Category: Links
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(Part 2) Humility: That Elusive, All-Important, Hard-to-Define Character Trait
One of the most helpful tools that I have ever come across that helps to clearly distinguish between Proud, Unbroken People and Humble, Broken People is a list that Nancy Leigh DeMoss put together from her study of Scripture and her experience in both life and ministry. There are dozens of items on both the…
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(Part 4) The Cross-Centered Life: Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
“Perhaps the most difficult task for us to perform is to rely on God’s grace and God’s grace alone for our salvation. It is difficult for our pride to rest on grace. Grace is for other people – for beggars. We don’t want to live by a heavenly welfare system. We want to earn our…
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(Part 3) The Cross-Centered Life: Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”(Galatians 5:1) Last week I mentioned that there are three main tendencies that can draw our hearts away from “gospel-centered living.” They are… Legalism: Basing our relationship with God on our own performance. Condemnation: Being more…
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(Part 2) The Cross-Centered Life
“I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you. For I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:1,3) There are many good, profitable and honorable causes in life that can occupy our attention. But what is the main thing? The Apostle Paul…
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Milk Cows, Worldview and the Transformation of Cultures
This week, I wanted to pass on to you a few thoughts from Gary Brumbelow of the Disciple Nations Alliance. Over the past few years, I have learned a great deal (through books and missions periodicals, as well as many conversations with Christian leaders from around the world) about what it takes to bring true,…
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On the pastoral, leadership and theological famine ravaging the world today…
A few weeks ago, I heard a great analogy that describes the role of pastoral and leadership training throughout the developing world… “Pastoral and leadership training here in America is like opening another restaurant – there’s one on virtually every corner. On the other hand, pastoral and leadership training throughout the developing world is like opening…
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What David Brainerd Taught Me
One of my favorite things to do during the Summer months (especially on vacation) is to read biographies of great men and women of the past. One that deeply impacted me was on the life of David Brainerd, missionary to the Native Americans in the early 1700’s. It was entitled, An Account of the Life…
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(Part 5) Heaven: Living "here" in light of "there"
As I write this, I have just returned from the funeral service for fallen Phoenix Police Officer, Travis Murphy. Travis is the nephew of some long time friends of ours, Dale and Theresa Crull. Officer Murphy was only 29 years old and had a young daughter and a two-week-old son. As you can imagine, his…
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(Part 3) Heaven: Living 'here' in light of 'there'
“I say the tragedy is how you’re gonna spend the rest of your nights with the light on so shine the light on all of your friends when it all amounts to nothing in the end I won’t worry my life away . . .” – Lyrics to ‘The Remedy” by Jason Mraz Did you…
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(Part 2) Heaven: Living here in light of there
Do you ever get tired of this world? It’s dashed dreams and broken promises . . . suffering and injustices . . . the pain and hurt and disappointment? When we grow weary of this world, there’s a good reason. It’s because we’ve been made for another world. This isn’t heaven. This isn’t our final…