July 7, 2025
The God Who Sees and Hears
At Communion, we remember that the God who sees and hears became flesh, with a body and blood that we partake of through these emblems.
Articles for tag: Exodus 3
January 1, 2024
Jan. 7 Lesson | Before Abraham Was, I AM
It is hard to overstate the significance of Abraham. Today he is looked to as the father of three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His name is mentioned 11 times in this lesson text. . . .
December 11, 2023
Dec. 17 Lesson | The Water that Gives Life
In his encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, Jesus shattered gender, ethnic, religious, social, and cultural barriers. . . .
What They Didn’t Teach Me in Bible College
I am thankful for my time in Bible college. I enrolled at Ozark Christian College in the fall of 1976 and while there I developed lifelong friendships, a greater understanding of the Scriptures, and a deep love for preaching. Don DeWelt was my homiletics professor, and every class was memorable. That course provided me with a better understanding of how to preach, and it awakened my love for preaching. But it wasn’t just my homiletics class, it was also the opportunity to hear great preachers in chapel services and at special events. I learned about preaching with passion by listening
January 6, 2020
Lesson for Jan. 12, 2020: The Deliverer Called (Exodus 3:1-17)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 1 (weeks 1-4; January 5-26, 2020) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Answer the call of God to serve his people. ________ By Mark Scott The lyrics to a silly old quartet number went, “Excuses, excuses, you’ll hear them every day. And the Devil he’ll supply them if the church you stay away.” More than once Jesus told parables about people using
October 21, 2019
Lesson for Oct. 27, 2019: Persevere with Hope (2 Peter 3:3-18)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 11 (weeks 41-44; October 13—November 3, 2019) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God. ________ By Mark Scott “We think we got it all,” said the doctor as he left the family in the surgical waiting room. Members of the relieved family say, “Well, you want to get something
February 26, 2019
IN THE ARENA: Should Churches Embrace and Utilize Debt? (NO.)
By Chris Philbeck I have been in ministry for 38 years, serving as senior pastor of three churches: a church plant, a turnaround church, and a megachurch. Over those years, my churches have borrowed money for ministry expansion. Raising money was not something I knew much about when I was young, but time and experience have helped me grow in this area of leadership. As the result, two of the three churches I have pastored became debt-free, including the church I serve today. When I look at the opportunity being debt-free has provided those two churches to make a greater
December 8, 2018
Christmas at the Movies: ‘A Christmas Story’
By Caleb Kaltenbach I triple-dog dare ya! Randy . . . show me how the piggies eat. Fra-GEE-leh. It must be Italian! You’ll shoot your eye out! If you randomly heard any of those quotes, you’d probably know the movie they come from. I mean, who doesn’t love A Christmas Story? I’m sure there are a few lost souls who don’t, but it’s a Christmas favorite for many of us. With a creative soundtrack, solid acting, and a nice plot, it puts us in the “Christmas mood.” Also, who didn’t want an “official Red Ryder, carbine-action, 200-shot, Range Model air
June 26, 2017
Lesson for July 2, 2017: Moses (Exodus 3)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the June 25, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott One of the great characteristics of God is his interpersonal capacity. He communicates. He called judges to rescue his people (last month”s lessons). He also called prophets to prosecute his people (this month”s lessons). “Prophets don”t prepare messages. Prophets are messages” (Spirit, Word, and Story by Calvin Miller). Moses is often viewed as the great
July 3, 2016
Worship””Filling the AbyssÂ
By Tim Harlow Financial campaigns are good because they remind us where to look for the help everyone is seeking. Blaise Pascal, a 17th-century French philosopher and mathematician, is often quoted as saying there is a “God-shaped vacuum” inside of us. That”s a preacher”s abbreviation of the following paragraph: What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help
May 23, 2016
The Weight of Leadership
By Tim Harlow There is always a great deal of chatter among my peers about succession planning and the right time to step away from leadership of the local church. I have been at my post for 26 years and would like to make it another 14. But I am only one year away from the senior discount at IHOP. If that weren”t bad enough, it also means that next year I qualify for the 55+ Ministers and Wives Conference. Ben Merold spoke this year! How can I be in the same category as Ben Merold? I interned under him,
September 1, 2015
Why Did You Initially Get Involved in Ministry?
By Michael C. Mack In July, we asked you why you initially got involved in ministry. We defined ministry as any type of service (paid or volunteer) you engage in through your church, a parachurch organization, a civic organization, or individually. We also posted the question on our Facebook page, BestMinistryPractices, and on Twitter, @CSBestPractices. Here are the results: 35% “” Someone asked or influenced me 32.5% “” A direct calling from God (like Moses in Exodus 3) 20% “” I sensed a need to use my particular spiritual gifts and/or talents 10% “” I responded to a specific need (the need was the call)
July 26, 2015
Call Me if You Need Anything
By Tim Harlow Where do you go when weariness sets in or you”re up against a problem that won”t be solved without some muscle? When my oldest daughter was almost 3, I remember her comforting me as I left for work one day. She said, “Call me if you need anything.” Now I”m sure she meant it more sincerely than the person she had heard the empty phrase from (probably me), but all I could do was laugh. “OK, Rachel, if I have some trouble in this big crazy world, I”ll give you a call and see if you can help
July 20, 2015
Reengaging the Old Testament
By Dave Henry A disparity exists for many Christians between their Old and New Testament theologies concerning the nature of God. For many Christians, the presentation of God in the Old Testament is unsettling, while God in the New Testament appears to be more gracious and loving. Within this theological frame of reference, the judgment of God rises as the prevalent theme of the Hebrew Scriptures, while the presentation of God in the incarnate Son, Jesus, reveals his love, mercy, and compassion in the New Testament. This line of interpretation discourages Christians from reading the Old Testament and incorporating its
September 22, 2014
Lesson for September 28, 2014: Future Peace and Joy (Jeremiah 33)
This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the September 21 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. Stone In last Sunday”s lesson Jeremiah was being held in a courtyard prison by King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 32), and he is still there in today”s text. Jeremiah repeated with fuller explanation his prophecy of the one great king called “the Branch,” who would one day come and fulfill the promise of an eternal throne. Jeremiah had been prophesying in Jerusalem for some
September 12, 2014
Are We Moving?
By James Riley Estep Jr. All the steps of moving from one home to another find their parallel in the progress a church must make. It”s never easy, but the new destination is worth the thinking, planning, and hard work. “We”re moving.” These two words evoke a wide range of emotions. Announcing this to family and friends only adds to the challenging experience. A new job, new prospects, a better house, or a future possibility””all available only elsewhere. The decision to move is often greeted with the exuberance of new opportunity. But the exuberance soon changes to despair when dealing
November 18, 2013
Lesson for November 24, 2013: Beginning of the Tabernacle (Exodus 35″“40)
By Sam E. Stone In the account of the building of the tabernacle, one refrain stands out above everything else: “Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him“ (see Exodus 40:16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32). Wilbur Fields calls these eight verses “An overview of obedience! A chronicle of compliance!” James E. Smith put it this way: “The Tabernacle is rooted in divine revelation. The Israelites merely implemented the directives of God. Eighteen times in the last two chapters the narrator emphasizes the complete compliance to the commandments of God . . . God”s commands are meant
October 28, 2013
Lesson for November 3, 2013: God Prepares for Deliverance (Exodus 1″“4)
By Sam E. Stone In our study of Genesis we saw God appear to Abraham (Genesis 15), reaffirming his promise to make of him a great nation. But God indicated that Abraham”s descendants would have to remain in Egypt for 400 years (v. 13). While the Israelites were enslaved there, a baby boy was born. His mother hid him in a basket (a papyrus boat) and placed it in the Nile River, hoping his life would be spared. Pharaoh”s daughter found him and drew him out of the water, giving him the name Moses. Moses saw that, while he had
August 20, 2012
Lesson for August 26, 2012: God Promised to Be with Us (Ezekiel 34)
This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Ezekiel”s prophetic ministry began while the Jews were in Babylonian captivity. He warned of the coming destruction of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 1-24). Later he delivered God”s judgment on various nations (Ezekiel 25-32). Our text today is taken from the latter period of Ezekiel”s preaching, as he brought hope for the exiles (Ezekiel 33-48). Although the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, even this city would be restored, the prophet told them. The name of the restored city
August 9, 2011
Show Me the Glory
By Tim Harlow “Show me the glory” sounds like a rip-off of a famous movie line””but it”s quite a bit older. Moses was charged with the greatest (and hardest) leadership position in human history. How do you lead people who don”t want to be led? How do you lead people God doesn”t even like anymore? After the golden calf incident, Moses pleaded with God to spare the lives of the members of his “church.” And God did, but he”d had enough of them and decided to send an angel to lead them because he was DONE. (I believe God was
