If it is reasonable to expect both the mother and the father to be present at the birth of their child, why should not the local New Testament church be able to witness and attend the birth of a brand new church birthed by their own local church?

If you look around you will find plenty of reasons to worry. The trouble with worry is that it doesn’t seem all that harmful. The sun blasts cancer-causing rays. Air vents blow lung-clotting molds. Potato chips have too many carbs. Vegetables have too many toxins.

How many times in evangelistic crusades have I heard Baptist church choirs sing those wonderful words, “We preach Christ.” That was certainly Paul’s heart as he penned the words to 1 Corinthians 1:23, “But we preach Christ crucified.”

Our generation is relationship-conscious but not relationship-wise. In every heart there is a legitimate hunger to be close to someone—to love and be loved, to know and be known. People search online, in social groups, and too often in wrong places to find that one deep, personal and fulfilling connection.

Leadership is never static. It requires intentional personal growth. Below are five quick thoughts I shared during our recent Spiritual Leadership Conference on steps to personal growth as a leader:

One of the most maligned words in the current religious glossary is the term fundamentalism. The term is misused often. Dictionary definitions of fundamentalism acknowledge its original use in reference to what they call “a twentieth century movement in Protestantism” which emphasized “the literal interpretation of the Bible.”

Sermon outline: This is an abbreviated outline with the complete sermon downloadable at the bottom of the post. The world often has interesting counsel. From Dr. Phil, Dr. Laura, and Oprah, to the experts of academia, and the self-help gurus whose profit-making works line the shelves of our local bookstores—everybody has advice for us. Some of it may be helpful. Some of it definitely is not.

When sorely tried, stand still on the promises of God. When everyone but God is saying, “Move,” do not jump ship and wreck your family. Do not forsake in the dark what God has given you in the light.

In First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthian church to be laborers together: “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). There are many things the first century church had right, but there are many things they did not have right.

Americans are not always good at remembering. We forget the sacrifices made for us so we can enjoy freedom today. We forget the blood, sweat, and tears of those who have given their all that we might have liberty.