Tag Archives: local church

The long term pastor

Posted on August 24, 2015 | 7 comments

I’m starting my 21st year as pastor of First Baptist Church, O’Fallon, IL. We celebrated my 20 year anniversary with a reception, some ice cream (woo hoo!) and thoughtful cards and gifts. It has me thinking about the value of longevity for pastors.
Let’s face it. Some pastorates are short term for good reason. Sometimes the fit doesn’t work. Sometimes financial limitations or inflexibility or unwillingness to play nice ends relationships. Staying long term isn’t always best for the church or the pastor. I get that. But let me offer some suggestions about the benefits of long term pastorates for those who can make it work.
1. It builds Continue reading →

7 Comments

Posted in Christianity, Church, pastor

Tagged Christian, Christianity, church, church life, First Baptist Church, local church, longevity for pastors, pastor, pastors, Religion and Spirituality

Bad Ideas for Church Advertising

Posted on May 14, 2015 | 2 comments

While in another country, I saw ads painted on the sides of homes and buildings. It was a way for the home or business owner to make some extra income. So, I started thinking about churches. They have big walls and could use extra income. What if they used those walls for advertising? The ideas are endless- and bad ideas abundant. Here are some of those bad ideas for church wall advertising.

– Rogaine. It works for Pastor Bob.

– Dr. Pepper. The preferred soft drink for non-heretics.

– Youth Pastor Jimmy recommends Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in Christian humor, faith, humor, outreach

Tagged Christian, Christian humor, Christianity, church, faith, God, humor, local church, pastor, pastors, Religion and Spirituality

4 Helpings of Birthday Cake

Posted on April 20, 2015 | 1 comment

Sunday was my birthday. I loved sharing my birthday with hundreds and hundreds of people at church. I love my church despite all the “humaness” that keeps us from being perfect. My church, like yours, is filled with people who have messed up and fallen. It is filled with people like Continue reading →

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Posted in blessings, Church, family, friendship, Uncategorized

Tagged birthday, birthday cake, Blessing, blessings, Christian, Christianity, church, faith, family, fellowship, friends, friendship, God, Jesus, joy, local church, Religion and Spirituality

Connected by Faith

Posted on February 23, 2015 | 3 comments

The church where I was saved many years ago just bought 500 copies of my devotional book “Immersed: 40 Days to a Deeper Faith”. They are going to use it for a church wide series beginning the week after Easter. Many churches have used the book that way now, but there is a special connection you have with the church where you gave your life to Christ.

I trusted Christ as my Savior and Lord in the old worship center at Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted in books, Christianity, Church, faith, Uncategorized

Tagged Baptist, bible, bible study, book, Christian, christian book, Christianity, church, devotional, devotional book, discipleship, Evangelism, faith, God, Jesus, local church, Religion and Spirituality, southern baptist convention, spiritual growth

What I Learned about Missionaries

Posted on December 9, 2014 | 6 comments

My wife and I recently spent a couple of weeks in Madagascar with our son-in-law, daughter and two grandbabies who serve as career missionaries with the International Mission Board. Here are some lessons learned while there.
1. We should be very grateful for American plumbing. It is a good thing. Perhaps you haven’t thanked the Lord for those many blessings that other places don’t take for granted. The Western world has unbelievable riches compared to much of our world. With those blessings come some responsibilities.
2. Missions is hard. After the idealism wears off there is the reality of difficult language study- or in the case of my family, sort of two languages to learn with the dialect of their people group. There is the reality of bad smells and undependable electricity and strange food and customs. It is hard.
3. The call matters. If you become a career missionary to see the world and have fun and take some neat pictures you will undoubtedly Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in baptist, International Mission Board, missions, Uncategorized

Tagged Baptist, Christianity, IMB, International Mission Board, local church, missions, Religion and Spirituality, SBC, southern baptist convention

Love the Church?

Posted on October 13, 2014 | Leave a comment

Different people view the church very differently. Our views are affected by our history, our problems, our preferences, our inclinations and- at our best- by our theology.
The church, of course, is not the building. I really appreciate the building God allows my church to use. It is helpful and it has come at great sacrifice. We use it well at FBC O’Fallon where I am pastor. There are large numbers of people using our church building in some way almost every day. I love that.
But I’m not talking about the church building here. I’m talking about the church. You know, that messy conglomeration of believers that gather together to glorify the Lord through our worship and discipleship, our ministry and our fellowship and through our missions and evangelism. I’m talking about the local church of gathered believers and the more general sense of the church- believers all over the world who gather in their own local expressions of the church.
There are at least 5 different views of the church I see.
1. Some hate the church. I don’t believe a Christ-follower can hate the church. After all, Christ is the one who formed it and is the foundation of the church. But many in our world hate the things of God and, therefore, hate the institution God founded.
2. Some dislike the church. They were Continue reading →

A Patriotic Worship Service

Posted on July 6, 2014 | 5 comments

I love the patriotic worship service we have at FBC O’Fallon, IL each 4th of July weekend. It is exciting, moving and fun.
Once in a while, I read others who complain about churches having a patriotic service. They remind us of the dangers of patriotism replacing worship and zeal for the nation replacing zeal for the Lord. Duly noted.
But I do believe we can keep a proper perspective of the role of God and country. The first point of my sermon on Sunday was “We have earthly responsibilities but a greater allegiance.” (I preached from the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from Daniel 3 and the greater allegiance referred to the Lord, not D.C. My wife says it was the greatest sermon preached in the history of Christendom- but Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in Christianity, military, Uncategorized, worship

Tagged Baptist, Christianity, church, faith, God, Jesus, local church, military, patriotic service, patriotism, preaching, relationship with god, Religion and Spirituality, sermons, worship

What I like about the Southern Baptist Convention

Posted on June 10, 2014 | 2 comments

I am at the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) this week. Think of a giant church business meeting with sermons and worship interspersed. That doesn’t sound like much fun to many of you, but you do get to meet a lot of old friends and make some new ones. Okay, there are some annoyances. There are sessions where anyone can speak- some less thoughtfully than others. (Wasn’t that charitable of me?) There is great congestion and lots of walking. But we SBCers can often focus most on our problems and can be extra critical of ourselves. So here are some things I really like about our convention.
1. We focus well on International Missions. I call the IMB (the International Mission Board of the SBC) the glue that holds us together. I listened Continue reading →