Illustration: Bible, Word of God
"Learn the power of quoting Scripture. It's to our souls what a sword is to a soldier."
The Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal
In The Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal (Thomas Nelson), Charles Swindoll examines the challenges the church faces in the 21st century, and urges leaders toward a new direction that will enable the church to again become a strong, transformational movement.
What God Starts, God Completes
Our friend and contributing editor Mike Milton recently was elected to serve as Chancellor of the Reformed Theological Seminary empire. (They do have a lot of campuses, you know!) His election marks a good time to remind you of his book What God Starts, God Completes (Christian Focus).
Time for Stewardship Sermons
In an article for Sermon Central, Bob Russell writes about what he has learned about stewardship sermons, including the best time of year to preach them: "The timing of a stewardship sermon dramatically affects how it is received. If people are reconsidering their spending priorities, they're more likely to welcome biblical teaching on money. If they're overwhelmed with charities, events and school expenses, for example, they'll likely resent a church asking for more money, too.
Domesticated Jesus
Have we created a false Jesus who is fenced in by artificial limits we've created? In Domesticated Jesus (P&R), Harry L. Kraus Jr. explores ways we try to "domesticate" the Lord of the universe.
Church Giving Matters
In Church Giving Matters (Cross Books), Ben Stroup offers practical advice for pastors to help them provide effective leadership in stewardship.
The Slow Fade
A huge percentage of 20-somethings walk away from the church during those years, even though they may have been actively engaged as children and teens. In The Slow Fade (David C. Cook), Reggie Joiner, Chuck Bomar and Abbie Smith help us understand why they are leaving.
Illustration: Timing, Late
Bob had this problem of getting up late in the morning and was always late for work.
Illustration: Purpose, Direction
Former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice once told graduates of the Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson that they have a responsibility to be "optimistic" in their lives.
Tell Them What You Do
In his blog, John Koessler has been writing on challenges pastors face. One is the fact that our people understand little of what we do: "Not long after he started attending our church, Ed asked me about something that had been bothering him. It was a question that took me by surprise. It had nothing to do with election or the fate of the heathen. It didn't concern some obscure point in the Bible. Ed wanted to know what I did all week. 'What exactly does a pastor do?' he asked."