I am not sure where I first heard the expression "Ministry is inside-out not outside-in." I may have first heard it from Doug Kostowski who preached in Southern California years ago. I recall hearing him use this expression in a message. I think the principle is very important though I am not sure I understood… Continue reading Inside-Out Ministry
Category: God
Moments that Shaped (Part 3)
I won’t forget this moment. I was a sophomore in high school and football season was coming to an end. I had played football for two years — well, I was on the team. One afternoon, I was in the restroom at school. No one else was there. Just as I was about to… Continue reading Moments that Shaped (Part 3)
Moments that Shaped (Part 2)
She was 26 years old and single. Kay began visiting our church with her sister Brenda. This was the first church where I preached, a little storefront church in middle Tennessee. Charlotte and I couldn’t help but notice her. After all, she was related to a family we really admired. Brenda and Byron were a… Continue reading Moments that Shaped (Part 2)
Moments that Shaped (Part 1)
I remember several significant decision moments that occurred early in my ministry. These decision moments were defining. These decisions turned out to be very important in the formative years of my ministry. I remember the day that I had to make a decision next to Bill’s white Cadillac. I was preaching for a little church… Continue reading Moments that Shaped (Part 1)
When You Worry
Okay — sometimes I worry. I worry about the future. I worry about decisions. I worry about things I have no control over. Then, I will catch myself. I will become painfully aware that I am trying to handle life on my own and live out of my own strength. What is incredibly comforting… Continue reading When You Worry
Have You Ever Been Stuck?
I’ve been thinking lately about being "stuck." Being stuck is to feel trapped or unable to move. Doesn’t sound fun does it? Yet, I think many of us know what it means to be stuck. We can become stuck in the way we relate to one another in marriage. We continue to behave in… Continue reading Have You Ever Been Stuck?
The Friendship of the Lord
Yesterday, I had a good conversation on the telephone with a longtime friend. He called me from an airport where he was waiting on a flight. I don’t talk with him often. However, he is a friend who I’ve known for years and so we are able to talk very honestly and candidly about life… Continue reading The Friendship of the Lord
What Do You See?
Most of the day, when I am at my desk, I generally listen to music. The volume is very low, but the music has a way of helping me study and think. Most of the time I listen to something mellow. I generally listen through iTunes or Last.fm. (Are you familiar with Last.fm? I love… Continue reading What Do You See?
The Knowledge of God
The following quotes are by Sinclair Ferguson. They are taken from his book A Heart For God. Ferguson writes clearly about the importance of knowing God. What is the most important thing in the world to every Christian? It is to grow in the knowledge of God (p. 1). When people truly know God and… Continue reading The Knowledge of God
When You Feel Exhausted
Life can be exhausting. Think of what takes so much energy: Tasks to be done. (And, dealing with situations where the task was not done or was not done well.) Maintenance and stewardship of finances. (And, dealing with finances when you have overspent and lived beyond your means.) Care and feeding of relationships. (And, dealing… Continue reading When You Feel Exhausted