“The second reading is from the prophet Isaiah.” Crispus stood before the assembly with an opened scroll. The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to [...]
Archive for March, 2010
The Role of the Spirit in Church Direction
Sunday, March 28th, 2010 | No CommentsHow does a church set vision and direction? How do we, as mentors, help leaders discover where their churches need to go? Well, that’s easy enough! Tell them to read the appropriate books. Take them to websites that walk them through the visioning process. Help them conduct a demographic study of the congregation and community. [...]
Chapter 19: The Mission
Friday, March 26th, 2010 | No CommentsThree days later, Paul bumped into his tavern friend—quite by accident, as some would say, though Paul would not refer to such things in those terms. “Oedipus!” Paul laughed, extending a hand. “Ahh! It’s you!” his Corinthian friend smiled. “You’re growing a beard, I see. Not very fashionable in Corinth, I’m afraid.” Paul put a [...]
The Role of Spiritual Discernment in Developing Church Leaders
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 | 1 CommentThose of us who have answered the call to mentor church leaders are, of necessity, in the “discernment business.” Who is this person who sits before me? What are his skills and abilities? Where are her strengths, her weaknesses? What kind of scars does he bear? Has he experienced the call of God on his [...]
Chapter 18: The Mission
Monday, March 22nd, 2010 | No CommentsSummer, ad 50 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks … testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. (Acts 18:4-5, niv) Paul stood at the back of the crowded synagogue, eyes closed, lost in one of Aquila’s mammoth robes and a sea of memory. He scratched absently [...]
The Role of the Spirit in Church Leadership
Friday, March 19th, 2010 | No CommentsWhat does it take to be an effective leader in God’s church: a particular skill set? Personal charisma? Seminary training? Mastery of the Bible? A heart for the Kingdom? The Story of Peter Simon Peter was called by Jesus, trained by him, an eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry and miracles, a man who loved Jesus dearly. [...]
Chapter 17: The Mission
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 | No CommentsThough the passing weeks did little to improve Paul’s beard, it did wonders for Prisca’s attitude. The Corinthian spring was stunning—warm, sunny days, the blossoms of olive and apple trees bright against blue skies, the grasses of the plain springing to life and yielding in long, lazy waves to the gulf breezes. The breezes carried [...]
Chapter 16: The Mission
Friday, March 12th, 2010 | No CommentsWhen news of the boy’s capture reached Stephanas, he was haggling down the price of a parchment in the agora. He hurried home. Entering his house, he glanced the boy’s way long enough to see the same old anger, the same private war raging inside him. And something else. He’s afraid. He’s wondering if he’s [...]
A Parable
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 | No Comments[This short series of three posts are excerpts from my book A Spirit for the Rest of Us. I am convinced that churches of Christ must rethink our understanding of and interaction with the Holy Spirit. Without a vibrant relationship with a living, indwelling Spirit, we are left with little more than our Bibles and [...]
Chapter 15: The Mission
Monday, March 8th, 2010 | No CommentsHe hit her hard in the stomach. Stauria staggered back against the wall and slumped to the street, the wind knocked out of her. No breath to cry out. No breath to cry at all. He never hit his girls in the face. They weren’t saleable with black eyes and missing teeth. Though in this [...]
