Discipleship

Practice Social Distancing, Not Relational Distancing

Yesterday in my podcast, I mentioned that we should practice social distancing, but should work to maintain relational intimacy. It was a spur of the moment comment, but it has bounced around in my brain constantly for the past 24 hours. God created us to be relational beings. It isn’t just that we enjoy social …

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A Prayer For A Time of Pandemic

God, we pray for medical personnel. While the rest of the world is distancing themselves from this disease, medical personnel are running toward it. God we pray for doctors and nurses on the front lines. Protect them from this novel corona-virus and all of the other illnesses that spread across our world. Father, from HIV to Ebola, and seasonal flu, healthcare workers across the globe are risking their own health to try to improve the health of others. God we pray that you would protect them and give them courage in the days head.

Caring For Your Church During Coronavirus

Many of you reading this didn’t gather with your local church last Sunday. Many more of you will not gather in coming weeks. Every aspect of life is very different today, and that is certainly true of the church. But, remember, the church is not where you go, it is who you are. As you …

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Naked and Alone Doesn’t Have To Be Your Future

In Mark 14:51-52 a young man finds himself in an awkward place. After Jesus was arrested, the young man followed from a distance in the dark. Suddenly, the young man was recognized the guards seized him. He left his linen cloak behind and fled into the night, naked. On Monday, March16, 2020, the world feels …

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10 Reasons You Shouldn’t Attend Church Regularly

Do you need the church? Many people like to make the argument that they don’t need the church to love Jesus. All of the excuses are out there. Some of them may even appeal to you. After all, many people claim the church is just a “human invention” anyway and “full of hypocrites.” But, what …

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God Is in Control (And That Is a Good Thing)

God is sovereign. That means that God exists in and of himself and has no needs outside of himself. The sovereignty of God also means that he is the supreme authority and all things that exist and events that happen exist and happen under his control and with his permission. In Southern Baptist life, even …

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Root Yourself in a Local Church

Plant your roots. After nearly twenty years of vocational ministry, I can say that little is as beneficial to the spiritual growth of individuals and of families as regular Bible reading and consistent, long-term engagement in a local church.  God is doing great things here at Malvern Hill. We see him at work in the …

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An Inconvenient Southern Baptist Truth: Discipleship Matters

Discipleship is hard and it is time-consuming. The results of discipleship are often discovered over years, not weeks and months, but discipleship is not an option for followers of Jesus, it is an expectation. It is the Great Commission. We have to speak up for intentional discipleship and create pathways for disciples to grow. We have to make discipleship an expectation of attenders and a part of the core DNA of our churches. We have to speak out against the idols in our culture that keep us from discipling and being discipled and we have to stand on the solid truths of God’s Word, even when it isn’t popular.

Helping Teens Grow Up Without Giving Up

The teens and young adults into whom you invest need to know that high school and college are hard. But they also need to know that life is going to get more complex and challenging. We must encourage them to learn to cope with life today so that they can find success in life tomorrow. If 10 pushups are so hard and discouraging that you never try to do pushups again, you’ll never get to 100. But, if someone comes alongside you who can do 50 pushups and acknowledges your struggle and encourages you to try again tomorrow, you might just meet your goal.

Have a Seat at the Kid’s Table

His kingdom is not like any other. His kingdom is upside down and backwards, but it only seems that way because our hearts and minds haven’t been re-oriented to the things of Christ. He invites you to feast on his mercy and grace be satisfied. He invites you to join him at the kids table with all the rich, poor, needy, blind, Jews, Gentiles, slaves, outcast, and free men and women who have understood that only Jesus offers true rest and life. He is enough, and he stands ready to receive you!