New England news & perspectives
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5 Helpful Podcasts for Church Leaders
The number of people who learn by listening to podcasts is continually growing, and I’m a big fan of podcasts and audiobooks because they allow me to “redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:14) and learn while on the go. If you already listen to podcasts, consider adding these great ones to your rotation, and if not, and you spend a considerable amount of time on the road, I would highly encourage you to make the most of that time by adding a learning component to your commute to help you continue to grow as a church leader.
2 Great Books to Start The New Year
January is a natural time to pause, reflect on life, and evaluate what is most important and what changes, if any, need to be made in one’s life. I’m grateful for the many books in the past that have helped me gain wisdom and insight, as well as take actionable steps to make changes in different areas of my life. Two books I found myself returning to re-read are The Power to Change by pastor Craig Groeschel and Win the Day by pastor Mark Batterson. I highly recommend them both!
Three Great Advent Devotionals For The Christmas Season
In the spirit of celebrating the greatest gift we have been given, the Lord Jesus Christ, here are three Advent devotionals to choose from for your daily time with God this Christmas season. You can follow along with any of these 3 devotionals personally or with your family as you prepare your heart to celebrate Christmas by looking back and remembering Jesus’ first coming and looking forward in hope and anticipation of his glorious return.
Can I Trust The Bible? 5 Great Resources on The Reliability of Scripture
Several years ago, I went through a spiritually challenging phase of doubt. I started pulling on different threads and felt like a lot of my theology was becoming undone. During what is now commonly called “deconstruction,” I was influenced by many authors and theologians who questioned the veracity of Scripture.
Reflection questions for a new year
“So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Psalms 90:1
At the end of every year and the beginning of a new one, I like to take some time to pause and reflect. This can be really beneficial to help me have a better picture of where I am at the moment, celebrate past wins, and resolve to make any necessary changes, among other things.
Prayer brings peace
J.I. Packer once described prayer as “finding our way through duty to delight.” What an apt description of the journey that prayer leads us into. The path of prayer will always lead us away from anxiety and toward peace and delight.
Learning to feed yourself
When I was little, my grandfather would let me feed myself whenever I was at his home, a welcomed change from my mother feeding me. It was messy as I was still learning to do it correctly. But eventually, by doing it myself, I mastered it. It is not strange for a baby to be fed, but that must change as they grow and mature.
Christ our comforter
Suffering and pain are all too familiar to many of us. Experiencing affliction is part and parcel of what it means to live in a fallen world. Incredibly, much of what we read by Paul in our New Testament was written under very challenging circumstances. The book of Philippians was written from prison, as was Colossians. This passage as well from 2 Corinthians indicates that Paul had faced significant hardships. He recalls in verse 8 “the affliction [he] experienced in Asia,” where he was “so utterly burdened beyond [his] strength that [he] despaired of life itself.”
The faithfulness of Daniel’s God
In studying the book of Daniel this summer, I noticed that the book indirectly answers two crucial questions. They are questions that address our deepest fears about the future, the next generation, and the changes that come with every new season. They are not questions we would consciously ask, but underneath the anxiety we might experience, one of these two questions may lurk unanswered.
Two great books to use in discipleship
As a Christian and ministry leader, one of my favorite discipleship practices is to give out books that I have read and loved and watch those I disciple be challenged and encouraged as they engage with and apply what they are reading to their lives. Undoubtedly, the Bible needs to be the primary book for every Christian, but as I’m sure you have experienced, reading other books is a great way to invest in your faith and help you grow as a believer.
Seeking God wholeheartedly
“Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp” (Exodus 33:7). Seeking God is the most essential and rewarding activity for followers of Jesus. In fact, we were made for it.