Here’s a fact. God desires for all people to come to the saving knowledge of His son Jesus Christ. Scripture says that He does not desire that any would perish, but that all would come to repentance (2 Pet.3:9). This is the heart of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28. Let’s follow that fact …
Be honest. Have you ever complained that the people you are trying to reach are harder to reach than the people in another place? I have. I hear this a lot from those we train. It’s human nature to think that where we work is a more difficult place than anywhere else. Frustrated with our …
Whatever will be will be, the saying goes. That’s not the Gospel. Nor is it the heart of God. Jesus described His purpose on earth by saying “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). A sense of urgency about lostness is one of the most common characteristics found in …
Arrogant, cocky, and with more than a little bit of attitude, a South Asian movement leader stood before me. “I’ve seen hundreds of people come to Christ this month and started over 60 new groups,” he declared, bobbing his head side to side. His demeanor made me sad, though I couldn’t deny the fruit he …
At first, the Bible study looked overly simple. I thought I already knew the Biblical truths presented. Perhaps I did know most of it. God wanted me to experience those spiritual realities, even though I did not make it a priority at the time. The name of the life-changing study was Experiencing God. A Bit …
It is easy to say we believe God can do anything. “He is a God of the impossible,” we declare. In reality, our actions speak louder than words. Does your daily lifestyle reflect this? What steps of faith are you taking that lean hard on God to do what you can not? As we pursue …
Fear can be a hidden emotion. It manifests as anger, anxiety, or passivity. Like a deer that sees a car coming toward it, we freeze. It is not wrong to fear, but we can find ways of overcoming that fear. We can move courageously forward through our fear. Fear paralyzes, but love activates. As you …
It’s strange how we tend to overlook certain phrases in scripture while emphasizing others. It happened to me the other day. I was reading James 1:27, a verse about pure religion. I’ve always noticed the part about orphans and widows, but overlooked the phrase about keeping myself from being polluted by the world. Lately, I’ve …
Happy New Year! As this year begins I find myself doing what I do in a 3 part disciple makers meeting. Taking time to reflect, pray, and listen is one of my important rituals each New Year’s Eve and Day. I’m looking back, looking up, and looking forward. Here are some questions I’ll ask myself. Perhaps you’d …
“What is the most important quality in a disciple maker or church planter’s life?” she asked. I was thoughtful for a moment. Many things rose to my mind. Diligence, prayer, passion for the lost, ability to call others into the vision, my list was long. One thing rose to the top. Perseverance. Without an ability …