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Leadership Vision

By Commentary

Sometimes leaders are so busy painting a beautiful picture of a better future that they can’t see the potholes right in front of them! Good leadership includes seeing those and taking preventive action.

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March BB Pulse Newsletter

By Commentary

Greetings in the name of our wonderful Lord Jesus! Today I sit in the GARBC national representative’s office in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Just outside that office are lithographs of Robert Ketcham, H. O. Van Gilder, Joe Stowell, and others. And I wonder, What am I doing here?

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You Cannot Help but Worship

By Commentary

You may be either an atheist, an agnostic, a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian, a Wiccan, a Buddhist, a Hindu, or simply an individual who does not identify with any label. But whatever you are, you are a worshipper.

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The High Price of Coarse Jesting

By Commentary

Let’s use another regrettable event in our world as an opportunity to marvel at what Jesus Christ made possible for us, and move in the direction of repentance, faith, and obedience so that our words—whether spoken in private or public—might honor Him.

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Understanding the Call to Ministry

By Commentary

The call to ministry is a realization that God is directing you into vocational ministry. This realization is accompanied by your own desire. And it is confirmed by church leaders who observe your character and gifts for ministry.

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No Fear This School Year

By Commentary

If you are fearful entering this school year, then turn to God’s Word for hope. Within the pages of the Bible, there are precious promises for scared, weak, and needy people to grab hold of.

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Back to the Mission Field of School

By Commentary

As school starts this year, create a new tradition at supper for each person in your family to think about someone at their school or workplace they can pray for, then pray for them as a family during supper time.

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On Uncertainty

By Commentary

This is a time of great uncertainty, but it is also a time for reflection on First Things, on Prime Principles. On what is certain. On Truth.

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Forgiveness

By Commentary

Just as biblical love is an action (not a feeling) so is biblical forgiveness. Stop looking at your emotions as a barometer and start looking unto Jesus.

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Thanks & Giving

By Commentary

This Thanksgiving Day, as we sit down with our family and friends and stare at that turkey with the trimmings, perhaps we should remind ourselves to be better thankers and better givers.

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A Few Good Men

By Commentary

It is God’s business to turn people who are not good into people are who are. Justification declares us to be righteous based on the righteousness of another, so we are “good” in the estimation of God as He sees us in Christ.

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The War Within

By Commentary

Do you find yourself in a cyclical battle with sin? Next time you sin, stop yourself, and walk yourself through James 4:1–4.

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Movie Review: Unplanned

By Commentary

Unplanned is a film you need to see. It will change your perspective. It is not entertaining, but it does show in compelling fashion both what abortion is and how by God’s grace we can see change in those who administer and advocate its practice in our day.

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Miracles: Then and Now (Part Two)

By Commentary

The era of the Gospels began with the gigantic miracle of the virgin conception and birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the entrance of God in the flesh into the temporal order. This era closed with the most colossal miracle of all human history—the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

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God Will Fix This!

By Commentary, Culture

On Dec. 3 the New York Daily News published the headline “God Isn’t Fixing This” in response to the outpouring of prayer support for the victims of the San Bernardino shootings. So how should we think about this from a Biblically informed worldview?

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Woodlawn: Movie Review

By Commentary, Culture

With the recent Hollywood success of War Room as a #1 movie, I see no reason why Woodlawn will not be a huge hit too. The main character, Hank Erwin Jr., is played by Sean Astin, who is best known from his role as Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings. Moviegoers will also know him as Rudy in the movie by the same name. Woodlawn has a wonderful storyline with compelling subplots and superb acting.

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Pastor Appreciation Gifts

By Commentary, Local Church Ministry

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I have received multiple calls asking about the tax treatment of pastor appreciation gifts. I attempt to simplify things as much as possible, even when something has layers of complexity. So if your situation is beyond the following simple, straightforward explanations, always ask more questions.

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What about Life on Mars?

By Commentary, Culture

The scientific community is abuzz this week with the announcement that liquid water has been confirmed on Mars. Of course scientists have long known that water is abundant in our universe (including on Mars), but specific evidence of a stable supply of liquid water has been lacking.

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War Room: Movie Review

By Commentary, Culture

A few months ago, my wife and I were privileged to attend a preview screening of War Room, the latest movie produced by the Kendrick brothers (Courageous, Fireproof, & Facing the Giants are some of their other works). The movie opens Friday, August 28th, and I urge you to attend a showing in your community to support the movie.

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Would You Rethink This, Please?

By Commentary

“These creationists are inadvertently and blindly trusting man’s fallible dating methods for archaeological data.” So says Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis. Who are these blind individuals who have so readily capitulated to modernist scientific categories?

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Misplaced Desires

By Commentary

By Bernie Augsburger “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do…

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I Don’t Understand

By Commentary, Network Blogs

Organizations often choose names that advertise their purpose or emphasis. The Federal Aviation Administration regulates aviation. The American Automobile Association helps drivers of automobiles. Alcoholics Anonymous is devoted to alcoholics—and anonymity. Names correlate with purposes.

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God Is Worthy of Our Trust

By Commentary

I am convinced that if you trust in something or someone, you already absolutely believe that something or someone is worthy of your trust. Furthermore, your actions will reveal whether or not you truly believe in the object of that trust.

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Racism: How Far Have We Come?

By Commentary, Network Blogs

One of the best things I’ve seen over the past several years in the world of sports took place on Sunday in Oakland. In silent protest to the remarks of Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling, the team walked onto the court, gathered at its center, and removed their team warm-ups to reveal inside-out undershirts.

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Significant Work in Ukraine

By Commentary, Social Concerns

Current events often have major impact on the ministries of friends and colleagues around the world. Missionary Scott Carter with ABWE in Ukraine writes his perspective on Acts 8:1–4 in light of the political happenings in that country.

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Value of Customary Church Membership

By Doctrine, GARBC Blog Feed No Comments

Q. Lately some friends have begun attending a church that doesn’t have membership; a person who simply attends is considered a member. Is this right?

A. In the last few decades an increasing number of churches have gone this route, particularly so-called megachurches. The Bible doesn’t specifically use the word member concerning local churches, and I am not going to judge those churches that do not have what we might call formal membership. However, I believe a positive, Biblically harmonious case can be made for it.

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God Was Looking at the Heart

By Doctrine, GARBC Blog Feed No Comments

Q. Two verses, 1 Samuel 16:7 and 16:12, seem to contradict each other. Please explain.

A. Samuel was to anoint a new king to take the place of wicked King Saul. God instructed Samuel to go to Jesse the Bethlehemite to find a king among his sons. Verse 7 says that the Lord warned Samuel not to evaluate the sons by their looks, “for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” After God indicated that the sons, one by one, were not whom He had in mind, verse 12 says that there was one son left, “so he sent and brought him [David] in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good looking. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!’”

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Cultivating Thankfulness in Ministry

By Commentary No Comments

As Thanksgiving approaches, I’m thinking of how a pastor might cultivate thankfulness in his own heart for God’s goodness, and how he might teach his congregation thankfulness as they grow together in Christ. I recently picked the brain of my pastoral mentor, Rich Van Heukelum, on this subject. I trust that his responses will better equip us all.

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Philosophy of Worship: Handling Controversial Issues

By Commentary No Comments

Pastor Ken Pyne of Evangel Baptist Church, Taylor, Mich., contributed the following post. We face many issues—often controversial—when developing a philosophy of church music and worship. How should we deal with these? Ken lists several of these issues, but then gives principles we need to establish even before considering these details. He offers good advice on how to tie things together Biblically.

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The Pastor’s Spiritual Life

By Commentary One Comment

In being asked to write a small piece for “The Pastor’s Spiritual Life,” my first thought was to outline the necessary disciplines that every pastor needs to do—read the Bible, meditate, pray, serve, and even fast. But most of this is self-evident, and books and even sermon series cover these topics. I had one idea of having another pastor preach to me through recorded sermons. But the more I thought about it, I felt lead to share about an experience this past year.

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Collision

By Culture 4 Comments

Today the film Collision: Is Christianity Good for the World? is released. Collision documents the public debates and private interactions between atheist Christopher Hitchens and evangelical theologian Douglas Wilson. Dr….

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