Scripture certainly gives warrant to have heroes, to study and emulate men and women of the faith whose lives are so marked by humble, courageous Christ-honoring character and grace-enabled skill in living the Christian life.
This pursuit of silence takes the care of your soul to another level, for it exposes how much you need noise, people, busyness, and distraction.
God was on the throne of the universe, controlling all things by His meticulous providence during the Holocaust, 9/11 and every other event in human history.
I seriously doubt that I will ever see someone else complete the exposition of the New Testament in such a thorough way to one local church ever again. But I hope you’d consider making it your goal.
Allison’s new book with Andreas J. Kostenberger examines the Holy Spirit from the perspective of both biblical and systematic theology.
Just as Saul had recourse against the evil spirit through the anointed David, the believer has recourse against indwelling sin through God’s Word and prayer.
Who will pastor the pastors? Who helps the pastors maintain steadiness in walking with Christ? Who sharpens them when dulled? Who cares for them when hurting?
Aaron’s book is one of those rare books that bears revisiting. Why? Because as a pastor—as a Christian—I need to be reminded that fruit-bearing is not optional; it’s at the heart of maturity and growth as a minister of the gospel.
There is far more at stake with the issue of self-promotion than whether you should use postcards or social media to tell people about your ministry. A heart bent on self-promotion will keep a person from believing in Jesus for salvation.
Ministry is plodding. Sometimes it’s falling forward. Sometimes your feet feel so heavy, you don’t think you can go another step. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Faithful sermons exposit the text, and faithful exposition takes into account the text’s literary, historical, covenantal, and ultimately canonical context.
It’s tempting to think God, who created all things so quickly, might lead us through tribulation with greater haste. But he doesn’t. God tends to work slowly, then and now.
If you sense your church members are getting a bit ornery, you are probably right. Indeed, you as a church leader may be struggling with some of these same issues.
Our personalities, aptitudes, dispositions, and so forth will shape the how but not the what of our ministries. We are to “fulfill our ministry” regardless of the inner characteristics God knit into the fabric of who we are.
Dr. Packer is now safe in the arms of his dear Savior, but what the writer of Hebrews says of Abel’s legacy of faith will be true of Packer for years to come: “though he died, he still speaks.”
True community is never found by looking for it. It can only be found by pursuing Christ. He understands loneliness better than we do.
When praying the Bible, our primary activity is prayer, not Bible intake. Bible reading is secondary in this process. Our focus is on God through prayer; our glance is at the Bible.
Pastor, help your people see when it’s time to go to war and when it’s time for diplomacy.
