Series: Columns

November 1, 2021

Michael C. Mack

Restoring the Power of Pentecost

By Michael C. Mack Every day you and I face many challenges, and biggest of them all may be how we choose to perceive them. As the apostle Paul put it, we can fix our eyes on what is seen or what is unseen, on what is temporary or what is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). Our perspective makes an incalculable difference in our lives and, by extension, the lives of those around us. How you view the articles in this issue will make a difference, too. A main theme for this issue is missions. One article describes how COVID-19 is

November 1, 2021

Chris Philbeck

Chris Philbeck

Relevance

By Chris Philbeck One of the great blessings of my life over the past 40 years has been the privilege of leading a church plant, a turnaround church, and a megachurch. And while these churches have been incredibly different, the one constant has been the opportunity and responsibility to preach. I was 23 when I started, and I’m 63 today. To be honest, I’m not sure I would have wanted to listen to my 23-year-old self every week in that first church. But I am forever grateful for a group of people who loved me and gave me the opportunity

November 1, 2021

Megan Rawlings

Megan Rawlings

Hard Truths for Modern Times

By Megan Rawlings Our world is in chaos. It seems as if major bad news breaks every day! As this chaos occurs, society seems increasingly to be motivated by materialism and comfort. When the church was young, the people of Galatia turned away from God, and this did not escape Paul’s attention. In fact, he penned one of his harshest letters to the Christians there. While reading that letter, I realized Paul’s reprimand is applicable to us in modern times. I’ll borrow from his Epistle to the Galatians to state some hard truths surrounding our current status. I am astonished

November 1, 2021

Laura McKillip Wood

Laura-McKillip-Wood

Serving God in the Second Half

By Laura McKillip Wood Amy and Terry Ruff visited a friend soon after arriving in Ghana. During that visit, the Ruffs struck up a conversation with another guest. As they got to know one another, the man told the Ruffs, “You need to meet my friend, Solomon*.” He gave Solomon’s phone number to Amy and Terry, and they called him to set up a meeting. Solomon told the couple where to drive and said he would wait for them by the side of the road. After driving several hours, the Ruffs repeatedly thought they had reached the rendezvous site, but

September 1, 2021

Michael C. Mack

Why Are Christian Leaders Falling?

Why are so many Christian leaders falling? In a blog post on Crosswalk.com, pastor, professor, and writer James Emery White suggests three explanations: the celebration of ability over character, an eradication of accountability, and the fact that leaders today are often put on a pedestal and believe the press reports about themselves. White’s assessment seems accurate, but I believe there’s a deeper cause underneath these reasons. It’s a heart issue (see Matthew 15:8, 18-19; Ephesians 4:18; etc.) and a sovereignty issue. For many years in my teaching and one-on-one discipleship I’ve used a graphic developed by Campus Crusade for Christ,

September 1, 2021

Laura McKillip Wood

Laura-McKillip-Wood

Medical Ministry Brings Change

Ludmilla and June sat in a makeshift examination room in a small Ukrainian Baptist church where a team of medical missionaries had set up a clinic. June helped the elderly woman pull her arm from her sleeve as she listened to her story of the cancer treatment and its effects on her body. Ludmilla also had a broken shoulder and a wound at the base of her neck that the surgeon would not operate on since it might involve cancer. The oncologist did not want to treat her because she had an open wound. Ludmilla was left to manage her

September 1, 2021

Kent E. Fillinger

Kent E. Fillinger

The Faith Practices Churches Emphasize

What people believe really matters, according to a 2017 Canadian study of 22 churches and more than 2,000 churchgoers. Churches that adhere to conservative theology are more likely to grow than those that do not, and people who attend growing churches reported praying more often and reading their Bibles more often than those who attend declining churches, the study showed. What churches teach impacts the spiritual practices of their attendees and, in turn, the health of the church. Our 2020 annual church survey asked church leaders this question: How much does your church emphasize the following personal and family faith

September 1, 2021

Chris Philbeck

Chris Philbeck

The High Call of Preaching

I’m sure every preacher can think of a time when they were convinced God had given them a life-changing, church-altering message. I’m talking about a message born out of significant time alone with God and his Word. I’m referring to a message that grew inside of the preacher’s heart for some time as the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, led them into all truth. I remember a weekend like that at the church I serve. I was convinced my message that week had a special anointing from God. I believed it was a message that could change lives as

September 1, 2021

Megan Rawlings

Megan Rawlings

5 Ministry Lessons (to Save You from Heartache)

All Christians are called to ministry, and the place of that ministry is not always behind a pulpit. For example, my sister’s ministry is to serve new brides by helping them pick their wedding dress. This might seem like a silly thing to call a ministry, but it involves much more than a dress. When she works with a bride, she listens to their desires and makes them feel comfortable. More than that—my sister is helping the brides feel beautiful in their own skin. She tells them of their worth because they are created in the image of God. This

September 1, 2021

Jerry Harris

The ‘Independent’ Christian Church

As I write this in June, many have been seeing news stories coming from the Southern Baptist Convention. Just about all of the news has been less than flattering, and some of it has been scandalous. There have been stories connected to sexual abuse, a history of racism (and debate over critical race theory), leadership roles and speaking roles for women, and the list goes on. At the convention meeting, outgoing president J. D. Greear changed a gavel used to open and close ceremonies because the traditional gavel had been provided by an early SBC leader who was an outspoken

September 1, 2021

David Roadcup

Elders Who Disciple: One Key to an Effective Church

In his book Disciple, Juan Carlos Ortiz says the greatest problem facing the church today is “the perpetual childhood of the believer.” The fact that most of our churches are made up of spiritually immature believers is a major issue to the church fulfilling her mission. This extreme lack of spiritual development continually cripples the dynamic advancement of our churches. We will never take our cities for Christ if the vast number of our people remain at a “kindergarten” level of spiritual growth and maturity. This deep and widespread problem can be attributed, more than anything else, to the lack

June 14, 2021

Michael C. Mack

Words

Our words have the power to build up or tear down. Yet words can also be the healing agent God uses to bring reconciliation, rebirth, revival, and restoration. We need more of these healing words in every arena of our lives and ministries.

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