Jesus Christ is our great example. As laborers together with God, we are on the same team and understand that if the team wins, we win.

So often, when those we lead and love are hurting, we hurt too. We hurt for them, and, in many cases, we also feel the loss they are experiencing. When we are hurting with others, how do we, as spiritual leaders, extend God’s grace to them?

One of the greatest dangers a Christian or a church will encounter is “complacency.” Jesus warned the Laodicean Church about their spiritual complacency. They became complacent in their own spiritual development and service for the Lord.

To most missionaries on deputation, arriving on the mission field after just eighteen months of raising support is an unattainable dream. I have met missionaries who have been on their deputation trail for three to six years. One missions agency says that the average deputation time is four years.

Every pastor longs to see young men and women of the next generation serving the Lord in the ministry. What are the elements involved in that taking place? Why do some churches regularly see God calling teenagers and then those teens being trained and serving in ministry as young adults?

When I pray, sometimes I feel sad when God does not answer the way I think He should, but God always has the best in mind for His child when He denies a prayer request.

From our earliest days of driver’s training, we quickly learn the importance of making sure that the gear shift is pointing at the right letter. We have learned that there is a tremendous difference between a car being in neutral, drive, or park. Personally and ministerially, it is wise to inspect whether we are in neutral, drive, or park.

If anyone had a valid excuse to drop the ball on “follow up” after an evangelistic event, it was the Apostle Paul. Between an itinerant lifestyle and the ongoing pain he must have lived with, Paul had every reason to simply focus on the city he was in, preach the gospel, and move on to the next, leaving the “decision cards” behind him.

I enjoy cooking, finding recipes, and sharing new meals with my family and guests who visit our home. Because of my love for cooking, I get especially excited when I have the opportunity to visit a restaurant that I have read about or seen advertised. And, if I happen to have the chance to eat at one of these restaurants, I always look to see what the critics have said about the food, décor, and overall dining experience.

The Lord has given me the privilege of having dear friends in ministry—friends who love me and my family, challenge me in my spiritual growth, rejoice with me in God’s blessings, and hold me accountable in my personal life.