Gyros, Lamb Chops, and the Church: A Warning Against Doing Christianity Alone
Sheep, the Herd, and the Shepherd Humans are repeatedly compared to sheep in Scripture. If you know anything about sheep, you understand this is not a flattering analogy. Watch a few sheep videos and you’ll quickly see why. Like sheep, we tend to stray (Isa. 53:6). We can be “harassed and helpless” (Matt. 9:36). We […]
Who Makes Pastors?
Jared Wilson has a new book releasing this month — Pastoral Mentoring for the Care of Souls — about the training and formation of pastors in the local church context. The guys discuss the important roles of both seminary and the church, and they outline the centrality of congregational life in the raising up of the next generation of church leaders. Preorder Pastoral Mentoring for the Care of Souls at 40% off today by visiting https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9781540905956_pastoral-mentoring
Serve the Meal: Why Preachers Must Trust the Word
My wife cooks healthy meals that nourish me day after day. Once I asked how she prepares them. She answered simply: start with good ingredients and use sauces that enhance the meal rather than cover it. That answer lingered with me as I thought about my role as a preacher of God’s Word. What do […]
How have hardships shaped your ministry? – Jed Coppenger
Ftc.co asks Jed Coppenger, ‘How have hardships shaped your ministry?’.
Common mistakes preachers make – Clint Pressley
Ftc.co asks Clint Pressley about common mistakes that preachers make.
Acedia: The Noonday Demon We Forgot
What Is Acedia? I’ve spent much of my Christian life wondering what’s wrong with me—more than I care to admit. Why is it that I not only fail to want the things of God, but sometimes feel a strong urge to resist or even reject them? Some years ago, I learned there’s a name for […]
Desert Island Books
Here’s a fun one! Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz discuss what books they’d want with them if they were castaways on a deserted island. Ronni mainly wants to know how many he can bring. Jared wants to not overthink the question. The guys share books and authors and genres that would make their exile from civilization more enjoyable, survivable, and spiritual.
Reverence in Worship
A few years ago, I spoke with a college senior about his recent conversion from Evangelicalism to Catholicism. One of the reasons he gave was the reverence he witnessed during Mass. Many other young adults share his sentiment and have acted similarly.[1] Their departure offers a helpful critique of what is lacking in many churches […]
King Jesus Changes Everything
I grew up as a pastor’s kid. Every week, you would find me at church, and at the age of eight, I confessed my sin, realized my need for forgiveness, and gave my life to Christ. Like many believers, I grew up saying that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I knew He had saved […]
FTC Mailbag
In this latest installment of the FTC Mailbag, Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz discuss listener-submitted questions and topics, including: family worship, elder pathways, ministry calling, loving a dying church, and sermon scheduling. As always, you can submit a question or topic for the mailbag at any time by emailing [email protected]