Paul reminds us (1 Corinthians 15:1-2) that the gospel he preached is the means by which we are saved. It is of no surprise then that he goes on to say in verse 3 that this gospel (the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ) is therefore of first importance. The gospel …
Church
Here’s an old joke that illustrates the pastoral need for asking the right question: Once there was a boy sitting on a porch, with a dog next to him. A salesman approached the porch and asked the boy, “Does your dog bite?” “Nope,” said the boy. The salesman stepped on the porch to ring the …
Title of Book: The Shepherd Leader at Home Author: Timothy Z. Witmer Publisher: Crossway Books Year: 2012 About the Book: Husbands and dads play a crucial role in the health and survival of the family. That’s why leadership expert Tim Witmer has written this book—to strengthen our efforts to lead well. He applies a biblical framework …
David Powlison is well-known for saying, “There are plenty of reasons to be afraid. But there is a better reason not to be.” That’s a good word for the church today. The Evangelical church is in a panic. From all angles, it feels as though Christianity is on the losing end of the culture wars. …
Title of Book: The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness Author: John MacArthur Publisher: Crossway Books Year: 2009 About the Book: Few concepts are more basic to Christianity—or more important to a Christian’s personal and spiritual well-being—than forgiveness. Yet in an age in which it has become fashionable to “forgive yourself” rather than to forgive others, …
Recently, Steve, a member of the congregation that I pastor, came to me to ask if I could meet with Ray, a friend of his from work. Steve had been praying for his friend, and some of their conversations made it seem like Ray would be willing to discuss spiritual things. Steve thought that if …
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5NOv3fmHqSoR2SbvDizKml?si=b926dda860dd42e4 If you’ve heard stories of hundreds of thousands of people coming to Christ and thousands of churches planted in a short amount of time, then it’s likely from one of dominant church planting methodologies or movements gaining prominence. In recent years, there have been reports of astounding numbers of people getting saved and of …
Title of Book: Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God Author: Bob Kauflin Publisher: Crossway Books Year: 2008 About the Book: Nothing is more essential than knowing how to worship the God who created us. This book focuses readers on the essentials of God-honoring worship, combining biblical foundations with practical application in …
May we, as pastors, be content with whichever size of the church we are called to today and spend our energy learning to care for her well instead of obsessing over how to get her bigger.
Title of Book: The Knowledge of the Holy Author: A.W. Tozer Publisher: HarperOne Year: 2009 About the Book: This timeless gift breathes a spirit of devotion for all Christians, from those who are newly arrived, to those who are committing themselves anew to Jesus Christ. A modern classic of Christian testimony and devotion, The Knowledge …
Title of Book: Maturity: Growing Up and Going On in the Christian Life Author: Sinclair B. Ferguson Publisher: Banner of Truth Year: 2019 About the Book: Sinclair Ferguson shows that a deep-seated concern of the writers of the New Testament was to see Christians grow to spiritual maturity, and if that was the concern of …
Title of Book: Does God Care How We Worship? Author: Ligon Duncan Publisher: P&R Publishing Year: 2020 About the Book: Today, many churches do not understand that both the Old and New Testaments have much to say about appropriate worship before God. Ligon Duncan lays the foundations of the regulative principle in worship, providing full …
Although a proverbial bell rang in our nation on June 24, we don’t have the liberty of returning to rest in our corners. This is not the time to sit on a stool, to be refreshed by others between rounds. The fight for life continues!
My home church is in the middle of a building project. Amidst all the excitement and hopeful anticipation of future ministry in a new space, there is an equal dose of stress-inducing decisions needing to be made as unforeseen circumstances develop. Behind it all we must constantly remind ourselves that even the smallest choices can …
https://youtu.be/JdlCrt3y5lU The duo of Shane Barnard and Shane Everett are better known as Shane and Shane, a contemporary worship band who have always aimed to keep worship focused on Christ rather than themselves through their music, which, according to their website is “biblically based, lyrically rich, and sonically engaging.” They have dedicated their lives to …
In just a few decades, we’ve witnessed an explosion of interest and engagement in North American church planting. What was just a sideshow that a few entrepreneurial folks did in the 80s and 90s is viewed as the main act for many church leaders today. The church planting boom has reordered the priorities of many …
https://youtu.be/Pz4m6bV__6k Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber recently sat down with The Focused Pastor to talk about his journey to the office, his advocacy on behalf of sexual abuse victims and what churches can do to prevent sexual abuse. His presidency comes amid a denomination facing fallout from a large-scale sexual abuse scandal. In this …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRWJXo4GF7w https://youtu.be/3z2hCcAZzqo https://youtu.be/i56O-FR5nxY https://youtu.be/9jDu2hB9GOE Reverend Dave Harvey knows a thing or two about church planting. He’s been doing it in his role as a pastor for the past 36 years, and is now the president of Great Commission Collective, a global church-planting ministry. He also serves on the board for the Christian Counseling and …
The temptation to replace live church with online settles for a lesser-than version of God’s intention for the local body to gather.
The following is part 2 of our Pro-Life 201 for Pastors article. Be sure to read part 1 first. Will you stand up and speak out about life? If the things I have shared are true, then the Church—moreover Pastors—should certainly address abortion head on! We desperately need Pastors who are willing to stand up …
