Your marriage can be greatly refreshed and strengthened when you begin this daily practice. It will help you personally and as a couple. It will give you direction for the day to day choices and guide you in the big picture decisions.
What is it?
Continue reading “The Daily Practice That Will Refresh and Strengthen Your Marriage”
“Pastor, this is a potential “sticky situation.” What should we do about it? We need some answers. We need wisdom.”
Ministry life is made up of a multitude of decisions everyday. Some are black and white. Others, no so much. Pastor, how do you handle the “sticky situation” questions/decisions?
Continue reading “Handling That Sticky Situation”
“I’ve been attending Men’s Prayer Advance for twenty-plus years. This is my yearly reset!” These words were spoken by a pastor who understands the value of intentionally setting aside time to seek and meet with the Lord in such a gathering as Men’s Prayer Advance.
My wife knows that Men’s Prayer Advance is a non-negotiable on my yearly calendar. Having attended for many years, she knows the effect upon my life, ministry and our marriage that she strongly encourages me to go. That’s way cool!
Continue reading “A Reset For My Heart”
Mondays are usually a day of reflection for pastors as we rehearse the many conversations from Sunday, the “things I said” and “the things I wish I had said” in the message, that empty pew that once was a faithful church member, the forgotten prayer request, that miscommunication, feeling like a failure, the church conflict that continues on, etc.
At times like these, you need encouragement to keep on keeping on. If you haven’t already, read the previous posts and today ponder #4.
2. Bask in the presence of God
4. Let it drive you to your knees.
Difficult times in ministry is the clarion call for you to have a correct view of your God. Trouble can quickly lead you to be despairing, fearful, hurt, doubting, and wanting to flee. Hard times can tempt you to become idolatrous as you fix your heart on the people, circumstances, misunderstandings, conflicts, etc.
Continue reading “What’s Your Viewpoint In Ministry Conflict?”
Every Wednesday and Thursday nights, small groups gather in local homes to fulfill the mission statement of our church, “To glorify God by helping people move toward Christ.”
What are the benefits and blessings of these small groups?
1. Growing and producing leaders in the church.
Each small group have men who lead and are being trained to lead through monthly meetings. The goal is to reproduce each group, and that begins with leadership training. This year, these men have studied and discussed a book on text-driven preaching. They will have an opportunity to put into practice what they have learned by preaching on Sunday nights in 2024. Wow!
2. Children learning to pray.
One of the best facets of small group is passionate, expectant prayer. Some of our groups have children attending, and we have seen the impact upon them by their listening to the adults pray. The children are praying in the small group gatherings, and it has spilled over into our Sunday night corporate prayer meetings. One group has a Bible study for the kids during the adults’ study, but the children are always included in prayer meeting. They hear the adults share concerns, praises, and answers to prayer. They are developing a burden for the lost as they hear others crying out for the salvation of their loved ones, friends and neighbors. Wow!
3. Honest, transparent living before others in the group.
As the group grows in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:18), as well as the fulfillment of the biblical one another’s, there is a level of transparency and honesty that really doesn’t happen on Sunday mornings in the pew. The exhortation and encouragement that comes is spiritually healthy and builds strong, biblical community that develops over time. How wonderful to hear someone share their hurts, burdens, desires, sins, and then receive a compassionate response grounded in the Word for the glory of God! Wow!
Since COVID and largely in part because of the beneficial changes that came from that most interesting time, small groups have abundantly aided the health of our church! These gatherings are a highlight of each week. To God is all glory! Wow!
*Wednesday WOW is written to remind us, especially pastors, that our transcendent, omnipotent, loving, sovereign God is working today in our lives in thousands of ways. The WOW is God, not the size of the work! How have you seen Him at work in your life today?
Monday’s Ministry Encouragement: Written to encourage you, my friend in ministry, to be refreshed and renewed as we live for Christ and look toward the Bema.
What is a pastor’s greatest need?
A pastor’s greatest need and most beneficial blessing is . . . prayer!
Pastor, is the quiet place, alone with your Heavenly Father, the dearest place on earth to you?
Is prayer an activity to you or is it your life? In other words, do you have a prayer life or a life prayer?
Since one of the most telling marks of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth was prayer, so must it be for us, His ministers. Jesus prayed alone, all night, with others, on the mountain, in agony, with his disciples, at the tomb of Lazarus, on the cross, etc.
Continue reading “A Pastor’s Greatest Need”
Hey pastor friend, what has been a “wow” for you today, yesterday, last week? Where did you see God at work?
Sunday nights at Boones Creek Bible Church includes an intentional time of corporate prayer. This includes up to ten praises and requests on the screens and then asking an individual to take one praise or request to the Throne of Grace using a handheld mic so all can join their hearts in prayer as well.
This past Sunday night the items for praise/prayer were on the screen. The final one was to pray for our upcoming Fall Festival outreach event. When I asked who would pray, my six year-old grandson immediately raised his hand. Wow!
Here’s the content of his prayer without any coaching from his mom seated next to him:
“Jesus, help people to get saved at the Fall Festival and help people to come. If anybody doesn’t know you, Lord, draw them to You. Thanks for the opportunity that we got to come here today. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.”
Wow!
My grandson, born at 24 weeks, has overcome many obstacles and deals with cerebral palsy did not let his handicap affect his heart or tongue! Wow!
Who has modeled talking to God to him? Where did Shiloh learn to pray? From listening and watching adults . . . his parents, grandparents, folks in small group, SS teachers, Sunday morning and Sunday evening cooperate prayer, times of prayer at his home, etc.
There are many things that we desire for Shiloh, but as he grows in the grace and knowledge of Christ, may the best be . . . a man of prayer!
Wow! Just wow!! Thank You, Lord!! May his tribe increase!!
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14)
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. . . . I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting (1 Timothy 2:1-2, 8).
Please note the following about this passage.
The Priority of Prayer (2:1)
The second chapter of 1 Timothy contains instructions for public worship. Paul has something urgent on his mind by using the word exhort as given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21). This urgency is directed to the need of giving preeminence to prayer in public worship, and may I add, to life in general (Luke 18:1). In other words, prayer is to be first in rank, to take first place in importance.
Men, what place does prayer hold in your life, marriage, home, school, business, recreation, etc.?
Continue reading “God’s Desire For Men”
How desperate are you to see God answer your prayers? Would you even ask a stranger to intercede for you, to enter into your burdens?
While seated at the Emory Hospital surgery waiting area in Atlanta, a dear lady approached my wife and me with small sheets of note paper in her hand. With a smile and an outstretched arm, she said, “I overheard your conversation, and I’ve written some prayer needs on these papers. Would join me in prayer?”
Continue reading “Will You Pray?”Monday’s Ministry Encouragement: Written to encourage you, my friend in ministry, to be refreshed and renewed as we live for Christ and look toward the Bema.
And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. (Mark 6:46)
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12)
Every once-in-awhile, I have to literally go to the mountain and get along with the Lord. Living in East Tennessee, there are many wonderful locations from which to choose.
Due to various ministry demands, the recent death of my father-in-law, a bit of a spiritual empty tank, and just needing the solitude, I made my way to one of my favorite areas along the Appalachian Trail.
Continue reading “Go to the Mountain!”
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