“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me…Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in …
1 Corinthians 16:9 “For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” Typically, when we consider God opening a door, adversaries are not among the first thing that we think about. I mean, if it read, “A wide door for effective work has opened to me, and …
“With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel” – 2 Corinthians 8:18 There we have it — a biblical “celebrity preacher.” This famous gospel man was very well known among all the churches. From Jerusalem to Ephesus to Berea, Christians flocked to hear this …
Eugene Peterson’s The Contemplative Pastor has been so helpful to me. It contains one of the best chapters I have ever read, titled “The Unbusy Pastor.” In that chapter he talks about the scandal that is the busy life. Consider this excerpt: “The poor man,” we say. “He’s so devoted to his flock: the work is endless, and he sacrifices himself …
1) Pastor, You Are Not Alone “For they say,’ His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” 2 Corinthians 10:10 Pastor, know that you are not alone. You’re not the only one who has had church folk talk badly about you. Paul did as well. …
My first several years of pastoral ministry were difficult. Not because of the work, mind you, but because of a lingering, unanswered question, “What should I be doing?” Studying and preaching seemed to be a given, but what else? Discipleship, prayer, hospital visits, and evangelism seemed like good things too, but things kept falling through …
“The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” – 1 Timothy 3:1 God has used few men more in my life than “The Doctor” Martyn Lloyd-Jones. If you’re not familiar with MLJ, let me encourage you to get to know him. He was a pastor who loved the Bible; …