Articles (Page 2)
When Ball Becomes Baal
It’s rare to see kids playing sports in the neighborhood anymore. We’re now organized and “professionalized”—including uniforms, state-of-the-art facilities, endless trips to the field, competitive coaches, equally competitive parents, and the after-season tournaments designed to give parents “bleacher bottom.” In addition, you’ve got to pay to play—and when you’ve paid that much, you’ll be sure to play. It is also fun, and it can be instructive. I love to watch my kids play sports. In fact, they need to play—some.…
Asahel Nettleton: The Forgotten Evangelist
The year was 1812. America had just declared war on Great Britain in June and lost its first battle in October. In the midst of that climate, a young, unimpressive minister on his way to an assignment in New York stopped at a church in the community of South Britain, Connecticut.[1] When he was invited to preach, no one could have anticipated the impact his ministry would have, not only on this small church, but also on all the East Coast over the…
The Foibles and Fallibility of Christian Leaders
The inconsistencies, unattended weaknesses, eccentricities, normalizations of subtle sinful habits, relational neglectfulness or awkwardness, sometimes grating quirks, phases of tiredness and even laziness, and susceptibility to pride — just to begin the list — illustrate what kinds of things can be found in almost every Christian leader at one time or another. They should remind us that we are all treated mercifully by God and cannot claim that any leadership position or recognition is fully “deserved” but strategically assigned by…
From Suicide and the Wheelchair to Christ
The following testimony is from Bill Busshaus, a dear friend of CCW president Jim Elliff. ————— Like most children in the America of my youth, I had some aspect of religion in my upbringing. Although my father showed no interest in spiritual things, my mother was a practicing Catholic, and made sure we participated in the normal functions of the church. I was baptized as an infant, received my first communion, and was confirmed in the Catholic church. I have…
3 Reasons to Prefer a Paper Bible Over a Digital Bible at a Church Meeting
Technology is sometimes incredibly useful. For example, we can have video calls with missionaries almost anywhere in the world. This blessing was not possible until fairly recent technological developments. We should be grateful. But technology is not valuable in every circumstance. I’m thinking particularly about the use of Bible apps. Sure, it’s convenient to utilize a digital Bible in numerous settings like when reading (or listening) just before you fall asleep at night, or when you unexpectedly want to look…
William Cowper’s Mother
William Cowper (pronounced as Cooper) was born in 1731. He was a close friend of John Newton (Amazing Grace), and lived next door. Cowper was considered by many to be the greatest literary figure in England during in his lifetime. Like Newton, he was a poet (God Moves in a Mysterious Way; There is a Fountain Filled with Blood). William lost his mother at six years of age. After her death it appears that he did not live at home…
Getting John 1:12 Right: Should You Invite Jesus Into Your Heart?
Is it useful to critique any person’s or ministry’s method of evangelism? For one thing, there are not enough people calling on others to follow Christ. Should I attempt to cripple anyone’s efforts in the slightest way, even for the few who might listen to me? I hope I will not. I would rather think that I’m improving our evangelism. And it does need improving. The apparent results of the method of evangelistic appeal built upon the verse in question…
Outlines on The PRESERVATION and PERSEVERANCE of the Saints
Quote from John Bunyan: “To be saved is to be preserved in the faith to the end. ‘He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.’ (Mt. 24:13) Not that perseverance is an accident in Christianity, or a thing performed by human industry; they that are saved ‘are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.’ (1 Pet. 1: 3-6) But perseverance is absolutely necessary to the complete saving of the soul….He that goeth to…
Evangelism: What it IS and IS NOT
Evangelism. Some churches have seminars and workshops about it. There are Christian organizations devoted to doing it and training people in it. Evangelists are supposed to be peculiarly gifted in it. All believers should care about it. Many Christians are intimidated by it. But with all that said, what is evangelism? Depending on our religious background, previous church life, and personal experiences, we carry ideas (for better or worse) of what we think evangelism is and what it should involve.…
Two Angels on a Bloodied Slab
Guest Author: Brian Verrett Peter and John raced to the tomb to look for their Lord (John 20:3–4). Though John won the race, Peter stooped and looked into the tomb seeing only linen cloths, a face cloth, and empty space (vv. 4–7). John then looked, saw the same, and went home with Peter (vv. 8–10). Mary remained outside the tomb weeping (v. 11). When she looked into the tomb, she saw more than empty space. Surprisingly, “she saw two angels…
Leaders, Did God Call You to Provide a Haven for Those Who Pretend to Follow Christ?
Leader, God did not call you to provide a haven for those who pretend to follow Christ. You don’t do that? Please think more carefully. If you have members on the rolls of your church who show by their behavior that they don’t love Christ, the family of God, and God’s word enough to even attend, you are surely complicit in making them feel comfortable and approved in their supposed status. For many of our churches only 35-40 percent of…
Don’t Just Tweet Your Proverbs: Lessons from Solomon
I don’t quite understand it. Everyone knows that King Solomon was the wisest man in the Old Testament. Yet, he had the most precipitous moral freefall of all the kings. The early Solomon loved God. “Now Solomon loved the Lord” (1 Kings 3:3). But the later Solomon was out of control morally: “Now Solomon loved many foreign women.” “Solomon held fast to these in love” (1 Kings 11:1,2). What went wrong? In fact, the marital alliances he made with the…
When God Used a Stutterer
Must limitations and weaknesses keep us from effective ministry? And how should we think about others in the church who have glaring, limiting imperfections? James Alexander Stewart was experiencing enormous success as an evangelist. By the age of 20, he was so sought after that he was preaching four or five times a day. He also filled his hours with evangelism in the streets and in homes. This was too much for a young man to handle alone. Stewart commented:…
The Way to Grow a Church Numerically
The early church grew in numbers. “ . . . there were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (2:47). “And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (5:14). “ . . . and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem…” (6:7) “ . . . (the church) multiplied” (9:31). Thinking about increased numbers is acceptable if…
The Believer’s NEW Relationship with Sin: Q & A from Romans 6:1-14
Romans 6:1-14 contains encouraging realities concerning who we are as believers in Christ and what we have experienced in union with him. These truths have significant implications for how we think about and relate to sin in our lives. It is the passage that I return to and prayerfully recall regularly to renew my mind and help me in the battle against temptation and sin. This portion of Scripture also contains dense logic. It requires time and careful thinking to…