Why seminary can never qualify anyone for ministry
That is why ordination, taken seriously and done rightly, should mean much more than any seminary degree.
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How to train parents to disciple their kids
If we want our family ministries to be effective, we need to involve parents.
Hardship as preparation for ministry
Chris Hurley moved his family of nine to Southern Seminary despite knowing the hardships they would face. Those hardships, in his words, are preparing his family to serve the church. “I am here to prepare to be a servant leader of Christ’s bride. My family and I are experiencing these hardships now, and I…
What Martin Luther taught me about counseling
If Luther was correct, then the Christian life is the repentant life. And repentance is essential for biblical counseling.
Lead your wife spiritually | A guide for husbands
This is the fifth post in a series from A Guide to Biblical Manhood. Download the whole guidebook as a free PDF here. Read also: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 of this series. A significant, but often under-emphasized, area where you are called to lead in your marriage is as a spiritual leader.…
Suffering in seminary: ‘A demonstration of God’s resurrection power’
“Do you have the kind of trust in God that allows you to face death?” Boyce College professor Denny Burk posed that question in Alumni Memorial Chapel on Sept. 18, 2012, saying that “God can transform your pain into someone else’s comfort.” The sermon preyed on my conscience throughout the day. I questioned whether…
The gospel and racial reconciliation
Editors note: In what follows John M. Perkins, author of Let Justic Roll Down, answers 3 questions for the October issue of Towers. Perkins will be on campus Monday, October 27 as the guest speaker for the Julius B. Gay Lecture where he will speak on “Why We Can’t Wait: The Urgency of the Now”. The…
Letters to a new believer
EDITOR’S NOTE: In what follows, George H. Martin, professor of Christian missions and world religions, discusses his new book, Letters to a New Believer, with Towers news writer RuthAnne Irvin. RAI: In the book you say that you originally sent these letters to new believers earlier in your pastoral ministry. Why did you…
Lead in faithful intimacy | A guide for husbands
This is the fifth post in a series from A Guide to Biblical Manhood. Download the whole guidebook as a free PDF here. Read also: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 of this series. When you are one with your wife — physically, emotionally and spiritually — you bear the image of God. Your…
Can revival come?
“Everyone is asking how can we turn the tide? The answer is spiritual revival.”
The prayers of a worship leader
The corporate prayers of a worship leader are amplified through microphones and sound systems. We carefully think through what words that will be prayed and how our congregation will interpret these words. These prayers are public and congregational in nature. This kind of praying is biblical and mandated by Scripture. The personal prayers of…
10 ways to thrive in the face of pastoral challenges
When Paul described the burden of ministry that God has given us, he concluded by asking the question, “Who is equal to such a task?” (2 Cor 2:16) After reviewing the challenges of leadership in the church, we might ask the same thing. We must remember, however, that wherever God calls, He also enables. God…
14 questions to ask a pastor search committee
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? 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…
Lead in dating your wife | A guide for husbands
This is the fourth post in a series from A Guide to Biblical Manhood. Download the whole guidebook as a free PDF here. Read also: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 of this series. Few goals are achieved if they don’t make it into your routine and few goals that do find a place…
10 challenges every pastor will face
Leading God’s people is unlike any other task in the world — which is why it requires a calling of the Spirit.
George Whitefield, a model for today’s pastors
Why would people today want to study the life of George Whitefield (1714-1770)? He started no denominations, as the Wesley brothers did, and was best known for a preaching style that highlighted emotional responses. A traditional disdain for such a “manipulative” homiletic practice suggests he should be forgotten. Yet those who would take such…
No coasting into Christlikeness
When it comes to discipline in the Christian life, many believers question its importance. Devotion to prayer declines into drudgery. The real-life usefulness of meditation on Scripture seems uncertain. The purpose of a discipline like fasting is a mystery. Why not leave spiritual discipline to those who seem to be more disciplined by nature…
Creation and American Christianity
The character of Christianity depends, in profound ways, on one’s beliefs concerning creation. For the first 250 years of the existence of the church in America, Christians assumed the truth of the doctrine of creation. It was revealed in the Bible and it made the most sense of the natural world. When large numbers…