Beholding Him

What Does A Reliable Preacher Look Like?

2009-10-23T09:39:00.002-04:00

Over at the Gospel Coalition site is this great article by Tullian Tchividjian on how to identify a reliable preacher. For me it was equally challenging and encouraging.

A Kindred Spirit

2009-10-12T11:48:00.004-04:00

This article in Table Talk was a great blessing to me. I love to find pastors who are honest about their sins and shortcomings. I feel an immediate kindred spirit and connection with them. Hope it blesses you. Oh that God would protect his shepherds from pride!

Bible Mesh

2009-10-08T10:39:00.003-04:00

I'm extremely excited about this new project! Check out the site at bible mesh. Go to the sneak preview!

To My Web Friends- Hibernation Announcement

2009-10-05T10:24:00.004-04:00

I have really enjoyed blogging again for these past few months, and I am not planning on taking a long hiatus, just a brief hibernation that will probably coincide with the rest of the Fall. I'm planning to emerge from blog-sleep sometime around/just after the holidays. BUT DON'T STOP CHECKING IN- instead I will feature other blog posts that I think are worth your time. Many of my web friends

Creative Block

2009-10-02T12:37:00.002-04:00

Life is crazy right now. Our church is in the final phase of a massive building/renovation/retrofit/transformation. I'm teaching again at Redeemer Classical Christian School (apologetics/Bible doctrine). Working slowly on a second book. And trying desperately to be as faithful a husband, father, pastor, teacher and friend as I know how to be. It's a roller coaster like I've never ridden. The

Pastoral Frustration #3: The Loneliness Of Leadership

2009-09-24T10:12:00.005-04:00

I'm not sure that this is unique to the pastorate, but I find it immensely lonely at times. Don't get me wrong, in ministry you are surrounded by a lot of great people, but there is something about leadership that is extremely trying. Let me give some examples...1) Sermon prep and delivery is a very lonely experience. All week in a given passage, I keep wondering- am I getting this? Do I

Why People Leaving Could Be A Good Thing

2009-09-21T11:30:00.001-04:00

As I shared last week the past six years have given me a lot of experiencing saying goodbye (well, usually most don't say goodbye) to people who have left my church. I'd love to say that I'm at a point in my ministry- scratch that- a point in my spiritual maturity where I am entirely unaffected. That's anything but true. It still stings, but by the grace of God, I can say that God's grace has

Pastoral Frustration #2: People Leaving The Church

2009-09-16T06:06:00.001-04:00

Six years ago I planted Christ Fellowship Church, and, by God's sheer grace, we are coming up on our sixth anniversary next month. With kids we are at around 200, and, according to the church experts, we are at the infamous 150-200 barrier. I would love to see us break through this wall IF we did so because of evangelism and the influx of unchurched, unsaved families, but the present 'stalled'

Not Meeting Everyone's Expectations Can Be Good!

2009-09-15T06:53:00.001-04:00

Quick word- sorry for my lax blogging efforts lately. The last two weeks have kicked me pretty hard, but I'm back on track now, I think! Let me get back to my series on pastoral frustrations.So if a pastor simply can't be all things to all people at all times, what is he to do? In short, I'd say- praise God for it. Let me share four ways not being able to meet everyone's expectations have

Pastoral Frustration #1: The Inability To Meet So Many Expectations

2009-09-10T06:06:00.001-04:00

Pastors can bring many gifts to the table of ministry. In my experience, pastors tend to shine in one of four areas: teaching/preaching, administration, counseling and mercy. Sometimes the rare pastor can shine in two of them. In those one-in-a-million cases, a pastor may hit the trifecta, but I think most pastors tend to excel in only one of those areas. Perhaps a college analogy might work here

Pastoral Frustrations- And How God Uses Them

2009-09-08T10:34:00.004-04:00

This week I'm going to start a little blog series on the tricky subject of frustrations in the pastorate. It's tricky for at least three reasons.1. Absolutely NO GOOD will come out of me just venting/complaining. I'm pretty sure the Bible gives some pretty stern warnings about that sort of thing (please detect the intentional cheesy sarcasm). I have always been humbled by A.W. Pink's comments on

At The Beach

2009-08-31T12:01:00.002-04:00

Ending our summer with a little r &r at Bethany beach Delaware. Like many, I am always helped mentally and spiritually by looking out at the ocean. At sea a fellow comes out. Salt water is like wine, in that respect. Herman Melville

Around The Web

2009-08-28T09:12:00.006-04:00

There is so much interesting stuff on the web right now, that I thought it would be helpful to provide a 'one-stop-shopping-mall' for all of the internet goodies out there.1. My friend Irish Calvinist has a great post on the controversial decision of Mark Driscoll to preach at Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral.2. My buddy Don Sands sent me this hilarious video which parodies many of the

Keep On Blogging- Even If Nobody Reads It

2009-08-27T09:45:00.004-04:00

If a blogger blogs in a Starbucks, and there's no one around to read it- is it still worth it? Let's face it- there are countless blogs out there. If you didn't break into blogging when it was still relatively fresh- say back in 2003-2004, then it's very hard to get a steady readership, isn't it? But there is still tremendous value to blogging, and I'm finding some wonderful benefits- whether

The Country Or The Town?

2009-08-26T06:28:00.003-04:00