I was recently asked what pitfalls I saw in ministry. Below is what I wrote in response. The list is not exhaustive and in no certain order. Even if you're not in vocational ministry, the principles can easily be translated into volunteer church leadership. nw Thinking it will always be wonderful. It will get … Continue reading Beware of these pitfalls of ministry
The Worship Wars
Church people can wear you slick on some things. Take musical style for instance. As more contemporary music came on the scene in the 90's there was a firestorm of push-back from those who preferred more traditional songs. FIRST, a true story: when I was in my early 20's serving as a Music Pastor at … Continue reading The Worship Wars
Don’t Read the Bible Through in One Year
I stumbled across this blog by professor, author, and defender of the Christian faith, Sean McDowell, and thought it was brilliant. Why? Because Sean offers encouragement to those who, desperately trying to read the Bible through in a year, grow discouraged and quit when they fall behind in the designated schedule. From the article: Why … Continue reading Don’t Read the Bible Through in One Year
A Prayer
A preacher once said, "Satan trembles when even the weakest Christian is on their knees in prayer." Mary, Queen of Scots, said of the Scottish reformer, John Knox, "I fear the prayers of John Knox more than an army of 10,000 men." James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote, The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a … Continue reading A Prayer
October 31, 1517
504 years ago, a man fearless in his faith did something that could have well cost him his life. And it almost did. Historians call it “Reformation Day.” Pastor/author, John MacArthur, is spot-on: “Clearly, the greatest triumph to emerge from the Protestant Reformation was the Bible being placed into the hands of the people, in … Continue reading October 31, 1517
What to do when you and your teen-aged child have drifted far apart
I'm what they call in Student Ministry a "lifer." Out of the 38 years I've spent in full-time, vocational ministry, 24 of those years were in Student Ministry. And, for some reason unknown to me, Christ continues to allow me to minister within the Student Ministry arena. I affectionately refer to Student Ministry as the … Continue reading What to do when you and your teen-aged child have drifted far apart
Scary Prayers
There's a thing in scripture called "imprecatory prayers." These prayers are summed up like this: "help me; hurt them." (Psalm 137 is a prime example.) Isn't it good to know it's ok to unload on God like this? Presently, I'm in the Old Testament book of Nehemiah in my daily devotions. One significant aspect of … Continue reading Scary Prayers
The Peculiar Planet Known as Uranus
The favorite planet of every middle school boy, right? While astronomers pronounce the planet’s name with the accent on the first syllable, the planet gets a lot of giggles at the expense of the many who place the accent on the second syllable. But, for a moment, let’s move beyond the planet’s name and try … Continue reading The Peculiar Planet Known as Uranus
Revenge
The Old Testament character, Samson, is a lesson in two overriding biblical principles. (His story is recorded in Judges 14-16) 1) We can waste our life if we want to. However,... 2) With God, it’s never too late to ‘come home’. (Samson is among those listed in the ‘Hall of Faith’ in Hebrews 11.) Threaded … Continue reading Revenge
Lambs and Dragons
Read carefully the following passage from the biblical book of Revelation: “Then I (John) saw a second beast (the false prophet), coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon." Never forget what John described: The false prophet looked like a lamb but spoke like a … Continue reading Lambs and Dragons