A few weeks ago I ran part one of this article designed to explore ways in which evangelists and elders, pastors and preachers might work more harmoniously together in God’s kingdom and in the local church. I continue that theme with this article in the second part. A better relationship is well within the reach […]
Recently a member from Mabelvale (Sam Rowlett) and I have been studying with some people from Maumelle that I met through Craigslist. They attend a local denominational church that is known for doing really good in our community, but they are lacking in the area of authentic worship in the process of becoming a Christian. […]
A comedienne draws attention for being mean-spirited and cutting when roasting a White House press secretary recently. While cringe-worthy, it’s hardly an isolated incident. Nor is it confined to Washington politics, being seen across the spectrum of society. Civility has taken a beating in the current culture. Social media may be a breeding ground for […]
When cars first came on the scene back in the early 1900’s there may have been some things about them that would have distracted the driver, but certainly far different from 2018. The cars were creeping along at 7 to 12 miles per hour and so there was plenty of time to make a decision […]
In Bible study and sermon preparation I sometimes encounter topics scarcely addressed by writers both in and out of the Lord’s church. This conclusion is based upon the sources for study that I have at my disposal, and in thirty-five years of preaching I’d like to think those sources fairly adequate. For example, in trying […]
Recently, in an excellent lesson about gossip, the teacher recounted an incident I, and many others, could echo from the background of our own experience either in ministry or our personal lives. A mother asked her wayward daughter why she no longer was a member of the church. Her convicting reply, “The way that […]
I guess I am in the situation which my friend Jim Faughn described, when he said, “As a preacher, I had been as close to being an elder as one could possibly be for all those years without actually being one” (Gospel Advocate, August 2008, p. 21). A preacher assumes a leadership role, but elders […]
Jesus said; “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). There is no substitute for time being spent in the act of going and making disciples. The church at Mabelvale has just dedicated eight days […]
The Beatitudes constitute the introductory section of the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). The Beatitudes are those simple little verses that all of us know and love so well. I say we “know” them. In truth, teaching them the way we so often do and actually knowing what they teach are two different […]
If we are honest with ourselves, our prayer lives are myths. We talk about prayer, preach about prayer, read about prayer–just about the only thing we don’t do is actually pray. If surveyed, I doubt there would be more than a tiny fraction of churchgoers that feel like their prayer life is as they would […]