Articles for Pastors

Why Study Ezra?

Ezra is worth studying because it is a full-color illustration of Yahweh’s sovereignty. Nearly every chapter speaks of the meticulous application of that sovereignty for the purpose of rebuilding Israel.

3 Steps to Understanding a Tricky Passage

When you encounter a complicated Bible passage, here are three steps to help understanding a tricky passage like this.

When Pastors Get Lonely And Discouraged

When I was studying to go into ministry, one of the professors told us is always best, the professor said, to seek out friendships with people who are not part of our churches. This seemed like a recipe to be lonely and discouraged.

Forgiveness Is A Gift. Don’t Turn It Into A Weapon.

As a pastor, I would love to talk at length about the transcendent beauty of Brandt Jean's moment of forgiveness and the powerful inner strength on display. But in many cases, to do so would be to promote cheap grace.

2 Corinthians: Time to Rewrite Our Leadership Playbook

I’m blown away by Paul’s honesty in 2 Corinthians. People in Corinth expected leaders to look successful. They didn’t have a category for someone like Paul. Weakness wasn’t in their leadership vocabulary.

Two Kinds of Sermons That Seem Expositional But Really Aren’t

Our experience over decades as both a pastor and faithful church member, having either delivered or listened to thousands of sermons, has led us to the conclusion that much expository sermons does not in fact meet the definition.

The Leader and Exercise … and 4 Ways to Keep Going

If you're struggling with how to be a leader and exercise, try these four ways to keep going. Regular exercise increases learning, lowers the impacts of stress, combats sensitivity to anxiety, fights depression, and increases memory.

How I Became a Sunday Drug Abuser

Three Xanax. Three Propranolol. Three Zoloft. This was the prescription-pill combination I took before my first sermon as a pastor in New York City. I was a Sunday drug abuser.