The Barnabas File

“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should
continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

There’s No Testimony Without The Test!

I had never seen it before. It was a piece of wood about 36 inches long, 4 inches high and one half inch thick. It was sitting on a shelf in a Christian Book Store on the eastern side of our state where we had gone for a brief getaway after the Christmas holidays. Ann and I enjoy visiting unique shops and this one contained several quaint items, most of which we had seen before. But there sat this one piece of wood, really not so unique in itself, but the saying inscribed on it was what caught my attention - “There Can Be No Testimony Without The Test!” Read the rest of this article »

“He…..encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should
continue with the Lord.”Acts 11:23

Things!

“Morrison of Wellington,” George H. Morrison (1866-1928), during his era was no doubt the most popular preacher in Scotland. A Presbyterian pastor, for twenty-six years he faithfully shepherded the flock at Wellington Church, Glasgow. Surrendered totally to ministry, he chose not to serve on committees, preferring rather to spend his time on what he considered were his greatest responsibilities to the church - mornings in study and afternoons in visiting his congregation, making an average of one thousand calls a year! Primarily an expository preacher, his Sunday evening sermons targeted the specific needs of his sheep and standing room only crowds gathered to hear him. Many of these sermons are in print and worthy of your reading. I like what Warren Wiersbe said of Morrison in his volume, “Living with the Giants,” a statement we preachers should take to heart: “Morrison’s preaching strength lay in his knowledge of the Bible, his knowledge of his people and their needs, and his ability to put both together in an imaginative way that reached the heart.” Read the rest of this article »

“He…..encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

“The Joy Robbers of Ministry!”

Do you ever find yourself losing your joy in ministry? I mean, all the commitments, obligations, responsibilities, problems and unnecessary distractions become so overwhelming that you just slam the study door, turn off the lights, fall flat on your face on the carpet (if you are blessed enough to have carpet!) and cry out to God, “I just can’t do this myself! I am tired, I am mentally fatigued, my strength has failed e’re the day is half done”…..you know what I mean. Read the rest of this article »

“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” 11:23

“Congregations will gather around a pulpit from which living water is flowing!” –E. Stanley Jones

“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” John 3:5

Now, just because I quoted E. Stanley Jones, don’t go around saying that he is my favorite role model in ministry. I certainly do respect him for laboring 66 years as a missionary evangelist to the upper castes of India, but I do have a problem with much of his theology. But when he said that “congregations will gather around a pulpit from which living water is flowing,” I just had to say, “Amen!” Read the rest of this article »

“He…encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

The Glorious Account Of Easter!

Luke Chapter 24

Though the term Easter is found but once in the King James Version (Acts 12:4), and is translated “Passover” in nearly all other translations of that text, it is a term that is commonly acknowledged as representing the day of the week in which our Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave. Certain chapters of the Bible seem to bear a theme that helps us to recognize their content, such as Hebrews 11 is the “Faith” chapter; I Corinthians 13 the “Love” chapter; Luke 15 the “Lost & Found” chapter; Ephesians 6 the “Soldier’s” chapter; John 3 the “New Birth” chapter; and Luke 24 is often called the “Easter” chapter. Read the rest of this article »

“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

Weaknesses!

A sizable share of my ministry over the past several years has been to assist churches find pastors. The question that I am often asked regarding prospective candidates is, “What are their strengths and what are their weaknesses?” Strengths have a tendency to be more observable while often weaknesses more imperceptible. Strengths are generally visible while weaknesses are more hidden. Strengths often can be detectable through casual acquaintance, weaknesses, on the other hand, usually only surface when there is a more familiar relationship. It is not uncommon to converse about our strengths while discussing our weaknesses lies outside our comfort zone. Read the rest of this article »

“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

The Power of the Midnight Song!

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

George Morrison (1866-1928) was a Presbyterian pastor and preacher who was born in Scotland. The pastor of Wellington Church, Glasgow, for twenty-six years, his ministry primarily consisted of personal visits, postcards and letters for all those in his care who were sick or in sorrow or in trouble. He chose not to serve on committees, preferring to spend his time in what he considered the most important responsibilities to his church - mornings in study and afternoons in visiting his congregation. Many of his sermons and devotional thoughts have been put in print. In his volume entitled, Wind on the Heath, he has a sermon entitled, “Unconscious Ministries,” wherein he states that all of us exercise unconscious ministries. He references Paul and Silas, who sang at midnight while under adverse circumstances, not particularly paying attention that the prisoners were listening to them. Read the rest of this article »

"He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord." Acts 11:23

The Glory of the Incarnation!

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter nineteen, verse ten, we are reminded that Jesus came to seek and to save those who were lost. Had man not been lost, He never would have had to come. Now here is a sobering thought — to our sin we owe the incarnation! As we contemplate the Christmas season and all of it's hustle and bustle, let us revel in the glory of the incarnation, that moment in time when God became man, in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. That time when God, the Invisible, appeared. Ponder it's mystery, slight not its history, glory in it's majesty and clarity, it is such a wonderful story to tell. One of my favorite advent poems is that by Charles Wesley, one of the great hymn writers of all time. It deserves our thoughtful meditation. Read the rest of this article »

"He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should
continue with the Lord." Acts 11:23

I'm So Thankful For His Grace!

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: "Who am I, O LORD God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O LORD God." I Chronicles 17:16-17

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“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

VI. During times of failure we must not forget the purpose of our call

Note: Times of failure are gentle reminders to reexamine our call, renew our commitment, stop having pity parties and remember that failure is not a person - it is an event! From time to time it is very important for us to truly examine our hearts and be reminded of our call to ministry. In each of the lives of these three men who sensed failure and wanted to quit, “The Word of the Lord came…..” This is why it is so important for us to stay in the Word of God. God’s instruction to Moses was “Go teach….” - to Elijah, “Go touch….” and to Jonah, “Go tell…” This is about as simple as it can be explained. In fact, if I am not mistaken, this is basically, in reverse order, the Great Commission!
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“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

Failure Is An Event - Not A Person!
Part 3

V.
During Times of Failure We Must Remember The Greatness of God

Note: The greatness of God is the primary factor in ministry - it is not ministry if God is not in it!
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The Barnabas File
Volume 4 Number 10, 8/31/04
“He….encouraged them al that with purpose of heart they should
continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

Failure Is An Event - Not A Person!
Part 2
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The Barnabas File
Volume 4 Number 9, 7/30/04
“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should
continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

Failure Is An Event - Not A Person!
Part 1
Read the rest of this article »

THE BARNABAS FILE
Volume 3 Number 12, 8/1/03
“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should
continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

PRESSED!
“Should such a man as I flee?” Nehemiah 6:11

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