Hard Words to Swallow Lead to Revival (Part 1)

There are many factors that limit revival. We must remember: revival is a church term. It’s a church need. Revival is different from awakening. Only after revival sweeps through the church will we see awakening sweep through the culture. God has an order in how He works. He doesn’t work in chaos or confusion; He […]

Hard Words to Swallow Lead to Revival (Part 2)

Murmuring in the church starts in subtle ways: “I’m not sure about this new building program. Shouldn’t we be giving the money to missions?” As if providing facilities in your community is less spiritual than providing a hut in Africa. This is not either/or; it’s both/and. “I don’t like the new direction we are going.” […]

The Stirring Among Us

God is stirring His people. Across denominational and cultural lines. Across age groups and generational differences. Across theological preferences. There is a stirring, a longing, a hunger I’ve not seen since the days of the Jesus Movement. During the Jesus Movement, the church missed a window of opportunity to see what could have been a […]

No Time for a Divided Mind

If you will allow me, I want to get in your face for the next few minutes. I’m not trying to offend you. On the contrary, I’m trying to save you from yourself and possibly a wasted life. The times are too serious for such a mediocre brand of Christianity. The needs of our world […]

Three Tests

In this pilgrimage called life, we often face tests. Usually we think of tests as something we took in school. They were something we crammed for the night before and then prayed hard we would pass them. We take driver’s tests, blood tests before we get married, and the doctors often tell us they need […]

Preaching

The following is an excerpt from Oswald Chambers about preaching from his book Disciples Indeed (1958, 2002; Marshall, Morgan & Scott). His words are penetrating and insightful. “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:5) A personal testimony feeds you from […]

I Don’t Like Labels (Part 2)

When there was conflict in the church at Jerusalem, the pastor of the church, James, stood up and spoke. It settled the issue and the church moved on. Today we are more likely to create a small group to discuss the shortcomings of the pastor and see if we can fire him. The main thing […]

I Don’t Like Labels (Part 1)

It seems everyone in our country wants to wear a label. Designer labels identify the shirt, slacks, or blouse. If you are what you wear, then I’m a polo player with a brother named Brooks, and an uncle named Orvis. Slogans on t-shirts indicate a school, philosophy, musician, or host of other things you want […]

Prime the Pump

When I was growing up, I often spent weeks at a time at my grandparents’ house on the farm. We had to sometimes prime the pump to get the water. The pump house was just outside in the back yard. Years ago, I went by the old farm place. The house was gone, the chicken […]

When God’s People Pray

I remember the first time I heard Wayne Watson’s song by that title. I sometimes find myself humming it or singing it (of course, I’m alone). “When God’s people pray, there is hope restored there is sin forgiven…” It’s not so much that prayer changes things, as much as it changes me. Prayer is not […]

Who Are You and How Did You Get Here? (Part 2)

Back in the old days, the men of God put a great value on the ministry. Men like Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Finney, Moody, Spurgeon, Truett, and others had great respect for other preachers, even if they disagreed with them. There was respect among peers, or at least that’s the way it seems to me. I […]

Who Are You and How Did You Get Here? (Part 1)

Early on in my pastoral ministry, I noticed something happening with my peers. Some (certainly not all) of the men I started with in ministry seemed to distance themselves from me when I left youth ministry and entered the pastorate. For some reason, I was no longer a peer. I’m not sure what all happened […]

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