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“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will never forget you,” penned William A. Ward Ward understood something the Bible has taught for centuries: encouragement leaves a lasting imprint on the human heart. Encouragement is one of the “one another” commands issued by the apostle Paul. (more…)

Leonard Bernstein, the renowned conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, was once asked, “What is the hardest instrument to play? (more…)

Greetings from Welland, Ontario, Canada This summer marks our 8th year in Canada, working with the Wellandport brethren and other Canadian churches as opportunities arise. Norma Jean and I have been richly blessed by our association with these wonderful brethren.  They are kind, encouraging, and, most of all, dedicated to Kingdom work, regardless of the circumstances, challenges, or setbacks they…

Pride is one of those sins that are especially deceptive because they often hide behind virtue. Usually, the proud person is frequently the last one to recognize it. My preaching colleague, Gardner Hall, posted a short but powerful piece a few weeks ago that speaks to this universal challenge; he entitled it The Arrogant “We.” What is the arrogant “we”? (more…)

The headline from CTPastors online caught my attention. Why Belonging Is Not Enough It immediately challenged a thought I’ve repeated through the years: “It’s not enough to believe; you must belong.” (more…)

That’s awesome!” the waitress said as I ordered my meal. “It’s that good?” I replied skeptically. “It’s awesome!” she repeated. (more…)

This year, instead of attending local celebrations, Norma Jean and I watched our nation’s 250th birthday festivities from the comfort of our family room. The televised events from Williamsburg, VA, Philadelphia, and, of course, Washington, D.C., were entertaining and enjoyable. The speeches, musical tributes, on-the-street interviews, and fireworks displays promoted a feeling of patriotism and…

You may have seen Daniel Lubetzky on Shark Tank, introduced as the founder and CEO of KIND. You’ve probably seen KIND bars in the snack aisle at the grocery store. But did you know the story behind KIND? (more…)

With this weekend’s July 4th holiday, we’re taking a blogging break. Sorta. While I’m not publishing our usual Facebook Friday today or providing a weekly recap on Saturday, I am sharing something I think you’ll enjoy. (more…)

  One of our regular readers and my longtime good friend, David, responded to Monday’s blog post, “Love is Patient,” with an important observation. David pointed out that patience is not only something we owe to one another; it is also something we must learn in our relationship with God. He offered the example from Hebrews 6:15 of the patriarch Abraham, who “patiently waited” for God’s promise…

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…)