Evangelism
Boldness Before the Perishing
Many years ago, I arched more than a few eyebrows (no surprise) when I preached a sermon that didn’t just hint at or suggest, but outright stated that there is something we can do to hasten the return of Jesus. To some, the audacity of such an idea was borderline blasphemous. But for those who occasionally pray,…
Read MoreYou Have Been Commissioned by Jesus
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.– Acts 8:4, NIV-1978 The scene above follows the infamous stoning of Stephen in Acts 7, the stoning which Saul/Paul seems to have given oversight, and certainly approval. Following the death of Stephen, “a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all…
Read MoreWullerton & Spiritual Obstinacy
Following the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead,1 and healing two blind men and a demon-possessed man,2 Jesus began working his way through Galilee, preaching, teaching, healing, and grieving over a populace that was “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”3 The pitiable condition of the Galilean people left them well-disposed toward gospel truth, and…
Read MorePenetrating the Darkness
The debate over seeker-sensitive gatherings waxes and wanes, at times eliciting very strong objections and even anger from both sides of the debate. Those congregations that do not incorporate the seeker-friendly model will often have “Invite a Friend” Sundays wherein the entire service is revamped to accommodate the new faces in the crowd. This approach…
Read MoreThey Are Not Adversaries – They Are Prisoners
Those of you who have followed my writings and speaking over the years will likely have heard or read my take on relationships. I believe we have only two types of relationships. 1. We have relationships with other brothers and sisters in Christ, other believers. We interact with them as brothers and sisters in Christ…
Read MoreExcept for these Chains
“Shelter in place.” “Stay at home.” “Essential trips and services.” These are the familiar messages that bombard our radios, televisions, internet streams. The public reactions are varied, as state upon state issues such executive orders and Subject Matter Expert advisories. Many had previously volunteered to self-quarantine, recognizing the necessity of doing so, while others marched…
Read MoreChristianese Phrases to Drop, #2
Some time ago, I proposed that those of us in the community of Christ need to lose the absurd phrase, “God showed up.” This week, I want to look at another “Christianese” phrase that needs to die a quick death – the phrase, “I led [insert name here] to the Lord.” This phrase is almost…
Read MoreFive Choices to Make Before Engaging on Social Media
Earlier this week, I had a brief and disappointing interaction with a young-in-the-faith Christ-follower regarding the public persona they were displaying on social media, and how it is damaging for us to express hatred, and to call into question the authenticity of another’s faith, as though Jesus had not called on us to love our…
Read MoreExcept for These Chains
“This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.” (2nd Timothy 2:8b-9, NIV-1984) Six months after the fact, I can still recall a tremendously impactful time of worship with my home church wherein we observed the International Day of…
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