Healthy Church, Part 1

I have been a pastor for eighteen years in the state of Kentucky. In my current role with the Kentucky Baptist Convention, I travel around the state and work with churches of all shapes and sizes. In my travels, I’ve seen and heard of churches I would describe as “healthy”…

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God’s Bullseye

A little boy got a real bow and arrow for his 10th birthday and immediately went outside to practice in his yard. A few minutes later his father stepped outside to check how he was doing and was amazed to see a dozen arrows dead in the center of a…

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Follow Me

This evening I’m sitting in a great little espresso bar in Black Mountain, North Carolina called Perks. The next time you’re in town, stop by, give a shoutout to Peter (the owner), and have a coffee or smoothie in a really cool environment surrounded by the Black Mountain Range. While…

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Relationships Matter

In his book, Concentric Circles of Concern, Dr. Oscar Thompson says that the most important word in the English language, apart from proper nouns, is the word “RELATIONSHIP”! I believe his statement is true in a number of areas related to the church. Evangelism. Although I am not opposed to…

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McIntosh Study: The Importance of Preaching

I recently hosted Dr. Gary McIntosh at the Kentucky Baptist Convention building for a conference that discussed assimilation principles taken from his book, Beyond the First Visit. Fortunately, while he was here, Dr. McIntosh unveiled the findings of a recent national survey he conducted. I’m going to discuss some of the findings…

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Great Shrimp & Great Preaching

I’m in Florida for a few days for a series of meetings. Let me begin by saying, yum–yum! Today, I ate fresh Gulf shrimp for lunch then turned around and ate them again for dinner. I love fresh seafood. The little town of Graceville has a family-owned place called Grady’s…

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The “Real” Apostle Paul

“I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which…

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Spiritual Maturity Study: Key Findings, Part 3

Today, let’s continue our examination of the key findings from the study of the spiritual maturity of Kentucky Southern Baptists conducted by the Kentucky Baptist Convention and LifeWay Research. (See Spirtual Maturity Study: Key Findings, Part 1, and Part 2 for other key findings). In future posts, we will look closely…

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Spiritual Maturity Study: Key Findings, Part 2

Today, let’s continue looking at some of the key findings from the formal study of the spiritual maturity of Kentucky Southern Baptists conducted by the Kentucky Baptist Convention and LifeWay Research. (See Spirtual Maturity Study: Key Findings, Part 1, for other key findings)…. Kentucky Baptists are weak in the relationship area.…

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