References to christian articles written by theologans of the Christian Faith.
By James Smith Home Friendship Groups (Cell ministry), are gaining greater and greater interest as we hear the success stories from those who have ventured into this ministry. The largest and fastest growing churches in the world are churches with HFG’s. 10 years ago, the Lord began to speak to me about a model of ministry that to my knowledge, no one was doing at that time. (little did I know) Often, I would look over the congregation and notice…
By Michael McFarland Yes. When God fills us with His Spirit and we become a member of the body of Christ (Romans 12:5) we automatically have a ministry. What is that ministry? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and…
By James Smith If you desire for people to follow you, you have to connect with them. The catalyst of your relationship with them at any level may very well have to be a result of your constant effort to associate with them. An unbeliever’s only basis for coming into the knowledge of truth may well be his relationship with his teacher/preacher. Connect with them on a personal level. Find out what it is that interests them and try…
By James Smith One Snoopy cartoon depicts the famous beagle of Charley Brown lying on the roof of his dog house and complaining that everyone is constantly demanding something from him. He has so much more to do that he can possibly get accomplished. In the final frame of the cartoon, Snoopy sighs, “I hate being head beagle!” Being head beagle is not always as glamorous as it appears to be. Amazingly, people struggle to become the top dog. …
By James Smith Probably the worst thing that can happen to a God-called minister of the Gospel is that they would be confused about their calling. Confusion in the ministry thwarts the positive impact of the church. No congregation or ministry can move forward when the leadership of that organization is confused about their calling. Whether we are talking about an individual’s or an organization’s calling, confusion can kill their potential. Some men/women spend their entire lives confused about…
By Rev. James Smith Boy what a hassle! That’s generally how most preachers feel about the finances of the church. Wouldn’t it be incredible if we never had to deal with the money? Even Jesus handed the money purse off to someone else. Who wants to deal with it?! My wife currently handles the offerings of the church. For years we have struggled to find a software that makes the accounting of the tithes and offerings simple. I hate…
By James Smith 1. Tells you the truth – even when it hurts. One man who has been one of my mentors for almost 18 years especially stands out because of his honesty with me. Early in my ministry and marriage, he pulled me aside and explained to me that I was not very respectful to my wife in public. He explained that the ladies of the church would not honor me as a minister for this reason. At…
By David Church One of the most exciting and powerful methods of preaching is to share the story (biography) of a character in the Bible. This method is extremely valuable in building people and moving people from one level of ministry to another. God’s desire is to grow His Kingdom. His Word is full of ordinary and less than ordinary people who He used to accomplish this purpose. It would behoove us as pastors and leaders to use this…
By James Smith Despise not the day of small things. How do you build a church? First you build a man. – Thou are Peter and upon this rock will I build my church. If Peter did not mature, the church would not grow. God has chosen to build his church upon people. He has chosen to use your life to build His church in the village you are from. If you do not grow, your church will not…
(February 10, 2009) It is an honour to be here. A particular honour to be with you Mr. President. The world participated in the celebration of your election. Now the hard work begins. And now, also we should be as steadfast for you in the hard work as in the celebration. You don’t need cheerleaders but partners; not spectators but supporters. The truest friends are those still around when the going is toughest. We offer you our friendship today. We…