I may look calm on the outside. But on the inside I’m frantically trying to digest ridiculous amounts of complex carbs without storing cellulite. Time to up the metabolism, I’m thinking. Seems the logical fix would be coffee. That’s why I figure I’m helping things along if I drive through for a grande mocha latte with extra whip. Someone told me that the average person drinks 22 gallons of coffee a year. I’ve also heard it said that the average person walks about 8,000 miles a year just … [Read more...]
When a Bible promise is not for you
This time of year Christians send and receive a variety of graduation gifts that feature Jer. 29:11 –“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” It’s a wonderful biblical promise. The problem is … it’s not for graduates. As Christians in the U.S., we have a tendency to Westernize, personalize, and lift out of context many passages of Scripture so that they lose their original meaning – and worse, … [Read more...]
Habits of godly leaders
In my last column I listed five habits that godly leaders possess that I think separate them from the crowd. Here, I will list five more. I also encouraged you to weigh in with your observations at www.JohnYeats.net. Please share your additional thoughts at the same web address and join the conversation. As a quick recap, here are habits 1-5. Godly leaders: 1. Face each day with a priority mindset. 2. Make daily Bible reading and prayer indispensible in their lives. 3. Hold wisdom in high … [Read more...]
Stand firm, speak boldly, pray for fire from heaven
Since its establishment by the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Executive Board in June 2002, The Pathway has attempted to shine the truth of Scripture on the issues of the day. We are motivated by our passion for the Truth – and Lordship – of Christ to permeate all of reality. We aggressively do so by taking full advantage of the God-given rights that come with being American. Christians in America have been blessed with the freedom to express our faith in the marketplace of ideas, not … [Read more...]
Characteristics of a good sermon invitation
Evangelicals began using altar calls and invitations in the 1830s. From Charles Finney’s invitations to pulpits today, the same urgency drives a need for every person to respond in faith to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. Half-baked and incomplete invitations can inoculate the lost to thinking that they have heard all they ever need to hear. What response does your sermon generate? When Peter preached, the Holy Spirit convicted people to action. • At Pentecost: “… they came under deep … [Read more...]
“Follow instructions, use as directed”
If we actually follow the “lather, rinse, repeat” instructions on the shampoo bottle, won’t we end up stuck in a shower-time-loop for the rest of our lives? Then again, if we read the directions on a lot of these products, we might instead just end up confused for the rest of our lives. Like the can of spray paint labeled, “Do not spray in your face.” Wow. Barely dodged that bullet. Then there’s the blow dryer with the directions “Do not use while sleeping.” Again, whew—close one. And … [Read more...]
Which translation of the Bible should we use?
There is an alphabet soup of Bible translations available today, from the KJV to the NIV and the NASB to the HCSB. This has led some critics to conclude that because there is so much variation between translations, no one really knows what the Bible says. This attack on inerrancy is misplaced. Keep in mind that the Bible’s autographs, or original documents, are inerrant – not subsequent copies and translations. Even though there are dozens of English translations that differ in varying … [Read more...]
John Yeats: Habits of godly leaders
What do godly leaders practice that set them apart from other leaders? Godly leaders may be observed in every walk of life: pastors, plumbers, farmers, homemakers, clerical assistants, medical professionals, executives, students, academicians. You name it; there are godly leaders in every sphere of life who make a difference. I’ve observed a few common habits that godly leaders possess that I think separate them from the crowd. This is not a researched list of habits – just some … [Read more...]
Learning from Diocletian: Christians in the military
My friend, historian and author Bill Federer, reminded me in his May 1 “American Minute” series that one of the greatest periods of persecution against Christians occurred in the third century AD under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Following a series of battlefield losses to the Persians, his generals blamed the setbacks on Romans not worshipping their pagan gods. Consequently Diocletian launched a reign of terror on Christianity, starting with the military which he ordered to worship Roman … [Read more...]
Butterfingers and decisions, decisions
How about we all just do this thing together. Let’s simultaneously go to the pantry for something to snack on and stare at a box of instant potatoes for about three minutes. It’s true, decisions can be tough. We make a lot of difficult choices every day. That’s why I try not to judge people, for instance, according to their snack choices. Even when they don’t choose chocolate. I try not to judge, but let’s face it, I don’t get them at all. You say potato. I say Butterfinger. Relatedly, I … [Read more...]
John Yeats: Could we be limiting God with unfaithfulness?
We love David: the shepherd boy who became king. David was the giant slayer. He was the singer, songwriter and poet of Scripture. He was the man after God’s own heart. He wasn’t perfect by any measurement. Sin was included in his history. He had a dysfunctional family, too. Because David is such a hero in Scripture we forget how ordinary he was. When we first meet him he is tending his father’s sheep. His first assignment was to carry the king’s armor; his second was to play music to … [Read more...]
When words lose their meaning
A panda walks into a café and orders a sandwich. He eats it, then draws a gun and shoots the other patrons. A surviving waiter, quivering as he looks up from the carnage, asks, “Why?” Before walking out the door, the panda tosses the waiter a poorly punctuated wildlife manual and replies, “Look it up.” The waiter searches for the relevant entry and reads aloud: “Panda. Large, black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.” This joke serves as the namesake … [Read more...]