Here’s an old joke that illustrates the pastoral need for asking the right question: Once there was a boy sitting on a porch, with a dog next to him. A salesman approached the porch and asked the boy, “Does your dog bite?” “Nope,” said the boy. The salesman stepped on the porch to ring the …
Church
Title of Book: The Shepherd Leader at Home Author: Timothy Z. Witmer Publisher: Crossway Books Year: 2012 About the Book: Husbands and dads play a crucial role in the health and survival of the family. That’s why leadership expert Tim Witmer has written this book—to strengthen our efforts to lead well. He applies a biblical framework …
David Powlison is well-known for saying, “There are plenty of reasons to be afraid. But there is a better reason not to be.” That’s a good word for the church today. The Evangelical church is in a panic. From all angles, it feels as though Christianity is on the losing end of the culture wars. …
Title of Book: The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness Author: John MacArthur Publisher: Crossway Books Year: 2009 About the Book: Few concepts are more basic to Christianity—or more important to a Christian’s personal and spiritual well-being—than forgiveness. Yet in an age in which it has become fashionable to “forgive yourself” rather than to forgive others, …
Recently, Steve, a member of the congregation that I pastor, came to me to ask if I could meet with Ray, a friend of his from work. Steve had been praying for his friend, and some of their conversations made it seem like Ray would be willing to discuss spiritual things. Steve thought that if …
If you’ve heard stories of hundreds of thousands of people coming to Christ and thousands of churches planted in a short amount of time, then it’s likely from one of dominant church planting methodologies or movements gaining prominence. In recent years, there have been reports of astounding numbers of people getting saved and of churches …
It was late one night, and my children were already asleep when I got a call from Damian.[1] He was calling to tell me about how he had been hurt by the pastoral staff at the church he was a member of. More than that, he explained to me why he no longer believed in …
Title of Book: Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God Author: Bob Kauflin Publisher: Crossway Books Year: 2008 About the Book: Nothing is more essential than knowing how to worship the God who created us. This book focuses readers on the essentials of God-honoring worship, combining biblical foundations with practical application in …
May we, as pastors, be content with whichever size of the church we are called to today and spend our energy learning to care for her well instead of obsessing over how to get her bigger.
Title of Book: The Knowledge of the Holy Author: A.W. Tozer Publisher: HarperOne Year: 2009 About the Book: This timeless gift breathes a spirit of devotion for all Christians, from those who are newly arrived, to those who are committing themselves anew to Jesus Christ. A modern classic of Christian testimony and devotion, The Knowledge …
