When you look around your church you may notice that a lot of young people are missing. It is a common complaint as I speak in local churches that congregations are aging and young people are leaving or just not attending anymore. There are more factors than can be addressed in one column, but I want to take a moment and tell you ways that you can help stand in
I cannot speak for you, but for me, a recipe has always been more of a “suggestion” rather than an absolute. For example, I love banana bread. When you google “The very best banana bread on the planet earth,” you will get at least 27,000 different responses to that inquiry. Each recipe lays out specific instructions on how to make “the very best banana bread on planet earth.” Yet, I
When you plant a tree, you plant it with a vision of what it will become. Saplings don’t offer shade, but mighty oaks do. The satisfaction in planting trees is knowing that someday others will sit under its outstretched branches and enjoy its shade. The joy in planting trees is knowing future generations will benefit from the intentional actions we’ve left for them. That is exactly why the Acts 2:17
In 2015, a Washington high school football coach received national attention when he was fired by the Bremerton School District for kneeling to pray following his school’s football games, something he had done for at least seven years, before it was brought to the attention of the school board. According to news reports, Joseph Kennedy filed a lawsuit in August of 2016, claiming that the school district violated his First
“I love Jesus, I just hate the church.” “I am spiritual person, but I resist any particular dogma.” “I believe that God wants me to be happy, so following my heart is what’s most important.” “The story of the cross is a message of hope and love, not one of sin and forgiveness.” “The Bible has insights that can improve our lives, but we should reject notions of right and
One of the most awe-inspiring moments of Jesus’ ministry — second only to His death and resurrection — has to be His transfiguration on the mountain in Matthew 17. Jesus took his closest disciples — Peter, James and John — up the mountain, and the three men watched as Moses and Elijah came to life and carried on a conversation with Jesus. Peter doesn’t know what to do with all
In 1902, Mrs. Mildred Golden, Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union corresponding secretary, 1898-1902, cast a vision for Tennessee Baptists to pray for our Tennessee mission field and give to the first state missions offering; a total of $800 was given. Mrs. Golden reported that “No new method ever adopted by us met with more approval than this. The results, while not financially as large as we had hoped for, were gratifying,
Years ago, I was fortunate to serve Tennessee Baptists as collegiate specialist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. I loved the students, faculty and administrators I worked with, and those 10 years were a blessing to me. I often attended a gathering of church leaders at First Baptist Church Nashville for the regular associational pastors’ conference. I made friends there – good friends – but I quickly learned the importance of
The Apostle James reminds us: When we glance at a mirror, we go away and immediately forget what we saw (James 1:24). Only when we gaze deeply into the “perfect law of liberty” do we see ourselves for who we really are and take steps toward repentance and obedience (James 1:21–25). Filling out the Annual Church Profile (ACP) gives church leaders an opportunity to take a deep gaze at their
Pray for wisdom. Pray for strength. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for others. Pray for those in authority.
When you look around your church you may notice that a lot of young people are missing. It is a common complaint as I speak
I cannot speak for you, but for me, a recipe has always been more of a “suggestion” rather than an absolute. For example, I love
When you plant a tree, you plant it with a vision of what it will become. Saplings don’t offer shade, but mighty oaks do. The
In 2015, a Washington high school football coach received national attention when he was fired by the Bremerton School District for kneeling to pray following
“I love Jesus, I just hate the church.” “I am spiritual person, but I resist any particular dogma.” “I believe that God wants me to
One of the most awe-inspiring moments of Jesus’ ministry — second only to His death and resurrection — has to be His transfiguration on the
In 1902, Mrs. Mildred Golden, Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union corresponding secretary, 1898-1902, cast a vision for Tennessee Baptists to pray for our Tennessee mission field
Years ago, I was fortunate to serve Tennessee Baptists as collegiate specialist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. I loved the students, faculty and administrators I
The Apostle James reminds us: When we glance at a mirror, we go away and immediately forget what we saw (James 1:24). Only when we
Pray for wisdom. Pray for strength. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for others. Pray for those in authority.
