There is a theme in the Bible that darkness comes before light.  Death comes before resurrection.  Humility comes before glory.  This theme is in the Bible because this theme is in God.  This is how God likes things to be and we should expect that He will also be pleased to operate in the same manner in our own lives.

Do you ever feel like people are watching you when you preach?  Does the insidious temptation to perform, compete, or put on a good show ever appear in your preparation process?  Do you ever find yourself comparing yourself to other people who preach?  If so, you're normal.  But you might also want to confront those issues in your soul, especially if you see preaching as a long-term part of your ministry. 

You have a calling. Focus on fulfilling your calling, not fulfilling yourself.

Jesus used illustrations and stories because they made the truth memorable.  I love systematic, didactic teaching.  But to memorize or internalize I need to use some sort of trick to make it stick (an acrostic, a mnemonic device, alliteration, etc.)  Stories and illustrations help the truth stick. I’m telling you the truth - if your entire sermon is just a string of facts, people will understand it, but they won’t remember it.

The problem with making an image of Jesus is that it's going to be limited and imperfect, and those limitations and imperfections are going to be projected onto the minds and thoughts of those observing the image.

Shared leadership will require shared responsibility.

I think the reason that most people think of the Holy Spirit as a FORCE, a FEELING, or a SYMBOL is because we don't understand that the Holy Spirit is a DIVINE PERSON. In the absence of a correct view of the Holy Spirit, we've adopted several wrong views.

When we experience Jesus as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King we are not experiencing four different Jesus’. Nor are we dividing Jesus. We are discovering aspects, dynamics and ministries of the one, true Jesus.

Yes, Jesus drew crowds, but he didn't TRY to draw crowds. When the crowds did come, it was because He taught with authority, cast out demons (Mk 1:27), healed the sick, and did miracles, not because He purposely tried to gather more people.

The year 2022 made a big impact on me. Aside from a few long-term projects, it would have been impossible for me to anticipate all that the year had in store.

It seems that justice can take you where even fasting alone cannot.

When we think about what apostolic ministry looks like, don't limit it to Paul. Apostle Peter did it differently than Paul. So did 20+ other Apostles. Consider the entire Biblical record. Then, whatever we do, DO NOT ADOPT A DEFINITION THAT EXCLUDES APOSTLE JESUS!

People raised in an atmosphere of religious pluralism struggle to understand singular devotion to only one God. Polycarp was misunderstood, mischaracterized, and mistreated because of his singular devotion to Jesus.

Urban does not mean violent, poor and dirty…
Urban areas are dense, diverse and developed.

Paul is saying; "Your old gods were silent, but the God that you worship now expresses Himself."
Now that the Corinthians have a God that expresses Himself, how can they evaluate the authenticity of what is being said in His name?

Revival is Spiritual Renewal that leads to Social Change.

In VOLUNTARILY returning to their prison cell, Paul and Silas saved their new brothers life.