D.A. Carson, Tim Keller and John Piper continue to discuss biblical authority and authoritative preaching—this time focusing on how the Bible itself constrains and corrects our interpretation of its text:
HT: TGC
Archives For Ministry
Tim Keller, Collin Hansen and Nancy Leigh DeMoss discuss the need for revival (even though Reformed types are a bit freaked out by the term):
HT: TGC
Hansen recently wrote A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories that Stretch and Stir, a new book looking at the revivals God has sent throughout history to build His church and grow His people. I’d encourage you to give it a thorough read.
What is the church’s role in culture? How does the church equip members to carry out their callings in the world? Pastors Matt Chandler, Michael Horton and Tim Keller discuss:
(RSS Readers: Can’t see the video? Please click through to watch)
[video HT: TGC]
What’s your take on the subject? What stood out most to you in the discussion above?
Bryan Chapell, David Helm and Mike Bullmore discuss how to identify future pastors within your local congregations:
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Listening to this conversation was particularly encouraging and challenging. Encouraging because I’m incredibly grateful that there are organizations like Simeon Trust that exist to help train future pastors and preachers. Challenged particularly because of the comments on teaching in children’s ministry. Penny and Lisa (our children’s ministry leaders) have been asking me to do this. I suspect that I’m going to have to sometime in the near future.
Pastors, what measures do you have in place to identify future pastors within your congregations? Young guys, if you’re feeling like you’ve got a call to ministry, what opportunities are you taking advantage of—and what areas of your character stand out as one in which you need to grow?
[Video HT: John Starke]
Very encouraging conversation between D.A. Carson, John Piper and Tim Keller about planning for the next season of their respective ministries and stepping down from leadership:
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Succession planning has long been a topic of conversation among a number of my friends and associates. Not because we’re eager for those who are in authority over us to step aside, but because it’s actually very encouraging for those under authority to know that those in authority are thinking about these things. Their eye is not simply to what God could accomplish through them, but looking to leave their churches and ministries in a place where more can be done.
Pastors, do you have a succession plan? Are you sharing it with your congregation?
HT: Collin Hansen
The first conversation from the Elephant Room was on preaching to build attendance vs. preaching to build attendees. Over on his blog, James MacDonald posted parts one and two of the dialogue between Steven Furtick and Matt Chandler. Unfortunately, the embed on Furtick’s opening statement isn’t working, so I can only show Chandler’s response. I’d highly encourage watching part one on James’ blog:
(If you’re reading from the RSS or email, please click through to see the video.)
Having watched both clips, I definitely appreciate where both men are coming from and their (in my mind) equal passion for seeing the gospel go forth. However, I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe we’re asking the wrong question when we talk about evangelistic vs. doctrinal preaching. Maybe the question isn’t so much one of building attendance vs. attendees as it is this:
What is the purpose of the corporate gathering? Is the Sunday gathering primarily for nonbelievers or for the believer?
Or am I also asking the wrong question?
Let’s chat in the comments.
Is the Pastor’s wife to be the “co-pastor,” the church’s “First Lady,” or just another member?
What role should the wife of a Senior Pastor have in the church? Steven Furtick, Greg Laurie and James MacDonald offer their takes here:
(Can’t see the video? Please click through to the site)
James MacDonald’s closing remark in this clip is particularly insightful:
We’re to love our wives. . . . the way we treat our wives in public is a signal not only to our own wives but to our congregation of what that’s supposed to look like . . . and I just don’t think there should be any further expectation beyond that…
This brings up an important question, not just for pastors, but for all Christian men:
How are we treating our wives in public? Do we treat them better in publicly than privately? Do we treat them better privately than publicly? Are we striving to be consistent in how we show honor to our wives wherever we are?
HT: James MacDonald
Several months back, I mentioned that I’m writing a book and haven’t said too much about it since publicly. There are reasons for that, obviously, most of which amount to I haven’t had much to say.
However, I thought I’d give you a quick update on where things are at with it and what I’m learning through the process.
1. Having good friends and contacts is essential. The deeper I get, the more I realize that if you don’t have a good network to help, you’re going to have a hard time getting your foot in the door. On top of that, good friends and contacts who are willing to give you constructive feedback on what you’re doing will make the process that much easier. The feedback (and encouragement) I’ve received from Trevin,Tim, Dan, Andrew and Amber in particular has made even the process of submitting proposals that much easier.
Which brings me to my next point…
2. Submitting to publishers is not for the faint of heart. It can really hurt to get rejected, particularly if what you’re working on is something you’re sure God has put on your heart to write.
3. Rejection can be really encouraging. I’ve sent a proposal to six publishers at this point and have already received my first rejection. Believe it or not, I was really encouraged by it as the editor (a friend of a friend, incidentally), let me down really easily and reminded me that I can write real good when I’m trying.
4. Get an established author to show you how they write book proposals. I had no idea how to write a book proposal when I started this thing. At all. Fortunately, my friend Dan Darling gave me the down-low. I am unbelievably grateful for this. So grateful, in fact, that I will hyperlink to him. Twice. Continue Reading…
Who is responsible for a Christian’s spiritual health—for his or her growth in the faith, in understanding the Scriptures, and progressive increase in personal holiness?
The answer might seem obvious. It’s you, right? If you’re a Christian, you need to take ownership of your growth in understanding the Scriptures and pursuit of holiness in Christ.
But is it your responsibility alone?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a pastor say something like this:
“It’s not my job to feed you—you need to feed yourself.”
And, if I had to be honest, nearly every time I’ve heard it, it’s made my skin crawl.
Why? Well, consider John 21:15-17 with me:
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep…” (John 21:15-17 ESV)
In this passage, the restoration of Peter, Jesus asks him three times:
“Peter, do you love me? Do you love me more than these other men? Do you love me?”
Just as Peter denied Jesus three times, so three times Jesus asks this question. And each time, Peter responds “Lord, you know that I love you.”
Now look at the response that this love brings. Three times, Jesus gives Peter this command:
Feed My lambs.
Tend My sheep.
Feed My sheep.
This command is so imperative that Jesus gave it three times in response to Peter’s profession of love—so what does He mean?
At the risk of being obvious, Jesus means exactly what He says: ”Feed My sheep.” Continue Reading…
Interesting commentary from Perry Noble and Matt Chandler:
(RSS Readers: Can’t see the video? Click through to the site.)
Chandler’s point is particularly interesting: Because preachers can become disconnected regardless of the size of the church where they serve, the question is not so much a multisite one as a pastoral-shepherding one. If so, it leads to a couple of questions to consider (and ones I’d love to get some feedback on from a few of the pastors reading):
- Do you agree or disagree with the assessment that it’s not so much an issue of the multisite model as it is the temptation for pastors to disconnect from one-to-one shepherding?
- Is the question, even if viewed as a pastoral-shepherding one, even the right question? Does it create a division between shepherding and preaching that doesn’t necessarily need to exist?
- How do you structure your time to “balance” one-to-one and congregation-wide shepherding?
