The Reward for Equipping the Saints

The Reward for Equipping the Saints2 Timothy 4:6-8December 10, 2023 Winning the biggest sports contests and the prizes that come with them are rare: Only 25 players are on the roster of the team that wins the World Series Only about 50 players are on the winning team of the Super Bowl Only 26 players […]

Under Attack

The church is under attack. The church and the truth of the gospel, the person of Christ, the trustworthiness of the Scriptures, and the character of God are under attack. These truths have always been under attack — and they are not only being attacked by the world, but by the world from inside the […]

Instruction for Equipping the Saints

Instruction for Equipping the Saints2 Timothy 4:1-5December 3, 2023 In his book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman writes: The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. Assuming you live to be 80, you have just over 4,000 weeks. Nobody needs telling there isn’t enough time. We’re obsessed with our lengthening to-do […]

The Character of People who Equip the Saints

The Character of the People Who Equip the SaintsTitus 2:1-8November 26, 2023 When the Lord revealed His plan for leaders in the church, He did the opposite of what the world typically does — He called the church to identify leaders on the basis of character more than competency. Look at the lists in 1 […]

The People Who Equip the Saints

The People Who Equip the Saints1 Timothy 1:12-17November 19, 2023 Three years ago Chris Young was named as the General Manager of the Texas Rangers. At that time he talked to longtime Ranger broadcaster, Eric Nadel, and said something like, “We need you to stay our broadcaster because we are going to win a […]

One Goal for Equipping the Saints

One Goal for Equipping the Saints1 Timothy 1:3-5November 12, 2023 I hate to rush right past Thanksgiving and Christmas, but in a few weeks you will be thinking about new goals for a new year. What kinds of things might you consider? One writer has some suggestions for you: Read less. It makes me think […]

Thirteen Core Values

Thirteen Core Values for Equipping the SaintsSelected ScripturesNovember 5, 2023 When we train counselors and disciplers, we frequently talk about our motives — why do we do what we do? We understand that there is a connection between what is inside us and what we do — our inner man determines what we […]

Don’t be that kind of mentor

Everyone is a counselor. Everyone is a mentor. Everyone attempts to influence others with their beliefs and belief systems. It might be as simple as trying to convince others of the beauty of a medium-rare steak, or the joys of being a fan of the Texas Rangers (at least this year), or the importance of […]

From Fasting to Feasting

From Fasting to FeastingZechariah 8:18-23March 26, 2023 Raye Jeanne and I enjoy watching home restoration shows. We like seeing something dilapidated and unusable made beautiful and functional. It’s inspiring how skilled and creative some restorers are. But not all restorers are equally effective. Consider the experience of the Church of St. Michael in Estella, Spain. […]

God’s Grace for troubled People, Pt. 2

God’s Grace for Troubled People, Pt. 2Zechariah 8:9-17March 19, 2023 I suppose everyone likes a surprise (happy) ending to a story. The Bible is filled with stories of unexpected endings — tragedies and loss that are unexpectedly transformed (what one writer calls “redemptive reversals”). These stories begin appearing in the Bible almost on the first […]

God’s Grace for troubled People, Pt. 1

God’s Grace for Troubled People, Pt. 1Zechariah 8:1-8March 5, 2023 Thaddeus Williams writes about the fastest-growing religion in the world, self-worship: …84 percent of Americans believe that “enjoying yourself is the highest goal of life.” Further, 86 percent believe that to enjoy yourself you must “pursue the things you desire most.” And 91 percent affirm […]

Sermon: Fasting, God’s Word, and Righteousness

Fasting, God’s Word, and RighteousnessZechariah 7:8-14February 12, 2023 A few years ago, Richard Patterson was told by a Muslim friend that in Islam there is a tradition of writing out the Koran by hand among more devoted followers. Richard thought it was a good idea, and because he wasn’t Muslim, he found some appropriate pens […]

Sermon: A Question for the Lord

A Question for the LordZechariah 7:1-7February 5, 2023 For many years now, at the beginning of every year, I have preached a series of two sermons on essential spiritual disciplines: Bible and prayer. Then a few years ago I started also preaching a sermon on evangelism and the gospel. We need these yearly reminders of […]

Sermon: Why the Gospel?

Why Evangelism?Colossians 2January 29, 2023 All Steve wanted to do was clean his fish tank. He had no idea of the problems that would create for him. Here’s a report of the incident: [He] was trying to get rid of a colony of zoanthids — a relative of corals and sea anemones — that was […]

Sermon: Equip the Saints

Equipping the SaintsEphesians 4:11-13January 22, 2023 In 1851 Queen Victoria of Great Britain, through the influence of her husband, Albert, opened the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. The event was held in Hyde Park in London, and people streamed to the exhibit from England and from around the world. […]