THE ALMOST INEVITABLE RUIN OF EVERY MINISTER . . . AND HOW TO AVOID IT 1 Timothy 4:15-16 Almost everyone knows someone who used to be in the ministry. Almost everyone knows someone who shouldn't be in the ministry. And every minister knows another minister—if not several—he does not want to be like.…

One day he rode his horse into Ancaster, Ontario, announcing he would preach. A crowd gathered, and Marks asked if anyone had a topic to suggest. A man mockingly said, "Nothing!" Marks began preaching on "nothing." God created the world from nothing, he said. He gave us laws in which there is nothing…

John Maxwell asked God to send leaders to build the church at every one of his pastorates. Maxwell says for fourteen years, at least once a month he would meet someone who was visiting the church for the first time. As they introduced themselves, Maxwell says the Lord would speak to him, saying, “John,…

MISSION In his book, “An Unstoppable Force,” Erwin McManus writes, "The gospel flows best through the establishing of significant relationships that are authentic and healthy. When relationships become stagnant and the community of Christ closes itself to the outside world, the result is an institution…

A PREACHER’S PRAYER I do not ask that crowds so throng the temple that standing room be at a price; I only ask that as I voice the message, they may see Christ. I do not ask For churchly pomp or pageant, or music such as welth alone can buy; I only pray that as I voice the message, he may be nigh. I…

TRUTH Pastor Steven Furtick says he is diving into topics may other churches won’t touch because he believes people need to hear the truth. Furtick’s message series entitled, “Cow Tipping” is designed to tackle controversial topics and shine the light of God’s truth on them. Furtick is concerned that…

The Joke: Knock knock. (Who's there?) Jesus. (Jesus who?) Looks like you're going to Hell!

Righteousness, Self-Control, and the Coming Judgment 24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid…

Cooking I never thought of myself as a good cook. Oh, I can heat up a TV Dinner with the best of them, and I can flip a burger on the grill, but I'm not much of a cook. One of my problems is I can't follow a recipe. When Susan cooks, she carefully measures out a cup of this and a teaspoon of that; cooking…

Collateral Damage 23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. 25 He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know we…

While it is true that people will obey their bosses, if for no other reason to keep their jobs, real influence isn’t wielded by brute force, but from personal relationships and character. In his book, Leadership as a Lifestyle: The Path to Personal Integrity and Positive Influence, John Hawkins writes,…

A famous preacher was to preach on a certain occasion, but he missed his way and was too late. The devil, knowing of it, put on the appearance of the minister, took his place, and preached a sermon to the people, who supposed they were listening to the famous preacher whom they had expected. The devil…

What is the impact of our lives and our churches on our communities? Are we fulfilling our mission to reach the world with the message of the Gospel? Or are we just marking time and creating wonderful, peaceful communities of believers who are not impacting the world? The Barna Group has released a 2015…

In the 100 years since the tragic sinking of the Titanic, movies, documentaries, and books have told the story of many of those on the ill-fated voyage across the Atlantic. One of the lesser known stories is the account of Pastor John Harper who was traveling with his six year old on a mission to become…

When Mary Jane Ponten, who has cerebral palsy, first searched for Bible study resources for people with intellectual disabilities, she was surprised to learn that there was nothing specifically for her. Rather than be upset, she decided to write the kind of material they need to understand the Bible.…

Preaching with Integrity by Dr. Jerry Cramer Most Christians do not listen to sermons; they listen to their pastor. Do not think for a second that God's message is not affected by the messengers. The preacher is always the strongest source of persuasion. That is why God has chosen face-to-face preaching…

In his book, Church is a Team Sport: A Championship Strategy for Doing Ministry Together, Jim Putman writes, “the church is supposed to be a collection of transformed individuals molded by God into a team.” --Church is a Team Sport, 66. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Wilson Tsoi The biblical imagery…

Ron and Karen Rohman preach the Gospel on the streets of downtown Portland, OR. They are jeered at by Christians and heathens alike. Here's their answer to those who say street preaching is so last century: "We simply argue that the cross be raised again, at the center of the market place as well as…

SERVICE In his book, 360 Degree Leader, John Maxwell writes, “The true measure of leaders is not the number of people who serve them but the number of people they serve.” --360 Degree Leader, 289. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson Philippians 2:3 (NKJV) “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit,…

PREACHING A decision by the 3rd U.S. Circuit court of Appeals has dealt a setback to a Jewish congregation trying to open a synagogue in a Philadelphia suburb, and at the same time, sent an interesting message to believers. The court ruled that towns trying to control noise and traffic may legally prevent…

INFLUENCE In their book, "Lead Like Jesus", Blanchard and Hodges write, "Leadership is a process of influence. Anytime you seek to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of people toward accomplishing a goal in their personal or professional lives, you are taking on the role of a leader." —"Lead…

SERVANT LEADERSHIP In his book, "The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make", Hans Finzel writes, "...everyone in our organization rests on my shoulders and I am at the bottom of an inverted pyramid. I spend countless hours helping others be effective by providing them the facts, the energy, the resources, the…

Mark Titus holds the record for the most individual career wins in Ohio State basketball history. He was teammates with seven future NBA players. In his four years he scored a total of nine points, had five rebounds, and three assists while playing only 48 minutes. After his days on the team were over…

Christians must walk a fine line between being in the world, yet not being stained by it. For many, the solution they choose is just to withdraw from relationships with nonbelievers, which solves one problem, but creates another. In his book, Just Walk Across the Room, Bill Hybels writes, “The longer…

The National Association of Evangelicals has prepared a new code of ethics for pastors and is asking church leaders from all denominations to sign it. Dr Joel Hunter, senior pastor of a church in Florida is a board member and one of the first pastors to sign the document. He said the document is designed…