“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” — Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
Please Don’t Say These Six Things at My Funeral, by Chad Bird for 1517
I want the beginning of my funeral to be focused on Jesus, as well as the middle, as well as the end, as well as every point in between. There will come a day, perhaps sooner, perhaps later, when the man in the coffin will be me. They say the dead don’t care, but I’m not dead yet, so as … Read More
Made to Move: How to Have Better Physical Health
We were made to move. Our bodies were created for physical activity. God never intended for us to sit all day, overfilling our stomachs and letting our systems atrophy. But sedentary lifestyles have become the norm. The typical American is sedentary 60 percent of their waking hours. This lack of physical activity is associated with a number of health problems, … Read More
The Trust Issue: Rethinking Small Group Leadership
In Matthew 18:20, Jesus made a promise: “For where two or three gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (NKJV). When you take that promise to heart, trusting small group leaders with people in your church becomes much easier. But what does that trust look like in action? It starts with simple things. Let … Read More
Saving for Eternity: Where is Your Money Going?
Understanding God’s ultimate ownership means that we also recognize our role as conduits of his resources. We were not put on this earth to amass treasures for ourselves but to let treasure pass through us and back to a greater purpose. The “get all we can while we can” mind-set that most of us live with is what has driven … Read More
Praise: The Neglected Weapon Against Stress
At first, praise may not sound like a powerful way to overcome stress. We believe there are at least a couple reasons why we don’t think of praise as an effective strategy against ministry stress. The first is simply that as pastors, we are usually people of action. We want to be doing something. It’s easy for us to fail … Read More
Leaders Remember Their Teachers
“Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.” –Hebrews 13:7 (NLT)
Roy Fish on Speaking About the Gospel
“You cannot serve Jesus with a zipped lip.” — Roy Fish (February 7, 1930 – September 10, 2012) was an American preacher who is best known as a longtime professor of evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) in Fort Worth, Texas. He was known for his passion for personal evangelism, and for inspiring thousands of students to tell others … Read More
Join Me for a 10-day Spiritual Retreat in the Holy Land
One of the key elements of a pastor’s personal growth plan each year is some time away to refresh and focus your own spiritual growth. But no matter how many spiritual retreats you’ve been on during your ministry, nothing compares to a trip to the Holy Land. If you’ve ever wanted to walk where Jesus walked, see an empty tomb … Read More
Denying Self is Key to Serving Christ, Churchgoers Say, by Baptist Press News
A majority of Protestant churchgoers believe making sacrificial decisions to serve Christ is essential to their faith, and most try to avoid situations that might lead to immoral thoughts or actions, according to a new study released August 8. The 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study from LifeWay Research found two-thirds (66 percent) of Protestant churchgoers agree with the statement: “A … Read More