I've been working on an upcoming sermon lately regarding the Holy Spirit's role in prompting repentance. In doing so, I came across this great quote from A.W. Tozer on penitence. For those of you who don't know, Tozer was perhaps best known for his 40+ books. Of those, The Pursuit of God is among his best. I have a copy on my Kindle app. In the following quote, he talks about penitence -- a word we don't use much today. It essentially means feeling a sense of sorrow for one's sins (see this definition). Here's the quote: "A growing Christian must have at his roots the life-giving waters of penitence. The cultivation of a penitential spirit is absolutely essential to spiritual progress. The lives of great saints teach us that self-distrust is vital to godliness. Even while the obedient soul lies prostrate before God, or goes on in reverent obedience…
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Learning to be a Christ-follower is about learning a new way to live. Learning a new way to live requires learning a new way to navigate life. Learning a new way to navigate life requires learning a new way to see the path in front of you. I call this reframing. Jesus taught his followers the principle of reframing in the Sermon on the Mount. Here are a few examples: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:11-12). You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with…
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Here is a short video (from The Atlantic) featuring Ken Burns and why he tells stories. I watched and listened to it from a preaching perspective. It's interesting.
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"A boss creates fear; a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame; a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all; a leader asks questions." - Russell H. Ewing Ewing raises a good distinction between being a boss and being a leader. This applies just as much in the family as it does in the workplace. Do you boss your children or lead them? Do you boss your employees or lead them? Both approaches may work -- but only for a little while. No one likes to be bossed around. But do people like to be lead? If you distinguish between bossing and leading, I would answer, "Yes." People like to be lead by those who develop their talents, care about their dreams, and are generous with appreciation. At home or work, are you more concerned with being followed than you are about leading? Are you more comfortable being a boss because…
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When I grew up, our church (and many other churches) still had Sunday night services. I can remember -- on more than one occasion -- hearing messages on Sunday nights emphasizing the importance of church attendance. Even back then, that struck me as odd. I remember thinking, "These aren't the people who need to hear this message." As preachers, we can be guilty of preaching to the choir -- too often. Whether it's only addressing "in-house" topics or using language only an insider would understand, we may fail to preach to those who aren't there. But, you might ask, why should we preach to people who aren't there? After all, they aren't there to hear what you have to say. Here are a few good reasons: It reminds your congregation that there are missing people. It gives them confidence that you know how to address their unbelieving friends. It helps…
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