I am a pastor and I do not have the gift of evangelism. I know people who get out of bed and the first thought is something like, “I wonder who the Lord will bring across my path to share the gospel with today?” (I am married to one of those people.) That’s not me. […]
Read More Stimulate your evangelistic zeal in 2020What is the Gospel? Selected Scriptures January 12, 2020 Ask the question, “What is the gospel?” (even in the church) and you will get almost as many answers to that question as there are people. There just does not seem to be much consensus on that question. In his book, What is the Gospel? Greg […]
Read More Sermon: What is the Gospel?Why People Don’t Believe in Christ (And the Shocking Grace of God) Romans 10:16-21 December 1, 2019 The turkey is (probably) finished. There might still be a little leftover cranberry sauce. I know the pecan pie has been gone for at least two days. Thanksgiving is over. I hope it was an encouraging and reflective […]
Read More Sermon: Why People Don’t Believe in ChristThe Believer’s Evangelistic Privilege Romans 10:14-15 November 17, 2019 The apostle Paul was a remarkable man. He was a prolific writer (13 letters in the NT) and an astute linguist He was a careful theologian (e.g., Romans) He was an effective and wise church planter and pastor He was a bold apologist (Acts 17) and […]
Read More Sermon: The Believer’s Evangelistic PrivilegeSince the time of the early church, there has been a debate about the role of works in salvation. Are there works that should be done for our salvation? Should believers be circumcised for their salvation? (That was the question in Acts 15.) Or is there a kind of work that is necessary as an […]
Read More The gospel of forgiveness and transformationThe Message of Faith Romans 10:9-10 November 3, 2019 This week there has been significant conversation on the internet and elsewhere about October 31. No, not chocolate and Halloween, but Reformation Day. The discussion about the Reformation has been a good reminder about the gospel and its significance. As someone has said, “The gospel is […]
Read More Sermon: The Message of FaithNo Excuses: The Message of Faith Romans 10:5-8 October 20, 2019 According to a UPI news item, MetLife has received some unusual excuses for accidents from its automobile policyholders over the years. The following are just few: “An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car, and vanished.” “The other car collided with mine […]
Read More Sermon: No ExcusesWhat Unbelievers Need to be Saved Romans 10:1-4 October 13, 2019 Unbelief is not unusual. Unbelief is — and always has been — far too typical and too common. Accounts of unbelief are well-known: French philosopher Voltaire is reputed to have said, “If a miracle occurred in the market place of Paris and in the […]
Read More Sermon: What Unbelievers NeedGospel Longings Romans 9:1-5 May 26, 2019 What makes you sad? What makes your heart ache? What are your greatest sorrows? We likely have similar kinds of lists of sad things: Illness of a loved family member Cancer and terminal diseases in children (I was often profoundly sad walking halls of Cooks Hosp) Broken and […]
Read More Sermon: Gospel LongingsThe “Foolish” Gospel 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 December 30, 2018 Tuesday is New Year’s Day. So perhaps you, like many of us, will spend some time in the next couple of days doing some self-evaluation — where have you done well physically, financially, relationally, and spiritually this year? Where have you not done so well? And […]
Read More Sermon: The “Foolish” GospelGo to the Nations: Our Responsibilities in Missions 3 John June 24, 2018 It has been suggested that Acts is the best manual for missions that the church has. We learn a tremendous amount about missions by reading Acts. But many of the principles of missions we glean in Acts are also present in 3 […]
Read More Sermon: Go to the Nations, Pt 3Go to the Nations: Priorities and Responsibilities in Missions Selected Scriptures June 17, 2018 When I was in college I got a job working for a lumber supply company. I worked in the showroom selling things like plumbing and electrical parts, cabinets, and paint. To say that I was ignorant about the building business when […]
Read More Sermon: Go to the Nations, Pt 2Go to the Nations: the What and Why of Missions Selected Scriptures June 10, 2018 I started studying for this sermon series almost 13 years ago. A man who was involved in a kind of mission ministry that we already were a part of in a part of the world where we were already supporting […]
Read More Sermon: Go to the NationsMost believers affirm the difficulty in communicating the gospel. Telling the gospel is hard. But telling the gospel is also a privileged joy. The Lord has entrusted the communication of his salvation plan to — us! We are the vessels (ordinary, weak, cracked, and broken) into which God has placed the eternal and infinitely rich […]
Read More Some ways to increase your evangelism in 2018“Prayer and the Gospel” Ephesians 6:18-20 January 7, 2018 One of my annual goals is to read at least one book each year on evangelism. So this week I read Rico Tice’s book, Honest Evangelism: How to Talk About Jesus When It’s Tough. In his introduction he writes: I find evangelism hard. The problem with […]
Read More Sermon: Prayer and the Gospel
Words of Grace 