Monthly Archives: August 2022

The term “best practices” is sometimes used in the world of business to identify activities, methods, and processes that are proven to be the most successful, yielding fewer complications and failures and producing the best outcomes. For the Christian, Jesus set forth a clear set of best practices in Matthew 22:37-39: “Thou shalt love theContinue reading “Best Practices“

I grew up in the 1950s listening to the founder of Radio Bible Class, M.R. DeHahn, on our local AM radio station in Ottumwa, Iowa. DeHahn would teach the Word of God on Sunday morning broadcasts as we ate a bite of breakfast and scurried around, getting ready for church. The late medical doctor/Bible teacherContinue reading “A Decision for and a Protest Against, part 2“

Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” once said to  a 19th century congregation, “Learn to say no! It will be more use to you than to be able to speak Latin.” Spurgeon, pastor to thousands, whose sermons were published worldwide, also said, “Neither when we have chosen our way can we keep company with thoseContinue reading “A Decision for and a Protest Against“

A missionary was visiting with Mahatma Gandhi, and at the close of their visit Gandhi said, “Before you leave, would you sing one of your hymns?” When asked what hymn he would like to hear, Gandhi replied, “Please sing a hymn that expresses all that is deepest in your faith.” After a few moments, theContinue reading ““The Old Rugged Cross”“

“The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.” (Ps. 119:130) The young person asks: “How do I know whether what I have always been taught is right…which church can I trust?  Enter the light of God’s Word: “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”Continue reading “The Light of God’s Word”

Two great battles have been recorded as turning points in history: the battle of Waterloo (1805), sealing Napoleon’s doom and destiny; and the battle of Trafalgar (1815), which was masterfully won by the British Navy and established its global naval supremacy for more than a century. The year 1809, about midway between those battles, isContinue reading “How to Become a Son of God“

John Scolinos, baseball coach at Pepperdine University and for three decades at Cal State Polytech U., became well known for a speech he once delivered at the Opryland Hotel in 1996 to 4,000 baseball coaches who were meeting in Nashville for the annual American Baseball Coaches Association. Wearing a home plate around his neck, heContinue reading “Seventeen Inches, Now and Always!”

That’s the way I remember an old song out of the past which goes on to say “than to be in Carolina in the morning.” Well, Ellen and I experienced that for a couple of weeks recently, and I’d like, on a personal note in this post, to share with you a few of ourContinue reading ““Nothing Could Be Finer””

Russell Blowers offered up the following description of what most of us would recognize as a pastor: “Somewhere between the call of God and the heart ward of the local hospital there exists a specialist in everything, variously called a ‘minister,’ a ‘pastor’ a ‘clergyman.’ He is a hero to his wife, a stranger toContinue reading “You and Your Pastor”

Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman, a late 19th century evangelist and associate of evangelist D.L. Moody, once spoke about what he called “my rule for Christian living.” It was: “Anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrongContinue reading “Disciplined or Disqualified?“