeutic practice to write out insights, feelings, circumstances and the corresponding prayer requests. I try to write every day at least a little bit and it has been enlightening to go back through a particular year and see how those prayers from that time have been answered. … read more
Encorajadoras lições de John Wesley
/in Articles in Portuguese /by Tony CookeAté sua morte em 1791, aos 88 anos, Wesley havia viajado 250.000 milhas, ministrando a Palavra de Deus (maior parte a cavalo). Ele pregou 42.000 sermões e escreveu 250 livros e panfletos. Ao longo de sua vida e ministério, Wesley experimentou e testemunhou muitas manifestações do poder sobrenatural de Deus. … read more
Point of Contact by Lisa Cooke
/in Articles by Lisa Cooke /by Lisa CookeAs we recently toured the country of Israel, in a building honoring Mary Magdalene in the town of Magdala, I saw a beautiful painting of the woman with the issue of blood touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. It was mostly a grouping of dusty men’s feet in sandals, but you can also see a hand reaching through all those feet and touching the hem of Jesus’ robe. … read more
Where Discounts Don’t Apply
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWe are at a time of the year when everyone is looking for discounts. Maybe you got up super early on black Friday and fought the crowds, or perhaps you scoured the internet on Cyber- Monday endeavoring to snag one or more gifts at a deep discount. Everybody loves getting a great deal on gifts, don’t they? But some things in life are so sacred that only paying full price is appropriate. God paid full price for us when Jesus died on the cross—truly the debt of our sin was paid in full. … read more
Pronto a deixar-Te?
/in Articles in Portuguese /by Tony CookeA parte que vem chamando a minha atenção é a que diz: “Sinto que sou vacilante, pronto a deixar-te, meu Deus”. Vendo as coisas na perspectiva do nascido de novo, eu quero contestá-la. Tenho vontade de dizer, “Sou uma nova criatura em Cristo. Eu tenho a vida e a natureza de Deus dentro de mim. … read more
When God’s Plans Interrupt Your Plans
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeHave you ever had a preconceived idea of what you thought you were going to do, only to have God interject a different plan—his plan—into your agenda? How did you deal with that? Were you flexible, and did you willingly make the required adjustments? All of the great biblical heroes experienced and responded favorably to a divine interruption. God disrupted their regular routines in a huge way. … read more
On The Road To Our Father’s House by Lisa Cooke
/in Articles by Lisa Cooke /by Lisa CookeI have been very interested these days in the concept of spiritual journey—the personally unique process that the Holy Spirit leads us through as we live out our lives on this earth. I like Henry’s quote because it expresses the idea that our lives are a road going somewhere, to the place that Jesus went to prepare for us (John 14:2), not just a short existence on this planet. … read more
Church Revitalization
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeIt seems like our church has been in a slump recently… like we’re going through the motions and are seeing some decline. What have other pastors done when they felt it was necessary to revitalize their congregation.
Lições Tiradas de Reis Passados
/in Articles in Portuguese /by Tony CookeAlgum tempo atrás, eu estava lendo sobre os diversos reis que passaram pelo Antigo Testamento e me deparei com a seguinte descrição que me deixei espantou! En 2 Crônicas 21:20 (NTLH), Jeorão tinha trinta e dois anos de idade quando se tornou rei de Judá. Ele governou em Jerusalém oito anos. Quando morreu, ninguém sentiu falta dele; ele foi sepultado na Cidade de Davi, mas não nos túmulos dos reis.
Aqui também diz que ele “foi sepultado na Cidade de Davi, mas não nos túmulos dos reis”. … read more
What Would Jesus Say Today?
/in Pastors' Forum /by Tony CookeIn Revelation 2-3, Jesus spoke to seven local congregations. To six of them, he gave commendations, telling them what they were doing well. To five of them, he gave words of correction—encouraging them to make needed adjustments. If Jesus were to address your congregation, or the church-at-large in your area, what aspects of the church do you think he would commend, and what area(s) do you think he would say needed to be changed?
Encouraging Lessons from John Wesley
/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony CookeWhen he died in 1791 at the age of 88, Wesley had traveled 250,000 miles ministering the Word of God (much of that on horseback). He had preached 42,000 sermons, and authored 250 books and pamphlets. Throughout his life and ministry, Wesley experienced and witnessed many expressions of the supernatural power of God. He recorded several healings … read more