While I once caught up with another pastor over coffee, he lamented his church’s looming excommunication of an unrepentant member.  His strained face and words expressed great pain.  Yet he also shared how that final step of censure caused a regular attender stalling formal membership to request joining the church, saying, “I need this kind... Continue Reading

The apostle Paul modeled “joy-based apologetics” when he proclaimed good news to pagans in Lystra and Derbe, as recorded in Acts 14. Having seen Barnabas and Paul heal a crippled man, the crowd bowed down and worshiped them, calling them Zeus and Hermes. The evangelists would have none of it. They told them to “turn... Continue Reading

There should be no predictable theme that emerges in your preaching every week (unless it’s Jesus!) There are times though when an appropriately-edited personal story can be an effective hook to start a message, or a dramatic way to land the homiletical plane at the end. You may need to change some details such as geography or... Continue Reading

“Yesterday I was with about 20 guys for a wild-game feast. As far as I can tell, in the circles I circulate in–places like Patheos for instance–I am the only minister who gives men like these much thought. They’re men who live on the periphery–but most people depend on them for the basic conveniences of modern life. There... Continue Reading

It is to this hope I seek to point God’s people. No, it doesn’t take away the pain usually. However, It is not a trite answer that does nothing. It is, in fact, the hope of every Christian: to see Christ, to be with Christ, and to be made like him in every respect (1... Continue Reading

Vacant pulpits ought not induce the wringing of hands. Christ is building His church. He does not hope for ministerial volunteers; He sovereignly sets apart pastors to serve His church and preach His gospel. Nonetheless, the church is to call out the called, and every qualified man of God should consider if God is calling him... Continue Reading

“We are not talking about marble statues or a Holocaust documentary or a physician examining a patient. We are talking about two naked people doing in front of us what naked people do together. Take the medium of television out of it. Would you go into a private room and look through a peep hole to watch... Continue Reading

Paul understood that our hearts are easily drawn astray by outward appearances. What we need is not a distraction-free “experience” that wows us, but an encounter with the truth that transforms us. Slickness in presentation calls our attention to the human messenger. A more modest approach — one that is okay with a little human... Continue Reading

When we meet week-by-week to worship God we don’t do it because it’s tradition or mere formality. Rather, we do it because God is worthy to be worshiped: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12). When we come together... Continue Reading

Accountability is good and right. A denomination or network would be foolish to give away Kingdom resources without certain standards. Expectations should be expected. My concern is not with accountability. When I worked for McDonald’s and Burger King, I had to wear the appropriate uniforms for the appropriate places. I knew such expectations existed before... Continue Reading