What is ethos? Joe Carter and John Coleman in their book, How to Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion From History’s Greatest Communicator write, Ethos is the persuasive appeal of one’s character, and especially how this character is established by means of the speech or discourse. To put it more simply, ethos is argument by character. Against the…
Your basic message should contain good news. Start with your audience’s needs. Start with examples your audience will understand. Speak your audience’s language. Never speak about your speech. Use witnesses. Communicate with confidence. Get it right. Do not boast; act with humility. Know when to speak and when to be silent. Be enigmatic. Listen. Ask…
Heuristics is a fancy name for “rules of thumb.” Joe Carter and John Coleman share several heuristics in their book How To Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion From History’s Greatest Communicator that “illuminate more fully the character of Christ’s communication and can have an enormous impact on the ways in which you communication with others” (124). One rule…
Heuristics is a fancy name for “rules of thumb.” Joe Carter and John Coleman share several heuristics in their book How To Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion From History’s Greatest Communicator that “illuminate more fully the character of Christ’s communication and can have an enormous impact on the ways in which you communication with others” (124). One…
This post was written by Barnabas Piper. You can find the original post here. I am grateful for Barnabas’ words of transparency; they’re refreshing and deeply encouraging. Justin pastored a mid-sized suburban church. He started as the youth pastor, weathered some leadership changes, grew in respect and influence, and was eventually called to lead the…
Jonathan Leeman writes that church discipline aims to… Expose sin. Sin, like cancer, loves to hide. Discipline exposes the cancer so that it might be cut out quickly (1 Corinthians 5:2). Warn. A church does not enact God’s judgment through discipline. Rather, it stages a small play that pictures the great judgment to come (1…
Original post, written by Brandon Smith can be found here. I heard the news with sadness that Nashville pastor Pete Wilson had stepped down from the pastorate of his church after planting it back in 2003. The church grew wildly. He became a well-known preacher, writer, and conference speaker. It wasn’t because of moral failure or…
Prayer together remains a vital means of God’s ongoing grace in the Christian life and for our communities. In Habits of Grace Mathis gives 5 principles when praying with others I found helpful and wanted to pass on. Make it regular. Let pray become a regular part of the landscape of your life with family and friends. Start…
Original post was written by Jon Bloom from Desiring God, which you can access here. Why do we fear others’ disapproval so much? We all experience this fear, and most of us don’t want to admit how serious its tyranny can be. The Bible calls this the “fear of man,” and it can weave a…
In the Bible, the very definition of passion – think of Christ’s Passion – is to sacrifice your freedom for someone else. Romans 12 addresses this truth at a practical level. Paul starts this way: ‘I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifice’ (Romans 12:).…
Theology Along the Way 