Announcements at church: What’s in it for me?

Chris Green continues his ongoing series about church announcements. Here, he explains why we should actively listen to notices that aren’t even aimed at us.

7 reasons Tom Schreiner (tentatively) holds to Amillennialism

I like Tom Schreiner and I like this.

Do we care for the sheep or do we use the sheep?

Tim Challies on the money in this one: ‘Our churches are prone to grow apathetic and that apathy can often be addressed by ambition… But sometimes I’ve had to wonder: Is it really the church that’s ambitious, or is it the pastor? Some people have tremendous ambition and in order to achieve such ambition they need resources. The resource most at the disposal of the pastor is people—the people who attend their churches. And so I see this temptation for a pastor to use people as the resource or the raw material through which he can achieve his own ambitions. The pastor’s ambitions may be very good and very noble. These ambitions may mobilize people to become part of his flock and to join in his mission. But it strikes me that the heart of the pastor’s calling, at least as Paul describes it, is not mobilizing people or deploying people, but caring for them.’

Being a charity case

Eddie Arthur interacts with my post on churches and charitable status and draws some other lessons for mission agencies.

10 points on complementarianism

I agree with all of this except the last line in point 7. But that short sentence aside, this is very good.

11 powerful ways every single believer can glorify God

What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him forever. So says the Westminster Shorter Catechism. So if the purpose for which we were made is to glorify God, how exactly do we do that? Here are eleven things you can do to the end.

From the archive: The problem of crippling shyness and how the church can help

‘Even if our churches are not run by extroverts in a way that suits extroverts, there is often an implicit message that extroversion is next to godliness. It is those who push themselves forward for whom we can find works of service and, similarly, can raise up to positions of leadership. Even as a shy introvert, I know I find these people easier too. They will approach you, making themselves available to serve and telling you all about their background and previous ministries. What leader wouldn’t want that? It makes my life easier (and, let’s be honest, how much of our ministry – though we wouldn’t care to admit it – is driven by this beguiling idol). All the while, we send the implicit message that the introverted shy folk don’t serve any great purpose or, at least, that their introversion is a problem to be solved.’