Christian Worker
From the Director’s Desk (December 2024) – Trent Kennedy
The gospel is good news because the outlook of sinful man is bleak. Sin separates mankind from God and puts us in the “bad news” category. While in sin, we are lost. People must come face-to-face with the reality that they are lost, separated from God, and without hope. It is God’s mouthpiece, His servant, the preacher, who must communicate this reality and offer the hope found only in Jesus. It is possible to communicate someone’s lost state to them…
In My Obedience – Bryce Mayfield
Obedience is an appealing characteristic. Not only to our God and His Son (John 14:15), but also to mankind. Parents, consider the pleasant thought of asking your children to wash the dishes and, with a simple, “Yes sir” or “Yes ma’am,” they immediately obey without raising objection. Such a thought would likely make any parent smile. This could be because obedience is learned and takes discipline or because this character trait has, seemingly, become less common in our society. Whatever…
In My Stewardship of Time – John Baker
Nobody ever managed their time the way Jesus did. In just 33 years of life, He changed history forever. Think of all He accomplished. In the work that He did on earth, Jesus became a greater Provider than Jacob (John 4:12-14), a greater Lawgiver than Moses (John 9:28; Heb. 3:1-6), a greater Teacher than Solomon (Matt. 12:42; cf. 1 Kings 10:1-7), and a greater King than David (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 19:16). No one ever lived a fuller, richer, or…
In My Thoughts – Joey Davis
Isaiah said, “He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isa. 53:2). The modern artist’s efforts to depict the Son of God typically portray him as a magnificent specimen of humanity. The Bible indicates that Jesus’ external appearance was probably, at best, average and perhaps even less. However, as for qualities that really matter – those of the heart (1 Sam.16:7) – Jesus was nothing short of exquisite.…
In My Sorrow – John Haffner
Feeling sorrow demonstrates not just our emotional capacity but also where we place significance—our tears show our hearts. The Bible reveals many intensely sad and trying moments Jesus faced. Even long before the incarnation, our Lord was prophesied to be a “Man of sorrows” (Isa. 53:3). If we were in His position, we would no doubt find many occasions to cry over our difficult circumstances. However, when the Bible describes Him weeping, Jesus most often shed His tears for others.…
In My Teaching and Preaching – Ronnie Scherffius
Some of the most incredible words to pass from the lips of man were spoken by one who came to Jesus by night, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God” (John 3:2). Jesus was not simply “a teacher come from God.” He was the Master Teacher. When Jesus preached, “the people were astonished at his doctrine.” When Jesus preached, He taught “as one having authority,” not simply as a scribe (Matt. 7:28, 29). When Jesus preached,…
In My Anger
It may seem strange to include Jesus and anger in the same sentence, much less an entire article dedicated to learning something about His anger. But perhaps our squeamishness at the idea of Jesus being angry is due to our tendency to view Him through a modern lens. When we think about anger in our culture, we usually think about someone who is out of control, who launches into a fit of rage. Cursing, being destructive, and seeking vengeance are…
From the Director’s Desk (November 2024) – Trent Kennedy
Preachers, do you ever find yourself having the congregation turn to the same book or passages over and over again? Do the same four or five Scriptures always seem to be part of your sermons, week in and week out? Is this type of preaching keeping you and your audience from growing? I think many of us revert back to our “comfort Scriptures” that we have memorized, preached, and know so well. However, when we carefully examine our preaching, it…
In My Love – Curtis Scherffius
Love is one of the strongest things in this world. As a member of the Body of Christ this fact is no different. One of the most important commands that we have is to love. In the book of Deuteronomy, we see that God commands His people to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deut 6:5). The Bible shows the importance of love by stating that “…everyone who…
In My Disagreements – Dave Rogers
How can there be “beauty” in disagreement? Disagreement is unpleasant; it disrupts harmony among brethren, disturbs peace of mind between neighbors, and distresses our spirits. David wrote of “…how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1) — so how can we find “beauty” in disagreements? Human revulsion at the prospect of conflict springs from our familiarity with the rejection, anger, hurt, disappointment, acrimony, and resentment that flourish when seeds of disagreement are…
In My Speech – Wade Webster
The song that serves as the central thought of this lesson contains both direct and indirect references to our speech. In the fourth verse the song speaks of letting the beauty of Jesus be seen in all that we say and to keep sweet. In the third verse, the song speaks of remembering how Jesus was treated when someone speaks some word that pierces us through. Clearly, the implication is that we should show the same restraint that Jesus showed in…
In My Priorities – John Haffner
As modern society seems to be constantly pulling us in different directions, the task of sorting out our priorities is essential. What is important? What is urgent? What should be given the most attention? Examining the life of Jesus, we find a man whose priorities were unwavering and were always aligned with God’s will. As members of His church, we have been called to match our priorities to Christ’s, and must ensure that our lives reflect the mission, values, and…