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How preaching makes disciples

Christ’s disciples always need the Word of God and they need faithful teachers to help them understand what it means and how it applies.

3 reasons every pastor should read church history

The church should never stray far from its historical faith. Still, between sermon prep, home visits, weddings, and other commitments, the average pastor often struggles to find time to read church history. Following are three reasons pastors should do so—for the good of their churches and their own souls.

Hall to lead a ‘new song’ of racial reconciliation as Boyce College dean

Matthew Hall, newly appointed dean of Boyce College, knows what it feels like to be different. He knows what it feels like to be an outsider, to wake up every morning knowing he’s not like everybody else. Hall was one of three children, and his family spent six years of his childhood as missionaries in…

Sampey’s Summers in Rio: ‘A passion for winning the unsaved to faith’

    Having joined the Southern Seminary faculty in 1887 as assistant professor of Hebrew, Greek, and homiletics, John R. Sampey served the institution until his death in 1946, a few weeks shy of his 83rd birthday. His long tenure at SBTS also entailed nearly 13 years as the seminary’s fifth president, during which time…

Faithfulness in persecution: Juan Sanchez discusses book on 1 Peter

EDITOR’S NOTE:  In what follows, Juan Sanchez, SBTS assistant professor of Christian theology and senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, talks with Towers writer Andrew J.W. Smith about his book 1 Peter For You.   AJWS: What does the church today need to hear from the book of 1 Peter?   JS: Well, particularly in…

Feature review: ‘1 Peter For You’

1 Peter For You (The Good Book Company 2016, $22.99), Juan R. Sanchez As any regular listener to “The Briefing” or anyone paying attention to the current political climate can attest, Christians live in a world growing more hostile by the day to their distinctive message. Keystones of Christian theology like the sanctity of marriage…

Book reviews: ‘KJV Creedal Bible’; ‘Baptist in America’; ‘Reviving the Black Church’; ‘A Theology of Biblical Counseling’

KJV Creedal Bible Tom J. Nettles Review by S. Craig Sanders In an age marked by staggering biblical illiteracy in the pews and even less awareness of historical theology, retired Southern Seminary professor Thomas J. Nettles delivers in the newly-published KJV Creedal Bible a brief commentary of the early church’s four seminal creeds and a defense of…

Warn Them of the Danger of Words

It has been estimated that the average human being utters between 10,000 and 20,000 words per day. Consider that fact in light of Solomon’s words in Proverbs 10:19: “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” If the average person speaks between 10,000 and 20,000 words each day, then we are looking at 10,000 to 20,000 opportunities to sin.

Home can be a shocking place for returning missionaries

Moving back to the states for missionaries can be jarring. Reverse culture shock is real. Everything feels new, from HOA rules to driving etiquette to homeschool regulation. But the one thing we could wish would be familiar, even easy—with a measure of comfort in a homey sort of way—is attending church. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. In my own experience I’ve recently returned from the Middle East to find the American church to be almost an entirely distinct species. It might be the culture shock talking, but sometimes it seems that we have about as much in common with the people next to us in the pew as penguins do with robins. And I’m guessing that I’m not the only missionary to feel this way.

Why some preachers get better and others don’t

No one denies that a preaching class and some coaching can help anyone become better. What we question is the possibility that someone with no natural giftedness and ability can be taught well enough that he can become really good.

What to do when your church is not revitalizing?

Whether you labor in a church of thousands or a church of twenty where everyone has the same last name, pray that king Jesus would be glorified by your life and your ministry.

David Brainerd: Preach for holiness by preaching the gospel

David Brainerd was a missionary to the American Indians in New York, New Jersey, and eastern Pennsylvania. Brainerd’s primary method in his mission work was Christ-centered preaching. According to Brainerd, Christ was the energizing center of every sermon but he is also the mark, or the goal of every sermon.

Pastor, make prayer a priority

Pastors, I know your schedule is busy. But don’t forget to pray for your people this week.

Ten reasons to choose a Christian college

Go to a college that recognizes Jesus as the Lord of the world and encourages students to follow Jesus as Lord.

Summer reading: For every new book, read two old ones

J. I. Packer urged Christians to read two old books for every new one. We asked a we a few faculty members to recommend one new book and two old ones in the same category for summer reading.

Parents, don’t waste your lazy summer days

Is it really such a bad thing to have wide open spaces in our planners? Might this be the very thing we need in order to refocus our priorities and make the most of the short season of time we’re given with our children?

Homosexuality, Leviticus, and Orlando

Leviticus 20:13 does not permit violence against homosexuals because the Bible is fundamentally different than the Quran and Islam’s other holy books.

A fruitful summer ministry for stay-at-home moms

One of the most helpful assets to a pastor in the local church in regard to caring for elderly widows is a stay-at-home mom. Here are five practical ways a pastor can train young moms in his church to take their children and visit elderly widows. First, the church should create a list of widows…