Revitalize Your Church

During the Great Pestilence of 1637, Martin Rinkart, age 31, found himself in a distressing situation as the only clergyperson in Eilenburg, Germany. The plague had broken out in this war torn community, and all of the other clergymen had either died or departed.   Left alone to meet the vast spiritual needs of the entire community, Rinkart officiated 4480 funerals (40-50 per day) including that of his first wife.   A severe famine followed the epidemic, and the good pastor rose to this challenge, working with town leaders to provide relief and organize assistance. He also led negotiations to secure peace with their enemies. In the darkest hours of the epidemic, young Pastor Rinkart served as a beacon of light and hope for others. It was during this time that he wrote the beloved hymn "Nun dankket alle Gott" ( Now Thank We All our God ), which is now often sung in Thanksgiving worship services around the world. Now thank we all our God, with heart and h...

Having problems? Then be happy, because it means you are alive. The only folks in town with no problems are those in the graveyard who have gone to heaven. Any time you attempt something worthwhile, you're going to run into troubles. They come with the territory of progress. Forward movement always brings friction and resistance. These problems in our lives are there to test our resolve and resilience. Here are a few helpful principles for facing life's difficulties: 1. Big problems are reserved for big people.    The person who desires to go forward with life and aim high will have bigger problems than the one who just sits around doing nothing and watching the world go by.  The rewards are bigger, too -- and definitely worth the struggle. 2. Big plans bring big problems. God gives us the vision of what He can accomplish through us. Sometimes, His vision is accompanies by big plans and big problems. One guarantee: If God supplies the vision, He will put a PR...

Here we stand at the threshold of the New Year. 2015 will soon be passed and packed away, living only in the attic of memories.   Looking ahead to 2016, I can guarantee one thing: a lot of living will go into it. How will it turn out? Only God knows. This chapter may be drama. Perhaps it will be romance. Action adventure. Comedy. Tragedy. Mystery. Next December, upon reflection, you will be able to describe the events of 2016 – but not now. The best you can do is throw your shoulders back, trust God, and march right in. You see, although you don’t know anything about the upcoming months, God does – and He will be with you as you travel from mountain top to valley.   Nobody knows what tomorrow holds, but we do know WHO holds tomorrow. Sometimes, in lonely moments, it feels as if we are alone, but God has promised never to leave you or forsake you – even in the darkest hours. An anonymous writer captured this idea with these inspiring words: I said to the man wh...

Rick Warren's Pastors.com  recently featured an excerpt from my book, Filled Up, Poured Out: How God's Spirit Can Revive Your Passion and Purpose .  It's the story of my friend Timber Tina:   The Grace Bubble That Saved a Survivor.

You fearful saints, fresh courage take. The very clouds you so much dread Are filled with mercy and shall break With countless blessings on your head. -- William Cowper "He delivers me from all my fears" Psalm 34:7

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

A sign my Dad had on his desk: The Lord Never Panics Another thought: Instead of staying awake tossing and turning, hand the situation over to the Lord. He will be up all night anyway.

My friend, Jim, sent me this e-mail today: Pastor Mark, This Sunday please spend a few minutes addressing the financial disaster that some families have faced the past 2 weeks.......Please remind them: 1) Jesus knows just where they are at. 2) Jesus will meet all their needs. 3) This world is only temporary, the kingdom is eternal.

Fear can really do a number on us emotionally. It hinders our hopes, cripples our character and destroys our dreams. I recently read that anxiety (fear) is most common mental health problem for women. For men it ranks second -- right behind alcohol related issues. (I guess that means guys drink booze in order to mask their fears.) Researchers have discovered that one out of nine Americans has a debilitating phobia. If we don't deal with fear in a healthy way, it takes over like a cancer of the soul. Lloyd C. Douglas said, "If a man harbors any sort of fear, it percolates through all his thinking, damages his personality, makes him a landlord to a ghost." Whatever you fear has power over you! You must face it if you wish to master it. As Frank Tyger stated, "Fear fades when facts are faced." We can quickly spot the "anxiety disease" in others. It's much more difficult for us to see it in ourselves. Do you know the difference between realistic and un...

"The price of our vitality is the sum of our fears." -- David Whyte

At bedtime, one summer evening, a storm raged outside: rain pelted the windows lightening flashed thunder rolled Momma tucked little Johnny into bed. She was about to turn off the light when, in a trembling voice, he said, "Mommy, will you stay here all night with me?" The mother smiled, and said, "Oh honey, you know I can't do that. I have to sleep in Daddy's room tonight." After a long silence, the little boy muttered, "The big sissy!"