Sanctified By Reproof: Part 1
(taken from Living a Holy Life, pg. 9-11) We are sanctified by the Word of God (John 17:17). The Spirit of God takes the Word of God and applies it to our lives (II Tim. 3:16, 17). The Word of God is profitable for doctrine – it teaches us what is right. It is profitable
Maturity
(taken from Building Christian Unity, pg. 30-32) Principle #3: The body matures as each member ministers. “According to the effective working by which every part does its share” (Eph. 4:16). Are you doing your share? Each of us has a ministry to fulfill in building the Body of Christ. Are you doing your part? Remember,
Maturity
(taken from Building Christian Unity, pg. 27-30) A fourth essential for unity in the Church is maturity. Someone has defined maturity as “the ability to live in somebody else’s world and not complain.” The mature believer is not afraid of diversity or change, nor is he or she threatened by the gifts and ministries of
Diversity (Continued)
(taken from Building Christian Unity, pg. 22-26) Diversity releases the grace of God. In Ephesians 4:7-10 Paul gave a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ’s having won the victory, ascending back to heaven and giving gifts to those who believe in Him. This is based on Psalm 68:18. Psalm 68 is a victory psalm. As
Diversity
(taken from Building Christian Unity, pg. 19-22) One of the best ways to promote unity in the Church is to allow freedom for diversity. That may sound like a paradox, but it is true. You cannot have true unity without diversity, for unity without diversity is uniformity; and uniformity can destroy the life of the
Identity
(taken from Building Christian Unity, pg. 11-18) “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Paul gave this admonition in Ephesians 4:3, and the Church desperately needs to heed it today. Homes are dividing (even Christian marriages are falling apart), and churches are splitting-in spite of the fact that Jesus
Humility
(taken from Building Christian Unity, pg. 3-10) It may not look like it, and it may not feel like it; but God is at work in this world today putting things together. Satan is at work tearing things apart – destroying homes and dividing churches. But God is at work, through His Church, bringing things together.
Answering Some Questions About Worship 3
(taken from Real Worship, pg. 203-210. © Used by permission of Warren W. Wiersbe. Do not duplicate – for personal use only.) 15. In his book Preaching and Preachers, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones warns that preaching declines whenever there is “an increase in the formal element in the service.” Please comment. The late Dr. Lloyd-Jones was
Answering Some Questions About Worship 2
8. Is there any place for humor in a service of worship? Sometimes you cannot help it! A worship leader with a good sense of humor can deal with awkward or embarrassing situations without destroying the atmosphere of the service. However, I would vote against forced or contrived humor that can only call attention to
Answering Some Questions About Worship 1
In public and private discussions about worship, often the same questions and comments come up, so it seems wise to deal with some of them here. 1. Our church is very aggressive and evangelistic, and the people are scared to death of liturgy and things like that. How do you explain our success, and what
A Library for the Long Haul
(The following article is from Leadership magazine. Warren Wiersbe shares the books that keep him in ministry) A college student wrote me requesting counsel concerning a personal problem, and the last sentence in her letter was “Please don’t tell me to read a book!” She was smart enough to know that reading a book doesn’t automatically solve
How To Pray When God Changes Your Plan
In his heart David had a great desire to build a temple for God. It was a good thing David wanted to do, not an evil thing. He was willing to sacrifice to do it, but God didn’t choose David for this job, instead He chose Solomon. How do we pray when our plans are