You don’t need a degree in philosophy to incorporate apologetics into sermons. A solid study of basic logic, worldviews and arguments for Christianity and against other viewpoints can fortify those in the church to have a winsome reason for their hope in Christ
The sweetest comfort I found in my grief was knowing that my baby is with Jesus. That he or she will never know loss, pain, cold, grief, disappointment or sorrow. That all their soul will ever know is joy in the presence of God.
Joyless people are miserable people. They haven’t tasted and seen that the Lord is good. They haven’t yet learned that it’s through our times of suffering that the Lord often does his best work. I have been in a joyless place, and chances are you have, too.
How can we let ourselves forget or neglect or even trivialize this sacrifice? For all our grand plans for church renewal, for contemporary worship, for being missional, for connecting with the millennials, for connecting with the “nones” and now for connecting with Generation Z, we should never downplay that sacred institution given by our sacrificial Christ for His church. Communion matters—more than we may think.
Discouragement may come to the godliest and most talented of God’s ministers in the church. But as we remember to reflect on God’s good providence, His willingness to let us lament before Him, and how He has rescued his servants who sank deep into despair, we can find our moorings and press on to serve Him with gladness of heart.
There is something incredibly special and valuable about a leader who will cultivate a culture where their team feels safe.
Preach God’s Word with passion this coming weekend. May the repentance of sin and placing faith in Jesus get our utmost attention. Let’s remove every unnecessary, uncomfortable distraction from the proclamation of Gospel.
Pastors are shepherds who need to teach their flocks how to protect themselves against wolves, both human and demonic.
Doubt is best worked through individually with trusted friends. If leaders confess doubts on major Christian doctrines, their congregations may lose confidence in their leadership, equate doubt with unbelief, or be thrown into an unnecessary crisis of faith themselves.
Christian leaders should encourage artists in their congregations to use their God-given talents to the uttermost, either as a full-time vocation or otherwise. These artists should not be considered second-class citizens in the church simply because they are not pastors, chaplains, church staff workers, employees at parachurch ministries or missionaries.
Preaching is both a necessity and a privilege. Godly preaching pleases God, is grounded in the cross of Christ, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit. No power on earth can stop that from God’s intended purposes.
Maybe your heart is in a cold state and the Bible isn’t fresh to you. We can easily begin to see it as a Book to preach rather than one that feeds our soul.
