Is Tithing Required?

An increasing number of evangelical leaders do not believe tithing is a biblical obligation for Christian believers, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). A report from NAE states: "Many evangelical churches regularly encourage their members to tithe, or give the church at least 10 percent of their income. Yet, according to the February Evangelical Leaders Survey, most evangelical leaders do not believe the Bible requires Christians to tithe."

The Simple Gospel

It's wonderful when a person comes to Christ-he or she is no longer under the tyranny of sin and guilt or of lust and desire-no longer are under the bondage of a purposeless and meaningless existence. Christ not only gives meaning to life, but also restores harmony to our spiritual lives.

Leading Today: Be a Faithful Lighthouse Keeper

High above the familiar skyline of Alexandria stood Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The lighthouse was designed as a safety mechanism for sea-going traffic. At the same time, it had become an incomparable landmark for the city. In the ancient world, only Egypt would multi-task on such a grand scale.

The Preacher’s Bookshelf: The Pastor: A Memoir by Eugene Peterson

In past generations, one of the things pastors often enjoyed reading were biographies of other pastors and missionaries. The lives of other Christian servants offered a model and inspiration for succeeding generations. Unfortunately, few biographies of pastors are published these days. Fortunately, one that is available draws us into the life of a gentle, brilliant minister named Eugene Peterson.

What Does It Mean to Be Filled with the Spirit?

I don't know of anyone who's more magnetic or more attractive than an authentic Christian. The longer I live, the higher priority I place on authenticity. As an authentic believer, you live what you believe. You speak the truth. You love generously. You admit failure quickly.

Evangelizing the Church

If you are like me, there may have been a time in your preaching ministry when you thought the gospel was really only for evangelizing unbelievers and did not need to be a part of every sermon on a weekly basis. After all, aren't we to be moving on from the milk of elementary teachings to mature spiritual meat? If we address the basic gospel on a weekly basis, are we not hindering the growth of our people into deeper biblical truths?

Finding Timothy: Raising the Next Generation of Preachers

Here I sit, nestled in an ultra-hip chair at a West Tennessee Starbucks. Over a steaming cup of bold coffee, I fire questions at Andy, a 21-year-old college student who takes pride in his rugged, half-shaved face. I pick this young man's brain because he is one who is jealous for my job; he aspires to the office of senior pastor. Not a youth pastor, or children's pastor or college pastor-though each of those is a high and worthy calling-Andy is one who ultimately wants to feed and lead a local church. This guy intrigues me because his breed is becoming so scarce.

Preacher to Preacher: We Preach Christ Crucified!

That all too often is the problem for many of the people who hear us preach. As youngsters, we drew crosses-let's face it, drawing a cross is something any child can do. Almost all of us own a cross or have purchased one as a gift for someone we love. So, if I were to ask a Sunday School class how much a cross costs, the answer likely would be that it has to do with the material used, and it could be anywhere from pennies to millions of dollars.