It’s crucial to help kids see how the good news of Jesus influences our lives. Here are four basic categories where the good news affects our behavior: Gratitude Confidence Hope Comfort Concerning these four categories here are several discussion questions to help an individual connect their behavior to the gospel: Gratitude: What did we learn…
These 8 descriptions of leadership factors for pastoral ministry are pure gold from Dave Harvey. However, I don’t subscribe to a belief that a pastor or any other leader in the church has to embrace all of these but 1) they should certainly possess some of them and 2) that same leader, if they’re competent…
Dave Harvey makes some insightful comments about the difficulty of living out the Christian life in the home that I wanted to share. He writes, Just think about it. There’s no other place where high expectations (love your wife as Christ loved the church) meet a desire to be unplugged. There’s no other setting where…
Bitternes, resentment, and hate all run closely together. Here are some passage to read and meditate on concerning bitterness: The Bible calls us to put away bitterness (Eph 4:31) We’re called to stop biting and devouring one another (Gal 5:15) Bitterness belongs to the sinful nature (Gal 5:19) We’re not to let bitterness take root…
Here are some thoughts concerning a church’s budget. These thoughts are in no particular order of relevance or importance. A budget communicates what is important to a church. Suffice it to say, if you, as a pastor speak about the great lostness around the world but there is a minimal amount of your budget…
1 Samuel 3 is a great passage to teach the role of a preacher in delivering God’s word. For many there is an excitement in delivering words of judgment, condemnation, etc., while for others they bask exclusively in the love and comfort of God. Good, engaging, biblically accurate preaching exudes the same tension that…
Parents: when your kids ask, “why do we follow these rules God gives us?” be ready to answer them the way Moses directed — by telling of God’s saving work. Here’s a sampling of some ways we can do this that Jack Klumpenhower gives in his book: Kids, why do we share with others? “For…
Are you an effective preacher? This is a helpful list that Dave Harvey provides in his book Am I Called? The Summons To Pastoral Ministry. The gospel factor: Does the man’s preaching move people toward the gospel? The Bible factor: Does he haven an aptitude for doctrine? Does he exegete Scripture competently? The eagerness…
Walter Marshall, a 17th century English pastor, insightfully pointed out in his book The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification that the gospel is a double force in a Christian’s life. What does that mean? The good news that we’re forgiven, adopted, and forever loved by God creates thankfulness and hope of life with Jesus. this draws us to Him…
Leon Morris (author/commentator) commenting on John 13 says the following: Jesus was about to die, to die the atoning death that meant cleansing for his people. There is no other way of being Christ’s than in receiving the cleaning he died to bring. If he does not wash us in this way, we have no…
Theology Along the Way 