A few years ago, as I (Nelson) was studying Genesis in preparation for a teaching series, God brought something significant to my attention—a truth that became a paradigm-shifting revelation concerning my view of sleep. At first glance, the truth seems simple enough: when God created the world, he created the night before the day (Gen. 1:2–4). The darkness preceded the light. … Read More
Leaders Humble Themselves to Help Others
“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” — John 13:14-15 (NLT)
John Wycliffe On the Silence of the Holy Spirit
“There was good reason for the silence of the Holy Spirit as to how, when, in what form Christ ordained the apostles, the reason being to show the indifferency of all forms of words.” — John Wycliffe, Bible Translator and Morning Star of the Reformation (c. 1330 – December 31, 1384) Wycliffe was an English professor, priest, and reformer. He is … Read More
Bad Meeting Blues: The Signs You’re Leading a Bad Meeting
While meetings may not be particularly fun, they are a necessary part of life in any organization. People don’t like meetings largely because most of them are run so badly. The following are some telltale signs of a bad meeting: They start late. When you start a meeting late, you send the signal that the meeting isn’t important and neither is … Read More
This Week: New 2022 Preaching Calendar Online Training
Space is filling up quickly for my ALL NEW Planning Your 2022 Preaching Calendar – Online Training. Don’t delay — I have a limited number of spots available at each of the 4 available times, this Wednesday and Thursday. I don’t want you to miss out on this essential training that will have an exponential impact on all of 2022! When … Read More
Win Arn on God’s Plan for Churches
“The church is God’s plan for making disciples and for winning a world.” – Dr. Win Arn, founder of the Institute For American Church Growth, director of Religious Education in Baptist and Congregational Churches, promoter of the Church Growth Movement, and film producer. June 26, 1923 – December 13, 2006
The Necessary Qualities of a Close Friend
What does a person, who is a friend, an advisor, and a confidant, look like? Are there certain qualities that make a person fit for this position in your life? These are important questions because, for many average pastors, they have never had someone like this in their lives. You may feel fearful of having someone who has that kind … Read More
Happy Reformation Day!
In celebration of Reformation Day today and Luther’s act of defiance 504 years ago that started the Protestant Reformation, I’d like to share some of his major achievements: Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany in October 1517. These were the differences Luther found between the Roman Catholic Church and the Bible. His refusal to … Read More
Martin Luther on the Gift of Music
“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.” – Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) The Great Reformer
Ulrich Zwingli: The Swiss Reformer
While Martin Luther remains the special focus of this 504th anniversary of the Reformation, let’s take a moment to give a special nod to Ulrich Zwingli with this guest post from John Bishop for Preaching.com. After young Zwingli graduated from the University at Berne he was ordained a priest. He served two churches for fourteen years, then was appointed to … Read More