10,000 Digital Guides and the Need for Spiritual Fathers
The Guides of Our Digital Corinth Last week I spoke with a young man who attends our young adult ministry. He told me he was becoming convinced of Pentecostal Oneness theology from a “pastor” on YouTube. A few months earlier I met with a couple of young men who were being swayed by some things […]
One Indispensable Key to a Joyful Ministry
Christian ministry can be glorious. But let’s face it—ministry can also be hard. If you’re not careful, a challenging season of ministry can take a serious emotional, relational, and spiritual toll on your life. Some of us spend so much of ourselves trying to be “on” at church that when we get home at the […]
4 Questions to Ask When Counting the Cost of Following Jesus
Addressing the large crowds that followed Him, Jesus said, “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Jesus reveals an important truth: Not everyone interested in Jesus has counted the cost of following Him. One must love Jesus above everything else in this life—including their […]
Ministry Leaders Need Garden Friends
“Jesus could have done it alone, but he didn’t.” Our conference speaker, Dave Busby, had my attention. “Jesus asked Peter, John, and James to go with him to pray in the garden of Gethsemane. How much more will you need ‘garden friends’ in your darkest hours of life and ministry?” A seed was planted that […]
Why We Resent Other People’s Success
The Invitation of Envy The Bible is not naïve about the brokenness of the world around us. It doesn’t describe life according to our wishful thinking. No, it describes and matches life as it truly is. Proverbs 1:10–19 is a clear example of this. The passage is blunt, realistic, and disturbing because it shows how […]
Make the Most of Your Singleness: Living Faithfully as a Single Christian
If you knew today that you were going to be single for the rest of your life, how would you begin serving God? Perhaps this is the first time you have considered the possibility that you may be single for the rest of your life. This should prompt you to reflect on your own devotion […]
Why Biblical Counseling Can’t Be Neutral
Restoring the Antithesis The principle of the antithesis can be described in two ways. First, it is the fundamental opposition between the believer and unbeliever related to our spiritual state (Gen. 3:15; Matt. 6:24; Rom. 8:5–9).[1] Believers and unbelievers live in the same reality of God’s created world, but every person is either spiritually dead […]
How Pastors Can Fight Discouragement On Sunday
Why Sundays Can Discourage Pastors Pastors are often discouraged. This is for a variety of reasons. Some pastors are left beaten, battered, and bruised by their congregations. Others are left burdened and discouraged by the normal things of ministry—unfinished tasks, needy sheep, financial stress, an upcoming counseling session, a deacons’ meeting that could go off […]
What Are You Reaching For?
Recently I’ve been asking myself a simple question: What am I reaching for? My phone the moment I wake up. An energy drink before I’ve even fully opened my eyes. My wallet when I think buying one more thing might make life just a little better. These things aren’t inherently bad. They may not even […]
Defending Complementarianism Without Diminishing Women
When Conviction Is Communicated Without Care Dear brothers, honor your sisters. In recent years, many pastors have found themselves in difficult positions and conversations as they seek to defend conservative biblical doctrine. In defending and holding to such doctrines, these shepherds are doing what they are called to do: Protect the sheep of God’s flock. […]