Tag: Ministry

B69482E7-5E1D-4D49-96DC-645BECC9A3D5
By micoots
30/06/2016 0

Four dimensions of Church growth

Four dimensions of Church growth.
I wanted to call this article “On Introducing Change” but decided against it because, as Mark Twain is supposed to have said, “The only person who likes change is a wet baby.” But change is another word for growth and everyone is in favour of growth.
Luke 2:52 reads: “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and people.” Luke’s outline may be used to desc..

By micoots
30/06/2016 0

“Ask Jesus into Your Heart”: A History of the Sinner’s Prayer

With the recent dust-up over whether Donald Trump prayed for salvation with prosperity gospel preacher Paula White, it is a good time to revisit the history of the “sinner’s prayer.”

Many an evangelical pastor has concluded a sermon by asking non-Christians to “ask [or receive, or invite] Jesus into their heart,” or to pray a version of what some call the “sinner’s prayer.” But some evangelicals, including Baptist pastor David Platt (president of the SBC’s International Mission Board), have in ..

empty-church
By micoots
29/06/2016 0

Unchurched will talk about faith but aren’t drawn to worship

Only around a third of unchurched Americans would go to a worship service if they were invited by a friend, and few think about what happens after they die, according to new findings from LifeWay Research.

The survey of 2,000 unchurched Americans was conducted with the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism.

It found that while half of those who don't go to church still identify as Christian, they are mainly indifferent to organised religion. According to LifeWay's executive dir..

pope-francis-pope-benedict
By micoots
29/06/2016 0

Pope Benedict endorses Pope Francis in rare public appearance

Former pope Benedict is greeted by Pope Francis during athe ceremony to mark his 65th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood at the Vatican June 28, 2016.

Former Pope Benedict publicly endorsed Pope Francis and his ministry in a Vatican ceremony celebrating the 65th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on Tuesday.

Benedict XVI, an 89-year-old German, stood without a cane for part of a ceremony in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace.

But Benedict, in h..

What-Is-The-9th-Ninth-Commandment-In-The-Bible
By micoots
29/06/2016 0

What Is The 9th (Ninth) Commandment In The Bible?

What is the 9th Commandment? Is it still important today?

The Ten Commandments
When Moses came down off the mountain with the Ten Commandments, the Israelites had already broken most of them. He was angry with them and threw them down to the ground, smashing them in the process, just like they had broken them, but in truth, God’s Ten Commandments cannot be destroyed by breaking them but those who do can be destroyed by God. That logic would be like if we break the speed limit, it is, no longer ..

beach
By micoots
28/06/2016 0

Can Christians wear bikinis at the beach this summer? John Piper shares his thoughts

Now that summer is here, expect a rush of people, Christians among them, heading to the beach to cool off.

And once again, the controversial question in the headline of this article will be in the minds of Christian girls heading to the beach or swimming resorts for church retreats and vacations.

Should they maintain modesty by wearing T-shirts instead of bikinis?

John Piper, founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary, addressed the issue in a recent podcast.

He said he prefers to tackle this issue by starting with God, not with rules or guidelines.

“I will just say this to any woman, any man who dresses inappropriately: Until God has become your treasure, until your own sin has become the thing you hate most, until the Word of God is your supreme authority that you feel to be more precious than gold, sweeter than honey, until the gospel of Christ's death in your place is the most precious news in the world to..

Thad-Background-300×210
By micoots
28/06/2016 0

Tattoos for Jesus? Group Raises Funds for ‘Church Plant’ by Tattooing Members, Sampling Booze

TEMPE, Ariz. — A group in Arizona that identifies itself as being under the banner of Reformed Christianity recently raised funds for a church plant in Hawaii by offering tattoos and hosting a Bible conference featuring a beer flight.

Apologia Studios, led by Marcus Pittman, which is a part of Apologia Church, led by Jeff Durbin, is behind the fundraising effort to plant a new church in Kauai.

Pittman posted a provocative live video of the tattoo fundraiser to social media on Wednesday, which ..

006ANM-outside-of-renovated-church
By micoots
28/06/2016 0

Ministry addresses crisis in Attawapiskat

ATTAWAPISKAT, ON. (INS)—Attawapiskat, on the edge of James Bay in northern Ontario, has been getting much attention recently because of a sad epidemic of suicides among its youth. But Intercede International has partnered with the Western Ontario Division of the Pentecostal Assembles of Canada (PAOC) and with local P..

man-peeking-fingers-1200
By micoots
28/06/2016 0

3 Critical Facts about Sexual Temptation

Critical fact #1: We are targeted for sexual immorality.
Some years ago there were weighty rumors about an international “hit list,” a calculated plan for paid assassins to murder strategic world leaders. A terrifying thought, isn’t it? Yet I’m convinced that the enemy, Satan, has maintained such a hit list throughout the millennia. And there’s every reason to believe that mature Christians are at the very top of his list.

If you have a ministry of any sort—public or private—as a teacher, preac..

Trinity-300×283
By micoots
27/06/2016 0

Why the Trinity Debate Matters for the Pulpit and the Pew

In case you missed it, there’s been an online debate about the Trinity that has scholars and pastors and even institutions on edge. The debate online has stayed at a rather high academic level, but to give you a primer, here are just a few of the articles:
This article by Liam Goligher started it all (here)Bruce Ware’s response to Goligher (here)Michael Bird’s overview of the concerns (here)Fred Sanders’s outline of foundational Trinitarian affirmations (here)Matt Emerson’..