Prayer is the great elevator of hope for the people of God. Prayer holds out the possibility, even the certainty, that things can be different than they are now. Certainly, every believer prays for their own church, but could a kingdom mindset call us to pray for churches — all churches that preach the gospel,Continue reading “A Prayer for Churches”
Tag Archives: preaching
Evangelistic Preaching
I have preached lots of evangelistic sermons and many revival services. I have a natural God-given bent toward evangelistic preaching, but I am by no means an expert. Famous nineteenth century evangelist D.L. Moody is credited with saying, “Many a man can preach the gospel better than me, but no man can preach a betterContinue reading “Evangelistic Preaching”
When a Crisis Comes
Crises come without warning. When they arrive in a church or ministry, they require the fully devoted attention of pastors, elders and ministry leaders. No matter what is written on your calendar for the day, it all changes when there is a crisis. One online source defines crisis as “an unexpected event that leads to a potentially dangerous situation affecting individuals, communities, or even the global environment. The term can take various forms,Continue reading “When a Crisis Comes”
A Time to Speak
The wise preacher reminds us in Ecclesiastes 3:7b that there is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” But if you are a pastor, elder or ministry leader then you may feel the tension of discerning which one you need to do at any given moment. Adding to the tension of speaking or remaining silent is the awareness that we are not equippedContinue reading “A Time to Speak”
It’s Been a Good Year
2025 has been a great year for Kentucky Baptists. As a convention of 2,350 churches, God has given us wonderful unity and noticeable fruit as we partner together to help churches reach Kentucky and the world for Christ. Here are seven ways it has been a great year for Kentucky Baptists: 1. God has provided servant leaders to help churches in our state: 2025 has been aContinue reading “It’s Been a Good Year”
Ministering to Mr. or Mrs. No
‘Mr. or Mrs. No’ are fictional names of real people in many Baptist churches. They are people who possibly mean well but over time have developed a stranglehold on the growth and health of their church. They possess an outsized influence and people either like them, are afraid of them or are determined to overlook them. Mr. or Mrs. No make life difficult for pastors. Not because they always say “no” to everything the pastor wants to do, but because they have never learnedContinue reading ” Ministering to Mr. or Mrs. No”
Invite a Young Man to Preach
We live among a gold mine of young preachers in Kentucky. Kentucky Baptists have access to three separate institutions where hundreds of young men are being trained for ministry leadership and many of them are being trained to preach. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College in Pineville and Boyce College and The Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryContinue reading “Invite a Young Man to Preach”
Caring for Your Pastor
Good pastors are hard to find. Some churches that are without a pastor have spent two years or longer in a search for their next one. Currently there are approximately 280 Kentucky Baptist churches searching for their next senior leader. But what if you already have a good pastor? What are you doing to helpContinue reading “Caring for Your Pastor”
Great Days at Clear Creek
By all measurable accounts, Clear Creek Baptist Bible College — nestled in the foothills of Appalachia — is doing great. A recent report shows enrollment at Clear Creek is up by more than 80 students since last semester. But not only is the school growing numerically; it is also growing spiritually. Over the pastContinue reading “Great Days at Clear Creek”
Do You Have Worms?
My wife Connie recently discovered that we have bagworms on one of our evergreen trees. Bagworms can infest trees and shrubs and, if left untreated, can destroy your favorite sources of beauty and shade. We searched online to develop a plan for ridding the tree of these unwanted pests — which included removing theContinue reading “Do You Have Worms?”
Dr. Todd Gray 