Wouldn’t it be nice if Christians could enter a little room, push a button, and in a matter of seconds be instantly transformed from spiritual infants to spiritual giants? The physical maturation process does not work that way, and neither does the spiritual growth process. It takes effort, time, and discipline. No shortcuts exist for […]
“Hey guys, please clean up the kitchen after dinner.” My two teenagers turn and give me the look. If you have teens or have ever had teens, you understand what I’m talking about. They reluctantly rise from their chairs and amble toward the kitchen, muttering under their breath. Of course, it’s really not fair to […]
The theme for the 2015 NACC was “We Speak.” President Mike Baker based the convention theme on Acts 4:20. Speaking is not the only way to advance the kingdom, but it is a primary way. John R. W. Stott said, “We speak because God has spoken” (Between Two Worlds). In these next four lessons we […]
The classic songs known as spirituals sprang from the passionate faith of African-Americans oppressed by slavery who lifted up their voices while working in the fields. Frederick Douglass, the former slave who became a prominent author and speaker, said spirituals “breathed the prayers and complaints of souls suffering the most cruel anguish.” Douglass admitted, “I […]
I love preaching. I mean, I love preaching. I remember sitting in a worship service with my grandparents at a southern Ohio congregation and hearing the preacher deliver the sermon and, at the wise old age of 5 or 6, saying to myself, “That’s what I want to do with my life.” I preached my […]
