December 27, 2018
Corinthians

2 Corinthians: The Supreme Pastoral Letter – Interview with Phil Smith

Enjoy this audio interview with Leadership Resources, Kevin Halloran and Phil Smith reshared with kind permission. Kevin Halloran: When we think of the Pastoral Epistles, we usually think of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus because they were written to pastors and bear the official title of “Pastoral Epistle.” Even so, some have called the book of 2 Corinthians the “Supreme Pastoral Letter” because it helps us see the pastoral heart and pastoral suffering of the Apostle Paul in a unique way.[1] Since Leadership Resources is an organization that encourages and equips pastors to teach God’s word with God’s heart, I […]
December 25, 2018
break

5 Keys to Making Sure Your Christmas Break Doesn’t Break You Or Your Family (A Post for Driven Leaders

So Christmas break (following your Christmas services) is almost here and you’re trying to take some time off. Ever notice that’s what driven leaders say all the time? I’m going to try to take two weeks off. I’ll try to unplug. I’m trying to relax. We A-types stink at vacation, don’t we? It’s also really tough if you’re married to us. Or, we’re your parents. How do I know this? Because I’m one of you. I’m speaking my native tongue. Being a driven kind of person, the idea of doing nothing but resting is unsettling for me. But I also understand how important it is. Sabbath is God’s idea. And, […]
December 18, 2018
trinity

Understanding the Trinity

In this episode, Dr. Darrell Bock and Dr. Fred Sanders discuss the Trinity, focusing on how a biblical understanding of this doctrine affects the Christian life in a holistic manner. Transcript below: Darrell Bock: Welcome to The Table where we discuss issues of God and culture. I’m Darrell Bock, Executive Director for Cultural Engagement at the Hendricks Center at Dallas Theological Seminary. And I my guest today is Fred Sanders, who is professor of theology at the Torrey Honors – is it the Torrey Honors Institute within Biola University? Do I have that right?Fred SandersThat’s correct. Darrell Bock: Well and […]
December 13, 2018

5 Hard Truths About Healthy Church Growth

Most church leaders I know would love to see their church grow. Similarly, most leaders I’ve met want their church to grow for what we might call the ‘right’ reasons: they sincerely want more people to encounter the love of Jesus Christ. That’s amazing. And yet there’s a strong reaction against growing churches by many leaders. For some reason, many people love to take pot-shots at growing churches and large churches. Some are categorical denouncements. I don’t know what to do with those. Sometimes I sense that underneath the anger are jealousy and resentment on the part of leaders whose […]
December 11, 2018
overview

Why Preach Overview Sermons of Bible Books

Article shared with kind permission from author Kevin Halloran of Leadership Resources. Preachers want their people to love the Word of God. They also want to grow as preachers and keep their preaching calendar fresh. Preaching a whole book of the Bible in one sermon is one way to accomplish all three of these objectives and might be worth adding to your preaching repertoire. Here are a few reasons: Preaching book-overview sermons encourages Bible engagement in the congregation. All preachers should want their preaching to engender responses like, “I can read this for myself!” The more exposure your people have to […]