“No spirit is more destructive than the spirit of censorious or belittling criticism… Ridicule is a poor weapon in religious warfare.”
– I.J. Van Ness, The Baptist Spirit (1914)
Tag: Christian leadership
Gather to Evangelize
Churches should use all the tools of their time to reach the world with the gospel. But to be empowered for effective witness, even in our day, we must regularly, physically gather with the body of Christ. We must gather to evangelize. READ MORE…
5 Daily Pastoral Rhythms for the New Year
Pastor, the good things that are ahead of you and your congregation in 2022 are more about who you are than what you can accomplish. Character before capacity. Integrity before action. Be before do. Whatever your new direction or big plans, focus on these 5 daily pastoral rhythms in the new year.
The Future of Southern Baptists Must Be Cooperation, Not Competition
I still believe the best days of Southern Baptist Great Commission cooperation are ahead of us, not behind us. For this to be reality, at some point the competition must stop, even to the crowd’s disappointment. We must return to fighting with and for one another instead of against one another. If we are to rise to the Great Commission opportunities God has placed before us in the next generation, we’ll have to walk away from the ring shoulder to shoulder, not knowing or caring who won some of these fights. We were cooperators before we were competitors. Let’s resolve today to be cooperators now, too.
Pastor, Sharpen Your Axe
Pastor, there are many things in ministry beyond your control that often necessitate the exertion of more strength than normal. But if you are not regularly sharpening your axe, you may be exerting more strength than is necessary. I’m as guilty as you are, often swinging away with painful dutifulness when a quick trip to the shed would promise both a more fluid rhythm and a better cut. Sometimes you need to stop and create space to sharpen your axe. If it is success in your calling you desire, capture the advantage of wisdom by sharpening your axe. Here are 5 axes for the pastor to regularly sharpen.