All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to … Continue reading 3 Reasons to Make Your Disciples Write
M.DIV., M.A., D.MIN–What Does It All Mean? Understanding School Degrees As A Pastor Search Team Member
Scenario If you have been in a congregationally-led local church for any length of time, you might be familiar with this situation. Your beloved pastor has resigned and moved on to another place of ministry or calling. The church appoints a Pastor Search Team (PST) to begin looking for their next pastor. The job description, … Continue reading M.DIV., M.A., D.MIN–What Does It All Mean? Understanding School Degrees As A Pastor Search Team Member
How to Preach Multiple Views in Your Sermon
Preachers are finite human beings—albeit sometimes I think many of us forget this reality. We feel like we have to have all the answers, but in truth, we need to recognize that God’s omniscience humbles us as gospel communicators and students of God's Word. A belief in the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture ought to … Continue reading How to Preach Multiple Views in Your Sermon
One Reason I Hesitate to Publish My Sermons Online
Introduction: In my studies at Southeastern, I had a professor once encourage us to publish journal articles instead of books as budding scholars. He pointed out that many of us will continue to grow as followers of Christ because the Lord constantly refines us as theologians. Of course, this is what what happens when you … Continue reading One Reason I Hesitate to Publish My Sermons Online
One Invaluable Lesson I Learned at Seminary
Introduction: This story generates out of a real-life experience from my studies in the Ph.D. program at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. It was a lesson that I will never forget and has shaped me as both a pastor and a scholar. This experience illustrates the value of theological education. To put it another way, seminary … Continue reading One Invaluable Lesson I Learned at Seminary
Your First Step in Sermon Prep
One of my favorite questions to ask pastors when I sit with them is, "What does your sermon preparation process look like?" By God's grace, he has wired every single one of us differently; therefore, everyone's process is unique to them. Some pastors prepare later in the week while others prepare all week long. A … Continue reading Your First Step in Sermon Prep
Young Pastor, Practice the Spirit’s Fruit of Patience
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.Galatians 5:22-23 Before coming on staff at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, I served as a Lead Pastor at a normative size church in South Carolina. Words cannot express all the lessons that I learned in this pastorate, but … Continue reading Young Pastor, Practice the Spirit’s Fruit of Patience
So, You Had a Bad Preaching Day? Here Are 4 Ways to Bounce Back
It never fails. Some Sundays you walk down from the pulpit thinking the Holy Spirit's power was with you in that sermon. You captured the audience's attention. Your exegesis of the Scripture seemed faithful to the text. Your illustrations connected the biblical text with the lives of your listeners. You walked away with confidence knowing … Continue reading So, You Had a Bad Preaching Day? Here Are 4 Ways to Bounce Back
No Answer; No Position
What is God teaching you? As a leader within Christ's church, I have one simple rule for anyone who serves alongside me. If you don't have an answer when I ask you, "What is God teaching you?" you will be immediately let go. It sounds harsh, right? What if they are a great asset to … Continue reading No Answer; No Position
The Importance of Team Values
I am going to date myself in this post. Do you remember The Flintstones? Fred, Barney, Betty, and "W-i-l-m-a?" The Flintstones was one of my favorites growing up as a child. I really loved the cars they drove. The cars were propelled by their feet. Everyone in the stone-age car had to move their feet … Continue reading The Importance of Team Values
Be Imitators 