Finding Fulfillment
When God heals from sickness, restores family relationships, provides a new job, or works supernaturally in our lives in some unmistakable way—there’s nothing quite like it. Its humbling, awe-inspiring, and invigorating. But there’s something even better. That’s when God works through us in another person’s life—particularly as we share the gospel and see them saved. […]
Intentionality
We have a church here in Southern California that is growing rapidly by reaching large numbers of lost people with the gospel. It was my privilege to preach there recently. During breaks between the services, I asked several of their lay leaders for their perspective on the reasons for their growth. The answers fell in two categories. Some […]
Just too Slow
A few years ago, Nigerian Baptist leaders welcomed me at the airport with these words, “Thank you for sending Thomas Jefferson Bowen to bring us the gospel.” The Nigerian Baptist Convention, the fourth largest Baptist denomination in the world with more than 8 million members, traces its founding to Bowen—a missionary sent by Southern Baptists […]
A Perfect Opportunity
It happened again recently. A concerned Christian approached me after my message at a conference in another region (think grits) and asked, “How do you stand to live in California with all those liberals?” My snarky-side leaked out a bit when I replied, “Oh, you mean among all those lost people?” It seems more and […]
Biblical Mindset for Evangelism
Mindset matters with regard to whatever we seek to do. This is especially the case with evangelism. Most believers experience much difficulty engaging in evangelism. Sadly, we often make it harder than it needs to be. Far worse, however, is when we adopt a frame of mind that damages our evangelistic attempts. In our current […]
One More Time, At Least
This Sunday is the soft-launch of the fifth church plant Ann and I have helped launch since 1989. In our first, I served as the founding pastor of Pathway Church in Gresham, Oregon. It was my privilege to preach there last month, celebrating Christmas with a few old friends (along with many members who had […]
Dawson Trotman: The Navigators and the Discipleship Movement – An Excerpt
In 1955, Trotman spoke to the staff of Back to the Bible. This speech was eventually titled “Born to Reproduce.” In this forty-seven-minute message, he articulated a multiplication process that was a passion of his heart. “[Another] contribution [of Trotman] is rediscovery of the multiplication principle. This, too, Dawson demonstrated in his own ministry, boldly […]
D. James Kennedy Training the Laity in Personal Evangelism – An Excerpt
When Jim arrived at Ingleside Presbyterian Church, Smartt let him know that not only would he be preaching each evening but that he would be sharing the gospel every day, morning, and afternoon, in homes and door-to-door in the community. He was fully aware of his lack of knowledge as to how to witness to […]
Henrietta Mears and Sunday School Evangelism – An Excerpt
While some had already written off Sunday school as a thing of the past, Mears brought new purpose, rigor, and enthusiasm to the education department of First Presbyterian Church. She paired her education experience with her passion for the Bible as she approached her new ministry assignment. Marked by quality, age-appropriate learning, trained teachers, and […]
Bringing people to Jesus
Shadow Christians are people who work in dimly lit margins, in the shadows created by the spotlight shining on others. They are believers who serve quietly, often anonymously, doing the work that keeps churches, organizations, families, and communities functioning. Shadow Christians make an impact even when no one knows their names. In the Bible, there […]