Head-dibs

The Gospel is more than a key that opens the front doo r. A pastor reflects on why he does not answer the back door . How are those resolutions going (now that we are at the end of January)? Here are " 6 Ways to Make Your Resolutions Last Past January ." What time is it in Antarctica ? A tribute to sound engineers everywhere.

What Hath Piper to Do with Warren?: Reflections from the 2010 Desiring God National Conference. Living Waters has partnered with Salem Web Network to make available valuable daily audio and video evangelism resources. Through OnePlace.com, Living Waters is pleased to release its Way of the Master Radio Program Archive. The Way of the Master Radio Program, co-hosted by Todd Friel, Ray Comfort, and Kirk Cameron, ran from January 2006 through November 2008.  Go to www.OnePlace.com/ministries/Way-of-the-Master

"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...

Q: Why is quality more important than quantity to God? A: The LORD desires obedience over sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22-23; Gen 4:1-8); clean hands, a pure heart and a heart not lifted up to vanity or deception (Psalm 24:3-4); a broken spirit and contrite heart open to His observation (Ps. 51:16-17, Prov. 21:2-3). God delights in the prayer of the upright (Prov. 15:8), in one willing to be obedient (Isa. 1:10-20), in one who chooses God’s way over method or tradition (Isa. 66:3; Jer. 7:22-23). God desires the depth of intimate relationship (Hos. 6:6), of people who act like Him (Amos 5:21-2; Mi. 6:6-8; Matt. 23:23). The quality of a living ministry is like a house built on a rock (Matt. 7:21-27), is a ministry of mercy (Matt. 9:13; 12:7), a ministry of function--an all heart, mind and soul love for God, that spills over love to others—rather than ministry of form (Mark 12:33). “One way to tell if a church is dead or alive spiritually is whether its focus and concern is more on the quality ...

"Crucial Factors to the Spiritual Effectiveness of Pastors" The search for success has become an all-consuming obsession in lives of men and women in the western world today. This search is found in the areas of both work and play, in business and in recreation and interestingly, the same search has found its way into the ministry. Ironically the western world has endeavored to drive a wedge between the sacred and the secular, yet the search for success seems to encompass both. Here we may pose a question: which is greater—finding success or finding effectiveness? The answer to this question indicates the great dichotomy that exists between the ministry of success and the ministry of effectiveness. “The two look the same to me,” one may say. On one hand success and effectiveness may look very much alike as the terms may apply to the “end” of one’s efforts; on the other hand, the difference is subtle and dangerous. Success may be thought of as “mastery” or “the gain of o...

Those two words could be the death-nell for one’s career as they imply limpid, bad service and whip one into assuming the position of stooping that others who are more serious about climbing the ladder of success may be given their obligatory boost up. Professionalism is demanded of everyone: doctors, lawyers, airline pilots, sales associates, managers, plumbers, pastors and even from that guy or gal that makes your burger at your favorite burger stand. Don’t believe me? How many times do you check your bag before you pull away from the drive-thru window—‘cause if it ain’t right, somebody’s going back in the store—you know what I mean. Professionals. They wear a uniform, generally. They have some badge of identity on them that says, “this is who or what I represent.” There is a sense of pride in being an professional, for there are not many people on the face of the planet who can do the things this or that “professor” can do. I remember this wonderful soliloquy delivered by the late (...

Outline summary of observations from Huldrych Zwingli’s “The Shepherd”, a sermon preached in October, 1523. “The image of both pastors [true and false] set forth by that most famous clerk, Huldrych Zwinglius, and how translated out of the Latin and into Englishe by John Wernon Synonoys. A most fruitful and necessary book, to be had and read in all churches, therewith to enarm all simple and ignorant folks, against the ravenous wolves and false prophets. London, 1550.” Introduction: the content and purpose for writing: To “find the color and shape of a true shepherd”; To “see the false wolves which pass themselves off in sheep’s clothing . . . standing with their fangs and claws which the sheep’s clothing cannot cover.” Purpose for writing: To lead them [false shepherds] away from their designs; and if not, to warn the godly Christian people against them; that God would rule (God has delivered His people in the past; God has provided salvation for His people now; God will be faithful to...

Have you ever given much thought to “the oldest profession?” When this phrase comes to our ears, our thoughts generally go one of two directions, and admittedly, both directions are nowhere near the right direction one could be going. When one considers the phrase “the oldest profession,” one may think of either witchcraft or prostitution. There is a third direction one should consider and when one may (or may not) sift through the reasons witchcraft or prostitution may try elaborate in order to lay claim to the title, suddenly it becomes clear how these two actually make a mockery of what is the truest and oldest profession, which is shepherding, also called “pastoring.” The pastor, or shepherd, is the first profession mentioned in scripture. When Adam was created, God said man was to “rule over the fish of the sea and over birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Gen 1:26). This nebulous task is seen as man...

We are familiar with the quip, "whaddya think you are, God's gift to man?" Would you believe that the remark actually came from someone's definition of "ministry?" What does “ministry” mean? "An office and function whereby one proclaims the mystery of godliness. A work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of church leaders that informs theology and practical implementation." (Stitzinger, James. “Pastoral Ministry in History.” TMSJ 6/2 (Fall 1995) 143-80. All quotes hereafter come from this summative article.) FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT: The shepherding love, care, mercy, discipline, compassion and delight of God toward people. FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT: Same as OT plus the wisdom, glory, power and humility of Christ; laying down life for sheep. Elder (presybteros): Administration and spiritual guidance of the church; Bishop/overseer (episkopos): guidance, oversight, leadership in the church; Shepherd/pastor (poimen): position denoting leadership and authority...