One of the greatest tests in the Christian life is how to respond to criticism. If you are going to be a leader, then criticism is part of the job description. There is no such thing as going forward for God without opposition. Moses faced criticism, John the Baptist faced criticism, and our Lord Jesus […]
“Feed the flock of God that is among you…” – 1 Peter 5:2 The Lord has designed godly elders, or shepherds, to lead in the local assembly because a leaderless people is destined for spiritual ruin. As illustrated in the book of the Judges, when Israel had no leader, “every man did what was right […]
Spiritually we are in a shocking condition. The status of many local fellowships is bad news, and deteriorating by the minute. It is fairly well known that there have been scandalous cases of immorality involving even elders and full-time workers. Of course this type of news never gets into the magazines; there everything is sweetness […]
I grew up in a Bible-believing church that celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ once each week in a meeting called “The Lord’s Supper.” The meeting is unlike communion services in mainline evangelical churches in that it is a service where men who have trusted in Jesus Christ can stand up to share […]
Are we being upfront and honest about depression in Christian circles? Can the godly suffer from depression or is it only something that afflicts the weak in faith? For many believers the idea of Christian depression is an oxymoron that negates some of the foundational elements of the Christian faith, such as the call to […]
The scene is a far too familiar one: the regularly scheduled elders’ meeting begins with a brief, but generalized, time of prayer. It is then followed by the usual routine of going around the table, asking each elder what he would like to discuss. The suggestions usually range from the urgent to the trivial – […]
I like the mid-week prayer meeting. I feel sorry for Christians who cannot make it due to legitimate demands of work and family. I feel even sorrier for Christians who can make it to prayer meeting but choose not to. Here’s why mid-week prayer meeting should be on every believer’s schedule. ✔ It is a […]
“Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant; and whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—” (Matthew 20:26-27NKJV). What is true greatness? In the kingdom of this world, the great man is the one who has risen to a place of wealth and power. He has a […]
The Lord’s Supper provides an excellent opportunity for the men in an assembly to exercise their priesthood. Yet many of those men rarely, if ever, take advantage of that opportunity by participating audibly in the breaking of bread. Is it possible to persuade more of these men to take part, and, if so, how specifically? […]