Head-dibs

Struggling with what God has called you to do? Sometimes we find ourselves asking, “why did I start this in the first place?” That’s really not a bad question by the way, because our “why” is an excellent resource to help us keep going. If we can’t answer “why,” then perhaps we need a better “why.” Paul tells us why he continued in ministry, even in the face of opposition. “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” [2Co 1:21-22 ESV]. Paul’s “why” is rooted in Jesus, the God-given foundation of ministry, “it is God who establishes us with you in Christ.” This is the second time Paul fell back on his “why.” The first time was recorded in his first letter when he reminded his opponents of their position in Christ as “confirmed, blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful through whom you were called into one fellowship with His Son, Jesus...

Criticism of the gospel ministry is nothing new (ol’ Solomon was right, you know: there is nothing new under the sun), so we can find great encouragement to remain faithful in all we do out of love for the Lord by considering how the apostle Paul rooted the defense of his ministry in truth. He writes: “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. But I call God to witness against me--it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” [2Co 1:19-24 ESV] Paul is truthful in mini...

Not quite certain how it all got away from me, but it did. I’ve not written much lately for blogging or for personal journaling (besides recording daily events--boring), but that does not mean I’m not busy. I am a husband, father and as of October--a grandfather, again and again. The last four years have been filled with the curly-headed laughter of one grandchild, now we have two more. Both born within two weeks of each other. Just the other day, I held our month-old grandson and asked him when he was going to start making fairies (it’s a Peter Pan thing, a family thing) and I kid you not when I say he actually gave a tiny giggle. Honestly, I am still trying to get used to the idea of more grandchildren (there are people everywhere around my house!) but am thankful for each and every one of my family members--especially the love of my life, my wife. I am one person managing two Seminary offices is not easy; but I am thankful--ever so thankful--I have this ministry. I am th...

The apostle Paul settles a controversy in the Corinthians church through the inspiration of the Spirit by pointing out the source of the conflict: the selfish ambition of those in the fight. People were taking sides in the church saying that one teacher was better than another. Paul levels the field concerning the teachers emphasizing their unity by asking, “ What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one .” (1 Corinthians 3:5) 1 Corinthians 4 builds on this fact concerning the church leadership: “ Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ” Here we find the first page of a photo album (if you will), a series of snapshots picturing the Servant of the Lord. The Servant of the Lord is (and some points are worth deeper exploration): Servant of Christ (1 Cor 4:1) Steward of the mysteries of God (4:1)   Trustworthy/faithful (4:2) Examined/assessed...

Youth Ministry specialists are noticing that as technology accelerates, spiritual apathy among young people is increasing. Many teens are biblically illiterate, bored, and find the church to be irrelevant. Parents are frustrated. Youth leaders are burned out. And high school and college students — if they ever attended — are leaving the church by the droves. What on earth has gone wrong? Dr. David Olshine , director of the  Youth Ministry, Family and Culture  program at Columbia International University explores what needs to change and offers practical advice to youth ministry leaders in his new book, “Youth Ministry: What’s Gone Wrong?”   Olshine is the author and co-author of 19 books and is a regular contributor to  Youth Worker Journal . He is ordained in the United Methodist Church and has served for over 30 years as a youth pastor and lead pastor of a college-town church. He is also the co-founder of Youth Ministry Coache s, an organization that helps ...

The following pictures were taken with permission at the Salvation Army Evangeline Booth College Historical Center . What an amazing history to study! Scroll down for my personal favorite exhibit. The two pictures below shows the "Walkie-Coffee." It is a back-pack allowing the wearer to carry coffee (on one side) and soup (on another) as they did ministry while moving through disaster areas, giving physical and spiritual nourishment where it was most needed.

Preparing for this week’s worship service, I was studying Romans 15 which spun off the question, “What is the responsibility of the minister (or priest): to present God to the people or the people to God?”  Read the passage below and comment on topic: “ But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ .” (Romans 15:...

"The picture is whatever the vine is, the branch is going to produce in fruit. So if Christ is the vine, then the production of fruit from us--the branches--is really going to be His life manifested through us. What do we see, first and foremost, when we look at Jesus? I think the very first thing that we would probably have to say in consideration of the life of Christ is that Jesus is love. He was loving. He was full of love for people. Jesus was not aloof or detached from people. Jesus loved people, not theoretically, but practically. . . . We can easily forget that the ministry is about loving people. Preaching is an important thing, obviously. Teaching the Bible is vital to any ministry, but you can sort of undermine what you say by how you treat people. How you deal with people and the attitude that you demonstrates toward them is vital. people always knew one thing about Jesus--they knew that He loved them. And if we are really bearing fruit, I think that God's peopl...

How To Start A Pastoral Training Program In Your Church Fitness Goals and the New Year. Five Things No One Ever Tells You About Working Out. 17 Things Your Flight Attendant Will Never Tell You. In 1891, while debating "the old, old question whether women's dress is or is not sensible," the members of a Brooklyn amateur dramatic company decided to try an experimen t. I'm jus' sayin . . .

The Greek tragedian Aeshylus (525-456 BC) wrote, “God is not averse to deceit in a holy cause.” Nothing could be further from the truth. One of the greatest difficulties pastors face today stems from this damaging worldview. Truth is the unifying factor of all the pastor is and all the pastor is to do; otherwise, the badge of office is “scandal,” and the world knows this. Just read the headlines. We catch a glimpse of the centrality of truth in pastoral ministry where Paul writes to Timothy, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to the commandment of god our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, our hope; to Timothy, true child in faith . . .” (1 Timothy 1:1-2). This entire letter to Timothy encourages truth and warns against those who speak otherwise. There are those who shipwreck their faith on the reef of untruth. Truth defines both the person and work of the minister. Let’s get this right, from the beginning. “Ministry” is an outward orientation, taking care of others. Ministry ...

Psalm 27 reminds us that God is not only trustworthy, but that He shares that attribute with us; that is, we can be trustworthy too. We should give thanks. If you think about it, the fact that He shares this attribute with us is astounding because I think I’m a pretty good person--sort of like Peter, the Rock—solid, right? Sure, if you look past the hot-headed impulsiveness. The truth of the matter is I need trustworthiness (among so many other things—but trustworthiness is the topic at present) and to get it, I have to look beyond myself, God-ward.   The first two paragraphs of Psalm 27 (verses 1-11) help us learn the principle of trustworthiness and one cannot help but note the repetition of the command, “Do not fret” when we first see the contrast of evildoers against God.   Evildoers cannot be trusted, so don’t get worked up over the fact that someone has done you wrong. Make absolutely certain you don’t envy them and the reason is this: they may be tall and thick, ...

“A pair of good ears will drain dry a hundred tongues. Give us grace to listen well.” (John Keble, 1792 – 1866 Poet, leader of the Oxford Movement) That’s a funny word, “listen.” We don’t say it like it’s spelled (we live by the exception of the rule) and it begins to make a strange sound in our own ears if we say it enough times. I wonder if Charles Stanley can hear how often he uses the word in a half hour? Regardless, I know why he uses it so much. We get our word from the Old English, “ hlysnan ,” from the old High German, “ khlusinon ” or “ hlosen ” and “ lauschen ” (which is a far cry from the Sanskrit, “ srnoti ”). A deeper etymological study reveals a deep meaning we take for granted; in other words, “listen” means more than “hear.” The word includes the idea of listing, giving fame to or making famous, ascribing splendor and honor to, glory. The implication is that when we listen, we focus to the point of exalting the object of undivided attention. So what? Journalist and a...

There is one scene in Disney’s “A Bug’s Life” (time travel back to 1998) where the Grasshoppers bully the Ants over food and things get a little rough. Most frightening to the Ants is the Grasshopper, Thumper. He a raving mad-bug. His eyes are bloodshot, teeth are jagged, and his wings are torn. He never speaks (except in the outtakes), but grunts and growls, screams and scowls. When the lead Grasshopper (Hopper, wants to flex a little muscle, he snaps his fingers (?) and Thumper goes berserk. This is the picture that comes to mind when I read Matthew 12:14 which says, “But the Pharisees went out and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.” Not too far before they began plotting, Jesus healed (among others that day) two blind men (Matthew 9:27-30) and a demonized man who was also dumb (Matthew 9:32) was brought to Him. Now, after they plotted to kill Him, we read that they go out, find a man who is demon-possessed, blind and dumb (Matthew 12:22) and bring him ...

Since the work of the ministry is the transformation of lives into the image of Christ (the application of good news to people's lives), the apostle Paul was inspired to reveal his motive for writing this letter. Anyone desiring the work of ministry should consider what Paul presents in Romans 1:8-15, as here (among other places) are a list of qualities for spiritual leaders. First, Paul expresses gratitude to God for God's work and gratitude for those to which he ministers (v. 8). Paul is acknowledging that God is doing the work and he is merely the messenger. For years my wife and I have prayed for the congregation God would have for us—little did we know that our congregation was not found within the four walls of a building, but on the streets, in the stores and parks—wherever there are people. God gave us gospel opportunities everywhere, and at first we did not see because our vision was too small-- we were waiting for an address. God showed us we had the whole world. ...

Here's hoping for long delays! Massage parlors, beds, swimming pools . . . why even get on the plane ? Ever wonder about how " youthtastic " your Youth Minister (Student Pastor) is? Dr. Larson provides insight about economic sanctions against Iran . Want to see 5000 years of religion in 90 seconds ? Which is bigger: logic; or, sin ? Oh, and on this day, April 15 (the day we file our taxes): The Titanic sunk, Lincoln was assassinated, San Franciso rocked in an earthquake (1906), not to mention the Fall of Saigon (1975), Chernobyl (1985), the Los Angeles Riots (1992), Oklahoma City bombing, the Columbine shootings, and the introduction of "New Coke" (1985)? I'm starting to see a pattern here . . .

A common phenomenon in nature is “the path of least resistance.” Electricity moving through a circuit will always travel where it is easiest to go. Cars are developed aerodynamically so there will be a minimal wind resistance. Water always travels under a bridge because it is far easier to go under the bridge than over it. Frequently this is what people are like also. It is easier to sit in front of the TV rather than to care for our neighbor’s needs. It is easier to get angry at your mate and let that anger diminish over the course of time rather than sitting down and working the problem through. Thumbing through a Reader’s Digest is much easier than a time of personal Bible study. And so we find that we too, just like water under the bridge are prone to take the “path of least resistance.” But there is one difference between ourselves and water. Water will never have to give an account of what it has done. Ought not we examine ourselves and get on the “path of greatest persistance?’

I was out minding my own business on day when I noticed a man who seemed to be quite agitated about something, just downright disturbed. This bothere me, seeing someone being bothered, so I offered assistance. He ignored me. I offered again and seemed to be ready to accept some kind of help, but I learned very quickly that he was intent on making a big deal about his situation and wanted no help at all. How frustrating to meet people who don't want help--they just want to be left alone, happy or otherwise. I think it comes down to this: to accept comfort, consolation, encouragment, even help, one must become vulnerable. For many this means to be weak in an age we are told to be strong, "suck it up," bear the pain, take Ibuprofen and get over it. The Christian has good reason to suffer affliction: the glory of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). 1) We suffer so we can comfort others. Certainly Paul is speaking of the affliction that comes with preaching ...

"I am afraid of the pastor that is another man when he enters the pulpit from what he was before. Reverend, you should never think a thought or do a deed or be caught in any situation that you couldn’t carry into the pulpit with you without embarrassment. You should never have to be a different man or get a new voice and a new sense of solemnity when you enter the pulpit. You should be able to enter the pulpit with the same spirit and the same sense of reverence that you had just before when you were talking to someone about the common affairs of life." A.W. Tozer, "Worship: The Missing Jewel of the Evangelical Church."

Shakespeare opens his play "Julius Caesar" with a most curious situation. The setting is the Feast of Lupercal (February 15) and the people have taken to the streets to celebrate in a holiday-fashion Caesar's victory over Pompey in a civil war. Marullus and Flavius, two tribunes (government officials) who supported Pompey, attempt to discourage celebrating workers. Addressing the commoners, Flavius inquires of one concerning his profession, learning he is "a mender of bad soles." Shakespeare gives the audience a joke, which Flavius does not get, for the man is a cobbler, a shoe repairman; however, the joke comes to light when the cobbler clarifies his trade by telling Flavius, "I can mend you." The cobbler explains, "Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men a...

Violet (picking her nose): “Spitting is an dirty habit” Wonka: “I know a worse one.” Robert Murray McCheyne, a godly Scottish minister and friend of Horatius Bonar from the 19th century, suggests the cultivation of a specific habit as a means of fostering holiness in a minister. That vital, daily habit is none other than prayer. McCheyne writes: “I ought to pray before seeing any one. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, and then have family prayer and breakfast and forenoon callers, it is eleven or twelve o’clock before I begin secret prayer. This is a wretched system. It is unscriptural. Christ rose before day, and went into a solitary place... Family prayer loses much of power and sweetness, and I can do no good to those who come to seek for me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then, when secret prayer comes, the soul is often out of tune. I feel it far better to begin with God, to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it...