Tag Archives: Ministry
Authentic Love
Authentic love always expresses itself in humble service.
John R. W. Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 70.
Short, Annotated Bibliography of Nehemiah
I recently finished a series of messages in the book of Nehemiah. Click on the link below for an annotated bibliography of the books I used. Bear in mind that the comments were made based on their usefulness to me personally. You may find the books to have greater or lesser influence if you were to use them.
CLICK HERE FOR ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NEHEMIAH
Bloom Where You’re Planted
Notice God’s unutterable waste of saints. According to the judgment of the world, God plants His saints in the most useless places. We say—‘God intends me to be here because I am so useful.’ God puts His saints where they will glorify Him, and we are no judges at all of where that is.
Feeding Your Soul Daily in God’s Grace and Glory
The standards you set for yourself and your ministry are directly related to your view of God. If you are feeding your soul every day on the grace and glory of God, if you are in worshipful awe of His wisdom and power, if you are spiritually stunned by His faithfulness and love, and if you are daily motivated by His presence and promises, then you want to do everything you can to capture and display that glory to the people God has placed in your care. It is your job as a pastor to pass this glory down to another generation, and it is impossible for you to do that if you are not being awestricken by God’s glory yourself.
Paul David Tripp, Dangerous Calling (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 138.
Excellence in Ministry
Excellence in ministry flows from a heart that is in holy, reverential, life-rearranging, motivation-capturing awe of the Lord of glory.
Paul David Tripp, Dangerous Calling (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 142.
Preach Christ for Christ’s Sake
A man cannot be a faithful minister, until he preaches Christ for Christ’s sake–until he gives up striving to attract people to himself, and seeks only to attract them to Christ!
A Gospel Passion That Inspires and Ignites
No matter what isn’t working in my ministry, no matter what difficulties or battles I’m facing, the expansive glory of God gives me reason to get up in the morning and do what I have been gifted and called to do with enthusiasm, courage, and confidence. My joy isn’t handcuffed to the surrounding circumstances or relationships; I don’t have to have my heart yanked wherever they go. I have reason for joy because I am a chosen child and a conscripted servant of the King of kings and Lord of lords, the great Creator, the Savior, the sovereign, the victor, the one who does reign and will reign forever. He is my Father, my Savior, and my boss. He is ever near and ever faithful. My passion for ministry is not about how I am being received; it flows out of the reality that I have been received by him. My enthusiasm is not because people like me, but because he has accepted and sent me. My passion is not the result of my ministry being as glorious as I thought it could be, but because he is eternally and unchangeably glorious. So I preach, teach, counsel, lead, and serve with a gospel passion that inspires and ignites the same in the people around me.
Paul David Tripp, Dangerous Calling (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 122-123.
The Sermon Is a Redemptive Event
More profitable is the recognition that we are not preaching so that people can pass a test given later on the material in the sermon but so that they can understand and respond to the Word of God during the sermon. The sermon itself is a “redemptive event,” a present tool of the Spirit to transform listener’ minds, hearts and wills.
Pastor, Root Your Preaching in Reality
Root your preaching in reality, remembering that the people before you have doubts, fears and anxieties gnawing at their faith.
Peter Marshall Sr. (1902-1949), U. S. Senate Chaplain (1947-1949)
HT: @preachingtoday
Life Is Worship 