For the average church member, one of the most difficult realities to accept is that church ministry must change the way it operates when its methods are no longer productive. You may have heard the infamous phrase, “we ain’t never done it like that before.” It’s that attitude, that refusal to ch...
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In my first blog of the year I wanted to encourage you to put as much or more effort into your spiritual wellbeing as you do your physical health. To help you accomplish that I want to challenge you to become a discipling Christian. That is, helping someone else grow in their relationship with th...
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Some people say leaders are born while others insist they’re made. I think it’s both. Some are born with the temperament, aptitude and physical qualities that make them natural leaders. Others become leaders through discipline, hard work and sometimes necessity, shaping their skills through educa...
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As you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, God begins to influence others through you. The life of Jesus becomes increasingly manifest in your being (see 2 Corinthians 4:11). As you daily die to self, living through the Spirit, that glorious life of our Savior becomes a real...
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Peter’s exhortation to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) implies that spiritual maturity is something for which we all must strive. The Apostle Paul committed himself to the church at Philippi “for their progress and joy in the faith.” (Philippians 1:25) In...
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The well-known British theologian John Stott once told a story of two women talking. One asked the other why she seemed so anxious. “I am worried,” replied her friend. “I keep thinking about the world situation.” The other woman advised, “You should stop thinking and take things more philosophica...
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“Deconstruction” has become a prevalent word in evangelical circles. As of February, there were almost 300,000 Instagram posts with the hashtag “#deconstruction”—many of them referring to the Christian faith. However, the term “deconstruction” has such a wide range of meanings, it must be underst...
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In Luke 13, Jesus told a parable about a fig tree that had failed to produce any fruit. The owner instructed his keeper of the grounds to cut it down. The keeper suggested giving it one more year, and that he would dig around and fertilize the fig tree. If it remained fruitless after a year, then...
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Accountability is one of those things that reveals the truth of Jesus’ words, “The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” We know in our hearts that the discipline of making ourselves accountable to another person is a good thing, but the flesh is reluctant to submit. Thus, when it comes to ac...
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Have you ever considered how much non-Christian activity goes on in the name of Christianity? For example, go to the YMCA (Young Men’s “Christian” Association) website and try to find anything pertaining to Jesus’ gospel. There are even cults that operate under the Christian label. Furthermore, c...
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