I was sitting on the conveyor belt in the baggage claim area of the airport in Jackson, Miss., when the tornadoes came through last fall. The airport staff had directed us to take shelter there until the storms passed. I had already heard of the casualties in Arkansas, children who lost parents, parents who lost babies. My own mother, meanwhile, was on the road somewhere in the storm trying to get home. As I sat there in the darkness, the familiar emotions of fear and worry gripped me. … [Read more...]
Developing leaders in the church
Geiger, Eric, and Kevin Peck. Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development. Nashville: B&H, 2016. 234 pp. $22.99. The church needs leaders. The world needs leaders. Jesus saves us to be leaders in advancing the gospel to the ends of the earth. One of the purposes of the church is develop and send out leaders to advance the gospel to the ends of the earth. Most Christians and ministry leaders agree with the previous paragraph. So where are all the leaders in our churches? … [Read more...]
What really counts?
People get pretty caught up in the thread count of their sheets these days. I still say the crumb count is a lot bigger deal. Not that I’m one to snack in bed much, mind you. Mostly because I’m not a big fan of sheets that double as an exfoliator. But just so you know I’m not going to be legalistic on the topic, everything changes in the family room. My sofa? Let the exfoliation begin. I don’t even know what kind of crumbs are stuffed between the couch cushions. I’m pretty sure, though, … [Read more...]
‘The articles wherefore John Frith died’
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the ninth column in a year-long series leading up to the 500th anniversary of the 16th-century Reformation on Oct. 31, 2017. * * * “Amongst all other chances lamentable, there hath been none a great time which seemed unto me more grevious, than the lamentable death and cruel handling of John Frith” – John Foxe, Book of Martyrs (aka, Acts and Monuments, 1570) Confined in London’s Newgate prison in the summer of 1533, a young English Reformer penned … [Read more...]
Jude, as slave of Jesus Christ
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of excerpts from the new MBC resource, “The Last Apologist: A Commentary on Jude for Defenders of the Christian Faith,” available at mobaptist.org/apologetics. * * * My business card is standard fare. It identifies me and describes my role at the MBC. It also tells how to get in touch with me. That’s what most business cards do: serve as practical, brief, and efficient introductions. Some people, however, use business cards … [Read more...]
Great Commission Conference takeaways
A friend taught me years ago the great value of reviewing events. An evaluation has a way of helping you determine future choices. You may determine whether to share with others about the event and future similar events, or you may determine there were simply too many pitfalls for recommendation. Evaluation also helps you find where improvements can be made. Because we are all human, there is always room for improvement with everything. The only human thing I have ever found that doesn’t … [Read more...]
Facing the ‘quiet devastation’ of loneliness
“Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.” – Mother Teresa Loneliness is horrible. It has been called the “quiet devastation.” Novelist Emily Dickinson described it as “the Horror not to be surveyed.” Albert Schweitzer said, “We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness.” Loneliness persists in our society. An estimated 20 percent of Americans – 60 million – feel lonely, according to John T. Cacioppo, author of Loneliness: Human Nature … [Read more...]
An affair of sausages, a Reformation untamed
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the eighth column in a year-long series leading up to the 500th anniversary of the 16th-century Reformation on Oct. 31, 2017. * * * * In early 1522, as Martin Luther lay hidden in central Germany’s Wartburg Castle, a Reformation was stirring nearly 330 miles to the southwest in Zurich, a city nestled along the northern fringe of the Swiss Alps. Meanwhile, in Luther’s own Wittenberg, matters were moving quickly towards chaos as his … [Read more...]
Connecting dots – or chasing them
I was watching the cat wildly chase a laser dot the other day and I thought, Wow, if that red dot was a Butterfinger that could totally be me. Those wild moments are the times I think Sammy could be the poster animal for the cat version of ADHD. It’s weird because that poster cat is the same cat who can also be extremely focused. Any and every new item we bring into the house has to endure a thorough and focused Sammy-sniffing. Personally, I think that’s when he’s trying to determine … [Read more...]
Analysis ‘The Shack’ & the missing art of evangelical discernment
Editor’s note: The Pathway has no plans to review “The Shack,” which opens in theaters March 2. However, this analysis of the book on which it is based is insightful when considering the film’s merits. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – The publishing world sees very few books reach blockbuster status, but William Paul Young’s “The Shack” exceeded even that. The book, originally self-published by Young and two friends, has old more than 10 million copies and has been translated into over thirty … [Read more...]
Why does theology matter?
I can remember having weekly vocabulary tests in Elementary school. Nothing was scarier than coming across a word that was long and complicated. As I became older, I realized that one word was misunderstood and feared throughout many of our evangelical churches – the term “theology”. Many Christians today have preconceived notions about what “theology” means, as well as its suitability for use in church. In apparent defiance, many well intentioned Christians claim that the Bible alone is … [Read more...]
Passing the point of no return
Does God draw a line in the sand when it comes to sin? That is, can unbelievers rebel against God so grievously, and reject His grace so persistently, that ultimately they pass a point beyond which they can never be saved? It appears the answer is yes. Consider the following passages of Scripture. Gen. 15:16 – “for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” The Lord tells Abraham that his descendants are to be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years (in Egypt), after … [Read more...]
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