As a pastor, it was my aim to disciple young men. I hold firmly to a biblical view of multiplication from 2 Timothy 2:2 and believe Jesus’ Great Commission is a mandate to not only baptize men and women converted to Christ, but also to make disciples of Jesus of those same converts. In fact,Continue reading “The “Two-Question” Tool “
Tag Archives: pastor
Teach Me to Preach
When I first started preaching, I had no idea what to do. I had listened to sermons but had no concept of how to prepare one. So I prayed fervently and practiced reverse engineering to figure out biblical exegesis, sermonic structure, sermon content, illustrations, applications, introductions and conclusions. I remember hearing one preacher humorously sayContinue reading “Teach Me to Preach”
Part-Time Preacher
I do not pastor a church, but I do preach quite a lot. I preached seven times in a recent nine-day stretch. That is not normal, but it is not uncommon for me to preach most Sundays and often on other occasions during the week. I preach at least as often as I did whenContinue reading “Part-Time Preacher “
A Well-Placed Question
Jesus was known for asking questions. According to Bob Tiede of Biblical Leadership, the four gospels record 339 questions that Jesus asked. Others say the number is a little lower, but all agree that Jesus asked lots of questions. Tiede mentions, “He sometimes answered questions with questions of his own.” Jesus was the master of well-placed questions.Continue reading “A Well-Placed Question”
Fruit That Did not Last
I had dinner recently with a couple who were saved and baptized in the last church I pastored. This couple has walked with Jesus for several years now and raised children who are following Christ. They are faithful in their local church and have intentionally ordered their lives as ambassadors for Jesus. I rememberContinue reading “Fruit That Did not Last “
Tips on Evangelistic Preaching
I am not an evangelist, but I am commanded by Scripture to do the work of one. Paul instructed Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:5, “do the work of an evangelist.” Every God-called preacher has an obligation and opportunity to figure out and carry out the work of an evangelist. What do evangelists do? They shareContinue reading “Tips on Evangelistic Preaching”
Preachers Need Preaching
I was invited recently to preach at the Winter Bible Conference hosted by Pastor Jeff Noffsinger and Dripping Spring Baptist Church. It is an annual event that has been going on for many years. I was excited to preach — but more excited to hear a good sermon from someone else. Bro. Jeff bringsContinue reading “Preachers Need Preaching”
Welcome to 2024
I love starting a new year. There is excitement about what can happen, and the possibilities seem endless. My work schedule allows for a slower pace to finish out one year and prepare to start a new one in fresh ways. Every January is an opportunity for us to think about the year ahead andContinue reading “Welcome to 2024”
The Ministry of Presence
Bill Cutrer was a medical doctor turned pastor turned seminary professor. That’s where I met him and formed a profound appreciation for his ministry. He taught Crisis Counseling at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and I was blessed by God to have him as a professor. The class focused on the unfortunate reality that peopleContinue reading “The Ministry of Presence”
Getting Healthy Enough to Evangelize
I wish every member of a Kentucky Baptist church could participate in the monthly Kentucky Baptist Convention staff forum. Forum, as we call it, is a two-hour meeting where we celebrate ministry wins, challenge ourselves in our work, inform team members about upcoming ministry, employee benefits, etc. and talk about how we can improveContinue reading “Getting Healthy Enough to Evangelize”
Dr. Todd Gray 