During the recent Easter season people around the world heard much about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of the Son of God, the Savior of the world, is, of course, the centerpiece, the cornerstone, the lynchpin of our faith.

The Apostle Paul can arguably be considered the best Christian who ever lived. But he was not always such a man. Far from it. In fact. Paul was originally Saul of Tarsus, an evil man who hated Christ …

I’ve been encouraged recently by all the posts about Easter on social media. I love the family photos. I love watching children hunt eggs. I love seeing families come together for meals. But most importantly, I love the truth behind this special day on the calendar.

What is an emotional affair and why must pastors, elders and ministry leaders fight against succumbing to this temptation?  According to one online source, “An emotional affair is a non-sexual relationship involving a similar level of emotional intimacy and bonding as a romantic relationship.”

Many things run through the minds of college students at the end of the academic year. Exams are over, and summer is here! Families and friends ask when you’ll be back, and you begin counting the weeks and days of relaxing, maybe working, or going on exciting trips. Looking at your calendar, you see six to eight weeks of being away from school and back “home.”

Two preachers stood by the side of the road that separated their churches. They had just finished hammering a hand-made sign into the ground, which read:           The End is Near!           Turn Around Now           Before it’s too Late!

Ecclesiastes 10:10 reminds us, “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.”  Leadership burnout results from continually giving one’s energy and resources for the well-being of others without taking time to invest in one’s own well-being—or a failure to sharpen one’s ax. 

​As a newer retiree, I’ve checked a few things off my “wish list” of retirement adventures. Taking my wife to Alaska last year, making it to Spring training this year, trying to read more books. I still want to make a trip out West and especially visit the Grand Canyon. I understand it’s a place that takes your breath away.

On this coming Sunday, millions of Christians around the world will celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Atheists will deny it. Agnostics will question it. Others will ignore it.

If I may ask a deeply personal question, what is your biggest failure or regret as a Christian? Was it a private sin that still causes you hidden shame? Or a public stumble that embarrasses you in front of others? Maybe it was a single act that haunts you daily? Or a pattern of disobedience that hounds you even now? All regrets in life are painful, but failing the Lord has a much deeper sting.

This was my 18th year working at the Georgia Capitol and my 12th year with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board on legislation dealing with social and moral issues. I'll have to confess this was one of our most successful years at the State Capitol. This year, we were able to see a “clean” Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) passed without unfriendly amendments and signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp.

“Numbers do not tell the whole story about a church or Christian ministry, but they do tell a story.” I have heard those words vocalized for years by one of our well-known Kentucky Baptist leaders, and I agree with him.  

When he was 70, the legendary major league baseball player Ty Cobb was asked by a reporter, “What do you think you would hit if you were playing in this era?” The Royston, Georgia native, who had a career average of .367, told the reporter, “About .290, maybe .300.”

The concept of self-leadership has taken on a life of its own. A quick Google search reveals long lists of tips, books, seminars, courses, coaching opportunities, and more on the subject. Self-leadership is exactly what it sounds like — leading yourself.   

Where should I go to college? Who should I marry? Should I take the promotion? How do I choose the right church? All of these questions are a variation of the most common question I’ve gotten over the years as a pastor. “How can I know God’s will for my life?” 

I was delighted to hear from Mike Griffin, Public Affairs Representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) is gaining momentum.

I ran into a neighbor in the grocery store (I do some of my best pastoral visitation in grocery stores) and we enjoyed a big greeting and spontaneous reunion. I often saw this gentleman taking a walk while I was jogging, and we’d sometimes visit briefly. I had not seen him for some time.

According to Dr. W. Oscar Thompson (Concentric Circles of Concern), Matthew 28:19-20 seems to emphasize the word, “Go,” but that is not the way to translate it in Greek. The emphasis should be on, “make disciples.” Dr. Thompson suggests that this passage should correctly be translated, “As you are going, make disciples of all the nations…”

The year was 1949. CIA operative Douglas Mackiernan fled for the border of Tibet as Mao Tse-Sung’s communist army swept through China. Though the national boundary was a treacherous 1200 miles away, getting there was the only hope for survival. For seven months, he endured the elements.

Pastors and ministry leaders pay close attention to several numbers in their ministry leadership context. Two of those — worship attendance and financial giving — can serve as early warning signs of the health of a church or Christian ministry.

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention has initiated a strategic effort to leverage the current Republican majorities in Congress and the executive branch to defund Planned Parenthood by eliminating the organization’s federal funding.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Roy Orbison burst on the scene in the early 1960s with his hit “Only the Lonely,” which he wrote along with Joe Melson.

“Once saved, always saved.” This statement is a basic tenet of Southern Baptist faith. It is true and well supported by Scripture. But it is also one of the most controversial of all our traditions.

The name Abe Anglin probably means nothing to you, but from the fourth grade on, I knew he just had to be my sixth-grade teacher. He wasn’t much over 6 feet tall, but to me, he was a peculiar, giant of a man because he had a bald head with a large scar on the side due to brain surgery. Little did I know that I would not only be a student in his class, but I would also learn lessons from this man that still shape who I am today.

We are not saved by our work, but we are saved to do good work. Paul makes both points crystal clear in Ephesians 2:8-10.  And God honors our work. Proverbs 12:11 reminds us, “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.”