Pastors are the making of God's people. A pastor's ability and effort to lead a congregation, seek those who are lost, feed the flock, and be part of healing hurting people either develops or impedes. In this blog, I honor my pastors who most clearly demonstrated the four qualities in the Ezekiel 34 - Shepherd's Job Description. E. W. Caughron for leadership. Louis Green for feeding the flock. G.A. Mangun in seeking the wandering and T.F. Tenney in ministering healing to the hurting.
For those who pastor or are in a church leadership role – Christmas is a time to make a memorable and influential ministry impact. Yes, Christmas is a time of “good tidings and joy to all people.” The beginning of the incarnation happened at Bethlehem.
Are you effective with growing a church, winning the lost, and turning converts into disciples? If so, your effectiveness on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ did not happen by accident. You made some intentional decisions.
What is powerful preaching? Is it preaching that brings people to their feet? Is it preaching that hits the “hot buttons” an audience will heartily respond to? Is it loud? Does the preacher need to seem as though he just drank three Red Bull energy drinks?
If you or a family member are battling depression, let me be blunt, your struggle is quite real. Like heart disease or diabetes, depression is a condition that ranges in degrees of ferocity. For some their depression is mild and...
Would you rather be "loved" or "respected"? A comedian is liked. People laugh. Is he respected? Respect is earned by loving people AND treating them with merciful and kind respect.
Depression has been called the mental and emotional common cold. Depression is common. However, many people remain unaware. They also remain unaware that depression affects people from the most successful – to the unknown.
Do Christian leaders occasionally make the mistake of trying to bring people to a place of participation they are not ready for. People should be rooted in the church as well as rooted in the Word of God to be productive.
I’ve been a pastor for almost 30 years and in ministry for nearly five decades. There have been more ups than downs, but in the down-times, when stress was high, there’s one thing I never did. Quit. Dealing with selfish...
Imagine them thinking and talking among themselves, ”You know that resurrection was a pretty neat trick, but I wonder when He is going to take care of the ‘main’ thing, the business of restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
Jesus’ conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount, spoke of the necessity of a good foundation. A good foundation is significant in anything that matters. To experience healthy church growth, having the right foundation is a requirement. Such growth does...
Let’s consider the keys to unlocking how to be effective at making disciples. Lock and key are apt descriptions. Too often when people are converted the church does not retain them. We need to ask ourselves why?
The Acts of the Apostles continues in the same vein of the gospel of Luke as Luke (the author) begins to share the "teaching" and "doing" of the followers of Jesus.
Personal devotion best begins with a quiet spirit. Anyone's spirit can be agitated. Often, to calm our human spirit requires divine intervention. If your spirit is restless. Rolling and tumbling moving about like the sea during a storm, start your personal devotion by taking your disquiet to Jesus.
