Text talk: What’s a sermon for?
It is a legendary story, but we can likely assume that it actually happened. A visiting preacher stepped into a pulpit which he was filling for a friend and saw a sign that would come to revolutionize his preaching ministry. It simply read, “What are you trying to do to these people?” Good question. What is the purpose of a sermon? Why do we preach? Why do we gather every Sunday and sit under the instruction of a pastor? The purpose...
Instagram, Twitter, and the longing for approval
The Washington Post reports that Instagram is testing a prototype in Canada right now that would hide “likes” and views on pictures and videos in order “to rein in competitive tendencies and to make the experience a little ‘less pressurized.’” You could still check how many “likes” a post received, but you would have to click through to find such information. In the same report, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey acknowledged that his platform...
Why more aren’t Missionaries: What happens when we lose the news worth sharing
or maybe the first time in our history, we have “more fully-funded open missionary positions than we have candidates in the pipeline.” On one hand, this is an occasion to praise God for the generous giving of our churches, which continues to support faithfulness to the Great Commission. On the other hand, it’s sad that we have more positions open than people who are willing to fill them. Our situation reminds me of a campaign from...
10 things I wish everyone knew about Southern Baptists
With the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week in Birmingham, I thought it would be helpful to share these 10 things I wish everyone knew about Southern Baptists. #1. Westboro Baptist Church isn’t one of us. Sometimes people assume when they see Westboro Baptist Church with its hateful signs, picketing, and protesting that this church is one of ours. It isn’t. As a matter...
Spend Your Summer in a Good Book
Christians, we have a problem. Our nation is on the skids. America is looking less like a new Jerusalem and more like a new and improved Babylon. We’ve managed to form a culture that is a veritable potpourri of everything the Bible says God hates. Even Sodom and Gomorrah think we probably need to tone it down. Our Christian lives aren’t in much better shape. Our marriages are struggling. Our homes are broken. Our children are being...
Three ways to lead a short-term mission trip
Get excited! You are about to lead a team to experience sights, sounds and smells they have never experienced before. Your team is going to meet wonderful people with completely different backgrounds and make new friends that may last a lifetime. You will all remember this trip for a long, long time. As the leader, it is your responsibility to make sure the trip is a success. This means shepherding your team, planning trip logistics...
