Preaching: A Point of Reference (Part 2)
I’ve known preachers who preached on tithing and didn’t tithe. Or they interpreted tithing as 10% after you’ve paid all the bills, taken the kids to Disney, and bought a new car. Their preaching on tithing is watered down and non-confrontational, lest someone challenge them on their interpretation. Early on in my ministry here, I
Exercise Counts
Read 1 Timothy 4:1-8 If a man wants to be healthy, he must watch his food and exercise, and keep both in their proper proportion. Too much food without sufficient exercise will make a man overweight and sluggish, and too much exercise without the proper diet will make him sick. What is true of the
Have We No Tears for Revival?
Written by: Leonard Ravenhill “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Ps. 126:5). This is the divine edict. This is more than preaching with zeal. This is more than scholarly exposition. This is more than delivering sermons of exegetical exactitude and homiletic perfection. Such a man, whether preacher or pew dweller, is appalled
Evaluating Your Ministry
Written by: Bill Elliff Our one great, compelling command from our King is to “make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). There are no options here. If our ministry is not leading people to Jesus and growing them into obedient, multiplying followers—in whatever measure and
Preaching: A Point of Reference (Part 1)
On what basis do you preach? Why preach at all? What’s the goal? The purpose? I know, we’ve all got our stock seminary answers, but when it’s just you – alone with your Heavenly Father – why do you preach? When we one day stand before God and He judges our works, what will our
Still More Sacrifices
Read Hebrew 13:15-16; Philippians 4:14-18 God looks for the sacrifices of praise. How easy it is for us to complain! How difficult it is to praise the Lord and think Him for His mercies! “O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness!” exclaimed the psalmist. Continual praise means a continual walk with the
The Men Who Changed the World :: Bill Elliff
Written by: Bill Elliff For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child
A Life Well Lived
On the morning of April 13, 1888, Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist who was the inventor of dynamite, opened the morning paper expecting to read the obituary of his older brother Ludvig. However, he was startled to read the headline, “The merchant of death is dead” The newspaper reporter in Paris had made a careless
Posting More Than You’re Living
In this age of social media it’s easy to post a quote, retweet a thought, or put something on Facebook. Point, click, copy…it’s easy, right? But easy doesn’t mean it’s true – for us. I know I’m guilty. I’ve preached sermons through the years, and I wasn’t living them out in my own life. It’s
Where Are the Sacrifices?
Read 1 Peter 2:1-10 These verses describe the privileged position of the New Testament believer in Christ. We are “a royal priesthood” (v. 9) and “an holy priesthood” (v. 5); it is our privilege to “offer up spiritual sacrifices to God by Jesus Christ.” What are these spiritual sacrifices? Let’s begin with Romans 12:1: “I
The Harvest
“So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.” Luke 10:1 Jesus called The Twelve, but He also chose 72 other disciples to go ahead of Him, in pairs, to all the towns and places He planned to visit. His primary instruction to
When Your Children Challenge and Stretch You
Our youngest daughter, Hayley, is currently serving with the International Mission Board in South Africa. As she’s been on this faith venture, it’s reminded me that it is easier to talk about missions than to do missions. When it hits home, when it is someone you love, it’s different. When you are a 16-hour flight