The sinful desire of envy causes you to resent others for what they have. Why is envy dangerous? Envy hides because it is petty and humiliating. Envy drains your joy. Envy poisons your gratefulness.
Three notable articles I read this week: Tony Morgan – How multi-site can wreck your church. The vast majority of the largest churches are multi-site. Many singles-site churches 800+ in weekly attendance are creating strategies to launch additional sites. But there are pitfalls to watch. Art Rainer – 6 reasons why I like to read Scripture in the morning. Great, simple advice for anyone wanting to start the day right. FiveThirtyEight – The sun is always shining in modern Christian Read more [...]
On Sunday, I preached about envy. In my sermon preparation, I tend to downplay or ignore the areas of which I am most guilty. It’s easier to skip over the personally convicting passages and focus on the sins of others. Of course, I must push through such temptations. I’m guilty of the sin of envy. I fear a lot of pastors are envious of other pastors and their churches. When a church leader with a national platform falls, it’s not that a bunch of envious pastors publicly relish Read more [...]
All good work has dignity. Good work benefits the community. Restlessness and hopelessness are the enemies of redeeming work.
Three notable articles I read this week: Facts and Trends – More Americans turn to Google than prayer for making decisions. “In the internet age, fewer than half (45 percent) spend time in prayer and personal religious reflection before such a choice, but 82 percent say personal research provides guidance, according to Pew Research.” Travis Smalley – So-called “smaller” churches and the future of the SBC. “As Southern Baptists move into the future it is important to understand Read more [...]
They are America’s most educated generation. They are America’s most diverse generation. They are America’s largest generation. They are the Millennials, born between 1980 and 2000. And they are beginning to get married, enter the workforce, and lead the world. The next generation is hopeful. In fact, 96 percent of them agree with the simple statement, “I believe I can do something great.” The church is in a unique position to capture the hearts of this generation. Ironically, Read more [...]
Fools reject God’s wisdom even though they know better. Proverbs 1 identifies three types of fools: The ignorant fool, the mocking fool, and the hateful fool. The way someone avoids foolishness is to have the right foundation.
Three notable articles I read this week: Mike Harland – Three ways worship shapes discipleship. “It was then I realized that music was not my message—it was only my language and that God had called me to do a lot more than warm up the congregation for the pastor’s message. I was called to use the powerful tool of music to be engaged in the disciple-making commission that Jesus left His church.” Josh King – Church revitalization: Changing the question. Rather than asking, “What Read more [...]
Is it real? Is the United States really becoming more diverse? I’ve had well-meaning people ask me these questions. They don’t see ethnic diversity in their circles. First, it’s possible to live in an area of the country that is largely homogenous. Second, and more likely, it’s easy to miss the growth of ethnic diversity, especially if you are Caucasian. If you happen to be in a place that is largely homogenous, then it’s unlikely to remain so in the future because the demographic Read more [...]
The more choices you have, the more wisdom you need. In a world full of endless choices, wise people work hard to gain wisdom for the right choices. Once wisdom is gained, wise people guard their hearts to keep it.
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