Articles (Page 11)
How to “Get Over it” When You Taught Poorly
If you teach the Bible regularly, you know the experience of wishing you had done better — sometimes much better — immediately after you finished. I have been there. I once spoke at a men’s retreat of a church different than my own. About halfway through my message, I could feel in my soul that things were going poorly. The men seemed unenthused. Two guys were whispering to each other and laughing. I pressed on, but it never improved. Afterwards,…
No Lay-up Shot: A Lesson from the Masters
For some reason unknown to humankind, my older brother got to play golf on the distinguished Augusta National Golf Course, the course where perhaps the best tournament of the year is held—The Masters. It was there that the following life-shaping event took place. He was playing through the course with the required caddy. After he landed in the middle of hole 13 of the notorious 3-hole Amen Corner, he asked the caddy for a certain short iron. Astonished, the veteran…
Are You A Theological Ignoramus Like J.I. Packer Once Was?
J.I. Packer tells a personal story about his freshman year in college (see Bruce Milne, Know the Truth, IVP, 1998, p. 9). The chaplain at his school took some of the students on “pastoral walks.” Packer was on one of those strolls and said of the chaplain, “He was urging me to read theology, the subject which he himself taught, as a sequel to the classics degree on which I embarked.” Packer explains the exchange that happened next. I explained…
YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE ENDURANCE OF JOB
Job stands as a unique figure in the Bible. Poignant lessons emerge from his trial. James had him in mind as he wrote his epistle.
A Biblical Case For Biographies and Autobiographies
The men of my church recently got together for two hours on a Wednesday evening, and then the women did the same the next Wednesday. On both occasions, part of the meeting involved watching a video of someone giving a biographical sketch. I was given the task of introducing the videos for both meetings, and I also included a few thoughts concerning what the Bible says about observing and learning from and even being inspired by other followers of Christ.…
To Fly to Safety or Not: What to Do When the Arrows are Aimed at You
If you’ve ever been in a minor car accident, you might have called a loved one and immediately said, “Hey, everything’s okay; I’m not hurt. But I’ve been in a wreck.” David starts off Psalm 11 with “everything’s okay” type of language: “In the LORD I take refuge.” He was living in a society in which “the foundations” had been decimated (v. 3), probably meaning, “The foundations of law and order have collapsed” (New Living Translation). It was chaos all…
A Tale About Choosing a Church
Stu and his family had just moved to a new city. His company transferred him unexpectedly, so he either had to relocate or find another job. He chose to go, but had little time to research good churches before they arrived. Thankfully, he knew a couple of websites that pointed them toward gospel-believing churches in the area. They decided to visit two. The First Church The “new family in town” first attended the larger of the churches. The greeters at…
God’s Power in Kingdom Advance: How This Reality Speaks to Us Today
God’s kingdom advances because he is powerful. When the gospel came to Philippi (Acts 16:11-40), this was true in multiple ways. First, in Lydia’s conversion, “the Lord opened her heart” to believe (16:14). Second, the Lord overcame an onslaught of persecution. For many days, a demon-possessed slave girl interrupted Paul’s preaching, but then he cast the demon out “in the name of Jesus Christ.” And then, once Paul was put in jail, the Lord sent an earthquake leading to the…
The Call to Faith in Christian Ministry and Practice
A well-loved Christian conference speaker once posed this question to me after his message: “Is there any sin in trusting God?” Strange question, isn’t it? The answer has to be, “No.” I know that. You know that. The man who posed the question knew it also. He only wanted to emphasize that the best action all the time, regardless of the circumstance we are in, is to trust God. But . . . is that what we are doing? We…
Only God Can Do This!
While pastoring in Athens, Ohio, in the early 2000s, I had a good relationship with several individuals serving with a large campus ministry at Ohio University. One staff member, a young lady, eventually joined our church. We have remained in touch ever since. Several years ago, close to Christmas, she wrote and shared a beautiful story of God’s grace in the life of someone she loves very much — her father. She’s given me permission to share this. Here’s the…
Toward Obeying The “One Another” Commands
Once you get past the four Gospels and Acts, the “one another” commands start appearing regularly in the New Testament. Here are just a few: “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10) “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3) “But exhort one another every day,…
Getting the Truth to the Lost: Inspiration from a 12 Year-old in the 1800s
A 12 year-old named Helen was not famous when she was converted in the 1800s in Birgmingham, England, but her family remains well-known today, especially during Easter, because her last name was Cadbury. Her father was the president of Cadbury chocolates — known today for Cadbury Easter Eggs. Helen was also instrumental in starting a ministry that continues to exist today called The Pocket Testament League. Let’s consider her pleasant story, and then think about how it should inspire us.…
How Teens Can Contribute Right Away
One of the joys of pastoring has been seeing teens come to faith in Christ and desiring to serve in the church. But they often need guidance to know how they might contribute. Here are a few valuable ways teens can participate at church meetings right away: 1. Teens can greet people. It’s understandable to want to group up with friends upon arrival — we all have this tendency — but it’s so important to mix in with all the…
William Thomas of Wales: The Kind of Older Man I Hope to Be
One pastor said of William Thomas of Pyle, Wales, “He was better known as William Thomas the pray-er than as William Thomas the preacher” (all information and quotes about Thomas are from The Calvinistic Methodist Fathers of Wales, Vol. 2, Banner of Truth, 2008, 160-5). In his old age, he became deaf, but he could still pray. Though the image perhaps seems strange to us, in his later years he would “stand at the pulpit steps” and the congregation would…
BURNING THE FLAG by Daryl Wingerd
On July 4, 1776, a group of brave Americans boldly declared themselves and their country to be free from the tyranny of foreign rule. At that moment, however, they were not free at all. They had yet to fight a war in order to gain the freedom they had declared for themselves. Sadly, instead of enjoying American freedom rightly, as freedom based on the restraint of law, some have insisted upon having libertarian freedom—the freedom to do as one pleases…
The Heart of Family Reformation
When our children were younger we began the day with the hymn we are currently memorizing. When Laura was five, she sang for all of us the second verse of “I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord” by the Yale president of the late 1700s, Timothy Dwight. With a determined look, she sang out, I love Thy church, O God. Her walls before Thee stand. Dear as the apple of Thine eye, And gravy on Thy hand. My boys collapsed on the…