I keep hearing people talk about those who are apostles, prophets, evangelist, and pastors and teachers. I am an Ephesians 4 kind of guy, so this has always intrigued me. Some refer to these four fold ministries (I believe pastor/teacher is one so I do not call it five fold ministries) as Holy Spirit gifting, but that is not what the text refers to. Look at the verses leading up to verse 11 and you will find the “He” who...

When I was a kid, I loved movies with King Author, Nights of the Round table, Crusades, Robin Hood, … just about anything from medieval times. I liked the gallantry, the honor, the fighting for a cause type of thing. The other day in my studies I found what is said to be Gregory VII letter calling for a Holy Crusade “Gregory, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to all who are willing to defend the Christian faith, greeting and...

The rancher had picked up this cowboy pastor to go work a round up for him. As they rode in the pickup, the rancher would cuss and then apologize to the preacher. The pastor told him, “I have a cure for that, but it will make you swell up for about three days.” The rancher asked what it was. “James 1:26” was the pastor's reply. The next day, after the rancher again apologized for cussing, the pastor asked if he had...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1 NLT) Observation: Faith gives us both confidence and assurance for things that we have no real evidence for. Application: Faith changes what we know to be reality. When God gives us hope, through faith we see it as done although it has not...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25 NLT) Observation: As the day of the coming of our Lord gets closer and closer, we need to make sure that we continue to gather together in corporate worship and to take time while there to encourage one...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24 NLT) Observation: We are to come up with ways to motivate (provoke KJV) each other to do acts of love and good works. Application: This is not something that just happens, we have to consciously make ourselves think about ways to motivate each other. Instead of just wasting idle...

Understanding and communicating within the culture God sent you to reach. — RELATE SO YOU CAN COMMUNICATE — S E R VA N T    B A S E D    M I N I S T R Y Message text: Philippians 2:5-9; 1 Corinthians 9:19-24 NKJV INTRODUCTION Years ago when I first came into AG, one of the first things I did was go on a missions trip to Belize. My new pastor, Al Roever, thought I needed this exposure so I would have the heart for missions that he...

Doctrine (Latin: doctrina) is a code of beliefs or “a body of teachings” or “instructions”, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. Over and over, I hear people say that doctrine is not important. In fact, people will follow after anything that has signs and wonders even though Jesus warned about using that to measure whether something is right or not....

 I received a new pair of riding glasses a while back. It is always interesting when I get new lenses with a new prescription. I measure how well they work with five factors. I see how well I can see to read a book, road signs, and license plates for the first three. The last two are leaves on trees and high line wires. The first three are obvious, especially since I spend a lot of time reading to study as a minister and on the road as a...