Nearly every pastor or church leader knows the burden of carrying the financial responsibilities of a ministry.

The local church does not get to choose whether or not it will have a ministry of counseling. Churches are made up of people, and people will always be encountering situations that require biblical direction and guidance.

I’ve known for some years that the Sunday evening service in Baptist churches has been on the decline. But I read a recent statistic by researcher Thom Rainer stating that only 5 percent of churches have a Sunday evening service. That number startled me.

It is wonderful that Jesus Christ blessed those He saved with the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, Who has come to meet all of our needs and to work through us to meet the needs of the world! What an amazing truth! He is a well of living water that springs up to satisfy our inner thirst forever. Let us not lose our grip on this wonderful metaphor and the truth it pictures.

For the Bible-believing Christian, anything that could be called a true advancement will be in a direction leading to basic, New Testament Christianity. So in a sense, it will be going back.

Culture shock is a feeling that can happen to us when we are in cultural situations that are different from our expectations­—usually in a bad way. With this definition in mind, we would guess that reverse culture shock should not exist.

The best part of most new year’s goals is the first week of January. Adrenaline runs high, and success seems just within reach. And then the second week of January comes. And the adrenaline-based enthusiasm wanes.

I can’t think of anyone who had more trials and battles than the Apostle Paul. I also can’t think of anyone who finished better than he finished. However, if we believe what most writers tell us, very few spiritual leaders finish well.

If we can learn anything from the first-century churches of Asia Minor, it is the propensity of Christians and churches toward decline.

Our spiritual birth into God’s family is a miraculous love-filled moment, as well! When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night seeking answers for his spiritual questions, Jesus told him, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). We know that Nicodemus was initially confused by this statement. But, Jesus explained to him that salvation is a re-birth—a spiritual birth.