Today’s guest post comes to us from Jeff Brumley for BaptistNews.com. Americans who attend church say the sermons – not the music – keep them coming back. In fact, music finished in last place among every category of church life – from volunteer opportunities to children’s programs – in Gallup’s April 14 survey “Sermon Content Is What Appeals Most to … Read More
Sunday Scripture: Eager to Serve
“Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Lord, I’ll go! Send me.’” – Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)
Protecting Your Voice: 5 Helpful Tips (Part 1 of 2)
The voice is a tool that God has given us for the purposes of his kingdom. God has left the proclamation of the good news of the Bible totally dependent on the voices of His preachers. Taking care of our voices is part of our calling. These tips help protect my voice, which survives preaching 40-something weeks out of the … Read More
Diagnosing Sheep
Today’s guest post comes to us from Peter Mead for EvangelicalFocus.com. In pastoral ministry, there is a great need for the right diagnosis of sheep. Just as a medical doctor cannot ignore the person in front of them and assume the same treatment will be equally effective for all, so the pastoral worker cannot assume all need the same type … Read More
Sunday Scripture: Seeking Wisdom
“Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12 (NLT)
Calvin on One of the Most Powerful Ways to Love Others
“To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them.” – John Calvin, 16th century Protestant theologian
John Wesley on How the Church Changes the World
“The church changes the world not by making converts but by making disciples.” – John Wesley, 18th century Anglican evangelist and joint founder of Methodism
Examining the “Spiritual but Not Religious” Group
Today’s guest post comes to us from Barna Group. “I’m spiritual but not religious.” You’ve heard it—maybe even said it—before. But what does it actually mean? Can you be one without the other? Once synonymous, “religious” and “spiritual” have now come to describe seemingly distinct (but sometimes overlapping) domains of human activity. The twin cultural trends of deinstitutionalization and individualism … Read More
William Booth on the Mission of Ministry
“We are not sent to minister to a congregation and be content if we keep things going. We are sent to make war and to stop short of nothing but the subjugation of the world to the sway of the Lord Jesus.” – William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army
American Pastors are Older Than Ever
Today’s guest post comes to us from Jeff Brumley for BaptistNews.com. If you’re noticing a lot of gray in the pulpit these days, you’re not alone. Pastors are getting older. “The aging of pastors represents a substantial crisis for Protestant churches,” David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, said in remarks included with a report titled “The Aging of America’s … Read More