Church Category
You Can’t Claim a Promise
Posted on May 8, 2014 1 Comment
One of the Christian messages out there today is something known as “name it, claim it”. It is known also by other names (the “prosperity gospel” being one), but the basic idea is this: God has made promises in his Word to you, and your job is to claim them. The reason Christians lack anything […]
4 Dangers of Being a Church Kid
Posted on April 12, 2014 Leave a Comment
Many Christians, like me, grew up going to church. Our earliest memories include attending church. It has been a part of our lives from the beginning and in many ways this is a great blessing. I cannot think of a circumstance where it would be better to not have grown up in church. As far as I […]
What Does the Bible Say About Women Pastors?
Posted on April 2, 2014 10 Comments
Does the Bible forbid women pastors? Christians are divided on this issue, and to be upfront, it is a secondary issue and not one of primary importance (like the existence of heaven and hell, Jesus as the only Saviour etc.). Still, the Bible does address this topic, and in our effort to be faithful to […]
Reflections on the Death of Fred Phelps
Posted on March 22, 2014 1 Comment
Fred Phelps, the infamous founder and pastor of Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) in Topeka, Kansas, died this week at the age of 84. Phelps and his church are known primarily for their relentless anti-gay picketing (as well as picketing other things such as the funerals of American soldiers, Jewish institutions, rock concerts, etc.) and their […]
3 Things Every Good Sermon Gives
Posted on March 16, 2014 Leave a Comment
Preaching is hard work. It’s not easy to stand in front of a group of people who are looking for soul-food, and then deliver a 45 minute monologue that is tight doctrinally, uplifting, interesting, and inspiring…not to mention how hard it is to do this on a weekly basis year after year! We have a […]
The Bible is the Best Evangelism Tool, Not Movies
Posted on March 8, 2014 Leave a Comment
So the Son of God movie hit theatres recently and has created quite the buzz. I’ve heard a mixture of reviews, some that condemn it as practically Satanic and others that hail it as the precursor to the next mass revival. I’d better say this upfront – I haven’t seen it, and I’m not sure […]
Thoughts on the “I Love Jesus But Hate Church” Crowd
Posted on January 25, 2014 4 Comments
Been burned by the church? Take heart – you are not alone! Countless Christians just like you are sick and tired of dealing with hypocrisy, politics, power-hungry leaders, and churches more concerned about their own existence than extending the arms of love to others. The simple solution to rejuvenate your faith and re-discover your relationship […]
Preparing a Youth Ministry Budget
Posted on January 23, 2014 Leave a Comment
As a youth pastor, one of the trickiest parts of organizing a healthy youth ministry is figuring out how to disperse your budget. Youth pastors have a reputation as people who are less organized and like to wing-it with stuff, but make no mistake – having a plan in place for your budget is part […]
Jesus Brings People Together
Posted on December 29, 2013 Leave a Comment
Isn’t it weird how, when something is on your mind a lot, the topic seems to come up more than usual? Maybe it’s just that we are more aware of it; I’m not really sure why it seems to happen that way. But it has been happening to me quite a bit recently. The thing […]
Thinking of Home Like a Foreign Mission Field
Posted on December 27, 2013 Leave a Comment
In North America, we are fond of sending missionaries overseas. Nothing gets a church fired up like sending people on short or long-term mission trips. But anyone who has participated in cross-cultural missions knows that it is not easy. There is a lot of preparation that makes missionary work successful. Learning a new language, studying […]