How do you measure success? The world looks at bank accounts, houses, prestige, degrees earned, or your position in the company. The athletic world looks at scores, games won, and championships attained. The church may look at membership rolls, worship attendance, the number of baptisms, or the size of buildings. All of these things are... Continue Reading →
Wise Instruction for a Leader
Good leaders are deciders. Leaders make decisions and move forward. They may not always be right, but they do not allow themselves to be paralyzed by indecision. Great spiritual leadership recognizes the need for God to be integral in the process of decision-making. In Exodus 18: 19-21 Moses was given great leadership advice by his... Continue Reading →
Choose Obedience Over Safety
I talked with a pastor last week who was discouraged and hurting. The reason he was discouraged might surprise you, because worship attendance wasn’t down and the church wasn’t behind in the budget. It wasn’t because of internal fighting or dissatisfaction with his sermons. Instead, this pastor was discouraged because members felt like conducting ministry... Continue Reading →
WHY YOU SHOULD OPEN YOUR HOME THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
The end of the year is often marked by a seemingly endless barrage of family gatherings, cookie swaps, white elephant gift exchanges, office parties and more. The holidays cause some to stress out and wonder if they can fit everything in. Others experience profound sadness as they reflect on the loss of a loved one... Continue Reading →
What’s in Your Wallet?
Jesus commanded each of us as His disciples to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Our mandate as followers of Jesus Christ is to take the Gospel into all the world and to make the name of Christ known among all peoples. We are compelled to proclaim... Continue Reading →
A Cultural Change May Be Needed
Last week, at our annual state convention, we recognized churches that had shown marked improvement in their missions participation. Those churches understood the commandment we’ve been given to go and make disciples of all people and had intentionally sent their members out on mission. It was so interesting to learn of things the churches had... Continue Reading →
4 Realities Regarding The Mission of God
Oftentimes, the mission of God doesn’t seem to match our conveniently constructed models. In Acts 8:26-40, we catch a glimpse of how God brings about what He has promised is going to happen in Revelation 5:9-10. God orchestrated circumstances in such a way that Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch met on a desert road to bring about... Continue Reading →
Chosen to Go
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now... Continue Reading →
Storm Chasers
I have served almost twelve years as Disaster Relief Director for the Kentucky Baptist Convention and have been involved in countless disaster responses across our globe - from hurricanes on the Gulf Coast to tornadoes in the Midwest to famines in Africa. As I reflect on these events, there is no question in my mind... Continue Reading →
Seven Ways to Embrace the Displaced
Imagine being a refugee landing in the United States for the first time. You’ve been waiting for years for the opportunity to start your life again. You haven’t had a home to call your own, your children have only sporadically attended school, and your spouse suffers from insomnia and nightmares about the violence that drove you... Continue Reading →