We tend to think of Holy Week as a week that brought some small sense of dread for the Lord Jesus—from a human standpoint—based on his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and the willpower required to willingly submit to the cross. We do not often associate Holy Week with joyful anticipation. Yet for our … Continue reading Maundy Thursday: Passover Fulfilled
Holy Wednesday: Costly Devotion, Cheap Betrayal
Any of us who have been in church budget meetings know something of this attitude of pious austerity that affects Christians of all stripes. For some reason, no one is more careful with money than when it is time to judge how someone else spends it, especially in the Lord’s name. Many of us have … Continue reading Holy Wednesday: Costly Devotion, Cheap Betrayal
Holy Tuesday: The Million-Dollar Question
Though Protestants don’t typically make much of Holy Tuesday, it’s a helpful way of marking time during Holy Week and preparing our hearts for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. According to some interpretations, Holy Tuesday is when—after Palm Sunday and the cursing of the fig tree—the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes questioned Jesus (Mark 12; cf. … Continue reading Holy Tuesday: The Million-Dollar Question
Holy Monday: Jesus the Fruit Inspector
During Holy Week, I’ll be attempting to post one new devotional each day. Enjoy. Many of us know Palm Sunday—when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem a week before his crucifixion, hailed as the coming Messiah—but what happened next? Holy Monday marks the events that followed. We’re told: “On the following day, when they came from Bethany, … Continue reading Holy Monday: Jesus the Fruit Inspector
Grace and Peace From God for the Current Season
“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:1-2 ESV First impressions matter. There’s a world of difference between walking into the office on Monday … Continue reading Grace and Peace From God for the Current Season
Me and Jesus: An Interview
Every now and then, I’m accused of having my head in the clouds. Hard to believe, isn’t it? That’s why I was surprised and refreshed when a South African podcaster approached me a few months ago asking to interview me on a fairly simple topic: Jesus. Who he is, what he has done in my … Continue reading Me and Jesus: An Interview
12 Bible Verses for Sharing the Gospel During Crisis
This article originally appeared on ABWE’s blog. Evangelism is hard. It is true that the current global circumstances have opened doors for spiritual conversation in a variety of ways. Record numbers of individuals are searching for keywords related to prayer and hope. According to Google, there was a 170 percent spike in searches for Psalm … Continue reading 12 Bible Verses for Sharing the Gospel During Crisis
4 Steps to Avoid Ministry Burnout: Lessons From Moses
Tracing Israel’s repeated rebellions in the wilderness is as dizzying as watching dirty bathwater circle the drain. In spite of its refrain stressing the patience of God, the book of Numbers exhausts the reader with its reports of these cyclical revolts of the exodus generation. Time and again, they clamor for food, drink, or a … Continue reading 4 Steps to Avoid Ministry Burnout: Lessons From Moses
Transition, Trust, and Tablescapes
Life in ministry is teeming with transitions. Whether it’s moving your family to answer a pastoral calling, sending off a missionary from your church, bringing onboard a new pastor, or passing through parted waters of seminary on dry ground—a life lived in service of the kingdom is always in flux, never fixed in one easy, … Continue reading Transition, Trust, and Tablescapes
