1 Kings 14:1-6
1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. 2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people. 3 Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child.”
4 Jeroboam’s wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. 5 And the Lord said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus shall you say to her.”
When she came, she pretended to be another woman. 6 But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you.”
It has been said that sin blinds us. This is true. Sin keeps us from having good sense, from making decisions that are logically consistent.
The story above is a picture of one of those totally nonsensical moments in someone’s life. Jeroboam was the man who led the rebellion of the northern kingdom of Israel against the southern kingdom led by Rehoboam (no relation). Jeroboam had been told by Ahijah the prophet exactly what God would do with him and for him. Ahijah also told Jeroboam to be careful, when he was king of a new kingdom, to follow the commands of the Lord.
In chapter 13, we saw that Jeroboam refused to follow the ways of God. He devised his own religion as a ploy to keep his people from returning to Jerusalem for worship. Like the Israelites at Mount Sinai, Jeroboam fashioned a pair of golden calves and declared that these were the gods who led Israel up out of Egypt.
Now, as chapter 14 tells us, Jeroboam has a problem. His son is sick. Jeroboam and the boy’s mother are worried. Who can help Jeroboam know what is going to happen? Who has the insight to see into the future for this young man? Who might be able to devise a healing? It is not the calf statues, that is for sure. Jeroboam sends his wife to Ahijah to learn what is to come. After all, Ahijah is the guy who spoke to Jeroboam about his future. Ahijah is the one who has God aiding his sight.
Now, here is the part that actually struck me this morning. Jeroboam tells his wife to disguise herself. Stop. Think that through. Jeroboam is sending his wife to somebody who has God speaking directly to him. Jeroboam expects that this man will see into the situation and the future of his family by the power of God. And yet Jeroboam thinks a disguise will fool somebody. Seriously?
Now, just in case you think that Jeroboam and the Mrs. Are just trying to keep her identity hidden while she traveled—a thought that occurred to me—notice that, when she arrives at the home of Ahijah, the prophet tells her that she’s not fooling anybody. Clearly this woman and her king husband thought they could somehow fool the prophet. At the same time, they thought they could get the prophet to look past what ordinary men can see, hear from God, and tell them their future.
What is the right word for a person who, on the one hand thinks Ahijah can see beyond human reckoning while on the other hand believes that a pair of Groucho glasses will throw him off the trail of the woman’s identity? This is simply nuts, illogical, foolish. Sin blinds. Jeroboam has lost all sense. He is not thinking straight. His rebellion against God has led him away from consistent, logical thinking. He has slipped down into folly.
What about you and me? You know we do the same stuff, don’t you? What is the word for someone who knows God and knows his power, but who chooses to do things his or her own way? What is the right descriptor for someone who says we know God can see everything we do, yet who decides to do things that dishonor him? We are just as crazy. We claim to follow God with all our hearts, but then put on the wig and clown nose to somehow sneak past One we have declared we know to be omniscient and omnipresent.
Christians, let us bow before our God and plead with him to restore our sense. We need to stop hiding. We need to realize that we get nothing past God. All our thoughts and actions are open to him. He sees us. He knows us. He is never fooled. Let this knowledge lead us to repentance and seeking his mercy. May we run to Jesus, throwing off any of our disguises, and ask him to transform us into people who make sense and who please the God who knows all.
A Leadership Lesson from Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:6-8)
1 Kings 12:6-8
6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.
I have never been much for digging into the Bible to find basic leadership lessons. In general, passages are not presented to us so that we can become better managers. But I will make a slight exception as I think about this little section of Scripture. If we watch the life of Rehoboam in this one moment, we see one of the greatest leadership errors in human history.
Rehoboam has taken the reins of leadership in the united kingdom of Israel after the death of his father, Solomon. Right away, Rehoboam is faced with a crisis. Two clear alternatives are before him. His decision will change the course of history.
Rehoboam is approached by people who have been driven hard by Solomon, their former king—their previous boss. Solomon accomplished great things with these people, but he also drove them to fatigue. Now the people approach Rehoboam, their new king, and ask for relief.
Rehoboam makes one correct decision, he seeks counsel. Rehoboam talks both to older and younger counselors about what he should do. The advice that he receives comes in polar opposites. The older counselors tell Rehoboam to speak gently to the people. They argue that if he gives the people rest and relief now, they will be faithful to him forever. The younger counselors counsel the opposite, demanding that Rehoboam drive the people even harder to show his power and authority.
As a read through the rest of the chapter reveals, Rehoboam rejects the advice of the older and wiser counselors. He tries to get tough with the people, but the people have had enough. Because Rehoboam cannot see the wisdom of the older men and because he wants to drive his people even harder, Rehoboam loses most of the kingdom. From that point forward, the kingdom is divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. It is never reunited.
As a disclaimer, let me also point out that these events were from God (1 Kings 12:15). God was doing something behind the scenes that Rehoboam could not see or understand. But this fact does not change the truth that Rehoboam made a dramatic error in leadership which cost him his kingdom.
What is the leadership lesson? Perhaps you could say that it is smarter to listen to people who have been around for a bit than to listen to young and naive people who have little experience. But I think the lesson is even more clear in the content of the counsel each side gives.
As a leader, we all have the opportunity to choose how to treat those we lead. We can choose to try to lead by force or by servanthood. We can choose to push people, whipping them into action, or we can recognize the need of people to have seasons of rest and refueling. I think this passage shows us what happens when you attempt to drive people by force. Eventually, you will see them have enough, tire out, and then turn against you as a leader. But, if you lead people with grace, with sweetness, with kindness, with understanding, and with servanthood, you will solidify their commitment to you and to the vision you are trying to communicate.
I’m not, of course, saying that we have to become such softies that we never ask people to complete a task. This would no longer be leadership. We are called to help people that we lead and to direct them toward the goals that must be accomplished. But a wise leader leads with both strength and gentleness, with focus and flexibility, with a plan and with the understanding that plans change, with a goal in mind but with the understanding that people are more important than goals.
Really, this whole passage and Rehoboam’s mistake all boil down to a question about how do you as a leader value people. If you value projects over people, you will eventually have no people to lead. If you press people when they are in need of grace, you will lose them. But if you learn to take care of those who work with you, valuing them more than deadlines, they will jump into the task with you and be loyal to you for as long as they can be.
If you are a leader, ask yourself questions like these as you consider how you might avoid Rehoboam’s error:
· Do I spend time with my people, getting to know them and caring for them?
· Do I ever talk with my people about anything other than work?
· Do I spend time with my people outside of the task environment?
· Is my encouragement that I offer my people genuine, or is it something I only do because I know I am supposed to?
· Are my people showing signs of fatigue?
· Would a little rest now help revitalize my people’s commitment in the future?
· Do my people see me as harsh?
· Do I treat people or performance as more important?
· Do I help people work where they are gifted and where they find joy?
· Do I listen to my people?
· Do my people see me as committed to their good?
What would you add? How do you balance productivity and personal relationships? How do you lead people without squashing them in the process?
Are We in the Crowd? (Mark 15:12-14)
Mark 15:12-14
12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.”
To readers of the gospels, the scene of Pilate and the crowd arguing over Jesus is quite familiar. Pilate knows that there is no good reason to put Jesus to death. The crowd has adopted a mob mentality, stirred up by their religious leaders. And it appears that nothing goes right—though we know that God is accomplishing his ultimate plan through this event.
It is tempting to be harsh with the crowd, and indeed they deserve a harsh judgment for what they did. However, I also have to notice a little similarity between myself and the people. I certainly see a similarity between our culture and the mob.
Notice, when it gets to the main point of the matter, Pilate asks the crowd why they want Jesus put to death. Why would they want him to die even though the governor has seen that Jesus does not deserve death? Why would they want to kill a man they hailed earlier as a king?
What does the crowd do? What reasons do they give? IN this passage, they give nothing. No rational reason comes out of the mouths of the crowd. They just shout more and shout louder. Once reason is gone, there is only shrillness and force.
Is this like our culture? You bet it is. We are not so far removed. Watch TV news shows if you can. Notice the form most arguments take. It is no longer a debate, but rather a shouting match. There are seldom actual arguments made. Instead, sound bites and zingers are the order of the day. Noise, sarcasm, straw men, and character assassination are the victors, often above substantive discussion and dialog.
But then, as I get myself to the point of self-righteous indignation, I realize that my heart is not so far above the culture. When I hurt, when I am sad, when I fear, am I not similar? Do I not, at least on the inside, shout, stomp, and demand my way? Were I honest, would I not see that sometimes my best argument for wanting my way is simply that I want it?
Perhaps a look at the ugly scene of the crowd before Pilate could serve as a correction for me, maybe even for you. Let us learn to watch ourselves when our hearts demand. Let us learn to check ourselves when, rather than expressing valid reason, our hearts simply shout louder and louder. And, may we also learn to be more gracious to a world that is not all that different than us when we are not careful to guard our hearts with the word and ways of God.
What about you? Do you see yourself in the crowd? Do you catch yourself reasoning more with noise than Scripture? How do you check this all-too-human tendency?
Mark Dever on 5 Books for Discipling Someone
The following was from the 9 Marks Twitter feed today and could be a helpful little list:
@MarkDever: Coming up: a series of 5 modern, brief books to read through with someone else in order to disciple them.
@MarkDever: 1. Greg Gilbert, What is the Gospel? Begin with the Gospel!
@MarkDever: 2. Orlando Saer, Big God. This books is good for what ales you in a number of differing ways. Helpful & enjoyable.
@MarkDever: 3. C. J. Mahaney, The Cross-Centered Life. Wonderful to see what grace looks like in real life. Well written.
@MarkDever: 4. EITHER my book What is a Healthy Church? OR (a little more advanced) Jonathan Leeman, Church Membership. Church is important!
@MarkDever: 5. Sebastian Traeger & Greg Gilbert, The Gospel at Work. Wonderfully practical at carrying the Gospel into everyday.
The Pastor’s Kid – A Review
Barnabas Piper. The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2014. 160 pp. $9.53.
“What’s it like to be John Piper’s kid?” That question is one that Barnabas Piper lets us know is better not asked. Pastor’s kids like Barnabas would far rather you get to know them personally than ask them about their dads. In fact, he lets us know a lot about growing up as the child of a pastor in his new book, The Pastor’s Kid. Open, honest, challenging, and sometimes painful, this new work from the son of popular pastor John Piper is a very helpful tool for pastors and their families to work through.
Barnabas has a knack for helping us to see things from the point of view of the pastor’s kid (PK). He shares with us some valuable insights about things that might seem innocent and helpful but which are in fact discouraging and awkward for a PK. The author shares joys and pains from his own life as well as from the lives of many other PKs in order to help preacher dads understand ways to better communicate with and set expectations for their children.
As a pastor myself, one with children I might add, I found this book thought provoking and helpful. One thought that particularly got my attention is that of a PK being known of, but not actually known as a person, by many in the church. Barnabas tells of a time when his dad shared an illustration from Barnabas’ own childhood. This was not one of those embarrassing illustrations for which a pastor would think he needed to get special permission. But what John Piper did not understand at the time was that his telling of Barnabas’ story actually made people in the church, and subsequently on the Internet, more acquainted with the details of Barnabas’ life than he would eventually be comfortable with. Thus, Barnabas would have people he did not know come up to him and comment to him or ask about personal details of his life. These people assumed a familiarity with him and rights that they had not earned through personal investment or friendship.
Much of the book is devoted to challenging pastors to help their kids to be seen and thought of as “normal.” It is unfair for a pastor’s kid to have extra expectations placed upon him or her for advanced Bible knowledge, super-spiritual behavior, or a calling to ministry. Pastor’s kids are normal, human, flawed, and growing young men and women. They will fail and succeed, behave well and act out, just like any other kids in the church. While a pastor is called to raise and shepherd his own family well, the pastor’s kids are still going to be cut from the same cloth as all other human kids, complete with a sin nature, puberty, and a need to figure life out for themselves.
The biggest weakness in this book to me is the fact that we do not get to see enough of the positive aspects of being a pastor’s kid. Though Barnabas talks about some of his joys in his relationship with his dad, much of the book focuses us on the failures of pastors and churches to allow PKs to be kids. Obviously, the intent of this work is to swing hard and to get the attention of pastors who may be oblivious to their kids’ needs, and so I am certainly willing to say that this is not a major flaw. However, I would have liked more, perhaps even a whole chapter or two, on the good side of the ledger.
All in all, I would highly recommend The Pastor’s Kid to any ministry family. It would also make a great book for other church leaders to read. Deacons, lay elders, and Sunday School teachers could learn much of what their own church’s PKs are going through if they gave this book a quick read.
I received a free audio copy of this work from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. This book was read by Barnabas Piper. While I typically do not enjoy a book read by its own author, Barnabas has a good reading voice and pace. And, because the stories are his own, I find it actually quite helpful to hear his stories with his own emotion attached.
Proper Context for the Cattle on a Thousand Hills (Psalm 50:9-12)
Psalm 50:9-12
9 I will not accept a bull from your house
or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills,
and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and its fullness are mine.
How often have you heard the statement, “God owns the cattle on a thousand hills?” I would guess that you have heard this portion of Psalm 50:10 several times if you have been in the church much over your life. But in what context is it often used as compared to its biblical context?
It seems that, when I hear this verse used, it is invariably being offered to remind us that God is rich and can support us. A missionary might use this verse to say that he knows that God will provide for his mission. A pastor in a building program might use this verse to remind a church whose faith is wavering that God can provide the finances they need. Even a poor person might simply quote the verse as a way to say that at least our heavenly Father is not poor.
However, a look at the passage in greater detail offers us a different contextual view. God is speaking to the people of Israel and reminding them that he does not need them. He does not need their offerings. Though he is glad for those who offer sacrifices with sincere hearts, he wants to be sure that none of those who offer sacrifice think they are doing him a favor.
At the time that this psalm was written, many of the false religions around Israel offered sacrifices of meat to idols. The people actually believed that they were “feeding” the god they worshipped. They believed that the food that they were burning was somehow offering sustenance to their deity. The people thought they were helping out.
God wants his people to understand that under no circumstances are they responsible for his sustenance. He does not need them. They are not doing him a favor by worshipping him. He has all he needs. He would not ask them for food if he were hungry—not that he could ever be hungry. God already owns the cattle on a thousand hills; he does not need theirs too.
What would a right context for using “the cattle on a thousand hills” then be? How about as a call to humility? Our worship does not prop God up. Our giving does not make possible a mission or ministry that God could not do without us. God is infinitely strong and infinitely resourceful. He does not need us. That is what this phrase is about.
But, does this interpretation of the verse, even if correct in context, not prevent people from giving and going? I would argue that it does not. It does, however, change our motivation.
One illustration that I often have used is that of a child helping his father paint a wall. Could the dad paint the wall without the little one? Of course he could. In fact, the dad could paint the wall faster, better, and with less mess if he did not choose to involve the child. However, out of love for the child and out of a desire for relationship, the dad lets his little one fling paint, mess up brushes, and leave bare spots. He will fix it later. The child, if thinking at all, knows that dad did not need help. But the child is also thrilled, knowing that working with dad is a great joy.
The fact that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills reminds us that God does not need us. Thus, if he chooses to allow us to pray, to give, to go, and to share the gospel, he is loving us. If he allows us to give to support the building of a new building, to put on a VBS, or to pay the salary of a pastor, he is being kind to us. Of course God could do all this without us. But the fact that he lets us be involved is a sweetness. It is our heavenly Father letting us stand beside him on a project. And, we, rather than being indignant that he does not need us, can grin like little kids knowing that we have gotten to spend time with Dad, and we got to have a part in the work that he is doing. This is a motivation to participate in mission, ,but with confidence and joy and not with guilt.
The Gospel in a Dark Passage (1 Samuel 2:25a)
1 Samuel 2:25a
“If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?”
Here is a hint of the gospel in a really dark passage. Eli is confronting his wicked sons about their sin. These young men were stealing offerings from people at the temple and sleeping with women who served at the temple gates. They were behaving in a vile way, and they were destined for judgment.
But look at Eli’s words. He makes a simple argument. Perhaps a person can have God mediate for him if he should sin against another person. But who will mediate between a person and God? Who is big enough to stand in the gap and talk to God on your behalf if you sin?
Do you see the gospel? We have offended God. Who is able to mediate for us? Who can stand on our behalf? It would have to be someone as holy as God. But, only God is that holy. So, only God can mediate on our behalf between us and himself. Could he, would he ever do so?
And the gospel comes clear. Jesus is God. Jesus came to earth to bear our sin and disgrace. Jesus took our sin upon himself. Jesus fully paid the penalty that we owe. Without Jesus’ sacrifice, we spend forever in hell for our sins. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we may enter into the presence of God fully justified, fully forgiven. This is a glorious rescue. This is the gospel, even in a very dark passage.
Autopsy of a Deceased Church – A Review
Thom Rainer. Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive. Nashville: B&H Books, 2014. 112 pp. $9.61.
Even before he led Lifeway Christian Resources, Thom Rainer spent years as a pastor, seminary professor, and church consultant. In those roles, Dr. Rainer gained a great deal of experience in balancing statistical analysis with real-life, anecdotal evidence to form solid conclusions about what is happening in the church and why. In Autopsy of a Deceased Church, Dr. Rainer puts these skills to good use, helping pastors and church leaders to think about the kinds of symptoms that they need to look out for in order to help their churches avoid dangerous decline or even death.
For his latest book, Dr. Rainer looked at multiple churches that died. He analyzes their stories and shares with us a set of twelve common traits that he found in nearly every one of those churches. Those 12 traits are the things that church leaders want to learn to recognize and defend against as they work to serve their churches well.
I won’t spoil the book by listing the 12 traits here, but I will give a bit of simple praise. The things that Dr. Rainer has seen in the deceased churches he studied are very real, very dangerous tendencies that can crop up in the local church. One example would be an over-fascination with nostalgia. Many now dead churches went through a period of time where the people in the body pined for some period of strength in the church’s past rather than working to improve the present or press toward the future. Longing for the “good old days” is very easy, but it can be blinding, calcifying, and deadly.
I’ll give just one more example. In many of the deceased churches that Dr. Rainer studied, members obsessed over the facilities. If you have been in ministry, it is probably not hard to imagine how a church might grow to be more concerned about keeping a building or even a special room in the building perfectly preserved than it is about honoring God through worship, discipleship, and evangelism. It is also not hard to see how a church that goes down that path will find itself declining as it loves its property more than its Savior.
In the final chapters of the book, the author offers some suggestions for churches that find themselves in decline or near death. The advice is different depending on whether a church is a little sick, a lot sick, or about to die. However, in each, Dr. Rainer has some God-honoring and sometimes hard truth for the churches to consider.
I would happily recommend this work to any pastor or church leader. Autopsy of a Deceased Church has some solid challenges and very practical advice that pastors and other leaders can and should consider. I found myself especially challenged by the chapter on prayer (it seems that dying churches stop praying together too—no surprise). This book is short, easy-to-read, and helpful.
Exponential 2014 – Finishing Well Together
** The following are my notes from a workshop session at Exponential 2014 **
Finishing Well Together
Brian and Amy Bloye
Wrote a book called It’s Personal which might be useful.
Out of all the leaders in the Bible, only one third finish well.
We want to finish well.
9 things we have learned along the way to finish well together.
1. This journey must involve 3people: you, your spouse, and God.
The devil attacks this.
They have to pray together.
Need to share our spiritual journey together.
She needs to know what I am learning.
They read books together.
He includes her in the books they read together with their team.
We need to continue to encourage each other along the way.
We need to be each other’s cheerleader.
I cannot find my significance in her.
2. Learn to create margin.
God often shows up in the margins of our lives.
We cannot leave things totally full.
We need time to relax and breathe.
Plan on your calendar to leave margin.
We have to put rest into our calendar.
3. Cheat in the right places.
Provocative statement: Never cheat your family, cheat the ministry.
The point is not that you try to cheat the ministry, but that you are going to cheat something, not giving it 100% of yourself, and it is better that this be the ministry than your family.
God never promises to make up for misplaced priorities.
Focus on your family, and God will fill in the gaps in ministry.
Much of the work I did after 45 hours a week was done out of guilt, and it was not actually productive.
4. Learn to say no.
Do what is important, not what is urgent.
Nobody can do it all.
The word no can be your best friend.
You cannot please everyone.
You can’t be great at everything.
Focus on what you are good at.
Turn off the voices that don’t matter.
If you can’t say no to people, hire someone who can.
Who are the voices that matter?
The voice of my wife matters.
The voices of my kids matter.
The voices of my elders matter.
Voices on Facebook do not matter in the same way.
Some seasons of ministry, you just have to take it on the chin.
God will straighten things out.
5. Put some solid boundaries around your marriage.
He does not travel alone.
He does not meet alone with the opposite sex.
They must have a clear window or an open door in a meeting with the opposite sex.
He does not counsel the opposite sex.
He says he is not a great counselor anyway.
Let’s get people to the people they need to help them.
He does not go places alone with other women.
No riding in a car alone with another woman.
No lunches with a woman.
6. Set healthy expectations for you and for your children.
It seems that we are always disappointing people.
Do we paint a picture that God is impossible to please.
They read One Way Love by Tullian Tchividjian.
Kids will catch expectations that we do not try to put on them.
Kids can feel the weight and pressure of ministry.
7. Learn what fills your emotional tanks, and keep them full.
From the book Leading on Empty
What fills you up?
What drains you?
How can I help my wife fill her tank?
Do not be afraid of engaging a counselor.
8. Focus on a few good friendships.
Naturally occurring friendships seem to work the best.
Forced friendships are strained.
Ask God for good friends.
9. Create a healthy rhythm for doing life together.
Is Sunday night movie night?
Be strategic with your weekly schedule.
Do you take a walk with your wife on Monday mornings?
They shut their building down on Friday to help staff have a day off.
That saved thousands of dollars.
Divert daily.
Withdraw weekly
Escape quarterly
Abandon annually
He takes a month off every year.
That has been great for the family.
Make health a part of your lifestyle.
Stay in shape together.
What will it look like to finish well?
I want to be old, love God, love my spouse, love my kids, love people, and love ministry.
Exponential 2014 – Matt Chandler
** The Following is a section of my notes from Exponential 2014 **
Matt chandler
Luke 15
This was a grimy crowd.
Tax collector’s collected the money to pay for the army that kept the people under the thumb of Rome.
Tax collector’s sponsored murder in the minds of the people.
It is not a surprise that the religious leaders cannot understand how Jesus could hang out with tax collector’s.
Sinners was a big category.
Sinners were dirty.
These were considered unacceptable people.
Jesus, in one moment, will deconstruct the world views of both groups, both religious leaders on the one hand and tax collector’s and sinners on the other.
Parable of the lost sheep.
The sinner sees hope.
The religious is convicted by not caring like God.
Jesus is not after moral aptitude.
Jesus is after sinners.
Same thing with the lost coin.
Parable of the prodigal son
God was and is not just after the prodigal, he was after the religious.
Do not hate and put down the older brother’s among you. God offers them repentance.
The father invites the older brother in too.
The tearing apart of the world views and rebuilding happened
This is what preaching is about.
Do not live vicariously through other preachers.
Do not tell other people’s hanging out with lost people stories.
Trust the Bible.
What we are doing is unbelievably mysterious.
I cannot transform people.
Do not waiver from two thousand years of God’s plan.
Trust the Holy Spirit.
Be desperate for God’s help.
Preaching is logic on fire.
Martin Lloyd Jones said that.
Pastor Travis Peterson 