Category: Insights for Preaching

PREACHING TO BEAT BOREDOM

I once had to give a missionary presentation to a thousand youth on a Sunday afternoon in the heat and humidity of the summer. I knew I would have difficulty engaging the youth. When I stood up to speak, the crowd was already tired and restless. It was going to be next to impossible to… Continue reading PREACHING TO BEAT BOREDOM

CRITICAL QUESTIONS 4: Which Way To God?

This article concludes the series on four critical questions. i. ”What’s worthwhile?” is about values. ii. “What’s Right? What’s Wrong?” is about ethics. iii. “Who is calling the shots?” deals with authority. iv. “Which Way to God?” deals with pluralism. Recently, Fumiko, a young Japanese-American, walked along the California shoreline. She had just treated her… Continue reading CRITICAL QUESTIONS 4: Which Way To God?

CRITICAL QUESTIONS 3: Who’s Calling the Shots?

The other night I watched the Miami Heat basketball team. It was a close game and in the final minutes, the coach called a time-out to plan the strategy for the last few seconds of the game. As the players gathered around the coach, the players didn’t talk. No player said what he wanted to… Continue reading CRITICAL QUESTIONS 3: Who’s Calling the Shots?

CRITICAL QUESTIONS 2: What’s Right? What’s Wrong?

In 1841, the passenger ship William Brown struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. As the ship sank, two lifeboats were put in to the sea and a few of the passengers were able to escape the sinking ship on these lifeboats. One of the small lifeboats carried the first mate, seven seamen and 32… Continue reading CRITICAL QUESTIONS 2: What’s Right? What’s Wrong?

CRITICAL QUESTIONS 1: What’s Really Worthwhile?

A few years ago, a woman in Oklahoma wanted a dog. When she found the dog she wanted, the dog’s owner wanted $200 for the dog. She could not afford the $200 and so exchanged her baby for the dog. She said, “The $200 dog is worth more to me than my baby.” She felt… Continue reading CRITICAL QUESTIONS 1: What’s Really Worthwhile?

PHILIP THE DEACON – 4: Sharing the Faith with a Seeker

The people who need the gospel are an mixed lot. Some are antagonistic to the gospel. Some are cynical and their views have been tainted by experiences with tactless Christians. Some think they know what the gospel is all about but really are clueless about spiritual truth. And then there are others who are open,… Continue reading PHILIP THE DEACON – 4: Sharing the Faith with a Seeker

PHILIP THE DEACON – 3: Discovering Divine Direction

When our family returned from Kenya where we’d been missionaries, I sensed the Lord leading us into pastoral work after 11 years of missions. One day, I received phone calls from two churches, each inviting me to pastor their congregations. The two situations were quite different and I was confused as to what I should… Continue reading PHILIP THE DEACON – 3: Discovering Divine Direction

PHILIP THE DEACON – 2: Let Your Ministry Grow

Gary was a brand new Christian when I became the pastor of a church in Montreal, Canada. He was a university graduate and was doing very well in his company. Gary and I connected and we became good friends. We both liked sailing and enjoyed playing racquetball together. Eventually, I was the one who suggested… Continue reading PHILIP THE DEACON – 2: Let Your Ministry Grow

PHILIP THE DEACON – 1: Problems Bring Possibilities

The other day a businessman told me his problem. He was a victim of his own success. The company he had started faces a crisis. It is now so big that he can’t manage it by himself. It’s a good problem, but a problem just the same. He faces some tough choices. He can continue… Continue reading PHILIP THE DEACON – 1: Problems Bring Possibilities