Men. We need you. I know, not everyone will tell you that. In fact, many in our culture have worked over the past several decades to try to prove that men are not needed. But, those efforts have had disastrous effects. The lack of strong men in our culture is killing kids, breaking women, weakening …
Bryan Plyler is a husband, father, aspiring angler, and the pastor of the River Church in Camden, SC. On this episode, Bryan shares about his recent health struggles that nearly left him without a voice and how God has worked in spite of that situation. He shares some helpful tips on anxiety and tells about …
Love before you lead. Love more than you lead. It really is that simple. If you love well, leadership can follow. This flies in the face of much leadership training and even church consulting, but it is biblical. Jesus talks very little about leadership, and neither does Paul or the other apostles. But, they all …
You are responsible for your own spiritual fitness and maturity. That is a pretty direct statement, but after several weeks working through the beatitudes, it has become increasingly clear that Jesus demands a degree of personal responsibility. You are not responsible for your own salvation. You are not responsible even for the conviction of sin …
We need to talk about gluttony. Ok. I said it. Well, I typed it, which means I don’t have to meet your hard stares or sideways glances. But, the gluttony conversation is one that needs to be had in the American church. We fear this conversation because gluttony is so widespread. it has become an …
I was recently asked to provide a reading list for a young pastor. I should begin by saying that, even though I am an avid reader and lover of books, some important aspects of ministry will only be learned through experience. Also, as a lover of books, I want to remind everyone that nothing can …
Mark Noll is a retired professor of history and prolific author with a focus in history and the history of the church in America. His most recent book, C. S. Lewis in America looks at the reception of C. S. Lewis in America during and following World War II. In this episode of the podcast, …
What is a Christian? Maybe in your culture, you have been led to believe that a Christian is someone who was born into a Christian family. Perhaps you think a Christian is someone who attends church. If you watch enough news, you might even believe that a Christian is someone who lives in a particular …
In recent weeks and months I have battled anxiety. Anxiety and worry are not usual adversaries in my life, but they have certainly been real adversaries of late. In the midst of these struggles, I have seen God’s grace. God’s grace in allowing me to better understand some people I love because I have wrestled …
I recently had a young lady ask me to give her some advice for dating. According to her, because I am a “dude” I could give her some insight that she didn’t feel like she could get from the ladies in her life. Truthfully, it has been a while since I’ve been called a “dude,” …