It was the biggest blind spot in my preaching ministry. A year and a half into my first pastorate, I discovered it. The previous few weeks I had noticed that there was a spiritual need in our congregation. I was finishing a series, so I scheduled the next one ... Read More »

In middle school, one of my favorite P.E. sections was when we learned archery. Coach would set up a dozen or so large, round targets for us to shoot at with red, recurve bows. Throughout the week, we shot arrows from 10 yards away, aiming at the bullseye and ... Read More »

Every preacher of the gospel ought to have the end in mind when beginning his sermon. As we all know great gospel preaching begins with a creative introduction, a clear explanation, and a convincing application. Let me say it another way. You need to ask yours... Read More »

The hallmark characteristic of an expository sermon is that the main point of the text becomes the main point of the sermon. As such there are various models of expository preaching, ranging from text-centered preaching of the older generations to the more pop... Read More »

Many people claim various places are sacred. In a recent family trip out west, we visited the sacred grounds of the Black Hills. Several years before we visited our nation’s military cemetery, Arlington National Cemetery which is reported to be sacred ground... Read More »

Life seemingly gives us two manners of learning. The first way is learning from personal experiences. Lessons from our experiences yield both pros and cons. Positively, we have the satisfaction of figuring out the matter. However, negatively, we face the agony... Read More »

“What exactly do you do during the week?” On several occasions over 17 years of pastoring I have heard this question. Sometimes it is genuine, other times it is a veiled insult, but the answer is always the same: among other tasks, I give priority of time ... Read More »

My first daughter was born in May. The thing about babies is that it’s hard to understand what they want. They do not know how to speak. All they can do is cry. We try to understand who they are and what they want based on our experiences with her. Many Amer... Read More »

As Peter Adam brings out in Speaking God’s Words: A Practical Theology of Expository Preaching,[1]Peter Adam, Speaking God’s Words: A Practical Theology of Expository Preaching (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1996). a common phrase in both Testaments of Scri... Read More »

Preaching God’s Word is the most important duty of every under-shepherd. Proclamation of Biblical truth is not simply one among many responsibilities of a pastor; it is the responsibility above all other responsibilities. Stated another way, when it comes to... Read More »

The primary and defining characteristic of the growing Christian is love. Jesus Himself says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciple... Read More »

More and more frequently, younger people who are visiting our churches come with a different set of values that we may be ignoring. I am talking about those identified as belonging to Generation Z. This group is labeled as those who were born after 1995[1] Jam... Read More »