Practice makes perfect. Doctors aren’t perfect, so that must be why they practice; neither are pastors. We all practice in order to become better at something. What about practicing the presence of Jesus? Here’s a little background on the idea of presence. In Genesis...
I’ve read lots of biographies. Some good, some bad. Some long; others very long. There is one biography that amazed, astounded, and saddened me. I still cannot get over what I read. Now to make this a bit more interesting, I’m not revealing the name of the man. That’s...
Discipling Disciples? Why have we Christians turned discipling, the verb, into discipleship, the noun? I am a pastor of discipleship, but why am I not called a pastor who disciples disciplers? I suppose the answer to the last question is that the title would be more...
Would you rather be a leader at your church or eat the green slime that floats atop a water tank after a long hot summer? Would you rather be part of leading a congregation or walk through a muddy river full of water moccasins, alligators, snapping turtles, piranhas,...
When you notice something wrong—like the furnace stops working on a winter night—you ask, “What’s wrong?” Do you stand in front of the contraption and applaud? No. You want the blasted thing fixed! So when a Muslim who once believed jihad means the use of force...
You know, of course, that dentists practice on mannequins, and not like the mannequins prancing around Herbergers. No, these are poor bodiless heads with a mouth, though some do have a nose. Makes me wonder how they breathe. I can hear Dean Martin crooning, “You’re no...
There are times when we all hate to be interrupted. For instance, you’ve just sat down to a beautiful prime rib dinner (horseradish and cream on the side, baked potato piled high with all the fixings, and fresh green beans). The phone rings. Caller ID tells you...
I’ve made a mistake or two in my time. I’m too busy remembering where my car keys are, that I can’t dwell on my own miscalculations. So how can I, an aging, forgetful, “now where did I park the car?” almost-on-Medicare pastor gently and lovingly correct others who...
There is an incredible story I want to share with you. I’ve edited it, but at the end I give the location of the original: “You may recall seeing an amazing story of a hero told on several world news channels about a Muslim, Salah Farah, who stood in the way as...
As I’m writing this, 49 people have just been murdered in Orlando by a lone jihadist. The report was only a few hours old when some Christians began calling the murders God’s judgment. Let me get this straight. A Muslim commits murder and it is God bringing judgment,...
I’m not a prophet or the son of a prophet, but I’m a shepherd (Amos 7:14 paraphrased). I do not have the supernaturally given gift to know the future, though a prophet may. I’m a shepherd, a pastor. One of the responsibilities God has given the shepherd is to protect...
Like so many in North Dakota, I am not from here. I came from California where local weather forecasters would announce, “Weather Watch!” anytime we had the threat of temperatures below 70 degrees. I’m kidding, of course, but just barely. Within three months of moving...
I love proverbs. Every culture has them. Did you know that most cultures have proverbs about love? For instance we all know that “Love is blind.” Even for the French, love is mysterious: “L’amoure est aveugle.” The Germans say, ”Die Liebe macht blind.” “El amore es...
You may not know the name Magdi Allam. You probably recognize that it’s not like Dukhart, Kovash, or Schmidt. In fact, Mr. Allam is Egyptian. “Oh,” you muse, “since he’s Egyptian, he must be Muslim.” “No,” I remuse to you, “he’s Christian.” But he’s not just any kind...
I hope that got your attention. It’s an honest question. Here’s why. In Genesis 18:9–15 Sarah laughed at the thought of having a baby—now watch this—not because she thought she was too old, but because she thought Abraham was (v.12). He was ninety-nine after all. Do...
The What I remember saying to my kids in response to their "Why?" questions, "Because. Just because." End of story. End of discussion. "Because" is not a satisfactory answer for anyone. When it comes to answering the question, "Why does Biblical Missiology do what we...
Christ of the Indian Road, Written by E. Stanley Jones, The Abingdon Press, 1925, pp. 213, ISBN 978-0687063773 Review by Jeff Morton 1. Why Now? You may be wondering why I am reviewing a book first published in 1925. It could be that I'm just a slow...
Book: Miraculous Movements: How Hundreds of Thousands of Muslims Are Falling in Love with Jesus by Jerry Trousdale Thomas Nelson, 2012 (208pp), ISBN 978-1-4185-4728-8 ($9.99) Review by Jeff Morton Better than cauliflower I don't like cauliflower....
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