God’s pattern is for suffering now to be followed by glory later. It was true for Jesus, for Peter’s readers then, and it is true for Peter’s readers now.

Let us appreciate the privilege of gathered worship and declare with joy that this world is a lie.

Let’s learn to handle Biblical narratives well so that they can do their mighty work in our hearts and those who will hear us.

Four Christian leaders in Europe look back at experiences with the founder of OM. Lindsay Brown, Frank Hinkelmann, Evi Rodemann and Peter Mead.  

It is easy to think of George the public speaker, but many thousands also know of the George who continued to care for the next generation of OM kids. 

Good observation of the details in a passage will set us up to accurately learn what the text means.

We should never stray too far from his passion if we are going to follow him well, do good theology, or seek to offer hope in this world.

The more closely we look at and observe the text, the easier it will be to accurately learn what the text means.

Seek to define the values of the church and aspire to be a church that God will trust with newcomers and new believers.

What does the text say?  What does the text mean?  What should the text stir?  This is the Bible study process.

We seek to make that main idea so clear, transformative, evident from the text and applicationally earthed, that we will genuinely have preached the text before we sit down.

It is crucial to be sure that God is not just The Father in Heaven, or even Jesus’ Father in Heaven, but Our Father in heaven.

Learning to think clearly about your own thinking is a critical skill for the preacher. Study more. Study longer. Study humble. Study persistently.

Let’s evaluate our churches and make sure we are not adding any unnecessary barriers for guests that come along.

No matter how clever you are, what you can make it say is not as good as what God made it say.

When we learn to handle the Word of truth rightly, we start to see the richness God has put in our Bibles. 

We live in an age marked by resistance to authority. The idea of submission has fallen on hard times. But don’t miss either the logic or the blessing of this concept.

The Bible offers us salvation, spiritual growth, maturity and equipping for all aspects of life and ministry.

Let’s take stock of how God would want us to use our eyes this year. After all, they are an essential gateway by which we can guard our hearts.

We should preach as professionals in the sense of “to the best of our ability” and as amateurs in the sense of “with the passion of a captured heart”.

As we head towards another Christmas, let’s be sure to ponder the wonder of that first Christmas and the daily wonder of a God who moved toward us.

God offers so much more than mere amnesty. He has paid the great and humiliating price for true justice.

Why not take the year-end as an opportunity to seek God’s heart about your church, your ministry, and your part in His plans? 

It is true that life change is God’s business and I can’t force it; but let us never grow comfortable with people drifting away from Christ.