Recently in Monday Morning Encouragement Category

I'm like many other preachers. I like to preach long messages! You'll often see staff members cringe when I start going long. They know a long sermon could mean backed up parking lots as one service lets out and another one starts.

Romans 8:5-17: 

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

I have visited many parts of the world in which the challenges to the 21^st-century pulpit look rather different. So part of the purpose of the rest of this essay is modest: to stimulate thinking that will help others flesh out this list and modify it for different cultural locations.

Kenneth Ulmer relates a story about a criminology course he took in college. He says that he "cut that class every which way but loose." But when he heard about an assignment to write a research paper, he poured himself into the project, hoping he could compensate for his frequent absences.

One of the most intriguing books I have ever read (although it seems it took me forever to finish it) was The Body by Charles Colson. The section of the book that took the longest to wade through, but was utterly captivating in its content, dealt with the fall of communism in eastern Europe and the role Christianity played in the revolution that rocked our planet.

I remember reading Iain Murray's excellent biography of Jonathan Edwards. I found much to identify with, especially the personal heartaches Edwards endured as pastor of the same church for twenty-three years. After all that time his flock voted him out.

In Acts chapter 12, we read a great story of how God changed the course of history when His people prayed:

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

From time to time, God will bless a pastor with unexpected, tremendous popularity. His church quickly mushrooms. Everyone wants to be a part of his congregation or learn from his innovative approach. People begin to make predictions about the effect his leadership will have on the next generation. Sadly, sometimes these men do not pass the test of time. Their ministries fail or simply fade into obscurity. After a few years, I look back and wonder, What ever became of them?