Tag Archives: ministry

The Bible is a Book of Contrasts

Don’t you love how the bible presents us with contrasts? Take the examples in Mark 10:32-52. Here we see two lots of different people with two distinctly different requests. In the first, John and James, after learning about the impending death of Jesus in Jerusalem, reacted perhaps not as we might have expected. Rather than concern for Jesus, their focus was on themselves and what might happen to them and what they wanted to happen. They tried to coerce Jesus into answering their request before he even knew what it was, verse 35. Jesus makes it clear he needs to … Continue reading →

The Thorny Problem of Compliments

Compliments can be tricky – tricky to give and to receive. The Bible warns us against people who flatter others ‘for the sake of gaining an advantage’ Jude 16. We are told in Proverbs 26:28 ‘a lying tongue hates those it crushes and a flattering mouth works ruin.’ So if we plan on complimenting someone, our words must not be insincere flattery but must be heartfelt. In Proverbs 28:23 we learn ‘He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue.’ That is because flattery often has a false ring to it. Proverbs … Continue reading →

Laziness part 4- In Service and Church Life

Moving house and church can be a time to take stock and review what activities God would have us involved in, so we found. Maybe you have too? Or do you think you’ve done your bit and it’s time to retire from God’s service? Since my husband retired from work, which prompted our move, we could have used it as an excuse to retire from serving God in our church as well. But God’s work doesn’t have an age when we must or should retire. So we knew we needed to be doing something but what? Instead of jumping in, … Continue reading →

God’s Spoilt Children

We’ve probably all met spoilt children. How does a spoilt child act? They are demanding selfish, insisting on their rights and their own way and show little regard for the feelings of others. But what about ‘God’s spoilt children’ as a friend of mine calls them. ‘God’s spoilt children’ who are they? So often I hear from pastors and others in full time ministry about the expectations laid upon them by others. Sadly, I don’t just mean those outside the church who come knocking at the door at all times of the day and night, bringing their needs. Of more … Continue reading →

How Important is Children’s Ministry?

Children are our future. They are also the future of the church. Children are important to Jesus as we see from Matthew 18:1-6 and Matthew 19:13-14. And yet, some churches seem to devalue children’s ministry by having poorly trained and inexperienced leaders working in children’s programs, by not taking an active role in training teachers or instituting programs that children do not want to be a part of. Information provided in Southern Cross magazine by Bible League Australia claims that Operation World says ‘every new generation needs to be evangelised afresh or the church soon becomes nominal.’ So to ensure … Continue reading →

How to Determine God’s Will in a Specific Situation

Suppose, you have an idea that God wants you to take on specific role of ministry or course of action, how do you know for sure if God is the one prompting you to act? Years ago in a BSF class, we were given 4 guidelines for determining whether a course of action was in accord with God’s will. As I remember they were: 1. Pray about it asking God to make His will clear to you. God promises wisdom to those who ask, James 1:5. 2. Is it in accord with and backed up by God’s Word? 3. Do … Continue reading →

Unlocking The Secrets To Powerful Testimony

When you are seeking to work for God, how do you handle rejection and discouragement? Jesus can teach us a lot about this. Despite the lack of faith of those in His home town, Jesus did not stop doing God’s work. He went from village to village teaching, Mark 6:6. Jesus did not stay where he got no response but moved on to other villages. If we are not getting a response from those close to us, we might need to also move on to tell people where they are more receptive of Jesus. Rather than cutting back on his … Continue reading →

Five Lessons from John the Baptist

The prophesied preacher prepares people for Jesus. What about you? What lessons can you learn from John the Baptist about your role in God’s plans? Let’s look at Mark 1:1-8 1. Mark begins his gospel account of Jesus by stating clearly who Jesus is the Son of God, verse 1. The gospel focuses on Jesus in the first verse, so that we who read it do not lose sight of the fact that Jesus is the focus. Jesus should also be the focus of all that we do. As you look at your life, is Jesus the focus of all … Continue reading →

Peer Pressure in the Church

Are you under pressure at your church to take on roles and jobs you feel ill equipped for? Do you cave in to church peer pressure and undertake a task even though you don’t feel called to it? Should you do this? Or should it be a case of it there’s a need someone should do it and you feel pressured that into giving it a go. Following on from my blog about children’s ministry and whose responsibility it is to teach children, I received an e mail from a woman remarking on the pressure she is put under by … Continue reading →

Reaching Our Youth: Middle Schoolers

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Passing through the doors to where the middle school youth meet during church I saw girls laughing with one another, boys playing the interactive Nintendo Wii; to the right was like a little café where Italian sodas and perhaps even coffee could be purchased to raise money for the youth. The youth had what seemed to be an elaborate sound system and crew, 3 huge screens for videos or viewing the words to worship music. There was no shortage of places to make myself comfortable: barstool seats at a café style table, a gigantic beanbag to lounge on or, what … Continue reading →