Hershael York

Pastors who try to reap the dividends of authority without making the investment of credibility will quickly find themselves in a leadership deficit.

Editors note: Dan Dumas has written a new book, Live Smart: Preparing for the Future God Wants for You (Bethany House). SBTS Blog editor Jeff Robinson corresponded with him on how he hopes to minister to the local church through his new work.   In Live Smart, you trace out 14 principles from Scripture that…

Not all missionary organizations are created equal. In fact, while the Great Commission is surprisingly succinct as founding documents go, it has germinated a host of extremely diverse ministries and methods. Today, hundreds of international sending agencies exist ranging from those committed to curbing sex trafficking to promoting the gift of prophecy, all in the…

I do not want the congregation to see God’s Word as beyond their grasp, that advanced degrees are necessary to engage the things of God deeply. I want to convince them that any Spirit-filled Christian can fully comprehend, apply, and delight in the truths of Scripture.

I have been there, and I know it’s not fun, but in retrospect I think I learned more about honoring Christ with my life during that time than at any other.

I cannot remember when hymns were not deeply embedded in my mental framework. How soon I began to go to “big-church” I do not recall, but the singing always made a deep impression on me and the language upon which I first began to meditate consisted of phrases in the musical repertoire: Holy, holy, holy…

My daughter, Laurelen, graduated from a small, classical Christian high school. The school enjoys a commencement tradition in which the parents hand the diploma to their child, but only after speaking a few words of encouragement (usually accompanied with some nostalgia) to him or her. The graduate responds with some brief, prepared remarks of his…

What a sad thought, that theology is only for the professional theologians. May we who prize theology stress its place in the church and show how practical it is, for in so doing we will save both ourselves and those around us.

If you cannot laugh at yourself, and laugh at yourself with others, you have a theological problem—you do not take God seriously enough. There is a reciprocal relationship between taking God seriously, and taking yourself less seriously. When people take themselves too seriously, they naturally become self-referential and touchy. They tend to be on the…

Editors’ note: This article begins an occasional series called “Ask a Professor” in which a member of the SBTS faculty will answer practical or theological questions related to preparing for ministry in the local church. If you have a question you’d like to see answered in this series, e-mail our blog editor at jrobinson@sbts.edu. ___________________________…

His words rang in my ears for days and triggered a few nights of nocturnal unrest. “What were you expecting in the pastorate? You’re not in seminary any more and this church isn’t filled with your seminary buddies. You’re in the real world now, son.”

I wish I could say that most of my time caring for pastors is spent teaching them what to do and where to take a church over time, but it’s not. Sadly, my time is mostly spent trying to get pastors to stay longer than a couple of years; trying to help pastors weather the…

At one time or another, a pastor will likely be confronted by a church member curious about becoming a missionary. Some may be uncertain but still trying to discern their calling. Others may be more assured but want direction on a field of ministry. In these situations, it is the business of the church’s leadership…

I first encountered J. C. Ryle’s Holiness during my M.Div. studies. I was taking a class on sanctification and students were offered extra credit for reading and reviewing that book, which was written by some Anglican bishop I had never heard of. One afternoon, I picked the book up on the way to the gym…

Not only must Planned Parenthood be stopped, but all the murder of unborn human persons must also be stopped.

Praying the Bible means talking to God about what comes to mind as you read the Bible.

How long should a sermon be? As a preaching professor and a pastor, I’ve asked and been asked that question a hundred times. You can preach as long as you hold their attention.

I have seen the story unfold so many times I could tell it in my sleep. A young pastor walks into established church and tries to change the church’s structure and culture on the first day. Instead of getting to know the people, the culture, and his neighbors, he goes full bore after a checklist…