While driving home from Lawton, Oklahoma the other day after helping with the burial of a very dear friend I turned my radio on and caught a little of Tim Brando’s radio program. I used to think Brando was knowledgable when it comes to sports until hearing him make the declaration that the Crimson Tide will finish in seventh place in the BCS next year. He also projected that they would have two losses in the SEC. Not sure how I feel about his sports knowledge anymore. He should surely know that Alabama will win it’s third national championship in a row and four out of the last five:) You probably...

How about every now and then just put a positive spin on what is positive.  I was looking at what preachers preached on Father’s Day and saw the number who took it as an opportunity to cry out against our culture – and that is fine and must be done. We are nothing if not counter-cultural (my Kingdom is not of this world) but if we are Gospel preachers I would suggest at times we MUST see the positive.  It seems crazy but some even have an odd gag reflex when they hear that word “positive.”  Listen carefully. It is OK to take something positive, something good, something right, something like...

We can lament the lack of evangelism in our local churches and the low number of baptisms in many places. We can scheme all sorts of “changes” that need to happen if we are going to be relavent. We can moan about the future.  OR we can get busy doing something about it! My good friend Ronnie Hayes is actually doing something about it.  Last year was the first 7B Conference (7B stands for the seven billion souls living on the earth today).  Ronnie and I share a belief that the Gospel is as powerful and relative as ever and we share a dream that the world can be reached for Christ. 7B will...

I have a confession to make: I tend to be a little of a motel snob. Sorry, but I’ll pay a little more (sometimes a lot more) for a nicer room.  This works against my desire to save money and get a good deal.  I’m not sure where this hotel snobbery came from. I imagine it may have something to do with the hotels/motels we stayed in growing up. If we ever traveled we stayed in VERY cheap off brand places.  I know that changed with dad when he got older but when we were kids we stayed in the worst of places! Probably to save money – after all – dad was raising four kids on a minister’s...

This entry is part 15 of 15 in the series "One Thing"j&d note: Our May H&E has focused on the theme, “One Thing.” The focus is on One Thing they believe all preachers should know. We’ve asked our writers to explain why their “one thing” is important, and what they would recommend a preacher to do to accomplish that “one thing.” Bryan can be reached at bryan@centervillechurchofchrist.org and you can read more about Bryan and his writing under the Featured Writer page. _ _ _ _ Before every service, he sat in the foyer to the left, just as you entered the...

This entry is part 14 of 15 in the series "One Thing"j&d note: In May H&E has focused on the theme, “One Thing.” Our writers have written about One Thing they believe all preachers should know. Aubrey Johnson can be reached at aubreyhjohnson@icloud.com and you can read more about Aubrey and his writing under the Featured Writer page.  _____ A great book to help you identify and execute your congregation’s one thing is The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni. The “advantage” of healthy organizations is the ability to create clarity, overcommunicate clarity, and reinforce...