I once heard a pastor say, “The enemy of your soul hates you.” You probably hear sermons and social media clips about how much God loves you—and rightly so, for He does indeed love you. Yet it is also important to hear about the other side of the coin: the devil hates you.
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When Charles Spurgeon was asked if he could reconcile the sovereignty of God and human responsibility, he said, “I wouldn’t try, I never reconcile friends.”
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At least seven times in the pastoral epistles, Paul directly charges Timothy and Titus to “avoid” and to “have nothing to do with” ideas and people who pose a threat to their flock. This is jarring since one of the main purposes for these letters is to encourage Timothy and Titus to engage false teaching and teachers. Yet here is where the paradox emerges: Paul teaches a pastoral virtue of avoidance—showing that sometimes the wisest form of engagement is careful restraint.
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Sacred cows are often defined as something that needs to be addressed but few are willing. In this post, Chuck Lawless offers tips on how to recognize and address sacred cows.
What comes to mind when you think of attrition in your church? Perhaps you think about the attrition of membership or attendance. Maybe you think about financial attrition. However, I want to draw your attention to a different and often overlooked category: cultural attrition.
My own moral failings, intrusive thoughts, and moments of doubt have sometimes left me feeling worthless and weak. In those moments, I can’t help but feel that God is ashamed of me or distant. And in my weakness, I ask myself, “How can I hold on to Him more earnestly?”
Today, every worship leader has become a curator and gatekeeper. And that’s not a small responsibility.
Sometimes, when you’re in the middle of a church renewal initiative, it can be difficult to measure the kind of impact you’re hoping to see. It often requires stepping back, taking a breath and prayerfully evaluating what God is doing.
While salvation is the same for all believers and heaven awaits them all, Scripture indicates that rewards will vary among believers. This distinction does not mean there are separate levels or divisions within heaven, as if some believers will inhabit one realm and others a different one, eternally separated.
You may believe your church is friendly but would a guest agree? Chuck Lawless offers ways you can find the answer.
We need more evangelistic preaching in our states. When the Gospel is preached, God’s people are both encouraged and trained to share the Gospel themselves, and lost people are confronted and convicted about their standing before God.
You can’t finesse your way through a sermon with polished appearance, warm people skills, or seminary credentials alone. In the moment of truth, your ability—or lack thereof—to teach and preach God’s Word reveals much about your calling.
If you’re a church leader, you need to spend intentional time with a senior adult – or with a lot of them. Even a monthly lunch and conversation will pay dividends in your ministry. Here’s why you need to prioritize this time:
When a guest pulls into the parking lot of your church this Sunday morning, what do they experience first – and what does that experience teach them about Jesus?
