As well as reading a lot of books, I also read a ton of articles every week. Here are some of the articles that I’ve read recently and have found interesting, helpful, challenging and encouraging. I hope that they will be the same for you, my dear readers…
What’s Wrong with Our Church Praise Music?
“If you are finding the praise of the Lord in your church unfulfilling, there might be a variety of questions to ask about how your church is conducting its music, but a good place to begin is to ask how much you are really given to study the marvelous works of God’s salvation. God’s wonderful works must first overtake the mind and heart for the worshipper to offer a whole heart in the sincere praise of Christ.”
Paralyzing Accusations: Satan’s Ploy to Debilitate Believers
“Revelation 12 tells us that the Christians who withstand Satan’s schemes and see victory do so “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death” (v. 11). The reason Satan’s accusations are so effective is because they often have some truth to them. We havetransgressed, we are guilty. We deserve condemnation and Satan knows it!”
The Unction and the Urge
David points to a good podcast and opens up an interesting discussion about preaching and unction.
How to Keep Your Sanity in the Madness of Ministry
Mez brings a helpful list of things that will help you have a sustainable ministry. It’s no secret formula, but it will help.
Don’t Hide Behind A Stiff Upper Lip
“Our emotions are a gift from God that can and should be used to glorify Him. Help people see how that can be done, show them what that looks like and be vulnerable. It isn’t hard and it certainly will help the church. Let your emotions point you and others to God. Having a stiff upper lip puts the responsibility on people to ‘power through’ that is not healthy and it is not what the Bible encourages.”
POCKET GUIDE TO PASTORAL VISITATION
This post gives you an insight into the different situations a pastor may find himself in. Some helpful thoughts.
The Purpose of Labor and Rest
“When we rest from the completion of the work to which God has called each of us in this life, we express satisfaction in our labors and confess His dominion over all of life in and through us. This type of rest protects us from the crippling mania that everything depends on us. It reminds us to trust in the God who brings all things to their true and final completion, whether in the larger created order (Gen. 2:1–3), or in the lives of His people (Phil. 1:6).”
LET THE KIDS SAY IT’S BORING (THE ADULTS THINK IT ANYWAY)
“As someone once put it, in a large church people often let you pastor them because of your preaching, in a small church people tend to let you preach because of how you pastor them. Even if you do tend the boring side, love covers a multitude of tedious sermons.”
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