Author: Administrador

A disciple can simply be defined as a learner or a student. We are all called to be disciples, learners or students of Jesus Christ and to make other disciples. In the Great Commission, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son … Continue reading “Discipleship: There Are No Shortcuts”

Artie Davis recently wrote about some lessons churches can learn from Apple’s release of the iPhone 5. He observes: “We got to see the new iPhone 5 yesterday and hear about its new enhancements. As I saw and heard about the new version, several thoughts about how we could learn from Apple’s success in the … Continue reading “What Churches Can Learn from Apple”

James MacDonald (Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Hills, Ill.) recently wrote for the “Out of Ur” blog on reasons why he “is not emerging.” Among the reasons: “Because Christ’s is a kingdom of substance, not style.” He explains: “Candles and bells, paintings and sculpture, incense and chanting—great! Let’s bring back the best of all those … Continue reading “Does Emerging Church Celebrate Style over Substance?”

In this busy season of decking the halls, baking cookies and planning for the big day, we can help you simplify things with some great gift ideas. From the latest must-read books, to heartwarming family films, to Christian music from your favorite artists, we have something for everyone on your 2012 Christmas list! GRACE: More … Continue reading “A Few of Our Favorite Things”

In the fall 2012 issue of Facts and Trends, Ed Stetzer discusses ways we can encourage our members to practice spiritual disciplines: “The spiritual disciplines play a significant role in our spiritual development. They represent practices of our faith that give us the opportunity to interact with Christ. To better understand them, LifeWay Research conducted … Continue reading “Spiritual Disciplines: Lead by Example”

Matt Chandler has served for 10 years as lead pastor of The Village Church in Highland Village, Texas, part of the Dallas Metroplex. In the past decade, that church has grown from about 160 to more than 8,000. Recently, Matt was named president of Acts 29, a nationwide network of church planters. He recently visited … Continue reading “Preaching an Explicit Gospel: An Interview with Matt Chandler”

The pastor had just finished giving a powerful message about the necessity of turning from sin and following Jesus. As the altar call was given, several people in the audience were compelled to act on his invitation. Too many times, at this crucial point, perfectly normal worship services turn into The Phantom of the Opera. … Continue reading “After the Altar Call: The Seven Best Ways to Ruin an Invitation”

These words are written from St. Petersburg, Russia, where I am privileged to be delivering lectures on preaching at a conference organized by leaders of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Russia (ERCR). The ERCR is one of Russia’s rapidly growing denominations. The pastors here have gathered from far away places including Uzbekistan, Siberia, Belarus, Moscow, … Continue reading “Preacher to Preacher: Preaching Under Cover”

As pastors who understand the importance of faithful preaching, we spend a lot of time talking about being faithful to the biblical texts. We’ll study the languages, compare this verse to that verse, read commentaries and will do it all to be sure we are as close to the original meaning of the biblical text … Continue reading “Preaching Points: The Two Texts of Preaching”

The American people are about to elect a president. Far be it from me to tell anyone how to vote in this space—though I’ll be glad to harangue you with political advice if you call me in the next few days—but all the political folderol of recent weeks has me thinking it might be better … Continue reading “Back Page Pulpit: Vote Early, Vote Often”