“Genuine forgiveness does not necessarily imply restoration to leadership,” former CT editor Kenneth Kantzer once wrote after the moral failure of several prominent evangelical leaders. Yet the impulse to link forgiveness with restoration to ministry remains strong. Here two pastor-theologians argue for the importance of keeping separate the restoration to the body of Christ and […]
Category: Leadership
Which We Preach?
Romans 10:8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;” The climate of today has produced a generation of people who distrust authority—all authority, including biblical authority. Once people exercised a healthy confidence in government, police, church […]
Pastoral Peril
Pastoral Peril Great peace have they which love Thy law; AND NOTHING SHALL OFFEND THEM Psalms 119:165 (meaning that NOTHING in the Word will ever be offensive to those that love the Word). Hebrews 12:12, Wherefore lift up the hands which HANG DOWN, and the feeble knees; 13. And make straight paths for your feet, […]
Calm Down and Do Nothing Rash
Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. Acts 19:36 Another version says: Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth […]
Observations from an Old Preacher…
After 50 odd years (well not all of them were odd) of ministry I have learned (or learning still): I. Reading the Bible and reading the Bible can be two very different things. Since the Bible is unlike any other book in human existence it therefore cannot be read like any other book. However, it […]
Unknown Mercies
Unknown Mercies The BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader, who fed his perverted sexual appetite, for three decades, with the lives of other human beings, was considered by others that surrounded him to be just a normal guy. This “normal guy,” however, was able, over a thirty year time period, to keep hidden the heinous monster […]
It’s Time to Repaint the Barn…
One of the failures of the present day news media is that it thrives only on current and spectacular events which have a very short shelf life—today’s emphasis is tomorrow’s amnesia. The fallacy of momentary attention is that it breeds lack of residual importance. In other words, the out-of-focus issue loses it vitalness in the […]
Leadership Lesson Number 1
Leadership Lesson Number 1 STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED I have come to a conclusion, after years of observing and inquiry of a plethora of preachers, that there are about as many different study and sermon preparation ways as there are preachers. But one thing is certain—preachers must be students—students of the Word, of people, […]
Show Me In The Bible
From The Ballestero Blog: Show Me In The Bible! Those who are argumentative about doctrine and standards sometimes say these very words. They know not what spirit they are of. “Show Me In The Bible!” Really? You want to be shown in the Bible just where it says those very words, and then you’ll obey and […]
The Principles Of Principle
The Principles Of Principle According to the Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language a principle is a “a fundamental truth, law, doctrine, or motivating force upon which others are based.” A principle is also considered an essential element or constituent of a process. Thus, principles of a process are key characteristic that separate […]