Blog
Blog
Your negative self-talk is holding you back.
Here’s how to break free. Have you ever found yourself scrolling through your Instagram feed and hopelessly comparing yourself to the people you see there? I look at them and think, I’ll never look that good while I’m working out. Or I’ll never be...
Once upon a time in first-century Roman-occupied Palestine...
…an itinerant Jewish teacher began to attract attention for his surprising statements about God, his radical approach to religion and politics, and his healing care for the poor, lonely, and sick. His message offended the ruling authorities, and he...
The God-Stopped Moments
Dear Pastor, Though the title of my latest book, When God Stops , is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, we all need “God-Stopped” moments, to receive special attention from God, in areas where we are hurting. These moments are paramount not only to our...
4 Virtues That Fuel God-Honoring Cultural Engagement
One of the first virtues necessary for the believer who seeks effective and God-honoring cultural engagement is diligence . The Bible describes diligence, in fact, as the foundation for the other virtues (see 2 Peter 1:5-8). No one can be an expert...
It's Never Too Late for a New Beginning
I am a Texas boy. Born here. Educated here. Texans are known for many things — most of them true — but one thing stands out more than any other: our love for football. The Greatest Comeback in College Football Bowl History I was in the stands and...
3 Steps to Navigating Homosexuality in Our Churches
Step 1: Have Your Conviction s Settled On Sunday, September 20, 2009, I walked into an evangelical church in Hollywood called Reality LA as a self-proclaimed atheist and a gay man; two hours later I walked out a born-again Christian who no longer...
Interview with Costi Hinn
An Insider’s View of the Prosperity Gospel Interview with Cost Hinn, nephew of televangelist Benny Hinn and author of God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel: How Truth Overwhelms a Life Built on Lies Q: Why do you feel you need to warn people...
When to Try Door Number Three
THERE’S A THIRD DOOR Weariness had set in and I was ready to throw in the towel. The organization I started wasn’t growing and disappointment and stress had taken their toll. So, I sought the counsel of a well-known minister. I asked one simple...
How to Prove the Bible is True
Is the New Testament we have today what was originally written down or has it been changed? Did people take out what they didn’t like or add what they did like? Whenever you check out any document of history (including the Bible) you apply...
What Made Jesus Mad? Interview with Tim Harlow
Q: This month your new book was released, called What Made Jesus Mad? What did make Jesus mad, would you say? A: I think there was a theme to Jesus’ anger: Denied Access to the Father. Q: For you, what is the key story of Jesus getting mad? A: I...
What to Teach Your Church About Budget
Teaching about budget can be a challenge, especially when church finances are behind budget. Read on for field-tested advice on what to teach your congregation about budget, including tips for when finances are behind budget, and when you are...
Five Allies Who Helped Me Survive the Ministry
After forty years at the same church and forty-two years in the pastorate, I know something about ministerial stress. It comes in many forms—weariness, burnout, frustration, feelings of failure, discouragement, red ink, blue moods, and wolves and...
How Do You Prepare Couples for a Happy Marriage?
WE NEVER HAD PREMARITAL counseling, but we spent the first year of our married life in therapy. Once a week, we met with a counselor who helped us iron out the wrinkles we never even saw before getting married. Not that we were in serious trouble....
How Waiting for Christ's Return Shapes Our Daily Life (3 Insights from 1 Thessalonians)
Three key themes seem to emerge in relation to the eschatology of 1 Thessalonians: hope, vigilance and holiness, and divine justice. 1. Christ’s return leads us to hope. “Hope” (1:3; 2:19; 4:13; 5:8) is a leitmotif of 1 Thessalonians. Hope for Paul...
Unlock the Health-Giving Power of the Holy Communion
GOD WANTS YOU HEALED AND WHOLE Wouldn’t you agree that apart from the gift of salvation, the greatest blessing we can receive is health? As pastors and leaders especially, we want to see our church members healthy and strong. We want to see them...
God Prunes Good Things Too
Pruning Hurts I have a neighbor who is an expert rose grower. His front and back yards are beautiful, so I invited him to come over to my back yard and work his magic on my roses. He was a wonder to watch. He brought his loppers to do his pruning,...
Free Resources
Using How (not) to Save the World with your church or small group?
Here are some tools to help:
The Small Group Tool Kit includes two mobile-friendly invitation cards, reflection cards to enhance your small group experience, and a worship song playlist curated by Hosanna Wong that can beplayed during small group meetings or personal Bible study time.
The Church Tool Kit includes a downloadable poster, bulletininsert, invitation card, and Power Point slide.
Is your church talking about anxiety, depression and mental health issues? You should be.
Shawn Johnson, lead pastor of Red Rocks Church, gives a
searingly honest portrait of anxiety and depression and shows readers how to fight back and live free. He also has put together three free tools pastors can use to help their congregation have a productive conversation around mental health, including a discussion guide, sermon notes and key Scripture verses.