“Making Disciples” is the church’s assignment given directly from the lips of Jesus in Matthew 28:19. It should always be on our minds and hearts as we lead our churches forward for the glory of Christ. You probably know this verse by heart but look at it with new eyes.…
Walking is in. I see far more walkers than I do joggers. In my neighborhood they are everywhere. Whether it is alone or as a couple or an entire family, folks are hitting the sidewalks at all times of the day. Walking is a simple exercise that is good for…
Do you enjoy change? Is it a threat to you personally? We live in a day when everything is changing. Bob Dylan was right, “the times they are a changin.” It does not take very long for our cell phones, computers, TV sets, etc. to all become obsolete. Do you…
It was a regular day for me. Got up and dressed and hit the road for several meetings with pastors across the state. As I was driving down beautiful and boring Blue Grass Parkway, I began to feel like something was wrong or out of place, as if I had…
Everything today is moving at a rapid pace. In the West we value our time and this has created an instant, must have it now mind set. Anything we desire must be done with great speed because we have other things to accomplish. We do not like to wait, not…
How do you define spiritual maturity? Whatever way or method you define it, most of us would agree that there is a direct connection to discipleship and spiritual growth or maturity. A lack of intentional discipleship equals spiritual immaturity. Many of our churches are attempting to get some handles on…
The Bully! Pulpit, a pop culture news blog, reports that rumors that Michael Jackson accepted Christ may have been false. Jackson, who died of cardiac arrest last week at the age of 50, was rumored by some to have become a Christian just weeks before his death. Mark Moring reported…
One of the most important things a church does is to follow up on guests who visit the church or any activity sponsored by the church. It is a key to church growth. Each church must customize what works best in their particular setting. Churches today are rethinking the follow…
We spend lots of time searching for God’s perfect will and wondering if we are fulfilling our God given path for life. A disciple should always pray to be at the very center of God’s will for his or her life. Sometimes we are not where God wants us to…
Bill Easum in his book “A Second Resurrection,” (Abingdon, 2007) lists eight steps to reverse spiritual decline in churches. He says that spiritual death doesn’t have to happen in the life of a church. Even in churches that seem to not have a chance at surviving there is still hope…
Two encounters are critical. First, the leader encounters God in His Word and is changed. Second, the leader guides the group to have a life-changing encounter.
In John 13:34-35, three times Jesus said, “Love one another.” Your group is the ideal place to practice and launch the kind of love for one another that shows the world that we are His disciples.