Tag Archives: Evangelism

My Second Favorite Missionaries

Posted on May 6, 2014 | 1 comment

   It will be hard for anyone to replace my favorite missionaries.  My son-in-law, daughter and grand baby (with another on the way) are serving with the International Mission Board in Madagascar.  But let me tell you about my second favorite missionaries.

   James and Sonya Herron serve with the IMB in Uganda.  They were “normal” members of our church (can anyone be called normal with me as their pastor?) who began going on mission trips to Uganda with our church.  Then, they started leading mission groups from our church.  Then, Continue reading →

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Posted in baptist, International Mission Board, missions, southern baptist convention, Uncategorized

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Finding Salvation

Posted on April 29, 2014 | 3 comments

   I recently baptized a young Air Force pilot.  His wife gave her life to Christ many years ago.  But he felt that he was self-sufficient.  He didn’t need God.  If others did, that was fine.  He didn’t need anything else.  He was smart, successful and talented.  He would be just fine without giving control of his life over to God. 

   His wife prayed for him often.  She even persuaded him to join her in worship on occasion.  Their son attended our Christian school and he trusted Christ as his savior.  He was baptized in our church.  But dad, well, he just didn’t need God in his life.

   And then, one Sunday, God just broke through the stubbornness.  God showed him Continue reading →

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Posted in Christianity, evangelism, faith, military, Uncategorized

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Why I’m Not More Evangelistic

Posted on March 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

Recently, I was standing outside of a restaurant waiting for my bride. (Sometimes we husbands must do that.) I was alone except for an employee of the establishment. He said “Hi” and I responded with the same. Then it dawned on me. Perhaps the Lord would have me talk with this man about His love.

I spoke to the man and he responded in a way that suggested he was eager to talk. I told him I was a Baptist pastor and he seemed surprised. The older, fatter and balder I get, the less surprised he will be.  🙂

Then I asked him a question. “Do you know what Baptists believe?”  “No,” he said.  “What do they believe?”  I used that opportunity to tell him Continue reading →

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Posted in baptist, bible, Christianity, evangelism, faith, Uncategorized

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Unsolicited Advice for the International Mission Board

Posted on March 3, 2014 | 33 comments

Tom Elliff is retiring after a short, but effective stint as the head of the IMB, the international mission agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. Here is some free (like someone is going to pay for this?) advice to the trustees who will choose his successor.

I care deeply about this decision for at least three reasons. 1, I love missions. God grabbed my heart for missions on my first mission trip and I am all in. 2, The church where I am pastor (FBC O’Fallon, IL) is in the SBC, goes on many IMB connected mission trips each year and has a few families from the church serving with the IMB. 3, My son-in-law, daughter and granddaughter serve with the IMB as new career missionaries to Madagascar.

1.  Don’t worry much about who recommends them.  We don’t need any kingmakers because we don’t have any kings.  (Further free advice extends to my recommendation that you read that last sentence again.) Continue reading →

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Posted in baptist, Christianity, International Mission Board, missions, southern baptist convention, Uncategorized

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Why Johnny Can’t Witness

Posted on October 24, 2013 | 3 comments

10 reasons Johnny can’t share his faith with others.

1. Those video games won’t play themselves.

2. Really, witnessing seems like a lot of work.

3. What if someone gets saved who isn’t elect?

4. What if someone gets re-saved?

5.  What if someone gets re-saved who wasn’t elect the first time? Continue reading →

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Posted in Christianity, evangelism, faith, Uncategorized

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Lessons learned from Dr. Roy Fish

Posted on October 15, 2013 | 3 comments

   I said at the funeral for Dr. Roy Fish last year that I believed him to be the most beloved seminary professor in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention.  I’ve thought of him often in the last year and wanted to note some lessons he still teaches.

Lesson 1-  Talent gets you admired; goodness gets you loved. Continue reading →

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Posted in Christianity, Church, evangelism, faith, preaching, southern baptist convention, Uncategorized

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When I Become the Dictator of the Southern Baptist Convention

Posted on September 23, 2013 | 2 comments

Don’t worry, there is no imminent coup- and I would hope we would all aspire to something better. But, should I become the dictator of our beloved SBC, there are a few changes I will immediately install.
First, Continue reading →

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Posted in Christianity, Church, discipleship, evangelism, southern baptist convention, Uncategorized

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