Lord of His Life
Jesus didn’t just walk away from toxic people; he was also willing to walk away for purposes of ministry effectiveness and strategy. He never allowed the desire of others to dictate who he spent his time with....
Start with Your People
It looked like just another Friday morning at a coffee shop. The familiar whirr of the espresso machine. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee. A long line of patrons in a hurry to grab their favorite drink and fa...
5 Myths about the Armor of God
Myth #1: Life is a picnic.
Even though all the evidence is to the contrary, we often seem to believe that life here on earth is—or at least ought to be—easy. In reality, however, life is hard—often very, very ...
Creation: The Beginning of God’s Restoration
The Bible does not begin at Genesis 3; it begins at Genesis 1. This may seem a relatively bland statement, but the implications are as extensive as the universe. When we understand the scope of the Bible’s narr...
How to Make Sermon Illustrations Memorable
Most pastors and Bible teachers immediately recognize the power of a well-told illustration. It engages the heart of those listening and allows the mind’s eye to see truth through the application of something f...
Road to Grace
I was sitting on the plane next to my wife, Debbie, when I felt a peculiar churning in my stomach. Just that growing, nagging sense that something wasn’t right.
I broke the silence and told Debbie, “You know...
My Funeral Fumble: A Pastor’s Nightmare Comes True
It remains the most humiliating moment of my pastoral life. I can now laugh about it a little these few years after the incident, but I still wake up with a start sometimes and feel the cold chill of disbelief ...
7 Reasons Why the Apostles’ Creed Is Necessary Today
A cultural revolution has swept across the West, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Entire Christian denominations have capitulated to the whims of this revolution and surrendered the fundamental t...
Pastor: Your Ministry Is a Mercy
Only by His Grace
Paul’s deeply rooted understanding that his calling was a totally undeserved expression of God’s great mercy to him was itself one of the core convictions that kept him faithful to the end. H...
Pastor, Don’t Quit—Learn to Lament
When Ministry Wears You Out
Years ago, I remember hearing a seasoned pastor say, “Ministry would be a cake-walk if it wasn’t for people.” His tongue-in-cheek statement revealed what people know: pastoral minis...