Though I believe we shouldn't give up on a church too fast, there are some warning signs that should cause you to stop and ask if you'd be better off finding better pasture.
What does "your daughters will prophesy" mean if it doesn't mean they will preach? Does it mean they can preach only outside the church? Does it mean they are only sanctioned to conduct Bible studies for women? Does it mean they can preach as long as they don't stand behind a Plexiglas pulpit?
During a recent trip to El Salvador, a pastor and I were talking about how much we both love Christmas music. We shared some of the songs on our personal playlists, and then he told me that his wife is especially fond of songs like “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Let […]
But faith is also warfare. The devil hurls doubts and obstacles in our direction. There are battles and, sometimes, casualties. And there are always, always delays. And it is in those painful times of waiting when we are most tempted to quit.
When I was in my 20s, I was praying about whether I should enroll in graduate school. Then one morning in my devotional time I came to Psalm 32:8a, and it seemed to be flashing like a neon sign. It said, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go.” […]
I predicted that, sooner or later, the repressive "hermit kingdom" will fling open its doors to Christianity and join the 21st century. Many readers pushed back with strong criticism, either because they don't trust Kim Jong Un or because they don't trust President Trump's negotiating skills.
There's nothing wrong with doing those things, but if you never set aside time to focus wholeheartedly on prayer or the Bible, your relationship with God will feel cluttered and superficial. It's not too late to develop new spiritual habits.
Evangelist Billy Graham lived 99 years, wrote 30 books, met with 12 sitting American presidents and preached the gospel to millions.
The Calvinist preacher stirred up a hornet's nest when he said on his "Ask Pastor John" podcast that women should never be allowed to teach seminary classes. Piper said: "If it is unbiblical to have women as pastors, how can it be biblical to have women who function in formal teaching and mentoring capacities to train and fit pastors for the very calling from which the mentors themselves are excluded?"
The best leaders are those who have been broken by God. Like Jacob, they have wrestled with God and walked away with a limp. Their own ego has been subdued. Leaders will become dangerously self-centered if they skip this process.
White supremacy is part of the antichrist spirit mentioned in the New Testament. It is in complete opposition to Christ's gospel, for the following reasons:
The “celebrity syndrome” is still alive, in spite of the economy, and the only way we are going to stop big-headed charlatans from corrupting churches is to boycott them.
Anybody who has read this column before knows I’m unapologetically charismatic in my theology. I love the Holy Spirit, and I believe the New Testament calls us to make room for manifestations of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul gave guidelines for the gift of prophecy; he saw dramatic healings; he experienced supernatural visions; and he told church leaders not to forbid speaking in tongues (see 1 Corinthians 14:39). Paul was the epitome of charismatic spirituality.
The election of the new pope is a prophetic slap in the face for our egotistical excess. I’m not Catholic, and I’ve never completely understood Catholics’ preoccupation with Vatican politics. But I’ve been watching the Vatican closely since last month when Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina became the 266th pope and instantly got two million followers—and counting—on Twitter.
If you see any of these seven warning signs in your church, my advice is to run as fast as you can. A friend of mine from England recently asked me for counsel regarding a serious dilemma. His pastor had been involved in extramarital affairs, yet the man never stepped down after the scandal. My friend grew increasingly uncomfortable. Then he became alarmed when the embattled pastor announced he was going to lay hands on every church member during a weekend service to impart “special revelation.”
When they found Rosa she was unconscious and barely breathing. She had stab wounds in her back, she had been raped and beaten, and a jagged piece of wood had been shoved into her vagina. Official reports said the 35-year-old single mother, who had been studying to finish high school, had been impaled.
Why have so many young Christians today left the church? It’s partly because we haven’t been good mentors.
They called K.A. Paul “the Billy Graham of India.” During his heyday in the 1990s, some Christian leaders in the United States gave big donations to the evangelist, assuming he was using the money to feed thousands of orphans and widows.
Pentecost’s power is more than wind, fire, and supernatural hooplah. Without love it is just noise.
What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “Pentecostal”?
If you or someone you love is struggling with a porn addiction, take these steps to freedom.
At a men’s conference I sponsored recently in Philadelphia, some of my friends took the stage and got gut-level honest about their temptations. I was so proud of their courage. Shay, a young father from Ohio, admitted that he was exposed to hard-core pornography when he was only five years old. He began modeling what he saw in X-rated videos when he was just six.
The pop diva’s death should remind us of an uncomfortable reality: People in church take drugs.
