We are grateful you take the time to read the Southern Blog. Our goal is to share with you great content that will help you in your ministry. Here are our top 10 most read posts of 2014.

 

1. 10 Reasons you cannot be a missionary — David Sills

“I travel and speak in a lot of churches, conferences, and countries, preaching and teaching about missions or taking teams on mission trips. I lead orientation for mission agencies and serve on their boards. In the process of all of this I talk to a lot of people who are passionate about missions. Some of them are relatively young and in college, seminary, or ministry, others are middle-aged or nearing retirement. I hear a lot of “reasons” that disappointed people believe exclude them from serving in missions. Here’s a collection of the top-ten most-cited reasons why some say they cannot answer a missionary call, and my usual counsel…”

2. Why seminary can never qualify anyone for ministry – Hershael York

“I do not have the authority to expel you, so I’m asking you, please withdraw and leave the seminary.” I realized the weight of my words and fully appreciated their potential effect. Only after several lengthy attempts to correct him, learning that he was not plugged into any local church, and then subsequently conferring with the dean did I let them fall so profoundly and heavily on his stunned ears. The young man had preached several sermons in my preaching practicum, each one more disturbing and irresponsible than the last. Finally he crossed the line from unbalanced to untrue and promoted something that I judged to be egregiously wrong, contrary to the gospel, and antithetical to everything Southern Seminary stands for…”

3. The pastor as theologian — Part 1 — R. Albert Mohler Jr.

“The transformation of theology into an academic discipline more associated with the university than the church has been one of the most lamentable developments of the last several centuries. In the earliest eras of the church, and through the annals of Christian history, the central theologians of the church were its pastors. This was certainly true of the great Reformation of the sixteenth century as well. From the patristic era, we associate the discipline and stewardship of theology with names such as Athanasius, Irenaeus and Augustine. Similarly, the great theologians of the Reformation were, in the main, pastors such as John Calvin and Martin Luther…”

4. 14 Questions to ask a pastor search committee — David Prince

  1. In your opinion, what are the 5 best things about the church? What would the average person in the church say is the best thing about the church?
  2. In your opinion, what are the 5 biggest problems in the church right now? What would the average person say is the biggest problem in the church right now?
  3. What has been the biggest conflict in the church in the past 5, 10, 20 years? What is the biggest conflict in the history of the church?…

 

5. Why Christian parents should not want good, happy, safe kids — David Prince

“I cannot believe that you would do that!” That incredulous assertion is an all too familiar response from parents (including myself) who discover a child has sinned. But for Christian parents, such an assertion is anti-Christ because it constitutes speaking as if the gospel is not true. It represents the response for a parent who desires to rear a religious Pharisee. If a parent’s goal is to keep up appearances and maintain an external image of righteousness, then it is right to myopically focus on outward performance…”

 6. How Pornography works: It hijacks the male brain — R. Albert Mohler Jr.

We are fast becoming a pornographic society. Over the course of the last decade, explicitly sexual images have crept into advertising, marketing, and virtually every niche of American life. This ambient pornography is now almost everywhere, from the local shopping mall to prime-time television. By some estimations, the production and sale of explicit pornography now represents the seventh-largest industry in America…”

7. Top 20 Christ-centered expository preaching checklist — David Prince

  1. Preach the text/Preach Christ and His Kingdom (redemptive history, epoch, person & work of Christ, eschatological fulfillment in the Kingdom of Christ)
  2. Honor the Authors of the text
  3. Apply the text in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
  4. Preach with authority as an ambassador of Christ
  5. Understand preaching as an eschatological act of spiritual war that demands prayer and Spirit-given unction…

8. Lead your wife spiritually | A guide for husbands — Randy Stinson & Dan Dumas

“A significant, but often under-emphasized, area where you are called to lead in your marriage is as a spiritual leader. You are to disciple your wife and serve in her sanctification. This is true of all believers according to Hebrews 10:24 that says, “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,” but it’s especially true of husbands who bear the responsibility to lead in a marriage…”

 9. Lead in dating your wife | A guide for husbands — Randy Stinson & Dan Dumas

“Few goals are achieved if they don’t make it into your routine and few goals that do find a place in your routine fail to bear fruit. There is great power in turning resolutions into habits. The easiest way to consistently study your wife and examine your marriage is to lead in routinely dating your wife. Don’t just wait until you’re motivated to go out and definitely don’t wait until there’s no room in your schedule left for a date. Go ahead and block out a regular time and then lead in making the most out of your dates…”

10. Lay your life down for your wife | A guide for husbands — Randy Stinson & Dan Dumas

“Regardless of any examples or influences you may see around you of marriages that seek to be 50/50 and fully equal, it’s your responsibility to lead and give 100 percent. Based on Ephesians 5:24, you’re the head of your marriage as Christ is the head of the church. You are responsible to lead. You carry the burden when decisions need to be made and God will hold you accountable to lead…”