Many American fathers want their sons to grow up to be NFL Quarterbacks, or All-Star Pitchers, or successful attorneys, doctors or businessmen. Jewish fathers wanted their sons to grow up to be Rabbis. At the age of twelve, young Jewish boys faced their first test. By this age they were expected to have memorized the…
This is Pastor Appreciation Month. In the past twenty-six years, while serving as a Seminary professor, I have also served eighteen churches (two of them twice) as Interim Pastor; some for a few months, others for a few years. Interim Pastors are sometimes appreciated, sometimes not so much. While they fill a crucial role in…
Yesterday I preached at a church that was observing “Faith in Action” Sunday. Theirs was an intentional effort to minister to the community and they did it well with over one thousand church members ministering in thirty-five locations. Intensity is to be applauded, especially when it applies to the acting out of faith. However, consistency…
During my college days, there was a local radio program of Southern Gospel music that always began with the Stamps Quartet singing, “Give the world a smile each day, helping someone on life’s way.” During those same college years (actually 1963), Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts created the smiley face. That image…
The highly successful London Pastor, Charles Haddon Spurgeon was once asked, “What is the secret of your great influence?” Spurgeon replied, “My congregation prays for me.” How often do you pray for your Pastor? How specifically do you pray for your Pastor? Do you pray for his spiritual growth? Do you pray for his time…
During my Seminary student years, I was a very young Pastor of a very small rural church in deep East Texas. Even though I was the “Pastor” there was a “Head Deacon” who was the real leader of the church. He also taught the Adult Sunday School class, in which I sat each Sunday prior…
Yesterday we observed the tenth anniversary of the events of 9/11/01. Like every American over the age of fifteen I remember exactly where I was and my reaction when the first news came. I also remember the questions of that day – Why, where was God, why didn’t God prevent this, what happens now? And…
At first glance, I thought he was a Seminary student, sitting in one of the soft mall chairs, usually occupied by not-so-patient husbands waiting on their wives to shop one more store. He was even reading his Bible. When I completed my daily walk, I sat down next to him and asked, “Are you a…
I know I’m getting older since I now choose my cereal for the fiber, not the toy and I’ve discovered that the volume knob also turns to the left. Some days I feel older than on other days. Working with University students for eighteen years, then teaching Seminary students for twenty-six years, kept me young….
I said it again last week that the heart and soul of my ministry abides in my prayer partners. To use a line from a not-so-recent, popular song, they are the “wind beneath my wings.” It has been estimated that approximately 85% of the prayers in the Bible, where we know what God’s answer was,…