How to Recognize Insecure Spirituality
Series: Growing in Prayer
Editor’s note: The following article was adapted by the author from his book Pour Out Your Heart: Discovering Joy, Strength, and Intimacy with God through Prayer (pp. 20-29). To celebrate Pastor’s Appreciation Month, we are giving away the ebook of Pour Out Your Heart for free throughout the month of October here. There’s an epidemic in […]
Every Member is a Worshipper
Imagine you’re at a friend’s party one night, where you’re introduced to a man in his late 20s. Let’s call him Rico. You ask him what he does, and he says, “I’m a quarterback.” As a football fan, you’re immediately interested and begin to ask him questions. “Really,” you say. “Who do you play for?” […]
What is a Gospel Centered-Church and Why Do We Need One?
The Gospel affects the entire life of a believer, and the same is true for a body of believers that comprise a local church. Churches, and all that they do, should have a particular Gospel focus. From the preaching to the polity, everything should be intentionally centered on the Gospel. The purpose of this short […]
Theological Rest with Books: On Taking Reading Days Each Year
Before I became the lead pastor of my church, I stumbled onto an idea that quietly reshaped my approach to ministry. It came from two very different voices: Bill Gates and Michael Reeves. Gates, the tech giant, famously takes one or two weeks a year to retreat to his secluded cabin on a lake and […]
Why Am I A Southern Baptist?
Editor’s note: Recently, Midwestern Seminary & Spurgeon College hosted a chapel panel discussion on the topic, “Why We are Southern Baptist.” This article by Jason Duesing expands upon his comments during the chapel session and is based on his course lectures and essays written over the last two decades. Watch the full panel here. __________ […]
What Does It Mean to Be Iconic?
What do you want your life to represent? This is an important question to ask on multiple levels. We all want to leave a legacy—to contribute something meaningful and enduring with our lives—and this existential desire prompts us toward clarity about what we hope that legacy will become. A more basic level of this question […]
The Quiet Work of God
Beneath the quiet surface, a hidden work was unfolding. It is the work that only God perceives, the silent shaping of the soul.
Banished from Paradise
If Genesis 1 begins with a triumphant trumpet blast, then Genesis 3 begins with a more ominous overture. “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the […]
When You Can’t Listen to the Sermon
What purpose is there in going to church when you aren’t able to listen to the sermon or lesson?
What Does it Mean to be For the Church?
Editor’s note: This summer, we’re sharing articles aimed at encouraging pastors, ministry leaders, and church members in living and serving in light of Christ’s coming Kingdom. To hear more on this topic from Jared C. Wilson and other key leaders, register to join us for the 2025 For the Church National Conference, “Kingdom Come: Ministry […]