Theological Education for ALL the Church
Should theological education be limited to those with a call to ministry? What about the rest of the church? Would everyone not benefit from classes that lead to a greater understanding of the Bible, theology, and mission? The answer is obviously yes, so the question becomes how do we deliver these types of classes to everyone in the church.
Before the Bloom
If you watch flowers during the spring, you spot all the signs of growth. Sprouts will appear out of the ground and mulch. The sprouts will grow into leaves. The leaves will grow and take shape. It’s as if the plant is building your anticipation for the flower. But, then there’s a pause…everything looks healthy…but there’s no bloom. You wait. You look. You wait. Nothing.
Walking The Tightrope of Biblical Position and Missional Posture
While driving to church this week, I wondered how to help a church member or friend interpret these conversations. I think the majority of these social media wars revolve around two words: position and posture. As I sort through the social media noise on my timeline trying to determine the main issue of the debate of the day, what I’ve discovered is most of the noise revolves around one group arguing about a position and the other group arguing about a posture.
Eating the frog(s)
A couple of weeks ago, I was riding in the car with Laura and listening to the radio. (Yes, we sometimes still listen to the actual radio.) The radio host shared about a holiday I’d never heard of: “Quitter’s Day.” Quitter’s Day is the second Friday of January when people are most likely to have thrown in the towel on New Year’s resolutions….
God’s Authority
If we took a poll of the next 10 people we encounter today and asked them if they have positive or negative feelings when they hear the word: “authority,” the poll would not lean toward positive feelings. For many, the phrase “abuse of authority” is familiar vocabulary. Leadership gurus will often go so far as to say that the weakest posture of leadership is leading by authority.
It’s interesting then, as our church has been reading through the Gospel of Matthew, to see how often the word is used, and how it is not used negatively but instead positively.
Leadership Lessons:“Derecho de Piso”
I’m thankful the Lord and the leaders I worked with in Argentina eventually granted me the privilege of “derecho de piso.” But, I’m most thankful for how they taught me to earn it. It shaped not just my leadership, but also my heart toward others. Let me share a few things I learned in case they might be useful on your leadership journey…
Bible Reading: To Check Boxes…Yes or No?
In Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney says, “The most critical discipline is the intake of God’s Word. No factor is more influential in making us more like the Son of God than the Spirit of God working through the Word of God.”
Why We give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
In the next 48 hours, churches around our country will gather for Christmas services. Choirs will sing. Handbells will ring. The story of Christ’s birth will be remembered. Then, people will raise candles for a final hymn before leaving for the next holiday activity. It is one of the most wonderful times of the year.
If you have been in a Southern Baptist church during this season, you have probably heard the name of a woman called Lottie Moon. To some, she is a familiar missionary hero. To others, she is just the name attached to the special offering at Christmas. (I may remedy that in a future post.)
Our family was supported by the Christmas offering bearing Lottie Moon’s name for almost 15 years. It is special to us because we’ve experienced firsthand how generous donations in December facilitate ministry throughout the year. While there are abundant avenues to give to at this time of year, I can think of none more worthy than the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO).
…A time to be Silent…
It was supposed to be a normal medical exam.
Six months earlier, Laura felt a small lump. Based on the mammogram, the radiologist said it was “probably benign” and recommended a follow-up exam. Before the subsequent mammogram, Laura mentioned the lump was more noticeable. Nonetheless, we expected it to be a normal appointment. But, nothing about what transpired next would be normal.
Why Start a Blog?
“No one reads blogs anymore.”
“It’s 2023. You’re late to the party.”
Those are the statements rattling around in my mind as I begin this blog. Today, most people prefer to receive information with a limited word count. To capture attention, even these posts must have an attention-grabbing photo and a provocative title or statement.
So, why start a blog?