Stand to Reason: “I was with Greg at a Ligonier conference in Orlando once, and was talking to a man who came up to our display table. He saw some of our pro-life resources and announced that he personally believed that abortion was wrong, but he didn’t believe that we should prohibit other people who thought differently about the issue from getting abortions. He thought it ought to be legal even though he personally thought it was wrong. This is the favorite choice of religious politicians who are pro-choice. If somebody makes that kind of statement, there is always a … Continue reading When someone says they are personally against abortion, but think it should remain legal…

We can’t wait for this conference! Continue reading Together for Adoption South Africa

This is a short documentary about a famous landmark in Johannesburg. It is also the place where one of our friends was shot and left for dead. God used that moment in his life however to transform him. And now, he’s a pastor and looking to go back to Malawi to plant a Bible preaching church! Awesome. Continue reading Ponte Towers

Wow. I am glad to have read this and this. It is a good reminder of how fundamentally flawed we all our and our great need of a Savior. It is also an urgent warning to carefully and ruthlessly evaluate our own lives to see if we are really living in ways that match up with the gospel. I think the person who looks back at the Puritans and wonders how they could have done this probably doesn’t know themselves as well as they think. We are all experts in self-deception and masters of rationalization. These stories are not just … Continue reading Getting Angry at the Right People

We are really enjoying meeting once a month with a group of young students and pastors from around Pretoria. This article explains why we think it is an important priority! The Number One Failure of Pastors “The four-year-old who says, “I can do it by myself” has a lot in common with the typical pastor. Pastors are notorious for their lone ranger approach to ministry. It’s what I call the number one failure of 90 percent of pastors. They prefer to go it alone.” Read the rest… Continue reading Support Systems

One of the greatest joys God gives us in life, (and He gives us so many!) is working together with godly, humble friends. He’s put some amazing people in our lives and we are forever thankful! I always figure that God must have known that I need a lot of help, so He stoops down and sends such fantastic people into our lives. Working with such sweet people keeps you humble and prayerful (I hope!) because I just don’t want to mess it up with my selfishness. I feel such a responsibility before God to do everything I can to … Continue reading This and that…

Paul Tripp, The Recipe for a Successful Pastor “A pastor’s ministry is never just shaped by his experience, knowledge, and skill. It is also always shaped by the true condition of his heart. In fact, if his heart is not in the right place, knowledge and skill can make him dangerous. Pastors often struggle to find living, humble, needy, celebratory, worshipful, meditative communion with Christ. It is as if Jesus has left the building. There is all kinds of ministry knowledge and skill, but it seems divorced from a living communion with a living and ever-present Christ. All this activity, … Continue reading Linkable

I have been blogging for almost six years now. Here are some of the things God has been teaching me during the month of March over the past several years. March 2010 How Great A Salvation!: What issues were of greatest concern to you this past week? Your children, maybe? Finances? Your relationship with your boss and fellow employees? Sports, perhaps? Life is busy and a wide range of things can occupy our attention. It is remarkable how many different things seem so very important to us as we go about our lives. I am convinced however that no matter … Continue reading March through the years…

Paul Tautges: Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law (Romans 13:8, NKJ). Reading the above verse naturally raises the question, Does God’s Word prohibit financial debt? That is a very important question, especially in light of the following sentence from financial counselor and author, Ron Blue [not the author of the above-mentioned course], “The financial area of debt is clouded with more emotion, misunderstanding, and poor teaching than any other area, with the possible exceptions of life insurance and tithing.” To clarify the confusion surrounding a Christian’s relationship to … Continue reading Is it a sin to borrow money?

Paul Tripp: Being a pastor is more than preaching sermons and designing programs. It is knowing that you need community, that you have been called to lead the community of love that is the church. That teenager attracted to the world needs God’s love. That single person facing the death of personal dreams needs God’s love. That immigrant brother or sister who feels so out of place and so misunderstood needs God’s love. That mom overwhelmed with her parenting responsibilities needs God’s love. That man tempted to walk out of his troubled marriage needs God’s love. That little boy who … Continue reading Amen, Amen, and Amen Again!