“I remember the first time you came to my door. You were probably trying to tell me about Christ, but I didn’t hear anything you were saying. All I could think about was the fact that a white American was in my house. Sometime later you came again, and I remember thinking to myself, ‘Does he really believe that anyone in this village is dumb enough to attend the white man’s church? Is he totally unaware of our history of slavery and what the Americans and Europeans did to our ancestors?’ Then over the next several months you came back again and again. And I kept thinking to myself, ‘he may be dumb but he is persistent!’ Finally, I actually heard what you were saying and realized my need for Christ.”
The testimony that evening was similar to so many others we heard during our decade in the West Indies. Even though we lived in the middle of the village, tried to adopt local culture, interacted with nationals every week, and worked hard to understand the Vincentian dialect, we couldn’t escape the “outsiders” label and the suspicions and mistrust so often associated with that tag. Even worse, we were missionaries. It didn’t take long to learn that the “M” word should be avoided. It often made people feel more like projects than peers, and I discovered that people everywhere prefer parity over charity. The “M” word also conjured visions of colonialism and missionaries working in lockstep with slave owners to keep the slaves brainwashed. Several Vincentians informed me that the white man’s Bible said things like, “servants obey your masters.” In addition to the normal resistance to the gospel, there were endless “outsider” obstacles that had to be overcome every single time I met anyone.
Read moreIt helps to have a sense of humor.
Spurgeon would occasionally find a nasty anonymous letter lying on his pulpit when he would stand up to preach. There would a letter but no name. One day he got to the pulpit and there was a piece of paper with one word written in large letters … “idiot” … So, Spurgeon said, “Normally I get letters without signatures, but today I got a signature without a letter.”
Read moreThis classified advertisement appeared in a rural New York newspaper: “Farmer, age 38, wishes to meet woman about 30 who owns tractor. Please enclose picture of tractor.” I often wonder if this selfish farmer got pictures of John Deere tractors from desperate women. Nehemiah was also dealing with believers who also valued possessions over important relationships.
Read moreJack Hyles wrote an article entitled The Science of Calling a Pastor. In this article intended on instructing churches on how to call a pastor he wrote:
Choose someone who is not a Bible expositor. There is not one expository sermon in the Bible. All of them are topical. I am not fighting expository preaching, but that kind of preaching will destroy a great church. Do not be swayed by their suave teaching. The great soul-winning churches have been pastored by topical preaching. I am not talking about evangelistic churches; I mean soul-winning churches! If you want a soul-winning church, you must call a pastor who preaches topical sermons. Many of our once great soul-winning churches fell prey to the popular notion of expository preaching. They decided that they wanted more Bible, but when they got it, it cost them their effective soul winning.
Read moreThe criticism, insults, and threats finally took their toll on Nehemiah’s workers and discouragement set in. What caused their discouragement? They focused on their weaknesses, the rubbish of the torn down wall, their inabilities, and the enemy instead of concentrating on wall that would protect them, their families who needed their ministry, what they already accomplished, and the Lord who was great and awesome.
Read moreMichael Horton Refutes Grudem's Continuing Gift of Prophecy. Make a 50 word comment on the post and also interact with another student's post. Two comments are necessary for an "A" on this assignment.
Read moreA. Opposition is not the same as Constructive Suggestions
The title of chapter 4 in From Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t is “Confront The Brutal Facts.” Jim Collins contrasts two older grocery stores which responded differently the brutal facts. The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company or A&P, was at one point ranked second only to General Motors in the 1950s. Kroger was one half the size of A&P.
Read moreI read a small book many years ago on pastoring the small church. The author said, “Most pastors are not overworked, they are under organized.” Maybe that is the way you feel about your life. I am overworked because I am under organized. Nehemiah’s leadership in chapter three could help remedy that problem.
Read moreYou are invited to our Concealed Carry Class at Open Door Baptist Church this Saturday starting at 8:00 am. The cost is only $10. If you do not own a firearm bring 30 rounds for a 38 Special. Call 336-479-5133 for more info. We are located at 135 W. White Drive, Archdale.
Read moreI read a book that really challenged my thinking in the area of leadership by Hans Finzel entitled The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make. He defines leadership and identifies leaders.
Finzel's definition of leadership: “Leadership is influence. Anyone who influences someone else to do something has led a person. A leader takes people where they would never go on their own.” That definition includes each of you!
Finzel's identification of a leader: “You are a leader if you are leading a company, a ministry, a department, one or two coworkers, a Girl Scout club, and army platoon, a committee, or your family” (Hans Finzel. The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make. pages 19-21). That identification includes you!
Read moreWe all have seen Canada Geese fly in their V formation with one leg of the V formation longer than the other leg. Why do they fly in the V formation? The lead goose is making it easier for the other geese who are following his lead. He is moving the wind resistance of the other geese following him. The rest are cruising. But after awhile the lead goose gets tired and the next goose moves up. Engineers in the wind tunnel experiments have discovered that geese flying in the V formation can fly 72% further than by themselves flying alone. Geese flying in the V formation illustrate the necessity and advantages of practicing both leadership and followship.
Read moreChapter Two of Swindol’s Hand Me Another Brick, (his commentary of Nehemiah’s leadership) is entitled “A Leader---From The Knees Up.” This characteristic of leadership is certainly seen in Nehemiah’s ministry. One out of every ten verses in Nehemiah is a reference to prayer.
Read moreMark Dever promotes Four Aspects of Leadership in Nine Marks of a Healthy Church with the acrostic BOSS.
Read moreThe idea of “The Factual Data” sheet comes from reading that Warren W. Wiersbe’s homiletic teacher, Lloyd Perry used a generic “Factual Data” sheet for sermon preparation. I have adapted “The Factual Data” sheet to the different genres of Scripture instead of one-size fits all approach.
Read moreOn the front of one church bulletin always reads, “Ministers: The entire congregation Pastor: Rev David L. Buttry.”
Rick Warren in his Purpose Driven Church advocates, “No ministry, no membership.”
Every believer is a minister or servant of God who should be serving God and exerting influence on others through his/her local church. Leadership is one person influencing positively another person. Christian leadership is one believer spiritually impacting others for God’s glory.
Read moreJay Herndon is a missionary to a poor mining village in Ireland. He wrote a story that I recently read, telling of something that happened in that village. One cold evening, the company bus, filled with the men of the village after a long day of work, was returning from the mine. The road was slick with ice on that dark winter evening. To the left of the bus was a mountainous wall and to the right was a sheer cliff. It was a very narrow, dangerous road.
Read moreWhat day of the year are more goals set than any other day of the year? This coming Monday or New Year’s Day. Michael Hyatt in a video series called 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever says that traditional goal setting doesn’t work. He backs up this statement with these facts:
1. 95% of those who lose weight on a diet plan regain it and some gain more than they originally lost.
2. 25% of people abandon their New Year’s resolution after one week and 60% after six months.
3. The average person makes the same New Year’s resolution 10 times in a row without success.
Read more“So important is eternal life that the Bible gives us many illustrations so that no one will miss the message. To the farmers, Jesus talked about soil and seed. To the shepherds, He talked about sheep. To beggars, He talked about a great feast that God had spread. To lawyers, He talked abut justification. To the housewife, He talked about a coin that had been lost and had to be found. But when you use the word ‘imputation,’ you find God speaking to the banker, because it is a financial term . . .. Our English word ‘imputation’ comes from the Latin word which means ‘to reckon, or credit, to one’s account.’ When you go to the bank or the savings and loan association and deposit money, imputation takes place. They deposit that on your account, and they write it on your record . . .. Right in the middle of that word ‘impute’ you have p-u-t, righteousness put to our account” (Warren Wiersbe, Key Words of the Christian Life, Lincoln: Back to the Bible, 1982, pages 55, 56, 58).
Read more Dr. John Whitcomb taught and practiced pre-suppositional apologetics. Pre-suppositional apologetics depends not on Christian evidence to win over sinners or skeptics but the gospel which is the power of God unto salvation. The following is Dr. John Whitcomb’s testimony.
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