Remember Your Calling

In an article for LeadershipJournal.net, Dave Stone writes: "To keep Christ at the center, we must remember why we do what we do. In the midst of the pressure of sermon prep, sometimes I have to pause and reflect on my calling. I often think back to a summer camp during my sophomore year of Bible college. I was lying atop a smelly bunk bed in the early morning hours when I scribbled this entry in my journal:

Shattered Dreams

How can something that seemed so right at first go downhill so fast? That's what Clint Bragg was wondering when his marriage to Penny ended after less than two years. Tempted by an affair, Penny thought it best to leave Clint and her old life behind, but could she leave her faith? Join us to hear Clint and Penny tell more of their story on today's broadcast.

Simplicity of Salvation

Discover how your life can be changed forever by God's love. Take God's Word and find 1 John 5:13 and KNOW you have eternal life. This matter can be settled once and for all. Listen as Adrian discusses what the Bible assures can be ours forever. First, you have to know what to do to be saved. Secondly, you have to do it. It's that simple. Salvation simply is a relationship with God that brings salvation, thereby securing our eternal peace.

The Ascent of Money

Niall Ferguson's book The Ascent of Money (Penguin Books) isn't about religion or ministry, but it nevertheless would be a useful guide for church leaders in understanding how our financial system came into existence and why the economy got into such a mess at the start of the 21st century.

The Book of Books

Written for younger readers, The Book of Books (Lion) by Trevor Dennis is an imaginative and contemporary retelling of many biblical stories. Church leaders will find it to be a helpful resource for children's worship, small-group studies and other uses.

From Eden to Jerusalem

From Eden to Jerusalem (Kregel) by T. Desmond Alexander is an introduction to biblical theology which helps the reader understand the "meta-story" of Scripture and how the Bible answers two questions: Why is the earth here? and What is the reason for human existence? Alexander addresses many of the central themes of the Bible, drawing extensively on the final chapters of Revelation as a foundation.

Illustration: Grief, Super Bowl

Jack received a free ticket to the Super Bowl from his company. Unfortunately, when Jack arrived at the stadium he realized the seat was in the last row in the corner of the stadium. He was closer to the Goodyear Blimp than the field!

Illustration: Distractions, Hearing God

In his sermon "How to Hear God Speak," Rick Warren talks about the problem of distractions that keep us from listening to the Lord: "Many of you did what I did last Mother's Day. You picked up the phone and dialed your mom to say, 'Happy Mother's Day,' and as you were doing it, you get the same little message, 'Sorry, but all the circuits are busy.' Everybody else in America was calling their mothers.