Consider these statistics: 42% of pastors considered quitting in the last year. 50% of pastors do not make it past five years in ministry. 80% do not last ten years. We are seeing an epidemic of pastoral burnout in our day. Why? In their new book The Unhurried Pastor (The Good Book Company, 2024), Brian … Continue reading Redefining What it Means to Be Productive in Ministry
In his new book Love The Ones Who Drive You Crazy (Crossway, 2023), Jamie Dunlop makes a bold claim: Churches should be united around Christ alone, not Christ plus other shared convictions. And yet, when churches do this well, they are ripe for conflict. If we are truly committed to welcoming those with different opinions … Continue reading How to Love Fellow Christians, Even When They Drive You Crazy
Scott Klusendorf in The Case For Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture (Crossway, 2023) compares the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade to Dunkirk in WWII. He notes that Churchill advised his fellow British citizens not to mistake the miraculous withdrawal of the English army fromDunkirk for a victory: the murderous Hitler regime still controlled the continent of Europe. Likewise, Klusendorf points out that every time abortion … Continue reading Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture
One of the most central figures of the Swiss Reformation was a man named Ulrich Zwingli. Zwingli spent twelve years shepherding the people of Zurich. He led and taught them how to properly worship, how to love and believe the Bible and how to live out the gospel. He helped Zurich understand Reformation. Even though he … Continue reading Ulrich Zwingli: A Life in Conflict
The heart of God is at the center of the gospel message. His affections towards His people is not a great mystery that needs to be discovered. It has been revealed in the person and work of Jesus. God’s heart towards His people is seen all throughout scripture. His desire is that sinners experience His … Continue reading The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers
Evangelism is an important part of the Christian life. It is through evangelism that the gospel has made its way around the globe and down through the ages. Yet, many Christians find it difficult to evangelize. There are many reasons for this, however, evangelism must remain a central pillar of the Church in order to … Continue reading Biblical Encouragement When We Are Discouraged with Evangelism
You’ve heard it a thousand times — in sermons, devotionals, small group classes, and at countless funerals. You’ve almost memorized it without trying. It’s so familiar that, if we’re honest, at times it even seems boring. What more could you possibly learn about Psalm 23? In the introduction to his new book, The Lord of … Continue reading Jesus Our Good Shepherd, Companion, and Host
Prayer is an essential part of the Christian life. However, many Christians struggle in their prayer lives. This lack of prayer causes all sorts of issues including a lack of prayer over temptation. Prayer at its core is the way in which believers commune with God. A lack of prayer indicates a lack of trust … Continue reading Biblical Encouragement For When We Don’t Desire to Pray
We live in a very divided age. Yet, this should not surprise us because, wherever there is human civilization and at least two differing opinions there will inevitably be divisions. In any given society there will be division politically, socially, economically, ideologically, morally, and religiously, etc. Unfortunately, the division doesn’t stop with the culture at … Continue reading What Should We Do When Doctrine Divides the People of God?
Pain and suffering is the part of the human experience that modern society tries its best to avoid. Most people are afraid of suffering and desire to get through it as quickly as possible when it comes. Yet, pain and suffering will come to all people, even followers of Christ. It is not if, but … Continue reading When Our Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent…Run To Jesus!
In recent years, in evangelical circles, much talk has centered around the idea of “theological triage”. The term has been credited to Dr. Albert Mohler, though the concept has been around for a long time. In a divided age, unfortunately even many Christians fall into dispute over a difference of opinion. This is made worse … Continue reading Is Every Hill One Worth Dying On?
Friendship is hard. At least it is for me. Perhaps you can resonate with my experience. In high school and college, making friends seemed easy. I didn’t even have to try. No doubt it had much to do with how much free time we had on our hands. But when you are married with kids … Continue reading A Biblical Vision for Friendship
