I recently met with our Pastoral Residents to discuss preaching. Faithful preaching is a crucial part of a healthy church, and we are trying to help these guys develop into faithful preachers. This raises the question, “What makes up faithful preaching?” I think there are at least four marks of faithful preaching and, conveniently, they begin with “P.”Continue reading “4 Keys to Faithful Preaching”
Author Archives: Luke Simmons
Avoid Ministry Porn
For most pastors, it usually starts with the opening of a laptop. Sometimes it’s on a smartphone or tablet. Often, another pastor recommended it. With a few simple clicks, the video rolls or the sound begins. The faces and voices are familiar, but the settings change. The best sites have fresh content. New things neverContinue reading “Avoid Ministry Porn”
5 Dangers of Success
Everyone wants success, but few consider the dangers that come with it. Wise leaders — especially those experiencing some measure of success — should be aware. This came to mind most recently on a vacation in Flagstaff when I was walking through a bookstore and came upon Wooden: A Coach’s Life by Seth Davis. The quoteContinue reading “5 Dangers of Success”
What I Learned from a Weekend with Ex-Cons
This past weekend I spoke at a men’s retreat for Desert View Bible Church. There were about 140 men, mostly guys who attend the church. One of the men works with Alongside Ministries, a ministry that provides Christ-centered mentoring to the incarcerated community. He brought about 15 men who have been released from prison in theContinue reading “What I Learned from a Weekend with Ex-Cons”
Visionary Leadership Answers These 6 Questions
Visionary leadership is crucial in today’s world. Every leader has a vision. Some visions are clear, others are fuzzy. Some are well-developed, others are sloppy. Some are compelling, others are forgettable. How can a leader gauge the clarity and effectiveness of his or her vision? The most obvious way is to measure the people who eventually getContinue reading “Visionary Leadership Answers These 6 Questions”
Three Areas I’m Trying to Grow in as a Leader
As leaders, we must keep growing. We are not yet fully conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29), so God isn’t through with us yet. Sadly, growth is often very slow. Slower than I would like. But I keep striving, by faith, to move forward and grow as a leader. There are three areas of my lifeContinue reading “Three Areas I’m Trying to Grow in as a Leader”
How Long Could You Do Ministry Without God?
This is one of the most important questions a leader can ask, and Geoff Surratt’s post about it is one of my all-time favorites. Worth reading over and over. In one part he says: Israel created an elaborate and efficient church that ran very well without God. The priests and Levites excelled at their roles, theContinue reading “How Long Could You Do Ministry Without God?”
Lessons From a Weekend Alone With the Kids
This past weekend, Molly traveled to Ohio for a baby shower for her brother’s wife. She was gone Thursday-Monday and I was home alone with our 5 and 7 year-old daughters. We had a great time and I learned a few important things. 1. My kids are a lot of fun. They are creative, funny,Continue reading “Lessons From a Weekend Alone With the Kids”
How Special Should Easter Services Be?
Easter is just days away and, by now, most church leaders are pretty squared away on what their Easter services will look like. At least I would hope so. Though Easter is undoubtedly special, as it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, churches should beware of making their Easter services too special — or more specifically —Continue reading “How Special Should Easter Services Be?”
Preaching the Bible vs. Using the Bible
On a regular basis I will hear a shocking phrase from somebody who is new to our church. “It’s great how you guys actually teach the Bible.” What a bizarre idea. A person experiences our ministry and is refreshed because we actually teach the Bible. What is everyone else doing? This used to strike meContinue reading “Preaching the Bible vs. Using the Bible”
