Spurgeon: “Man fashions for himself a god after his own liking”

Charles Spurgeon has a remarkable way of getting to the heart of things. The more modern evangelical books I read, the more I feel the need to go back to Spurgeon and see him cut through the fog and get to the true business of following Jesus.

Spurgeon's Worst Sermon

It is often difficult to confirm the accuracy of a story, including this one printed in the Christian Digest and cited in a collection of stories assembled by Paul Tan. It wouldn’t surprise me to find it is accurate, but in any case the point of the story is a valid one, and I have seen it illustrated in less dramatic ways in my own life and in the speaking ministries of others. I think it also applies to our attempts to share Christ with others. Sometimes we say just the wrong words and Christ uses them, other times ...

Stephen King, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie: What unbelievers are discovering about giving

Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

A few years ago, my wife Nanci showed me an article she had found in her Family Circle magazine. The article was titled "What You Pass On." It was written by author Stephen King. He's not a writer known for his theological insights, but what he wrote echoes the wisdom of Ecclesiastes 5:15 in his assessment of the futility of materialism. Buffet, Gates and Jolie will weigh in afterward. Here's what King has to say:

Steve Saint, Mincaye, and the Redemptive Power of the Gospel

In a post last June, I shared a video about Steve Saint, son of one of the five missionaries who were murdered in Ecuador in 1956. Steve, who is founder of ITEC (Indigenous People's Technology and Education Center) was seriously injured while testing a design for ITEC.

Steve Saint speaks from his hospital bed

Some years ago Steve Saint and I became friends. He came to our church within a week of the 50^th anniversary of the death of those missionaries, and I interviewed him and Mincaye, the former warrior who was one of the murderers of the missionaries, but who later came to faith in Christ. 

Stewarding Your Time

In light of my recent post on biblical illiteracy, I wanted to give some practical suggestions for being a better steward of the time God gives us each day, especially for making time for the study of God's Word.

I encourage you to keep track of how you spend your time for one week. You can use this time management sheet (PDF) to keep track of everything you do in a day, but most specifically what you do with your discretionary time.

For example, write down time spent:

Sleeping
Driving
Stores, shopping
Eating (will be easy to keep track ...

A Story about Makeup

Hope you enjoy this video that was recorded during a break from a recent filming.

The Story of One Man's Faithful Service to Christ

There are many stories of men who faithfully served Jesus and shared the gospel, despite never seeing any of the fruit from his efforts for many years.

While we may never seem to see any results from serving the Lord here on Earth, Malachi 3:16-18 is a remarkable passage that tells us God is watching and is documenting the faithful deeds of his children on Earth: “Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored ...

A Story of Rescue in Japan

As I’m sure many of you are, Nanci and I have been burdened for the people of Japan. We’ve been praying for people there, especially the believers, that the gospel could be spread in the midst of devastation.

With so many heartbreaking reports of death and loss, this news story telling the rescue of a baby girl is a wonderful glimpse of God’s mercy and saving grace.

A Strategy for Sharing Gospel Literature

Our EPM office recently received this note, and I think it inadvertently suggests a strategy for reaching people with the gospel.