Saturday Links

Links for your weekend reading:

Called vs. Driven

What does it look like to live as a called person instead of one who is driven? Here are a few of my reflections:

1. Called people value obedience over results.
2. Called people focus on who they are becoming not what they are achieving.
3. Called people focus on the Day of Judgment rather than judging other ministries.
4. Called people celebrate God’s work in others without comparing or criticizing them.
5. Called leaders worry about the health of their people not the profile of their ministry.

3 Big Opportunities that Busy Pastors Miss

Below I list three opportunities busy pastors might miss when they get too task focused.

1. Missing the opportunity to impact your church with a well-prepared sermon
2. Missing the opportunity to communicate the “why” to ministry volunteers
3. Missing the opportunity to shepherd your leaders

How the Scandal of Preaching Will Reach Our Postmodern World

But, as scandalous as it is, there is something about preaching that is unique and special.  Let us consider what those things are.

1. Preaching is Word-Centered (in a world that is people-centered).
2. Preaching is Authoritative (in a world that is anti-authority).
3. Preaching is Proclamation (in a world that wants ‘dialogue’).
4. Preaching is Corporate (in a world that prefers individualism).

6 Reasons Not to Abandon Expository Preaching

1. It is the method least likely to stray from Scripture.
2. It teaches people how to read their Bibles.
3. It gives confidence to the preacher and authorizes the sermon.
4. It meets the need for relevance without letting the clamor for relevance dictate the message.
5. It forces the preacher to handle the tough questions.
6. It enables the preacher to expound systematically the whole counsel of God.

10 Errors to Avoid When Talking about Sanctification and the Gospel

Sometimes the truth can be seen more clearly when we state its negation. So rather than stating what we should believe about sanctification, I’d like to explain what we should not believe or should not say.

Why Should We Care For Creation?

That means that we need to love what God loves: his entire creation. We need to conserve and care for the good earth that God has created. And we need to remember that, ultimately, the curse is rolled back by a bloody cross.

The 4 most common barriers to an outward focus

1. Not knowing where to start or how to get connected
2. Freeing up time and energy
3. Being in the comfort zone of fellowship
4. Fear and an unwillingness to reach out

When Good News Looks Like Something: 5 Ways to Engage Your Neighborhood

1. Stop spending so much time at church
2. Identify the assets in your neighborhood
3. Connect with influencers in your neighborhood
4. Immerse yourself in the areas of brokenness
5. Contend for the broken to the point of restoration.