When Leaders No Longer Lead

From JTM: “A good shepherd leads his sheep to pasture. He cares for their every need. He does not drive the sheep with the shepherds crook, but rather uses it to correct the wayward. Leadership, at any level, should know and follow the example of the Good Shepherd. Failure to do so leaves the sheep […]

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Q&A: Should Women Teach Men About Theology?

Short answer: Absolutely not, in any way, shape or form. Scripture, specifically I Timothy 2:11-14, could not be more clear: A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first […]

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Preach with Authority, Not Authorities

A first-class book, The Mystery of Preaching, by James Black (pp. 127-28) warns against quoting. Paradoxically, the author relies on quotations, which I borrow. “Have you noticed,” asked James Denney, “that the Apostles seldom quote, except from the source of their authority?” “In my experience of listening to sermons,” declared George Adam Smith, “no art […]

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Preaching & the Spiritual Growth of Church Members

In my 51 years, of all the types and styles of preaching and teaching I have witnessed, there is none that so promotes and sustains the spiritual growth of local church members than expository preaching. It simply cannot be beat. While God does indeed work in various ways and means to strengthen our lives toward […]

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The Man of God

Contrary to popular opinion, the man of God is not confined to the pulpit, nor hidden away in some secluded place, so as not to bother those whose hatred for truth and God knows no bounds. While there are those in this world who would desire such, it will not happen. The term ‘man of […]

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The Dumbing Down of Worship in America & Our Biblical Witness

A big part of the problem is that we have gotten the unconverted in the church while still unconverted, and as such, they have no love for God, His Christ, His people nor for true worship. Over the last 50 years or so, there has been a dumbing down of Biblical worship and the witness […]

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Preaching is Not Dialogue

Brethren, preaching is not a dialogue. It’s the proclamation of God’s whole counsel by a man called of God, set apart by the Church, more often than not to a people who want dialogue instead of submitting to God and pastoral authority. That’s preaching. If you want dialogue, you need repentance.

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There Are No Spiritual Elites in the Church

If there’s anything that stands neon in social media, it is the exaltation of spiritual celebrities and heroes. Brethren, let us be careful. Scripture opposes such notions, and no good is done to those to whom exaltation is given. Like high school, there are, and probably will continue to be, cliques in certain circles, but […]

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Before You Preach Again

Preaching is no common matter to God. It is not common in the sense that He bestows His favor on just anyone who takes it upon themselves to do so. It is a gift of God, a calling, bestowed upon men of His choosing, an office to be highly esteemed, a place of honor among […]

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Nursery in A Catacomb

When your church building was built in the 1960’s, you expect some flaws to show up. Cracks in the concrete sidewalk, old (layers of) paint, creaky floors, the occasional drips from antiquated plumbing and toilet seats that really should be replaced. We just never got around to it. Not every fellowship has a new mega-church […]

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Leadership: When You Have ‘Issues’ at Church

If you have been a church leader for any length of time, you’ve no doubt gotten your feet wet in dealing with a myriad of issues in your local fellowship; complaints, concerns, differences of opinions relating to goals and visions for your fellowship, etc. The list of possibilities is endless when dealing with people, and […]

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Disrupted Worship Services

  This church fellowship in PA had an outburst from some members of the congregation during the morning service. If you were the pastor, how would you have handled this situation? Have you, as a church leader, ever been involved in a similar situation? I know I have. Comments are open… Related articles What is the […]

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3 Words of Advice for New Deacons

  I had the blessing of growing up as a PK – preacher’s kid. It was a blessing, but also an occasional tough spotlight to live in. The expectations placed on children of preachers is rarely a gray area. At least that was my experience. It seemed my siblings and I were either expected to […]

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Before Don Rickles, There Was Martin Luther

It’s been said that if you’re in the ministry, you need to have a soft heart and the skin of a Rhino. Young pastor’s will find out very soon in their ministry how monstrous church members can be at times. They will find themselves insulted, lambasted, criticized up one side and down another and maybe […]

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Why Baptists Must Remain Distinct

While it would be ideal if all denominational lines could be erased, it is unrealistic for Baptists to think so. Baptists must remain distinct from other denominations in both doctrine, practice and worship simply because the conscience of Baptists will allow them no alternative in light of the authority of the New Testament. The teaching […]

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Lesson in Leadership?

Interesting commentary on the formation of a movement. What do you think?

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The Case Against Lay-Preachers

Every Christian should be able to give an account of why he is a Christian; but that does not mean every Christian is meant to preach. This distinction is brought out in a most interesting way in Acts 8 in verses 4 and 5. There we are told in the first verse that a great […]

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Free Audio Book

This month’s free audio book from Christianaudio is Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders. Description: With more than 500,000 in print, Spiritual Leadership has proven itself a timeless classic in teaching the principles of leadership. J. Oswald Sanders presents and illustrates those principles through biographies of eminent men of God – men such as Moses, […]

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Preacher – Be Real In Worship

There is nothing like worship, when it is real, for destroying every shred and atom of a man’s self-importance. A minister of God who carries a sense of his importance about with him, even into the pulpit, is a dreadful and pathetic sight: but who will say it is unknown? If you are to lead […]

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New Mark Driscoll School On Leadership Features SBC Staffers, Piper, Stetzer and Storms

From Townhall.com: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Three staff members of Southern Baptist Convention entities are among eight leaders of a new leadership school being launched by Mars Hill Church, the Seattle, Wash., mega-church co-led by Mark Driscoll. Bruce Ware, Gregg Allison and Ed Stetzer will join Driscoll, John Piper and Sam Storms on the faculty of the […]

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