How Much Should We Pay Our Pastor?
An Introduction to the Pastoral Compensation Tool
It is sometimes unclear what the compensation target should be, and how much is too little or too much. It might even happen that a church can be forgetful of the changes that need to be made to a minister’s compensation in the years which follow after approving the initial call, as family size grows... Continue Reading
Change Doesn’t Depend On The Preacher
God is in control of the hearts of people, not the preacher. What a wonderful thing!
We know that God’s word is living and active and that God uses it for the purposes he intends. Every preacher goes into a sermon with an aim of what he would like God to do in the hearts of his listeners, but often God has other ideas. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of... Continue Reading
A Parable from the Dead
The church needs to be a place where the light exposes the darkness.
In death, Ravi Zacharias bears his deserved shame. What that means only the Judge of all the earth knows and He will do right (Genesis 18:25). But let every church and congregation take heed unless He who holds the seven stars in His hand should remove the lampstand from its place. Evangelicalism received crushing... Continue Reading
The Church Is Bigger Than Any Church
The true church, however, is powerfully and mysteriously united across the boundaries that define and divide the world.
When many of us hear the word church, we are prone to think only of our own local congregations — or perhaps our denomination or those we know and agree with theologically. But the church is universal. It spans time and space. According to the New Testament, the church of God includes every believer in Christ,... Continue Reading
Grief Should Always Make Us Better
God’s work should never be allowed to suffer while we stop to weep.
Healing will come slowly. Yet, as I keep reminding myself, life must be lived. Nick’s race is complete, but mine continues. His death is not the end of my calling in life, but, in a sense, a new beginning to it. It doesn’t close out my story, but, I’m convinced, opens a new chapter of... Continue Reading
Six Ontario Church Elders Charged With Exceeding Worship Limits, Face $10K Fines
"It is a dark day for Waterloo Region and Ontario.”
The elders of Trinity Bible Chapel are not the only religious leaders in Ontario to have faced similar charges. However, the elders noted, “to our knowledge, this is the first time that each and every member of an entire elders board has been charged for gathering a church to worship.” Six elders of a... Continue Reading
The Dying World Outside My Window
As I looked at the homes which sheltered eternal beings, I realized that my voice had not yet traveled across the street.
Even though I knew news that they desperately need to hear and a “him” that they were made for (Colossians 1:16), my voice had not bothered to make its way to speak to them, befriend them, and share with them the most necessary message to ever grace human ears: the gospel of Jesus Christ. What... Continue Reading
Spurgeon’s Quest for Clarity: Five Ways to Grow In Your Preaching
Spurgeon not only taught but exemplified a pastoral passion to provide the Scriptures clearly!
This quest differentiated him from other preachers of the day who seemed more concerned with impressing listeners with rhetorical and oratorical expertise, fueled by a desire to be seen as one with intellectual and academic dexterity. The critique often levied toward the practice of academic writing and speaking is that it’s “confusing and dense, that... Continue Reading
The Heart and Soul of Christian Fellowship
The heart and soul of Christian fellowship hangs in the balance of how we honestly respond to this question in our fellowship circles.
You are fighting for the heart and soul of your fellowship. When the dust of the politics has settled, when differences are ironed out, when the pleasantries and politeness run their course, every friendship is left wanting: Either we will go deeper, keep things as they are, or move away (emotionally or even physically). Please... Continue Reading
Seeing The Good And Not Just The Bad
Instead of wallowing in self-pity at what 2020 has brought us, consider the good things God has done.
And, of course, there are things that are always true that Christians should celebrate even in the tough times. Jesus remains king. Our sins are paid for if we trust in Jesus. We have a local church family that loves us. We have a glorious inheritance. Nothing can separate us from the love of God,... Continue Reading
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