Our world seems to be descending more and more into moral chaos and confusion as moral relativism and secularism wreck havoc on people's lives. Rather than the church of Jesus stepping up to provide the gospel cure and model a better way forward, the church and many of her leaders seem to have been ensnared … Continue reading Is there any hope for the church?
leaders
We Desperately Need These Men
God, give us men! A time like this demands Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not lie; Men who can stand … Continue reading We Desperately Need These Men
The Power of the Word of God in a Young Pastor’s Life
J.I. Packer, as a young pastor, found himself “marginalized, isolated and required to work on unfulfilling and flawed agendas, in a manner that made him think of the Israelites having to make bricks for Pharaoh.” He claims to have lived “like Moses in Midian, with frustration in [his] heart, wondering what God could possibly be … Continue reading The Power of the Word of God in a Young Pastor’s Life
Developing Yourself as a Leader
A Three-Fold Process Of Leadership Development Hebrews 13:7 - “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” According to this verse, what are the things that aspiring leaders do? They call to remembrance the example of former leaders who’ve impacted … Continue reading Developing Yourself as a Leader
In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
At least once a year, I read the booklet by Henri Nouwen entitled In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. He uses two key passages to unpack the nature of Christian leadership: Matthew 4:1-11 and John 21:15-21. In this book he discusses three temptations which all leaders face. Temptation 1: The Temptation to … Continue reading In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
Healthy Church Leaders
Not long ago I had a young elder ask me to mentor him. This coincided with a devotional given to our staff by our pastor at Second Presbyterian Church, Sandy Willson. Thus, below are portions of a letter I wrote using Sandy's outline for healthy church leaders.First of all, thank you for wanting input, friendship, … Continue reading Healthy Church Leaders
Church Leaders and Dispositional Sins
This morning our men's discipleship group was examining the theme of "Finding Forgiveness: The Moralist Meets Jesus Christ." We started by discussing David Mains and his article "My Greatest Ministry Mistakes." Two fatal omissions of his ministry at the Circle Church in Chicago were: He never once preached about human depravity and, secondly, the church … Continue reading Church Leaders and Dispositional Sins
Three Main Avenues of Spiritual Attack
Dr. J.I. Packer is one of my favorite theologians and writers. On many occasions he has brought clarity and insight to the Word of God for me. One article that has been particularly enriching is called "Self-Care for Pastors: Riches from the Anglican Devotional Tradition." In this article, he emphasizes that there are three main … Continue reading Three Main Avenues of Spiritual Attack
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