Lies, Deceptions, and Half-Truths (Part 2)
By John-Michael Wong. Read Part 1.
As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
By John-Michael Wong. Read Part 1.
By John-Michael Wong
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” summarizes the power of words (Pr 18:21, LSB). The power of the tongue first brought death when Adam and Eve listened to Satan’s deceitful words, introducing sin and death (Ge 3:13; Jn 8:44). In today’s world of internet media and online content, negative words can ruin both lives and churches. Life is also in the power of the tongue, as words can heal and nourish when used for righteous purposes, and even eternal life can be delivered through the truth of the gospel message.
“We don’t pray like Jesus taught us to pray… . We assume pulpit and bulletin announcements are effective recruiting tools… . We allow the same members to hold several positions… at least until they sometimes become the power group in the church.” - Chuck Lawless
“One of my greatest joys as a solo pastor is witnessing the dedication and passion of my church’s volunteer ministry teams. However, training and developing these volunteers can be challenging without a large pastoral staff.” - Brian Cederquist
“A group of Christian leaders asked by the board of the North Carolina-based The Line of Fire – Dr. Brown Ministries, Inc, to review the findings of a Firefly investigation, which concluded that the ministry’s founder Michael Brown engaged in sexual misconduct with two women, have rejected the findings.” - CPost
“While much focus is placed on pastoral leadership, deacons are no less essential to the church’s mission. No single passage outlines the exact duties of a deacon, but several themes emerge from Scripture, particularly in Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3.” - Church Answers
“Disciple a Younger Preacher. When you help a younger preacher with his preaching, you will inevitably improve your own preaching. You will find yourself critiquing how he outlined his sermon or how he was soft in his conclusion and realize that you do the same thing!” - PastorCenter.org
“Ministry sometimes feels like a slap in the face, often when you least expect it to happen.” - Chuck Lawless
“There is a difference between a predator and a wolf. A predator may come from anywhere. But the Bible gives a special warning about wolves—namely, church leaders who look the part but are dangerous. Matthew records this warning from Jesus” - Sam Rainer
“you can inadvertently create a vibe that suggests the work of membership is somehow ‘less than’ the work of elders. That’s a tragedy.” - 9 Marks
Discussion