In his 1877 Inaugural Address to his Pastor’s College entitled, “The Evils of the Present Age, and How to Meet Them,” Charles Spurgeon admonishes his students to preach the gospel as the only true cure for societal evils such as of superstition, unbelief, isolation and drunkenness. Too often, by…
My mother taught me the old adage, “I can’t hear what you say because I see what you do.” In other words, when our lives do not align with our speech, then our message is unbelievable. This is a sobering reality for pastors. How many times have we unwittingly…
There is another source of power which I can hardly think of as a separate quality, but rather as the sum and result of all the qualities which I have been naming. I mean Courage. It is the indispensable requisite of any true ministry. The timid minister is as…
I was struck again today by the simple, devastating indictment that 2 Kings 17:33 makes against generic religion So they feared the LORD but also served their own gods. This brief summary describes the mixed multitude of Assyrians who were settled in the fallen nation of Israel. Because of…
Jared Moore recently asked me to address this big question. I’m sure my answer will surprise some and anger others. But I’m also hopeful that my thoughts will resonate with many. Here is part of what I said. I think the SBC is facing an identity crisis that, if…
Why don’t men preach Christ crucified? John Stott offers some profound insights on this question with his analysis of the offense of cross, from his commentary on Galatians. I am humbled and challenged by this reminder. What is there about the cross of Christ which angers the world and…
One of God’s wonderful gifts to the contemporary church is Iain Murray. Minister, Author and lecturer, Murray founded the Banner of Truth Trust in 1957. The publication and distribution of “Banner Books” has been one of the chief instruments in the revival of gospel-centered Christianity in our day. Iain…
I am looking forward to participating in the 2009 Southwest Founders Conference next week, hosted by Heritage Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas (just outside Ft. Worth). The theme is, The Foolishness of Preaching. I am scheduled to speak 3 times. If you are in the area, try to catch…
Today I am traveling to North Carolina with my wife, Donna. Tomorrow I will preach in chapel at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tonight I will speak at the Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Mebane. I also hope to connect with those in the seminary family who are interested in…
Yesterday was my first Sunday back in the pulpit at Grace. Six weeks ago, I was highly doubtful that I would ever be granted such a privilege again. God, in His rich grace, enabled me to preach from Isaiah 50 under the theme of “Rethinking God.” The graphic above…