There are so many profound short verses in God’s Word that have application for life. One of those short verses that can be overlooked is Colossians 2:6, “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him.” The apostle Paul in the previous portion of the epistle gave thanks for the followers of Jesus in Colossae and prayed for their spiritual growth. In Colossians 2:4, he shares with this young church that he doesn’t want anyone to be led astray “by persuasive arguments,” … [Read more...]
The Playbook
For those of you who are team-sport enthusiasts, you know that one of the essential items in the repertoire of a team is the “playbook.” The team wins or loses on the basis of its playbook. It is much more than “x’s and o’s.” The playbook states the mission and the goals for the team. Then it is the playbook that articulates what to do or how to act in certain scenarios. When doing life, many wish, “If I only knew what to do.” The truth is, as followers of Christ, we do have a playbook … [Read more...]
A hero and reflection
On a cold, windy December day, Sharon and I stood at the graveside of one of our heroes: a godly man who took us under his wing at just the right time to help us transition from serving with one local church to a ministry of multiple churches. We grew to love Dr. Charles W. Sullivan and his precious wife, Delilah. He was a native Missourian. He was led to Christ and discipled in one of our Missouri Baptist churches. Educated at SBU, he pastored in Texas as well as in Missouri. He served … [Read more...]
What a box of bungie cords can tell us at Christmas time
Story telling is an important part of our communicating the miracle of Christmas. Recently I heard one of our state missionaries, Jim Misloski, tell a unique story using a bungie cord. I asked him where he got the story? He said his wife Paula came up with it. I asked Paula to tell her story. As the Christmas holiday season approached, their pastor asked if she would consider gathering and leading an adult Christmas program. She said, “Ha, I had participated in many “cantatas” over the … [Read more...]
Reflection and opportunities
Reflecting on the 2018 Annual Meeting in Springfield, I am overwhelmed at the goodness of the Lord. We had an amazing meeting. We were led with excellence by Dr. Ken Parker. We elected a new president, Dr. Jeremy Muniz, who will help us carry forward the vision of cooperatively making disciples (that means reaching lost people and coaching them in how to life by faith), multiplying churches (here and over there), and developing leaders (for today and tomorrow). Missouri Baptists are not … [Read more...]
Voting is a conviction
In a matter of days, Americans cast mid-term ballots. As stewards, all believers share a responsibility to vote. Charles Finney, 1835, “Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as part of their duty to God…. God will bless or curse this nation according to the course Christians take in politics.” Whatever the candidates or issues, no believer gets an “excused absence” from the ballot box. Here are some guiding principles: … [Read more...]
In just 60 days
Because of scheduling, very rarely do I get to preach at the same church twice in the same year. I preached the first Sunday of August for my friend Monte Shinkle at Concord Baptist Church in Jefferson City. Then he asked me back again on the last Sunday of September, and providentially I had held that Sunday open because Sharon and I were driving in from another engagement. As I prepared, I looked over my calendar and noted how many amazing things I knew had occurred during the 60 days … [Read more...]
A close tool is an effective tool
Earlier this month, my friend Tom Elliff shared at the Baptist Building with our Missouri Baptist missionary staff and a few pastors from across our great state. According to several of our missionary staff, the one-day event was one of the most impactful Team Days of my tenure as executive director. Always one to tell a great personal story to punctuate a principle, Dr. Elliff told about his preacher granddaddy having a carpenter’s workshop. As a young boy and early adolescent, he loved … [Read more...]
Steadiness is possible
I once heard a radio Bible teacher say that balance is a vital character quality for men and women of God. While we need to be biblically accurate and courageously convictional, the ditches of life can impede our journey of faith. In response to the warfare, the Lord gives us all we need to “hold up the arms” of a brother or sister engaged in the tough stuff of life—to encourage and to walk beside them. Sharon and I have been recent recipients of your holding us up in intercessory … [Read more...]
Missional beachheads
Who can forget the Normandy scenes depicted in recent films? The fallen military and civilian personnel are strewn on the beach. Broken equipment litters the landscape—weapons, a tank, a troop carrier sunk in the shallow water. It is sobering to think of the cost paid by the blood of those who perished. Military campaigns are important. When you have a totalitarian aggressor stripping away the freedoms of citizens and terminating the lives of innocent, nations must push back such darkness … [Read more...]
Five marks of successful state missions
Lori is a 14-year-old victim of human trafficking. When she first entered the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home’s Freedom 43:19 program, she was addicted to drugs, had missed a lot of school, and was extremely aggressive in her behavior. Whether she would stay in the program was anyone’s guess. Even so, staff members prayed for her and poured God’s love into her troubled young life. Rather than flee, Lori surprised everyone by staying. She is now drug-free, on the honor roll at school, and … [Read more...]
A world without Roe
As I picked up the July 10 issue of USA TODAY, I couldn’t help but notice the headline of a front-page “story” titled, “A world without Roe v. Wade.” Later in the evening, POTUS was to name his nominee to replace retiring SCOTUS Justice Anthony Kennedy. We now know that person to be 5th Circuit U.S. Appeals Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. So, the day before the nomination, the not-so-mainstream media is hosting an opinion piece on the front page promoting a sky-is-falling mentality about … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 12
- Next Page »