In September, we invited Journey members and non-Journey members, vocational ministers (credential holders) and all Christians (non-credential holders) to participate in a survey on preaching in the Evangelical church in America today. The survey focused on two general areas: 1. FOCUS ONE: Sermon subjects – the emphasized and the overlooked; 2. FOCUS TWO: How frequently […]
In March 2023, The Barna Group reported the following: It is a sobering, even shocking revelation. One that must be addressed immediately. Picture it this way. Imagine a gathering of 100 pastors, all seated in chairs in your church sanctuary. Fifty-nine of them sit facing the pulpit, awaiting the Word of the Lord with […]
October is Pastor appreciation month, a month when we make a special effort as churches and individuals to thank our pastors for their ministry to us as undershepherds of Jesus Christ. “Every Christian’s life is meant to be a parable of Jesus. But pastors are particularly suited to this because so much of our lives […]
I have a friend who started a retirement account many years ago, one of those something-something-Bs. He thought it best to prepare for the future, not only his but that of his children and their children. He wanted to do all he could to set in place a healthy scenario for himself and his family […]
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 FOCUS Have you ever noted how divided our pastoral focus can become? We pay attention to so many things but firmly fix our gaze […]
It was a Sunday I’ll never forget. As a staff pastor, I had just finished leading worship in our morning service. As I did every Sunday, I exited the platform through a door to the right, descending the steps into our office suite. Closing the door behind me, I turned to my right, entering a […]
When God and His glory are made our end, we shall find a silent likeness pass in upon us; the beauty of God will, by degrees, enter upon our soul. Stephen Charnock Stephen Charnock was a 17th-century Puritan pastor and preacher in Ireland and later in London. Many students of God’s Word know Charnock through […]
Eugene Peterson (best known for “The Message”) in his book titled “Letters to a Young Pastor,” a compilation of letters from him to his son about pastoring, writes that the modern emphasis on leadership in the pastorate is a damaging trend. There are several reasons he believes this is true, chiefly that leadership is mostly […]
EDITOR’S NOTE: In addition to writing, Lydia Jay and her husband pastor Harrison Avenue Assembly of God in Harrison, OH. Along with their four daughters, they live in nearby Cincinnati. To learn more about the Jays and their ministry, click here. On Good Friday of this year (2023), my husband had the opportunity to be […]
EDITOR’S NOTE: Hannah Horst serves as a US missionary and Orphan Care Chaplain with the Assemblies of God. You and your church can support this vital ministry as Hannah works to mobilize the church in ministering to these children at risk – simply click on the link to learn more or donate to her ministry: […]
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