(Note: Steve Murrell wrote this blog on March 22, 2012) I landed in Manila less than 48 hours ago, and as usual I hit the ground running. Today, despite the jet lag coma, I taught six sessions at our ministry school. My students included future campus missionaries, future youth pastors and future kids ministers. I love training and equipping next generation leaders. No matter how busy or tired I am, I always have time and energy for future leaders. Here’s what I taught in today’s three afternoon sessions: TEN THINGS YOU MUST KNOW FOR LONG-TERM ….
I’m pretty good at making excuses. Always have been. What about you? In Luke 14 Jesus tells a story about excuses. Bottom line: Jesus doesn’t really like excuses. Here’s the parable paraphrased: Rich dude threw a party; really a lavish banquet. Many who were invited made EXCUSES why they couldn’t attend. [18] “But they all alike began to MAKE EXCUSES. The first said, `I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. PLEASE EXCUSE ME.’ [19] “Another said, `I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way ….
By Steve Murrell As I type these words on my iPad, I am 35,000 feet in the air somewhere between Nashville and Detroit, heading to Manila, reading Acts and thinking about church growth. Too many of us (pastors & church planters) find our value in how many people show up at church functions. The more time I spend in the West, the more I have to shake off that sad obsession with size and remind myself that I am called to make disciples, not to build churches. Jesus said he would build his church – ….
by LA Mumar What do you see? Jesus was strolling on the beach when he saw someone that people usually ignored – Levi, the tax collector. (Mark 2:13-17) A little context here for you to appreciate this picture… Society saw tax collectors as traitors (they worked for the Romans), dirty and dishonest (they weren’t allowed to testify in court). They were despised and looked down on by society. Yet, Jesus called one of them! Here is a contrast between how people and Jesus saw Levi. People saw Levi as a problem … Jesus saw his ….
By Rice BroocksI’ve been deeply challenged by the tireless efforts of the men and women that advance the cause of the “new atheism” into the empty hearts of postmodern westerners.Nature abhors a vacuum so in the absence of faith, unbelief or atheism becomes the anti-cause. The mission of these atheist crusaders is to rid the world (especially the young) of religious faith and “superstition.” They carry their message with zeal and with the confrontational style that rivals any fundamentalist preacher. In short, they seek converts – people who will “repent” of religion and follow the secular path ….
By Steve Murrell I write a column for Evangelicals Today magazine. My assigned topic this month is “Pastor Appreciation.” Here’s what I submitted to my editor. ——————– Even though lots of people call me “Pastor Steve” I don’t think I’m really a pastor. I do not have the title “pastor” on my business card, and every time I take one of those spiritual gift surveys I score almost zero on the pastor part. So, I guess it is only natural that none of the “pastors” who have been major contributors to my spiritual development are ….
by Paolo Punzalan ‘JUST MET WITH A GUY who sincerely desired to grow his relationship with God. I thoroughly enjoyed our talk. I loved his humility. He acknowledged He needed God in His life and was ready to do whatever it takes to get from point A to B. He asked what are the steps to take. I couldn’t give any. Not that I didn’t have any in mind, but I didn’t want having a relationship with Jesus be reduced to a series of do’s and don’t’s. Unfortunately (or fortunately), that’s the thing with relationships. ….
by Stephen Mansfield | Posted onSaturday, September 17th, 2011| Tags: character, Discipleship, faith, family, leadership, Lordship, love, making disciples, Parenting, Power of God, prayer, reaching the lost, Relationship, service, Will of God |no responses by Stephen MansfieldI received an email this week. It asked that I offer again a piece I wrote nearly two decades ago. I’m happy to do so. May it be an encouragement to those who serve in unnoticed roles.________________________________________Her name was Elizabeth Anne Everest. Few today will remember her. In fact, few would have known of her even during her lifetime, which ended in near obscurity in 1895. She was, after all, only a nannyone of thousands in Victorian Englandwho quietly spent their days caring for the children of other people. Strolling in a park ….
by Wolfgang Eckleben | Posted onSaturday, September 3rd, 2011| Tags: Blogroll, church planting, Discipleship, Discovery, leadership, Lordship, making disciples, mission, Obedience, prayer, priorities, Will of God |no responses by Wolfgang Eckleben HERE’S MY PRAYER for you and for myself today: “We…pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, He will honour you.” – 2 Thess 1v11 (The Message) Remember: God has called you… (Yes you! He’s got Kingdom business assigned to you) You need to stay “fit” to fulfill your calling… (are you getting enough spiritual ….
by Rice Broocks | Posted onTuesday, August 16th, 2011| Tags: Blogroll, calling, Discipleship, faith, knowing the truth, love, making disciples, mission, perseverance, preaching, reaching the lost, Theological |7 responses “YOU DON’T HAVE to know a drowning person to save their life.”There has been enormous emphasis placed on the need for relationship with people as the prerequisite for evangelism. So much so that some go as far as saying that relationship with others should be the only motive and not the hidden agenda of evangelism. Relationship-Relationship-Relationship… This seems to be the word of the hour. I spoke to church planters who had not succeeded in their efforts to launch a ministry. As I dug deeper it became apparent that they made a lot of friends ….
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