Articles
Evangelistic Prayer
When we think about sharing the Gospel with others, how should we pray? There are probably more elements to pray about than we can consider, but I want to give you a few suggestions about some prayer requests we can put at the forefront of our evangelistic prayers. As you read through these ideas, I encourage you to stop and pray. First, we each ought to pray that we have compassion for the lost. I know that one of the…
Worship and The Real World
News headlines come at us at a furious rate. Lately, we’ve heard how wildfires are devastating California, the monkeypox is spreading rapidly, and Russia continues to attack Ukraine. It is easy to become despondent, feeling like life is out of control. How does worship play into this? Worship is a chance for us to focus our attention on the Lord—the all-powerful, all-knowing, eternal, never-changing Creator of the universe. Understanding who it is that we worship puts “the real world” into perspective. I…
Discipling, It’s Easier Than You Think
A couple of weeks ago, I had my first discipleship meeting with a couple of members of the Youth. It went really well; we spent some time talking about what we wanted to study in this discipleship group, picked a book that would help with that, and then spent some time looking into a passage of Scripture. I left it feeling good about where this was headed. I also left wishing I had started this much sooner, especially as one…
A Taxing Situation
I recently came across, what I believe to be, the least memorized passage in all of Scripture. That passage is Romans 13:6-7. It states, “For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” If you are like…
Don’t Ignore the Sign
This year, I have really desired to increase my prayer life. I feel like I have put some good disciplines in place to speak with God, but conversation is a two-way street. I cannot have a real conversation with someone by telling them all I’m dealing with and not allowing them a chance to respond. God has reminded me about the discipline of silence and solitude. Today, I decided to take a step of faith and stop what I was…
Boldness In Jesus
When you think of World War II, you probably don’t imagine men fighting with swords and bows, but for one British soldier named “Mad Jack” Churchill, fighting this way in the war was ordinary. Mad Jack was known for both his bravery and eccentric tendencies. During the war, he fought in France and then led British commando units into battle in Norway, Sicily, and other Adriatic Islands. While attacking a German fortification in France, Mad Jack is said to have…
Meeting on a Budget
“I’m really excited for the budget meeting,” said no one ever. A budget meeting may not be the most exciting event you go to this year, but we can all agree it is important. The church has income and expenses, and we, as a church family, need to address the finances of the upcoming year. A budget does involve other aspects besides numbers. Prayer, stewardship, and faith are three areas that reflect our heart towards Christ’s church especially dealing with…
Church Is Not Self-Serve
Have you ever gone to a restaurant and received bad service? Do you remember how that made you feel? The food could be cooked perfectly and your company incredibly pleasant, but bad service can ruin the entire experience. Service really does make the difference. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” In this verse God tells us three things about service that enhance how…
Listening to the Word of God
As Southern Baptists, I can imagine that many of us are comfortable with the idea of reading the Bible. It is a discipline that many of us throughout all generations grew up doing and is a primary way by which we grow in godliness, wisdom, and understanding. However, what if I presented a different way to engage with Scripture? Have you ever considered “listening” to God’s word? The culture of biblical times was oratory in nature (they passed on and…
Selfless Generosity
Selfless generosity is a core value of Christianity. People all over the world have had their lives dramatically changed by what their brothers and sisters were willing to give. Giving has always been an essential part of God’s design for community. He is glorified and His name is spread among the nations by the charitable acts of His people. It is obvious why giving helps others, but how does giving help us? Giving means sacrificing. Typically, we sacrifice our time,…