For 2021, the International Mission Board posted the following statistics: 592,408 people heard the gospel; there were 176,795 new believers, and 22,744 new churches. Our team of missionaries could not have attained those benchmarks were it not for your participation in the gospel through the Cooperative Program and the designated Lottie Moon Offering you gave through your local church, where every dollar goes to the mission field. And yet most of the world remains lost – 59 percent of the … [Read more...]
‘Tidings of great joy’ proclaimed at Christmas
On Dec. 9, 1965, nearly half of the nation’s viewership watched what WORLD Magazine reporter Maryrose Delahunty called “one of the most memorable monologues in television history: an account of Christ’s birth, recited word for word from the Gospel of Luke.” Since that time, many families have added to their annual holiday celebrations this memorable monologue – spoken by Linus in the now classic show, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Few traditions stir the Christmas spirit in me more than … [Read more...]
Lessons from a letter writer
When I was much younger, I had the opportunity to be part of a team transcribing unopened Charles Spurgeon letters. Charles H. Spurgeon, the renowned “Prince of Preachers,” was reported to pen up to 500 personal letters per week. Over the course of his ministry, hundreds of his letters were deemed undeliverable for one reason or another. Many ended up in the “dead letter” bin of London’s General Post Office. Given Spurgeon’s popularity, most of these letters were preserved and eventually … [Read more...]
What does the Bible say about marijuana?
EDITOR'S NOTE: Read more about this issue here and here and here. On Nov. 8, Missouri voters chose to legalize recreational marijuana possession and use. Christian proponents argue that marijuana should be decriminalized because it is naturally created by God and allows for freedom of conscience. As Christians, how should we view the legalization of marijuana? Does the Bible speak to cannabis use? Though the literal words for marijuana aren’t in Scripture, the applicable principles are. … [Read more...]
Finding a song of thanks
Thanksgiving can be a frustrating planning time of worship for the modern worship leader. Our choruses, while full of praise and adoration, don’t exactly have a “thanksgiving” quality; and any theologian will tell you that, while similar, there are differences between “praise” and “thanks.” However, I cannot just beat up on contemporary music; hymnody has its own set of thanksgiving issues. Our most well-known thanksgiving hymns are about the season of thanksgiving, but are not exactly … [Read more...]
Playing thanks games
Don’t you just love a food-covered holiday table about as big as a football field? You’re juggling several buttered rolls and a plate full of tasty side dishes while you’re trying to score some major turkey. It’s a big play. You’ve got to scramble to hit the turkey before all those ravenous relatives leave you stuck with only dark meat. First down and gravy to go. It’s especially great to have lots of relatives over for a holiday dinner (any “who-gets-the-drumstick” issues aside) because … [Read more...]
Give thanks to the Lord … even when it’s hard!
EDITOR'S NOTE: James Morrow is vice president for the MBCH Foundation. The Bible makes it clear to us as followers of Christ it is our responsibility to give thanks to God in all the seasons of our lives. We know this is especially true right now. As believers things are changing rapidly before our eyes. Some of the logical and foundational views that we have all held are being challenged and overturned. This process can cause us real discouragement. What do we do as believers when we … [Read more...]
Backstory for a key holiday: Thanksgiving
While we think of gathering family and eating more than we should – along, of course, with Black Friday sales – we should know there were faithful people who nearly died centuries ago, yet gave thanks to God for life, a new home and a fortified faith. No matter the generation, every generation of authentic Christ-followers experience some form of cultural pushback. Why? Because they choose to be more aligned with the word of God rather than accept the more convenient norms of their … [Read more...]
Gratitude a source of hope, even in a crooked culture
“Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life.” – Philippians 2:14-16 (CSB) Grumbling comes easy in a world and culture that has gone wrong – that is, as Paul describes it, “in a crooked and perverted generation.” We’ve seen a share of crookedness and perversion in our own time – most recently, … [Read more...]
Raising ungrateful children
How many times have we heard adults complain about children not appreciating what they have? I’ve heard it over and over. When those remarks are made, they are often made suggesting that it is all the fault of the children that they don’t appreciate what they have. With Thanksgiving approaching, perhaps we should think a little deeper on this subject. Perhaps it is not the fault of the children, but rather how the children are being raised. Following are some things that I believe … [Read more...]
It was a full day
I had just finished my second sermon of the morning at Concord Baptist Church in Jefferson City, where I serve as an interim pastor; then Kendra and I jumped into the car for the several-hour drive to a different church in southwest Missouri to preach that evening. Being invited to preach is always an honor, but being invited back is an even bigger one. It was my first time at this particular church, and we did not know what we would experience. My attendance expectations were low as it … [Read more...]
You snooze, you … rest
When people say you should dress for the life you want, my inner self tells me to put on jammies. I think my inner self is a little tired. I’ve also considered the possibility that my inner self is at least a little bit cat. Naps. Glorious, naps. But while that midday nap is famously fabulous, could I complain a minute about the wakeup? I’m gunna just rest my eyes. That’s how it starts. Next thing I know, only one of those eyes will reopen and I don’t know if it’s morning or…Thursday. I … [Read more...]
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