The Spirit of God has given gifts to all the people of the Lord (1 Cor. 12:7-11). However, most of them seem content to allow others to bear the responsibility for the work of ministry. Ministry is not just what we do by leading programs or classes.

Church discipline is not much practiced these days, although I’m heartened to hear of pastors and church leaders who are beginning to discover this vital tool for sanctifying sinners and the church.

The people in our churches will be much more inclined to fulfill their callings to do good if they see their leaders doing the same. The elders of the church are not a board of directors, but a college of shepherds, and shepherds must work hard to care for their flocks.

This would seem like a simple task, but I know that pastors and church leaders struggle mightily to encourage their people to pray. Perhaps this is because they struggle with prayer themselves?

Elders are uniquely qualified to disciple others for following Christ in everyday life, but they must make sure they are walking with Christ in their own homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. Otherwise, how will they be able to counsel others and to help them grow as disciples of the Lord? Read more...

Jesus said that a good shepherd knows his sheep, and his sheep also know him. What better way to show ourselves loving to those we are called to serve than by opening our lives and homes to them, and making ourselves interested in the things that are of concern to them?

Making disciples is not something to be accomplished, in the first instance, in programs and classes. Making disciples should occur in homes, where elders and leaders visit the members, share in their lives, bring the ministry of the Word and prayer, and encourage the heads of households to continue ... Read more...

In our day we take a more “come/see” attitude toward the church than a “go/tell.” We run programs and sponsor activities and try to encourage the people to come to where the leaders are, in the hope that something about the leader and the program will rub off in the bargain. Read more...

Getting to know people is a high calling and great privilege. It requires continuous work, since people’s attitudes and needs change frequently. The goal of such knowledge is not just “knowing”, but trust and love, a relationship in which people feel truly connected to someone esteemed who they know loves them and cares for their souls. Read more...

“What you do speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.” That’s the way one of my college coaches tried to motivate us to work harder in practice, rather than explain to him why we think we should be playing more.