I grew up believing that only women and children pray. That is, real men did not pray, except for the perfunctory prayer before the Thanksgiving or Christmas meals. Although I knew very little about prayer, without any prompting, I would pray to God each night. One prayer, however, stands out above the rest. On that... Continue Reading →
If you were called upon to testify as a fact witness in a court of law, would you be careless about what you say? Would you be willing to exaggerate or, worse, fabricate your testimony? I hope not! Not only are you required to give an oath that you will tell the truth, but you... Continue Reading →
People love to argue! If you were trapped in the bubble of either legal or theological education, you would be convinced that people LOVE to debate about anything and everything. I never realized how much and how long people will quarrel over the most minute details, irrelevant laws, or obscure doctrines. Arguing over minutia may... Continue Reading →
As a mentor to younger pastors, I've had the privilege of watching many of them accept their first pastorate. Some have spent a significant amount of time on the front end acquiring as much information and advice as possible to be successful in their first year. Others have jumped directly into the "deep end of... Continue Reading →
I'll spare you a trip through the pseudo-mystical phase wherein the preacher "gets alone" with God and through "divine revelation" receives his next sermon! It is frustrating to hear pastors say, "God gave me this message," or "God laid this message on my heart." Typically, that means (loosely translated), "I am just winging it" and/or... Continue Reading →
Somewhere between the “churched” and “unchurched” classifications is a neglected and overlooked group.[1] In some communities, the largest group of people that the church will engage with the gospel is made up of persons who, in the past, attended, joined, or were active in churches. Yet, for some reason, they are no longer connected to... Continue Reading →
Thoughts on Research for Sermons At this point in ministry, I have preached approximately 2,500+ sermons. This number doesn't include Sunday School lessons, Mid-week Bible studies, and college lectures. Moreover, I have lost count of the times I've preached at other churches as a guest speaker. In short, I've had a lot of opportunities to... Continue Reading →
If I could turn back time (an old 80s song just popped into my head), I would have a lot to tell the younger me. Although there are some clear advantages to being a young man, those strengths cannot compare to the wisdom that one acquires throughout life. One of the downsides to being young... Continue Reading →
What is Poimenology? On the one hand, it is a word that I made up by adding the Koine Greek word for pastor (ποιμήν or ποιμένα, lit. shepherd) to the scientific phrase "ology," which means "the study of" a field or discipline. Conversely, I believe that as a field of study pastoral ministry has been erroneously... Continue Reading →
What would I tell the young man who surrendered to the preaching ministry almost twenty years ago? I would insist, in addition to studying the Scriptures (i.e. theology, scriptural interpretation), that he becomes a student of (1) how people learn and (2) how to communicate effectively to them. Sadly, many pastors have ignored non-theological disciplines,... Continue Reading →
How is it possible for a full-time pastor earn a law degree? The short answer: grace and grit! It is hard to explain the challenges and difficulties that I faced while trying to complete one of the most difficult graduate degrees in higher education while pastoring full-time. In some respects, it is no different than... Continue Reading →
How many sermons open with a speed reading of the Bible? The pastor stands before the congregation not fully prepared, still trying to collect his thoughts and hoping to create a last-minute opening, and begins painfully reading the sacred text. His dry and monotone voice coupled with both his (obvious) disinterest in the text and... Continue Reading →
Why read another Christian blog? Frankly, I find it strange that you are even reading this one. I trust that you are bored or maybe you were you drawn here by the name. If so, it may help if I begin to define what I mean. If you are not convinced, stick around for future... Continue Reading →
In the history of Christian missions to the Muslim world only one man has been recognized with the honorary title, “the Apostle to Islam”.[1] Samuel Marinus Zwemer (1867-1952), a man whose name was synonymous with missions in Arabia, has seemingly been forgotten in the twenty-first century. According to Warren Larson, former director of the Samuel Zwemer... Continue Reading →