Verses for Your Conversations with Mormons

This week, I’ve joined many other Christians in Manti, Utah to talk to Mormons who are attending the Mormon Miracle Pageant (see here to learn more about this event). As I was reviewing a very basic list of verses for conversations with Mormons that I compiled a while back, I thought you might find it useful, as well. It’s in no way comprehensive, but it could give you a good place to start, serving as a rough outline for your discussion. The Book of Mormon offers a test for truth that your Mormon friend will likely share with you. It comes from Moroni 10:4–5:

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

While Mormons will ask you to pray about the truth of the Book of Mormon in order to receive a revelation of its truthfulness from God, the Bible offers a different way of testing new revelation, telling us to examine “prophetic utterances” carefully (1 Thess. 5:20–21), and holding up the Bereans, who diligently compared the claims of Paul to the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), as a model for us.

There are two explicit tests for new revelation given in the Bible, so I like to focus on the two categories they cover—God and the gospel. Read More

Saturday Lagniappe: "Raising the Commitment Level within Your Church" And More

Raising the Commitment Level within Your Church

Focus on raising the commitment of your leadership, not those who are the least committed in the crowd or even the semi-committed in your congregation. Whenever you raise the standard of commitment for those who are in the most visible positions of leadership, it raises the expectations among everyone else. Read More

Your 5 Biggest Volunteer Recruiting Questions Answered

Encouraging the people of your church to step forward and serve can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be, according to LifeWay’s Todd Adkins, Daniel Im, and Eric Geiger, hosts of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast.Recently, Adkins, Im, and Geiger released five episodes specifically related to recruiting volunteers in churches, providing church leaders with practical advice and answering some of their top questions. Here are some of the highlights from their conversations. Read More

Does Your Church Have Enough Samaritans?

Samaria has always been as fruitful a venue for the gospel as it has been a repulsive place for God’s people to initially consider engaging. Read More

Guess Who’s Coming to Church: Multiracial Congregations Triple Among Protestants

Sociologists evaluate the progress and future of the evangelical push for church diversity. Read More

If Same-Sex Attraction Is Sinful, Then What?

Denny Burk, co-author of Transforming Homosexuality and author of "Is Homosexual Orientation Sinful?" examines three pastoral implications of the observations that he and Heath Lambert made in their book. Read More

Park Farthest Away: 5 Simple Pastoral Habits To Defy Our “Me First” Culture

Leadership is an opportunity to serve. Anyone who doesn’t see it that way is not a leader, just a boss. Read More

2 Reasons We Ignore Our Weaknesses Instead of Addressing Them

In his book, The Leadership Code, Dave Ulrich challenges leaders to be at least average in key disciplines of leadership or their weakness will crush them. Yet many leaders choose to ignore their weaknesses completely for the following two reasons.... Read More

Ten Ways Every Christian Can Strengthen Their Church

Paul Chappell shares 10 biblical principles that Christians, if they take these principles to heart and live them, will help build their church. Read More

The Biggest Misunderstanding of God’s Design for Our Money

Generosity was never meant to be a leftover. Generosity was meant to be the priority. Read More

Can You Identify Facts in a News Story? Many Americans Can’t

A new study finds Americans struggle to identify factual statements, as opposed to opinion, in news articles. The findings address concerns over fake news. Not surprisingly, the Pew Research study also found that people were more likely to think news statements are factual when the statements appeal to their side, even if the statements were opinions. Read More

In Western Europe ‘Christians’ are Less Religiously Committed Than American ‘Nones’

A new survey finds that while most people in Western Europe consider themselves to be Christians, they are less religious than ‘nones’ (i.e., atheists, agnostics, and religiously unaffiliated) are in America. Read More

7 Summer Myths About Your Church

The church term “Summer Slump” has been around for decades and I think it’s time to retire the phrase.

The idea of an anticipated attendance “slump” will deliver on its promise every time.

This is more than a numbers thing; it’s about how you perceive your church in the summer.

I certainly acknowledge a change in the rhythms of life during the summer, mostly centered on family. The kids are out of school and vacations kick in!

But there are equally large rhythms that remain steady, like the adults still go to work most of the summer and continue to go about their normal daily routine.

The church is very similar.

Summer is a different season; it brings some welcomed change with it every year. But it doesn’t need to be considered the “lost three months.”

Church continues, visitors attend, and lives are changed. In fact, summer can be some of your best months!

Intentional leadership can make the difference between a ho-hum, half throttle two to three months, and a season that is one of your church’s favorite times of the year.

Think of it this way, you are going to have church, so why not make it great? Don’t settle for a “B” Sunday. Make each weekend great!

You communicate exactly what you anticipate during the summer by your words, behavior and what you deliver on the weekend. Read More

I can personally attest to the truth of the observations Dan Reiland makes about the so-called "summer slump." At St.Michael's we decided not to cut back our two Sunday morning services to one and not to give the choir the whole summer off. Rather we had a "summer choir." We invited anyone who was interested in singing with the choir to sing with the "summer choir." We often picked up new choir members in the summer in this way. We also selected simpler choir pieces for the summer and we were more flexible with the choir rehearsal schedule. Our Sunday morning services were well-attended throughout the summer. We also offered a summer children's ministry as well as VBS and a nursery for the infants.

The ABCs of Salvation Is NOT the Gospel

School may be out for the summer, but many kids will still be learning their ABCs over the break.

The ABCs of salvation, that is.

This popular children’s ministry acronym stands for admit, believe, and confess. It’s a simple way churches teach parents and volunteers to share the gospel with kids—especially during the week of Vacation Bible School.

A quick Google search of the ABCs of salvation reveals the phrase has become established church jargon. Numerous Christian websites, YouTube videos, and Pinterest boards strive to teach kids the gospel through this simple structure.

But as ministry leaders and parents prepare to use this evangelistic framework, they should be aware of the propensity to confuse the ABCs of salvation with the gospel itself. Read More

The Lost Spiritual Discipline

We are all accustomed to reading works on the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. We know that as Christians we ought to discipline ourselves to ensure we maintain a lifelong focus on Word, prayer, and fellowship. And so we read the Bible and meditate on it, we pray as individuals and families, and we maintain fellowship with one another through local church worship and the sacraments or ordinances. Well and good! This is the stuff of the Christian life. Yet in his classic work Holy Helps for a Godly Life, Richard Rogers draws out a spiritual discipline that has largely been lost and neglected in recent years—the discipline of watchfulness. Read More

Also See:
Holy Helps for a Godly Life

Two Religions That Claim to be Christian

Bear Lake Stake Tabernacle, a meeting house of the LDS

Can a religion claim to be “Christian” if it changes biblical truths about Christ and God?

One of the things I find interesting about Christian history is how quickly Scripture can be corrupted. The early church, for example, had to fight off gnosticism, which, among other false ideas, taught that salvation was gained through the acquisition of divine “knowledge.”

Today, we find Christian churches practicing some pretty strange stuff — dancing with poisonous snakes during church services, for example — which members say publicly displays their faith in a Bible verse they interpret to guarantee God’s protection. Though participants are often bitten, this doesn’t dissuade them. Neither, apparently, does death. When bites prove fatal, church members view the loss to be “God’s will.”

When the Bible is not just misinterpreted, as in the case above, but intentionally reinterpreted to create new doctrine, we move into the realm of false religion. Two groups that we can soundly place in that category — the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) — cling to the claim that they are “Christian.” Read More

Friday's Catch: "Equipping Millennials in the Church" And More

Equipping Millennials in the Church - Rainer on Leadership #443 [Podcast]

Chris Martin, the Millennial Evangelical, joins Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe to discuss Ministering to Millennials and how your church can better equip and engage Millennials. Listen Now

Keeping the Trinity Personal

Defending the oneness of God shouldn't nullify the Bible's claims about the mutual love of Father, Son, and Spirit. Read More

3 Reasons Why Church Leaders Need to Be Familiar with Secular Worldviews

As our culture becomes more relativistic, pluralistic, and me-centered, these types of secular worldviews shape the messages we see and the content overall. Leaders in the church need to become wise observers of our culture so that we can learn to identify the worldview of the content we take in so that we can point ourselves, the people we lead, and the people we serve back to Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). In light of that, here are three reasons church leaders need to understand how secular worldviews have influenced our culture. Read More

10 Reasons Bivocational Ministry Matters

“I didn’t come to seminary to be a bivocational minister, to have to get another kind of job,” my student told me. I may not have agreed with my student, but I did understand his thinking. Back then (almost 15 years ago), we weren’t talking much about bivocational ministries. Now, that conversation has shifted. Pastors are beginning to embrace as their primary calling the role of bivocational minister. Some even intend to remain bivocational regardless of the size of their church as it grows. If the Lord were to call me into a bivocational church role, here is why I would gladly follow His leading. Read More

Originally posted on Chuck Lawless' blog in August 2014, this article is still relevant today as it was then, perhaps even more so.

Your Interpretation May Not Be Inerrant, but Your Bible Is

Derek J. Brown examines John Feinberg's treatment of scriptural inerrancy in his book Light in a Dark Place: The Doctrine of Scripture.Read More

Supernatural Power for Those Who Don't Fit In

When we’re filled with God’s Spirit, we worry less about fitting in and more about pouring out. Read More

Global Religious Freedom Takes Its Biggest Hit in Over a Decade

Christianity is the biggest religion in the world. It's also still the most restricted. Read More

Differences Between the God of the Qur’an & the God of the Bible

You’ve probably heard it said. “All of the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—they all worship the same God.” More and more today, we hear such things from the mouths and tweets of idealized and uninformed westerners.

However, such thinking is a hazardous ignorance. The Qur’an does not believe that Allah (the God of the Qur’an) and the God of Christianity are the same. Many Qur’anic teachers do not believe that they are the same. And neither do biblically thinking Christians.

Last week the Cripplegate began a series on the differences between the Qur’an and the Bible. We looked at a brief introduction to Islam as well as the textual origin and transmission of the Qur’an. Today, we compare the God of the Qur’an with that of the Bible. As we do, it will become clear that the Qur’an and the Bible are talking about two entirely different deities.

As noted last week, there are some similarities between the deities presented in the Qur’an and the Bible. Both the Qur’an and the Bible teach monotheism. Both teach that God is sovereign and the creator of all things. Beyond that, there are few similarities. Here are a few of the major differences. Read More

Unreached Nation Needs Churches [Podcast]

All over the world, we have unreached peoples and nations—people who, without Christ, are headed for destruction (Prov. 24:11). And we—the people of God—have the only message that can rescue them. The great task of making disciples of all nations will not be easy. But Jesus did not promise us ease; he promised he would be with us.

On this podcast episode, we have the privilege of hearing from a brother who is church planting in Turkey, the world’s largest unreached nation (per capita). Today, we welcome Kerem Koc.. Listen Now

Someone Needs Your Second Language

After I finished teaching a group of young people in Costa Rica, my dad (a fluent Spanish speaker) graciously pointed out to me the reason two teenage boys had been giggling throughout my talk. I had just spent the past hour repeating a word that, though technically correct in translation, had inappropriate connotations (the kind that teenage boys can’t help but giggle about).

Though I have spoken some Spanish all of my life, I have yet to master it. There are days I come home, pat myself on the back, and tell myself, “You’ve really got the hang of this now.” But those days are rare and far between. Most of the time, I walk in the door feeling slightly defeated as I replay my blunders.

But language learners must not reflect long on their mistakes, remembering that God works in us — including our weaknesses and missteps — to will and to work for his pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Our motivation to continue learning rests not in how quickly we learn, or even in how effectively we communicate. If this were the case, I would have given up long ago. Rather, after twenty-plus years of butchering the Spanish language, my motivation comes from God, who has the power to use my imperfect speech to spread the news of his love for us in Christ to more Spanish-speaking people.

If God’s chosen people are going to hear and receive the gospel, many of us will have to learn a second language. Through my studies and struggles, I have stumbled on five ways God is glorified in the process of learning languages to reach the lost of every tribe, nation, and tongue. Read More

Revitalizing the Church When You Have a Power Player against You - Revitalize & Replant #046 [Podcast]

Leading in a church revitalization can be difficult when one or a few people are working against you. Today, Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe discuss how to lead through this situation. Listen Now

20 Encouragements for Struggling Church Leaders

O ministry, where is your sting? Ouch. Right there! And there!

I don’t know what struggle you are facing right now. I’m not sure what your context is. I don’t know how frustrating or how encouraging your elders or board members are. I’m not sure how supportive your family is of the work you do.

But I do know what you know: ministry can be an enormous blessing and it can be an enormous source of pain and heartache.

People you thought were in it for the long haul have left. Leaders you thought were solid and God-honoring have turned on you and the church. Families have opted to invest their Sunday mornings on the soccer field during their kids’ most faith-formative years. You’ve counseled married couples through their problems only to see their family be torn apart by divorce.

You and your leaders have helped families in financial need only to see them leave a couple weeks later because of their own pride and shame. You’ve preached with everything you’ve got and more only to be criticized a few hours later through an email, or worse – an anonymous note sitting on your office desk.

But what you do is worth it. In spite of all the heartache, in spite of all the pain, you are being used by God and I pray that what follows encourages you to keep stepping forward. Read More

If you are not familiar with the game of cricket, the batter in the picture was just struck out. 

4 Ways to Share God’s Love in Summertime

The “Ordinary Time” of summer invites us to give the extraordinary Good News.

According to a recent Barna report, American Christians are less likely to share their faith with others than they were 25 years ago. In 1993, 9 out of 10 Christians agreed with the statement, “Every Christian has a responsibility to share their faith.” Today, only two-thirds agree—a 25-point drop. Conversely, 3 in 10 Christians say “evangelism is the local church’s responsibility” rather than an individual one, a nearly threefold increase from the early ’90s. Overall, believers today are less prone to share the gospel or talk about their faith.

Christianity from its inception has centered itself on sharing the Good News, but apparently, we’re not as comfortable as we once were with that commission, perhaps for understandable reasons. The American church is experiencing serious pain right now: Congregations across the country are shutting their doors due to low attendance. The political environment has us in knots. And the #ChurchToo movement is exposing injustice and sexism against women. While the church contends with these battles, what good news do we have to share?

We still have great news, in fact. Despite our current circumstances, at the center of our faith is still the person of Jesus Christ, the One who holds all things together.

In the Book of Acts, we read the account of how a fledgling faith rises up, and despite great hardship, direct ploys to silence the disciples, and tremendous persecution, the new believers would not be quiet. Today, 2000 years later, the Great Commission has not changed. Then, as now, Jesus commissions us to go and tell others about God’s great love. The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians that “we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:7).

What does that look like for us, exactly? Read More

Why Your Church Needs to Quadruple Its Outreach Efforts [Video]

In today's Rainer Report Thom Rainer draws attention to the critical need for churches to quadruple their outreach efforts. Watch Now

7 Powerful Habits of Outward-Focused Churches

It was not a dramatic moment in time. Instead, it was subtle, almost too subtle to be noticed.

It became evident first in mainline churches. But evangelical churches followed a few years later. The erosion was slow, but it became glaringly apparent after several years.

The change of which I speak is the movement away from outwardly focused ministries in churches.

Over time, most of the resources of time, money and ministries have shifted more toward the members. Churches are now gathering in holy huddles with little intention of breaking out into a world of lostness and loneliness. Read More

This article was originally posted on Christian Post.

Practical Preaching Advice to Pastors and Lay Preachers #04

Sermon Content Is What Appeals Most to Churchgoers

A new Gallup poll suggests the content of the sermons could be the most important factor in how soon worshippers return. Gallup measured a total of seven different reasons why those who attend a place of worship at least monthly say they go. Three in four worshippers noted sermons or talks that either teach about scripture or help people connect religion to their own lives as major factors spurring their attendance. Read More

Preach the Gospel in Every Sermon

A sermon without the gospel is like a boat without water. It may sound and look good, but you’re going nowhere. The gospel is what separates Christianity from just good advice. Read More

7 Ways Mission Trips Have Helped Me Preach Better

I admit that the title of this post sounds arrogant, but that’s not my intent. I’ve simply learned a lot about communicating by trying to preach around the world, and I think I probably communicate better today because of mission trips. Here’s what I’ve learned that I hope might help you, too. Read More

Better Sermon Delivery: 5 Surprising Steps [Podcast]

All of us, no matter how long we’ve been preaching, can improve at our sermon delivery. But we have to work on it intentionally. Here are 5 surprising steps toward better sermon delivery. Read More

Sermons Aren’t Popcorn: Tips for Being a Good Listener to God’s Word

There is a way to glorify God most in how we go about listening to a sermon, whether in person or online. Here are five tips to help us be sermon listeners and not just sermon consumers. Read More

Whether you are a pastor or a lay preacher, I think that you will want to share this article with your congregation.

The United States' Suicide Epidemic

10 Things You Should Know about Suicide

The number of suicides among people we know, at least by name, has been increasing with disturbing regularity. It began with the tragic death of Matthew Warren, Rick Warren’s 27-year-old son. Then it was the comedian Robin Williams. In the past two weeks we heard of the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. In light of this I thought it might be helpful to identify ten things all of us should know about suicide. Read More

Why Suicide Doesn't Always Lead to Hell

Those who say suicide automatically leads to hell obviously don’t understand the totality of mental health issues in today’s world, let alone understand the basic theology behind compassion and God’s all-consuming grace. Heaven is a place for people who have a personal relationship with Jesus, not a just a place for people who didn’t commit suicide. We must do better at educating people on things they have a hard time wrapping their heads around. And mental health is definitely topic Christians around the world must yearn to better understand. Read More

Americans are depressed and suicidal because something is wrong with our culture

Don't pathologize the despair that is a rational response to a culture that values people based on ever escalating financial and personal achievements. Read More

Climate Watch: "Global Warming Cooks Up 'A Different World' Over 3 Decades." And More

Global warming cooks up “a different world” over 3 decades

On June 23, 1988, a sultry day in Washington, James Hansen told Congress and the world that global warming wasn’t approaching — it had already arrived. The testimony of the top NASA scientist, said Rice University historian Douglas Brinkley, was “the opening salvo of the age of climate change.” Thirty years later, it’s clear that Hansen and other doomsayers were right. And the change has been sweeping. Read More

Corals, blueberry bushes and polar bears: Signs of global warming are all around

...it turns out climate isn't the only thing that's changing: Nature itself is, too. That's the picture painted by interviews with more than 50 scientists and an Associated Press analysis of data on plants, animals, pollen, ice, sea level and more. Read More

Washington warmed slowest of all states over past 30 years — but what does it mean for climate change?

A new analysis of climate data by The Associated Press shows that Washington has warmed the slowest out of all other states over the past 30 years. Here's what the experts say that means for climate change. Read More

Antarctica's Ice Sheet Is Melting 3 Times Faster Than Before

The melting of Antarctica is accelerating at an alarming rate, with about 3 trillion tons of ice disappearing since 1992, an international team of ice experts said in a new study. Read More

Not only is the culture changing in North America, so is the climate. These are realities from which North American Christians cannot hide.  

Wednesday's Catch: "The Evangel Is Timeless. Evangelicalism Is Not." And More

The Evangel Is Timeless. Evangelicalism Is Not.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is timeless, but the evangelical movement is not....The ahistorical tendency of popular evangelicalism today obscures this simple but important fact. But it’s important for evangelicals to understand this point when expressing a concern for “gospel and culture.” Read More

Why Is Theology Important? Isn’t Jesus Enough?

In this new video, Russell Moore—president of the ERLC and TGC Council member—demonstrates how theology is integrated in every component of the Christian life. Watch Now

How To Keep Going When You Don’t Feel Like It

These four reminders will help you keep going when the going gets tough and you face discouragement. Read More

A Psalm-Singing Resurgence

We are experiencing something of a Psalm-singing resurgence in our day. Resources abound online for people who would like to learn more about psalm singing. Churches are making strategic plans to train their members in singing the psalms. Blogs buzz with excitement over the Psalter. It is undeniable that the church is waking up to that which once marked it--the passionate singing of psalms. I am a child of this movement. Read More

The congregational singing of metrical versions of the Psalms was extremely popular in the Elizabethan Church and would form an integral part of Anglican worship well into the nineteenth century. A number of the hymns in contemporary Anglican hymnals are metrical Psalms.

Specific Ways You Can Pray for Your Pastor

Here is another article on how Christians can pray for their pastor to share with your congregation or small group. Read More

Churches Are Twice as Likely to Fear Refugees as to Help Them

Survey studies how American Protestants are engaging the refugee crisis, and why many are not. Read More

Rook, Leadership, and Playing the Hand You’re Dealt

Many years ago, extended-family visits—especially on my Mom’s side—featured one staple: multiple games of Rook*. It did not matter whether it was Thanksgiving, Christmas, or some other get-together, if Dad and my uncles were under the same roof for more than a few minutes, the cards, paper, and pen were brought out for as many games as they could play. (Rook can be played with 2-6 players. We always played with four players and it is that configuration that informs this post.)

Being young, I was relegated to watching. But, as soon as they deemed me old enough I was allowed to participate. I may not be tournament-good, but I’m family-good.

I have not played Rook in a number of years, but for many it remains a vacation and family gathering staple. As I think about how Rook is played—and how to win games—these six leadership thoughts come to mind. Read More

image: amazon.com

Asylum Seekers, Family Separation, and Political Order

Two weeks after Maria’s 9-year-old daughter, Esther, returned home from an errand with her face bruised and clothes torn, she and her daughter sweated profusely under the desert sun 10 miles south of the U.S. border. Esther’s beating had been the tipping point. Maria had tried to hold out. She had grown up in the town; it was her home. But the gang ranks were growing, and with larger ranks came crueler belligerence. Some in her extended family had lost children to gang violence. All had been robbed at some point or other. When Esther returned home bloodied, Maria knew it was time to escape.

Maria had heard rumors that families threatened by violence could seek asylum in the United States. She felt she and Esther had to be ideal candidates. Gangs were everywhere; her daughter had been abused; the whole town was corrupt. As she and Esther approached the border agent and nervously began answering his questions, it quickly became apparent they wouldn’t be admitted as refugees. The agent’s demeanor said it all. They were moved to several different lines until finally arriving in a large holding room. Two days later, authorities approached Maria and Esther to take Esther away. Maria was screaming too loudly for her daughter to hear the agent’s explanation.

The question before American society is whether asylum seekers like Maria should be subject to prosecution and whether prosecution should require family separation. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently defended the Justice Department’s policy of prosecuting asylum seekers and separating children from parents facing prosecution. He appealed to Romans 13, saying people should “obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes.” But this policy is morally abhorrent and, far from being justified by Scripture, is condemned by Scripture. Many Christians have objected to Sessions’s misuse of Romans 13 to support the current policy, but some still support the policy itself.

I want to address both the injustice of the separation policy and Sessions’s faulty hermeneutic. Read More

Related Post:
600 United Methodists Accuse Jeff Sessions of Child Abuse

Tuesday's Catch: "7 Intangibles Needed in Leading Church Revitalization" and More

7 Intangibles Needed in Leading Church Revitalization

Many times in leadership the intangibles determine the quality of our leadership. I have learned this is especially true in church revitalization. Read More

5 Reasons People Aren’t Inviting Friends To Church

Have your regular attenders stopped inviting friends? One of these reasons could be the culprit. Read More

This article is a repost from May. It challenges us to think about what we can do to improve our church's worship and overall Sunday experience; to help the congregation become more outward-looking; to become more careful with our words in our preaching and teaching, to focus on the gospel, and to speak with love and grace for all; and to make transformed lives our big picture goal.

3 Common Blind Spots in Leaders

Everyone struggles with self-awareness to a degree, and we are foolish if we think we are immune. Our lack of self-awareness in life and leadership is often referred to as our blind spots. I have been leading other leaders for a long time, watching them interact with their teams and with the team they serve on, and I’ve seen three common blind spots in leaders. Read More

5 Dumb Myths Too Many Leaders Believe

How do you know you haven’t fallen for a leadership myth that simply isn’t true? Answer: sometimes you don’t. Read More

The Importance Of Doing lowercase ministry In An ALL CAPS World

We can be loud, or we can be heard. But we can seldom do both. Read More

Should Pastors Preach Less Often?

When I served as a pastor, I seldom missed preaching on a Sunday. Other than vacations, I was in the pulpit for both Sunday morning and Sunday night (and Wednesday night, for that matter). Thus, I’m surprised when I see young pastors who invite others to preach regularly in their place—sometimes as often as once a month, if not more. This approach makes me wonder what I would do if I were pastoring today. Here’s my thinking. Read More

Sunday Church Services Are Not About You

Six tangible ways congregations can shift their gatherings from me to us. Read More

Eight Ways the Digital World Has Changed Local Church Ministry - Rainer on Leadership #442 [Podcast]

Churches continue to be shaped by the changing digital world. Today, Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe discuss eight specific ways churches have been changed by technology and digital resources. Listen Now

Serve Jesus Where He Has Put You (Now)

Murray State University Arboretum

Many of us feel trapped in our life circumstances. The 9-5 grind. Commuting to work. A boring job. The endless routine of caring for small children. A mediocre and unremarkable church. Bad health and limited mobility. Even many of the good things in life—work, family, church—can feel like they are the things holding us back from serving Jesus as we would like. This is nothing new. Dissatisfaction with life is older than the book of Ecclesiastes.

"Even many of the good things in life—work, family, church—can feel like they are the things holding us back from serving Jesus as we would like"

Being a Christian should cause us to look at our life circumstances differently. At the end of his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul instructs his readers to imitate his gospel-centred approach to life:

‘Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.’ (Philippians 4:9)

That command should lead us to start reading the letter again from the beginning to see what example Paul offers us to imitate. You’ll quickly realise that he spends the early part of the letter talking about how wonderful it is that he is in prison. That’s probably not the part that Christians are supposed to try to imitate! But the way in which Paul approached his time in prison is extremely important for all of us to consider in relation to our own lives. Read More

image: murraystate.edu

Be a Small Town Pastor

I’ve reached the point in my life where, for whatever reason, I spend a good portion of my time encouraging and coaching younger men. I relish the opportunity to speak whatever affirmation and direction I am able to give to these young men, however limited. Among the younger men I counsel, several of them are in the ministry—or hope to be at some point. During the course of our conversations, I am often asked about career path. Most pointedly, these men want to know: How do you get to become a Senior Pastor of an established church? What does it take?

To be honest, every pastor could answer this question differently. My story is certainly idiosyncratic to the way the Lord wanted to shape my life. But one thing keeps popping up as I tell my story: I learned the most about being a pastor when I was pastoring a small, rural church.

That’s why I find myself consistently recommending those considering a career in ministry to pastor a smaller rural church, if at all possible. Here’s why.... Read More

How We Lead In Times of Cultural Shift

It’s pretty obvious the English-speaking Western world is rapidly changing in regards to faith. The culture is moving in secular and pluralist directions, and away from a more Judeo-Christian influence. As a result, Christians need to re-learn how to lead effectively in our new post-Christian culture.

This cultural shift has resulted in the loss of what I refer to as the Christian’s home court advantage. We’ve see it in the last fifty years. Read More

Pray for Japan

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Kansai region of Japan on Monday, killing at least four people and injuring more than 300 people. 9-year-old Rina Miyake was walking to school when a concrete wall surrounding a swimming pool fell on her. It was a heart-breaking reminder that Japan is not only vulnerable to earthquakes but also millions of its people have not heard the Gospel and are passing from this life into an eternity without God.

I learned about the earthquake late last night. A Google search led me to Prayercast’s webpage for Japan. Prayercast is asking visitors to this webpage to:

• Pray for the Gospel to take root in Japanese culture and no longer be perceived as a western religion.
• Pray for drifting, over-worked, and anxious youth to find freedom in Christ.
• Pray for the unity of God's Spirit to demolish barriers dividing the 120 different denominations.

Learn More about Prayercast

Learn More about Praying for the Lost

Please also join me in praying for the victims of the earthquake and their families.

The FAQs: What You Should Know About Family Separation at the Border

Over the past six weeks, immigration officials have separated hundreds of migrant families who have either crossed into the United States illegally or have sought political asylum.

A change in immigration policy by the Trump administration is resulting in thousands of children being housed separately from their parents as they await adjudication. The children are being kept in separate facilities and are unable to see their parents for an indefinite period of time. Read More

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The Evangelical Immigration Table's Letter to President Trump

Separating young children from their psychological parents causes irreparable psychological, emotional, developmental, and physiological damage to the child to which I can personally attest as a retired social worker who worked in the field of child welfare for more than 25 years. It is an action that should be taken only by the order of a court with competent jurisdiction when a child's well-being is genuinely at high risk and then when all other viable alternatives have been exhausted. To describe the policy of the Trump administration as inhumane would be an understatement!

Monday's Catch: "24 Things That Love Is" and More

24 Things That Love Is

Christ's sacrifice of love is the ultimate example of what love is and what love does. Read More

The Top 10 Things Pharisees Say Today

Chances are that if you’re a Christian, your desire is to be more like Christ. That’s great. But are you? How would you know? Read More

Five “Short-Timers” Who May Not Stay Long at Your Church

Sometimes, no matter what you do, people are going to leave. In my experience, there are five types of individuals who are most likely to not stay very long. I’m afraid there is nothing in this article that will help you keep them. But perhaps, if you have advanced warning, their departure won’t hurt so much. Read More

10 Things You Should Know about Original Sin

Original sin sounds so archaic, so pessimistic, so grimly medieval. For heaven’s sake, this is the era of the computer and the space shuttle. And haven’t the most learned psychologists and sociologists assured us that people are by nature good, having been turned to their evil ways not by some inner instinct but through the influence of a deviant culture and sub-standard education? These questions indicate how important it is for us to understand the biblical notion of original sin. So here are ten things to keep in mind. Read More

Actually, God Calls the Qualified… Into Leadership

I think the distinction we sometimes miss is that God welcomes everyone into his family, entirely by grace and on the basis of the blood of his Son, Jesus, without respect to any qualification in us. We’re all welcome – every last broken one of us. But when it comes to leadership, God bestows influence and authority on those who have proven to be faithful stewards of smaller responsibilities. Read More

9 Reasons Why Seasoned Leaders Don't Pass the Baton Until It's Too Late

We can change the church settings, pastoral personalities, and leadership scenarios, but one thing about church leadership remains the same: every day, every leader is one day closer to passing the baton to the next leader. The question is whether the baton will be passed willingly and wisely, effectively and efficiently. Read More

5 Ways Stress Impairs Your Ability to Lead

Stress isn’t just inconvenient; it can actually impair your ability to lead. Here’s how. Read More

How The Best Leaders Develop Self-Control

Leaders without consistent self control never make it to their long term destination. Read More

I’m Not Dead and the Holy Spirit is Not a “Force”

I noted in a previous post that, according to a recent study by Lifeway Research, 56 percent of evangelical Christians say the Holy Spirit is a force rather than a person. In that same study, a quarter (28 percent) said the Spirit is a divine being but not equal to God the Father and Jesus. Half (51 percent) disagreed. Twenty-one percent were not sure.[i] Why do so many evangelicals have a warped understanding of the Holy Spirit? Could I suggest that, in large part, this is rooted in what we publicly say, sing, write, and teach (or fail to teach) in our Christian circles.

I am convinced that even among those who intellectually and theologically affirm that the Holy Spirit is a person, many still speak of Him as a “force” that mysteriously arrives from some obscure location. They describe Him in obscure third person language as “The Presence” or a “power” in the atmosphere. I am deeply concerned that the Holy Spirit, even in contexts where His work is emphasized and His presence evoked, has become the “misrepresented God.”

Francis Chan agrees: “He is not an indistinct ‘power’ or ‘thing.’ I often hear people referring to the Spirit as an ‘it,’ as if the ‘Spirit’ is a ‘thing’ or ‘force’ that we can control or use. This distinction may seem subtle or trivial, but is actually a very serious misunderstanding of the Spirit and his role in our lives.”[ii]

This confusion ultimately detracts from the compelling New Testament teaching on the person of the Spirit dwelling within us. This can subtly diminish our conscious, moment-by-moment enjoyment and consistent empowerment by the indwelling Christ. Most troubling, a confused view of the Holy Spirit can distort the sufficiency of our promised new covenant experience based on the glorious person, sufficient work, and clear promises of Jesus Christ. Read More

 Related Post: 
The Very Personal Power of the Holy Spirit

In this article Daniel Henderson expands upon what he wrote in his previous article. "The Very Personal Power of the Holy Spirit."

What Is Discernment?

Someone I know recently expressed an opinion that surprised and in some ways disappointed me. I said to myself, “I thought he would have more discernment than that.”

The experience caused me to reflect on the importance of discernment and the lack of it in our world. We know that people often do not see issues clearly and are easily misled because they do not think biblically. But, sadly, one cannot help reflecting on how true this is of the church community, too.

Most of us doubtless want to distance ourselves from what might be regarded as “the lunatic fringe” of contemporary Christianity. We are on our guard against being led astray by false teachers. But there is more to discernment than this. True discernment means not only distinguishing the right from the wrong; it means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient. And, yes, it means distinguishing between the good and the better, and even between the better and the best.

Thus, discernment is like the physical senses; to some it is given in unusual measure as a special grace gift (1 Cor. 12:10), but some measure of it is essential for us all and must be constantly nourished. The Christian must take care to develop his “sixth sense” of spiritual discernment. This is why the psalmist prays, “Teach me good judgment and knowledge” (Ps. 119:66). Read More

The Dumbing Down of Christianity

The other day a friend of mine said that he sees no merit in understanding Calvinism or Arminianism because he just wants to Love God and love people. And it seems that the ball stops there for most Christians today. No need to know any more than that.

I would go so far as to say that there is even a fear in evangelical Christianity of knowledge. In my experience, this fear comes from one of two sources: People are scared that if they come to know too much, they’ll be like the Pharisees and will just become haughty and judgmental to others, thus weakening their love for God; or they’re afraid that they’ll learn too much and go off the deep end of liberalism and swim in the risky waters of universalism and other heresies.

We have replaced rich, robust theology in the church with emotional music and constant reminders that “God is love and loves you and He’s your personal Savior and loves your soul…” These words are great at bringing outsiders through the doors (because they’re true by and large) but poor at growing believers into mature witnesses with rich understanding of the deep things of God. Read More

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Religiously Unaffiliated 'Nones' Are Pursuing Spirituality, but Not Community

In the 1980s, only 10% of Americans said that they had no religious affiliation. Three decades later, more than 23% of Americans describe themselves as nonreligious, according to the Pew Research Center. This growing group is referred to as the “nones,” meaning those whose religious affiliation is “none.”

Millennials, in particular, are much more likely to reject organized religion, Pew found. About a third of all millennials are nones. And who can blame them? They were raised in an era of sex abuse scandals and jihadist extremism. Corruption of institutions and ideologies have turned many young people away.

But contrary to the hopes of neo-Enlightenment thinkers like Steven Pinker, millennial nones are not abandoning organized religion to become secular, science-loving humanists. Rather, they are turning toward more individual forms of spiritualism, including yoga, meditation, healing stones, Wiccan spell casting and astrology.

These nones tend to believe in the soul, divine energy, mystical realities, ghosts, fate and myriad other superstitions that traditionally fell under the umbrella of religion. They also tend to eschew formal social gatherings and regular group activities.

Young nones, in other words, are adopting one of the least helpful aspects of organized religion (magical thinking) while abandoning one of the most beneficial (social bonding).

According to a number of studies and surveys, religious people tend to be happier, have better health, stay married, live longer and commit less crime. In recent years, a growing body of research has suggested that organized religion reduces the risk of depression.

But these advantages don’t come as a result of beliefs alone, nor from inner mental states achieved by the individual. Rather, they are obtained through the social activity of a group. Read More

Related Post:
“Nones” Have Religious Beliefs, but No Community

For more information on Stephen T. Asma's Why We Need Religion, visit the Oxford University Press website.

Called to Shepherd Christ's Flock

How Pastors Can Reclaim the Role of Spiritual Parent

I don’t wear a collar, but "Father" is still the best description of my calling. Read More

The Pastor's Currency is Influence

Are you spending it wisely? Read More

5 Warning Signs of Moral Failure

Because sin makes us incredibly stupid, those caught up in the cycle of sin often don’t see the signals their foolishness is sending. Here are five warning signs of moral failure. Read More

4 Reasons Every Christian Needs Time in Silence

Embrace silence as that peaceful, healing balm for your noisy, restless soul. Read More

Dr Lloyd-Jones on Praying in the Spirit

I spent five years immersing myself in the sermons of Martyn Lloyd-Jones. It was truly a transformative season in my life. What was the biggest takeaway? The answer may surprise you. He taught me how to pray. Read More

Practical Preaching Advice for Pastors and Lay Preachers #03

The Curse of Knowledge: A Preaching Death Trap – Part 1 of 3

Fact, ideas and concepts that are so common knowledge to you they seem mundane, would blow someone else’s mind.... Every time you preach you run the risk of making people feel stupid just because they don’t know what you’re talking about. Read More

Finding Your Preaching Voice

It’s not hard to tell who’s influencing rookie preachers, it tends to come out in their delivery. Sometimes when I’m listening to young guys preach, I can see John Piper in their “exaltation” expressions, or Tim Keller in their “conversational” style or Matt Chandler in their “are you tracking with me “statements. Finding your preaching voice can be difficult, so here are some tips to help you along the way. Read More

Shorter Sermons Aren’t Always Better | Ideal Sermon Length? [Podcast]

What’s the ideal sermon length? That’s a question that gets a lot of opinions. My opinion? Shorter sermons aren’t always better. In this episode, we’ll dive into 5 questions to help you determine your ideal sermon length. Listen Now

If you are a part of a preaching team or mentoring one or more preachers, you may want to share these articles and this podcast with the other preachers on the team or the preacher or preachers you're mentoring.

How To Pray For Your Pastor

Prayer is the most powerful force in the world. It is truly life changing.

Nothing shapes the outcomes of your church more than prayer, and the longer I lead, the more I understand and appreciate the prayers of faithful intercessors.

Your pastor, (and the staff), are prime targets for spiritual attack. Your prayers help win the battle.

Satan doesn’t have to chase your entire congregation, just the leaders. And especially your pastor.

If the Enemy can get to your pastor and church leaders, even take them out, he can hurt the whole church. Read More

You may want to share this article with your congregation or small group.

Evangelism Is NOT Optional #06

The World’s Shortest Mission Trip

Serving as an ambassador for Christ in your community does not take a master’s degree in apologetics but rather a few simple commitments. Read More

Is Evangelism the Pastor’s Job?[Video]

Mark Dever explains why evangelism is every Christian's responsibility. Watch Now

You may want to share this article and this video with your congregation or small group.