P. T. Barnum Was Right
I believe it was P. T. Barnum who said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” In my lifetime, I’ve seen people rise from the dead…not literally, but ministerially. I have a file in my office filled with resumes of good and godly men who have been dismissed from their churches for trying to do the
It’s Carnival Time! (Part 2)
One of the most popular rides at the carnival was the roller coaster. In my preaching and teaching, I have more than once referred to “roller coaster Christians,” people who are always looking for a new “spiritual high” but do nothing but go up and down, never really maturing in the Christian life. They don’t
Understanding Young Dreamers
Written by: Bill Elliff “Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.” Genesis 37:5 There’s nothing more perplexing than a young dreamer. Unproven and untested, it’s easy to rush to conclusions. “He has no idea…wait until he gets out into the ‘real world’…who does he
Strength in Quietness
In his book, “Man’s Search For Meaning,” Nazi Death Camp survivor Viktor Frankl addressed the need for seclusion and the search for privacy by prisoners in the Nazi camps. “It is well known that an enforced community life, in which attention is paid to everything one does all the time, may result in an irresistible
A Friend, a Cemetery, and the Gospel
Today I stood on a grassy knoll in a cemetery in Newport, Tennessee. It was a warm June day, but there was a refreshing wind blowing as the graveside service began. Terri and I had come over to be with a friend whose dad had died. When it was time for the funeral to start,
It’s Carnival Time! (Part 1)
Perhaps it’s my age, or maybe it was the weather, but recently on a hot summer’s day I got to thinking about my boyhood in northern Indiana when every summer the carnival came to town. It was a big event and teh equipment always set up on a large vacant lot at the corner of
The Sufficiency of Daily Grace
Written by: Bill Elliff “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34) Most of my trouble is tomorrow. I don’t have enough money tomorrow. I have to have a tough conversation tomorrow. I’ve got too much to do tomorrow. I
Revival Praying
In churches that desperately need revival, one can often hear the prayer being offered, “Lord, send revival to our church. You know how much we need it.” But revival doesn’t come . . . because that is not revival praying. The words may be spoken passionately; the prayer may be uttered fervently and loudly; but
In Season…Out of Seas
Author J.K. Gressett writes about a man named Samuel Scull who settled on a farm in the Arizona desert with his wife and children. One evening, a fierce storm with rain, hail, and high winds swept across the desert leaving nothing but devastation and destruction in its path. Early the next morning, Samuel went out
Errant Theology and Lack of Discernment
I am amazed by the lack of discernment in the body of Christ today. We hear half-truths and embrace them as if they are God incarnate. We listen without discernment. We lack the ability to hear what is being said and what is not being said. False teachers are masters at disguising their message and
When the Pastor Hurts (Part 3)
Pastors hurt because God wants us to become more like Christ “If the world hates you,” Jesus told His disciples, “keep in mind that it hated me first. . . . If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:18, 20). If we aren’t careful, the world can get into the church and
Evaluating True Preaching
Written by: Bill Elliff John 7:14-18 Every communicator of God’s Word who desires to grow must evaluate Himself by Christ’s earthly teaching. Living as a man, He was the perfect illustration of anointed preaching. If a man is merely interested in self glory, he will never evaluate by such a standard. But every sincere preacher