EVANGELISM
Overcoming the fear of evangelizing (Eric Davis): God has tasked every Christian with communicating the good news of the gospel to the lost. For some of us, it comes naturally. It’s easy and effortless. If that’s you then you probably don’t need to keep reading. For others, not so much. It’s a struggle. It feels unnatural, forced, and uncomfortable. Concern floods our mind. “What if I don’t say the right words?” “I know they’re thinking we are completely crazy.” “They are going to mock.” We hear about the door-to-door evangelism ministry in our church, and there’s no way we would go to that. The thought of knocking on some stranger’s door and launching into the gospel seems impossible and undesirable. Read more at The Cripplegate.
5 actions of faithful evangelists (William Boekstein): As a Christian you want other people to get saved. You know that God uses means in the salvation of others and you want God to use you but you might not know how. Here are five actions of faithful evangelists. Read more at Core Christianity.
MINISTRY
6 distinguishing marks of a call to gospel ministry (Steven Lawson): What constitutes this call to preach? Lloyd-Jones identified six distinguishing marks of this divine summons to the pulpit. He himself had felt the gravity of each of these realities weighing heavily upon his own soul. He believed the same spiritual forces should come to bear on all preachers. Read more at Ligonier Ministries.
SHEPHERDING
We shepherd sheep, not beasts of burden (Peter Bogert): When it comes to motivating our people, we may need to be firm, yet we should always be gentle. We do not need to breathe fire, nor do we need to yell at them. Back in the day people might have been motivated that way, and in some circles maybe they still are. But that doesn’t make it right. Rather than venting at our people or trying to guilt then into some response, we are to follow Paul’s advice to Timothy: “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Tim 4:2, ESV). That’s what the Shepherd would do. Read more at For Younger Pastors.
3 questions D.A. Carson asks potential apostates (Kevin Halloran): And he comes in and says something like, “Pastor Don, I don’t know how to say this, but I think I’m losing my faith. I mean, I’m just finding it more and more difficult to believe all this stuff anymore.” What do you do? What do you say? So you give the same promises of God that you give to the brand new baby Christian who is just sort of getting anchored? This chap knows them all, probably memorized half of them. Well I’ll tell you what I say, and I’ve learned this one in the school of hard knocks. I’ll always ask two or three questions. Read more at KevinHalloran.net.
SPIRITUAL LIFE
Gratitude leads to joy (Gavin Ortlund): Gratitude is one of the most incredible feelings I’ve ever experienced—like a balloon inflating in my chest, or like watching the sun rising in the morning. To look upon the various happenings of your life and be truly grateful—to say to God, from deep within your heart, thank you. Read more at GavinOrtlund.com.
What sins are you killing today? (Peter Adam): It is not enough to stop doing what is wrong: you have to learn the habit of doing what is right. But you cannot start doing what is right, unless you kill off what is wrong! Read more at The Gospel Coalition Australia.
3 reasons why drifting from the faith starts with drifting from the church (Michael Kelley): We must not abandon the church if we want to persevere in the faith. Read more at LifeWay Voices.
CULTURE
Is religious liberty truly in peril? (Albert Mohler): The reality is that religious liberty is in peril in the United States and we have known it for a long time. This is one of the reasons why in the 1990s, Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act with overwhelming support from both parties and in both houses of Congress. The bill’s vast public support made it noncontroversial. Now, however, one of the most cherished liberties in American history is threatened by increasing secularization and the sexual revolution. Read more at AlbertMohler.com.<
COMMUNITY
7 things to do when you are mad at a church member (Chuck Lawless): It happens. Church members get angry with each other. When we do, though, here are some steps to address the situation. Read more at ChuckLawless.com.