Justice in Pastoral Ministry: Caring for Souls with Humility
The Virtue of Justice It is easy to love in general, theoretically, or ideologically, but loving neighbors and giving others their right due is quite difficult in light of all their weaknesses and quirks that drive us crazy. This requires the individual to have their soul rightly ordered to have devotion to the triune God, […]
All Our Boast Is in Jesus
All of us have an issue with boasting. We do it every day—in our heads, in our hearts, and with our mouths. We too often boast in ourselves and in our gifts. Sadly, this disorder has often plagued God’s people. When Jeremiah prophesied, the average Jew was convinced that Jerusalem was untouchable, and, by implication, […]
4 Ways the Gospel Changes Our Service
When you think of a servant, who comes to mind? Maybe someone famous, a first responder, a parent, a spouse, or someone in your church. Whoever comes to mind, servants are compelling. We may not always want to do what they do, but we admire them. We recognize the wisdom and beauty that manifest in […]
Jesus Loves the Self-Righteous Sinner
For years, I believed Jesus reserved His loving kindness for the obviously broken: the prodigals, the tax collectors, the sinners who knew they were lost. But then I read Mark 10. In Mark 10, the rich young ruler comes to Jesus sincerely, respectfully, and with remarkable confidence in his own obedience. “All these [laws] I […]
Episode 5: Sensible
When we say “pastor on Twitter,” what image first comes to your mind? It’s likely not an even-keeled, thoughtful, diserning personality. But social media isn’t the only platform for unstable pastors. In this new episode, Jared and Ronnie talk about the tendency for pastors to be swayed by cultural winds, congregational pressures, crazy headlines, and just their own rabbit trails and hobby-horses. When a pastor’s mind is constantly “held captive” by every thought — instead of the other way around — he loses his sense.
Episode 254: Being a Good Listener
On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss the art of listening. How can we make sure the people in our lives and churches feel heard? And why is that important? Included are some practical tips for becoming better listeners.
Three Pursuits Better Than Being Right
Nobody is going to get everything right all the time. As the church, our aim is not to be right on all things, in all the times. Rather, the Bible calls us to three pursuits of greater value.
A Reflection on Kindness from Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See
Series: The Lord and Literature
True strength is not found in the gritting of teeth or clenching of fists, but in the willingness to lay down at the foot of the cross and trust God as we choose the course of kindness.
The Fear of the Lord is Humility
As it always is with God, we get more than we deserve.
Tolkien, Great Reversals, and Hobbit-like Humility
Left without a challenger, pride makes us into self-exalters who forget that we are here to magnify God and not ourselves.