Jerry Hill, on his perspective on church buildings and what they did in Guatemala: Where do church buildings fit in? They are not mentioned in the New Testament. With “all creation” as the goal, God’s army moved swiftly over the earth, leaving behind Christ’s church meeting in homes. Financial resources went to preaching and to […]
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Unlikely choice
Felipe was an unlikely choice as a pulpit preacher. In a society where vanity says, “I can’t learn anything from him. I know more than he does,” I have always said, “I can learn from anybody who speaks God’s word. Listen!” He was painfully shy and he had difficulty articulating. His conversion dated back almost […]
Continue readingThe sum of it
Jerry Hill on conversions around 1967 in Guatemala: “These exciting times helped us conclude: when the gospel is preached, there are going to be conversions; when the gospel is preached more, there are going to be more conversions.” What’s the lesson for us?
Continue readingPreach and follow the leads
Jerry Hill, again, in his book about their work in Guatemala, which I’m enjoying: A chain of events like this begins with someone preaching the gospel. It is predictable that important reactions will occur. It is impossible to know what they will be, whom they will involve or where they may lead. The preacher will […]
Continue readingPreaching in Acts and today
Reading Jerry Hill’s book on their work in Guatemala. He wrote on page 23, That preaching [in the book of Acts] was not our Sunday morning and evening lecture to believers. We’re prone to interpret biblical activities by our present practices. The word preach is used in Spanish and English versions to relate how Philip […]
Continue readingEvangelism bad, evangelist good?
Ironic that many in the church think it’s wrong to do evangelism (that old postmodernist view) while the word “evangelist” has become a popular secular term. Prayer sites, more than Bible-related sites, are problematic. It’s one thing to filter through denominational language and doctrines while reading, quite another to do it for prayer. This is […]
Continue readingMore home Bible studies
A brother posted to two email groups and said, I want to encourage others, especially our younger preaching brethren, to make more use of home Bible studies. Right proper encouragement. I wonder what percentage of preachers — young and old — are apt and prepared to teach someone the gospel outside the pulpit. A brother […]
Continue readingSuccess in church growth
One of the interesting things about success is that we think we know what it means. The same can be said for church growth. Many people write about it. Few have done it. Some have produced something that looks like church growth, but which is in fact a swelling of people or a selling of […]
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