As most parents will tell you , there are moments in life that are somewhat disturbing when you have kids. These are not exactly frightening moments, and yet they are times when the heart skips half a beat, when you slowly close your eyes and very carefully ask for clarification. Sort of like when my ninth grade English teacher used to grasp the edges of her podium so tightly her knuckles would crack and ask me, “Jeremy, does your mother love you?” For me, I think these moments sometimes center on the questions our children ask. We don’t always know why they ask us these things or where … [Read more...] about Inquiring Minds
Why Do I Read the Bible?
This was originally published about a month ago on my blog, but I thought I would share it with you. I got to share it as a devotional on a Wednesday night recently too. I love helping folks foster an ever-deepening appreciation for God's Word. How about you, why do you read the Bible? Leave a comment! -AR One of the arguments Christians will cite for the Bible being the only book that really is the “Word of God” is its uniqueness compared to any other literature, ancient or modern. I thought of this when I was reading through Psalm 19 this morning. Psalm 19 was written to declare the … [Read more...] about Why Do I Read the Bible?
Building a Bridge out of Brokenness
“I cannot stress this enough to you, but I'll still say it: I'll never be Christian. I think your Bible is nothing more than a piece of literature. I don't believe in your God, and never will. But I will criticize you when you use your God to "fix" homosexuality, as if it were something to be fixed.” -- An anonymous young friend “Broken does not seem like something Jesus would want us to say.” -- Comment in on-line Christian Group When you raise five children, you hear the words “It’s broken” way too often. Favorite toys, bird’s wings, Christmas ornaments, bats, even cars, are … [Read more...] about Building a Bridge out of Brokenness
5 books you should read (or re-read).
So I want to share with you the books I think are essential to read (other than the Bible. No one say "you forgot the Bible", cause I didn't). These are great books and will help you in your ministry. 1. Peacemaker by Ken Sande. You need it. Enough said. 2. Brothers, We are Not Professionals by John Piper. 3. Simple Church by Rainer and Eric Geiger. You know what I'm talking about. Stop filling up your calendar, just do what you are suppose to do. That leads me to: 4. Real Life Discipleship. This is how you do what you are suppose to do. 5. The Kingdom Focused Church by Gene Mims. Great … [Read more...] about 5 books you should read (or re-read).
NAMB Missionary Maligned at Boise State University
This past week one of our own made the headlines, but not for what you might think. The student voice of Boise State University, The Arbiter, posted an article on its website entitled "Boise State is No Place for Hate" about Shawn Holes, aka "Shawn the Baptist", and his recent evangelistic visit to the campus. Shawn and his wife Lisa are Mission Service Corps missionaries with the North American Mission Board. Shawn crisscrosses the nation visiting college campuses and other venues to share the Gospel through open-air preaching and one-on-one conversations. Using emotionally-charged … [Read more...] about NAMB Missionary Maligned at Boise State University
Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr: “THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE SBC – Regarding a proposed name change for the SBC”
(Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. We are always thrilled to post his articles.) President Bryant Wright has appointed a self-funded blue ribbon advisory committee, authorized by the Executive Committee to provide counsel to him as he prayerfully weighs recommending to the SBC in her Annual Session upcoming in New Orleans, a proposed name change of our beloved convention. I commend President Wright for his thoughtful, deliberate and considerate proposal. I wholeheartedly agree with the spirit, letter, advisory committee and … [Read more...] about Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr: “THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE SBC – Regarding a proposed name change for the SBC”
Returning to the Seat of the Crime
There’s a chair across the room from me that I fear. Or hate. It’s pretty non-descript. As a furniture piece, it adds character to a room simply due to its age. Designed and built over 70 years ago, the thing just looks different from its surroundings. It is now an addendum to the décor, something to spice up an entry way or flesh out a den; its days as the centerpiece of a collection have long since passed. It used to be my chair. I sat in it every day. I watched TV there. Drank coffee there. Read the newspaper and college textbooks, too. Fell asleep, slumped over at an … [Read more...] about Returning to the Seat of the Crime
5 ways to Blog unto the Glory of God
I have been absent from the blogging world for a while, and I wanted to share some incites that I feel I have received while I was working on other projects. Blogging can be a great ministry, but there are things we need to do in order in make sure we are bring God the Glory. 1. Promote peace with blogging. Too often we do "drive by" comments. We don't take the time to understand the writer's perspective, we read the title and the first three lines, then comment. Most of the time, the statements we make are in error and we cause conflict. Don't cause conflict because you are too lazy … [Read more...] about 5 ways to Blog unto the Glory of God
Hudson Taylor, the Ignorant Little Child of God
In a dramatic moment when it seemed that the Lord was expanding the work of the China Inland Mission (CIM) to establish offices in and send missionaries from North America, the mission’s famous leader, Hudson Taylor, knew exactly what needed to be done first. “Before we begin to plan, don’t you think we had better pray?” he asked. H.W. Frost, the man to whom he posed the question, recorded what happened next. “With hands folded and bent head, he told the Lord that we were little children and it was not in us to direct our steps, but that He, the Lord, knew everything—and would He not give … [Read more...] about Hudson Taylor, the Ignorant Little Child of God
Rebooting My Life: Dealing with Burnout
I have considered taking a second job recently – as a computer and electronics repairman. No, I essentially know nothing about how they work – I assume it is all magic and gremlins. But I have found the secret of fixing 99.9% of electronic problems. Reboot. Is your computer acting funny? Turn it off and turn it back on. A reboot will likely make the glitch disappear. Smart phone acting dumb? Reboot and its IQ returns to normal. Some problems go beyond that, but relatively few. Now, it is time for me to try a personal reboot. I’m not sure if it will work quite as easily as it … [Read more...] about Rebooting My Life: Dealing with Burnout