Part of the joy of ministry is that of enjoying it with fellow laborers in the work. In the secular workplace, friendship with coworkers is often a corny topic. When your expected ambition at work is to support your family and perhaps also further your career, who cares if you enjoy time with your coworkers? But the work of the ministry isn’t the same as the work of factory.

Have you noticed that there seems to be less unity in fundamentalism than there used to be? It has often been bemoaned that fundamentalism is fragmenting. We have been cut into “camps,” fragmented into factions, and separated into splinters.

One of the sad byproducts of this modern age where “tolerance is king” is that Christians have lost the urgency of the gospel message. We are so afraid of being criticized, ostracized, or marginalized that we oftentimes unintentionally make our presentation of Christ sound like something that can be taken or left with no consequence.

Every few months I have the privilege to teach a three-week newcomers class at our church. I relish this time with our new and prospective members, and I’ve found that they thoroughly enjoy it as well.

Furlough is a time that we as missionaries look forward to, and we should. It can be a great time for families to make memories and to get refocused on serving the Lord. However, like anything else, a good furlough takes planning to be successful. Honestly, sometimes when I have a day off, I fail to plan it well, and always regret it afterward. We can’t let that happen with our furloughs, so here are some tips that have helped me during my last two times back in America.

You know them—they slap your back and say an encouraging word…without really pausing to hear how you’re doing, or if you actually need encouragement, or maybe a listening ear. That’s annoying, but the worst problem with a professional backslapper is not what they do, but what they miss—especially when they are a spiritual leader.

Did God assign the state or the parents to educate children? In the Old Testament, God placed the responsibility of child rearing and development on the parents in Deuteronomy 6. In the New Testament, God reiterates how important the role of the parent is in Ephesians 6. Not once does the Bible speak of the state’s involvement in the education of a child.

What is God’s will for my life? This question has brought much agony to the hearts of many sincere single adults. Many people are searching books, reading stories, and getting hours of counsel for something that God has already made extremely clear in His Word!

From time to time, I hear people criticizing Christianity as being too negative. They often point to the “legalistic” rules of the Bible, the “hell fire and brimstone” preaching, or the conservative lifestyle of its followers as reasons for rejecting the message of God. The very words Baptist, or fundamentalist, or even Christian scare them. They fear that an acceptance of Bible truth will make their lives miserable and lonely.

There are few tools that have the power to multiply your ministry like encouragement. Soulwinning and evangelism is the main thing. Discipleship is no less important. And encouragement is indispensable for both.