My first year as a lead pastor was a rough year. I was told by many that the church would grow, and people left instead. (The Lord gave many to our church in the next two years, thankfully.) We felt the strain on finances, and, with the small crew we had for our large property,… Read More »
Human sin will worm its way into our Christian institutions until Jesus glorifies us all. Churches, conventions, fellowships, colleges, universities, seminaries, mission agencies, networks, associations—all of these institutions require people, and people sin from time to time. When they do, their sin brings reproach to Christ and the institutions that bear his name. Some sins… Read More »
This past week, it was my honor to teach at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. My class was “The Theology and Development of Leadership,” a class for four students working on their Doctor of Ministry degree. They included a former pastor on deputation to be a missionary in Peru, a Korean seminarian burdened to… Read More »
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians briefly describes how the messengers delivered the gospel with power, Spirit, and conviction (1 Thess 1:5). Paul describes his ministry again in detail in 1 Thess 2:1–12. Several themes stand out. First, in speaking about himself and his fellow missionaries, Paul’s primary concern was to uphold the integrity of… Read More »
Colossians 4:17 records Paul’s charge to Archippus: “And say to Archippus, ‘See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.’” What was this ministry that Archippus was to fulfill? Archippus was the son of Philemon and Apphia, and their church met in their house (Philemon 1–2). Being a son, he was… Read More »
A little digging in Colossians discovers some details about Epaphras, a minor character in the New Testament, but a main character in Colossae and an exemplary leader for us today. Two passages tell us about him, Colossians 1:3–8 and 4:12–13. A Faithful Evangelist (Colossians 1:3–8) Paul reminded the Colossians they learned the gospel from Epaphras,… Read More »
Imagine making a list of pastors who fell into sexual sin. Then imagine making a list of pastors who committed sexual crimes. And then finally imagine that this list gets posted on the internet for all to see. As seen in recent days, such things are not hard to imagine. Recent events should sober us… Read More »
There is a general need for pastors and teachers in our churches. Broadly speaking, more pastors will retire than those who might fill their pulpits in years to come. In our rush to fill those pulpits, we should pray that Christ would send out laborers for the harvest (Matthew 9:38), but we should also be… Read More »
This past Monday, I stayed home and had a real holiday. We grilled burgers, enjoyed God’s creation, and spent time with my parents. The day was relaxed, tasks were undemanding, and deadlines were done and gone. I didn’t brutalize my body with one of the annual holiday routines at my gym, and I slept in… Read More »
The church’s mission church is simple—make disciples (Matthew 28:18–20). Within this mission, pastor-teachers teach others to teach the Word: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). Teaching takes place formally and includes directly teaching doctrine,… Read More »