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In the 2016 Olympics, two runners gave the world a living picture of a principle Solomon described nearly 3,000 years earlier: “If they fall, one will lift up his companion” (Ecclesiastes 4:10). During the women’s 5,000-meter race, New Zealand runner Nikki Hamblin fell after a collision on the track. American runner Abbey D’Agostino was caught up in the accident and fell as well. (more…)

The National Calendar, whose motto is “Celebrate Every Day,” recognizes some unusual, weird, wacky, and generally unknown holidays and celebrations. Today’s observance, however, touches the lives of almost everyone—Social Media Day. (more…)

Hall of Fame football coach Tony Dungy once shared a great story about his father, Wilbur, who was a quiet, thoughtful, and patient man. Dungy recounts the day when he was nine and his brother, Linden, was five, and their father took them fishing. Wilbur was teaching the boys how to cast. Tony said they were working on it, mostly in silence, until his father’s voice broke the silence. (more…)

Greetings from Beverly Hills, FL According to the current WordPress stats page, Saturday is the most popular day our readers access ThePreachersWord.  If that’s actually true, then our weekly recap must be accomplishing what it’s intended to do — provide an opportunity to catch up if you missed a post. With its live links, it’s also a good way to share ThePreachersWord with family, friends, and…

“What about the thief on the cross?” It is a question I have heard throughout my preaching life. It is usually raised by someone arguing that baptism is not necessary for salvation. The reasoning is simple: the thief was never baptized, yet Jesus saved him; therefore, baptism cannot be essential. (more…)

The celebration of America’s 250th birthday is in full swing. From small communities to large cities and the special events in our nation’s capital, Americans are celebrating our founding. Our freedom. And our way of life. Last night, Norma Jean and I watched the opening of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall. There were performances by the military band and singers, speeches about…

If you Google “something is wrong with the church,” you’ll get millions of results in a matter of seconds. A quick perusal of the articles reveals a familiar theme. “5 Stupid Things the Church Needs to Quit Doing.” “Anatomy of a Sick Church: 10 Symptoms to Watch.” “7 Things We Get Wrong About Worship.” (more…)

The late Robert Jackson was one of my mentors as a young preacher. He used to preach a sermon in meetings he called “Put Your Finger on the Passage.” As I recall, Robert would introduce ideas that folks had about the Bible, some accurate and some inaccurate, and then say, “Put your finger on the passage.” (more…)

“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving,” once wrote Amy Carmichael. Carmichael, born in Northern Ireland in 1867, lived at a time when women weren’t expected to travel, challenge cultural systems, or become social activists. (more…)

Greetings from Beverly Hills It’s great seeing new readers sign up for ThePreachersWord.  And it’s especially exciting to see so many hits from other countries this week,’ Following the USA, the hits were Taiwan, China, and the Philippines.  Welcome!  Hope you will continue reading and sharing our little blog with your friends, relatives, and fellow countrymen. (more…)

“Do you know the story of Nymphas?” When my Facebook friend and former Florida College classmate, Debbie Van Hendrix, asked that question recently, I had to admit something: I didn’t remember. I couldn’t recall who Nymphas was, what she did, or even where in the Bible this person was mentioned. (more…)

(Editor’s Note: In the spirit of “Throwback Thursday,” here’s a post originally written 14 years ago. While it has been edited and updated, the message remains the same and is just as applicable today.) The late Stephen Covey was a respected author, teacher, and business coach, best known for his bestselling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. His principles of personal responsibility…

Imagine flying at 10,000 feet through thick clouds with no visible horizon. The pilot looks outside, but there is nothing to see. His senses tell him the plane is flying straight, but his instruments reveal that he is slowly descending and turning. The question is: Which will he trust—his feelings or his instruments? (more…)

What good is a virtue that disappears when it becomes difficult? What value is honesty, faithfulness, or integrity if they only exist when they cost us nothing? This quote recently caught my eye: “The virtue of courage is a prerequisite for the practice of all other virtues; otherwise, one is virtuous only when virtue has no cost.” (more…)

I recently read a story about a family photograph that sat on a shelf for many years. It showed happier days—a time before conflict, disappointment, and broken relationships. Then something happened that fractured the family. Words were spoken. Trust was damaged. The picture was taken down and placed in a drawer. Continue reading Reaffirm Your Love: When Repentance Opens the Door to Restoration

Greetings from Beverly Hills, FL “Good Night, John Boy!” Remember that familiar closing segment on the Waltons TV show? John Boy was played by actor Richard Thomas, whose birthday is today. Guess how old he is? Continue reading Weekly Recap: June 8-12

Growing older is something we all want to do, but something many people fear. Some time ago, TIME magazine published an article titled, “Why Americans Are Uniquely Afraid to Grow Old.” The article contained statistics, research, and insights from psychology about aging. But the bottom line was this: The fear of aging is one of our greatest fears, especially among the generation known as Baby…