Category: Church Life
Getting the Most Out of the Public Reading of Scripture
Some of the ladies of the first church I pastored started digging around in their purses the moment I announced the passage of Scripture I was going to read. It was a nearly synchronized hunt for a piece of gum. Usually, they offered a piece to...
Four Miles from Church
How important is faithful church attendance for the Christian? One man who understood its importance was the father of 19th century missionary John Paton. Living four miles from their church in Dumfries, Scotland, Paton writes, . . . during all these forty years my father was...
Feeling Lost
Have you ever been lost? Maybe you lost track of mom or dad at the grocery store and all of a sudden the shelves and aisles seemed really tall and scary. Or, you found yourself driving in a strange neighborhood after following your GPS to a...
Conquering the Shy Chromosome
Like it or not, much of church life and our impact on society depends on conversation. Do you do much of that? It is the responsibility of everybody in the church—including the shy people. There may be a shy chromosome in the genes somewhere, but if...
Creating a Culture of Hospitality
Church doesn’t just happen on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights. We all know that. In our busy and self-isolating culture, we have to make intentional, personal contact with each other if we want to be a real community. But how do we do it? Let me...
Does Your Teaching Make People Sleepy?
Glazed over eyes. Wide, tear-producing yawns. Bobbing heads. If you are a pastor, Sunday school teacher, or Bible study leader, you’ve seen them all while you were speaking, and you may be to blame. Is there anything we can do to help people stay connected while...
A Plea to Christian Young People to Be Fools
The people of God are called to be fools for the sake of Christ. Many Christian young people are not. When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, he was fighting this very battle. He brought into sharp contrast the wisdom of the world and...
A Revival of the Public Reading of Scripture
I’m risking sounding old-fashioned, uninventive, or the promoter of something that “just won’t work these days,” but here’s my conviction: We should read even large sections of Scripture when the church meets. A Concise Biblical History Throughout the Bible, God expected His people to hear His...
Better Prayer Meetings and Prayer Groups: Less Confusion, More Communion
Most of us have experienced both “good” and “bad” prayer meetings. Eventually we may find out that the “good prayer meeting” which seemed to go very well was actually tainted. Those who prayed sounded spiritual, but they were full of pride. And Peter tells us, “God...
Better Teaching By This Sunday
Every Sunday school teacher, Bible study leader, and preacher should aim to teach Scripture with accuracy, clarity, and in a way that helps the listener stay interested. We are always dependent on the Spirit to illuminate, but that’s not an excuse to instruct poorly. Here are...
