By Dr. Richard Blackaby I have been a dual citizen all my life. I was born in California to an American mother; hence, I have always been American. But I was mostly reared in Canada and have a Canadian father; therefore, I have always been Canadian. I have been told that people used to have…
In recent months there has been an unusually large number of high-profile leaders who have been accused of—or confessed to—immorality. These incidences are, unfortunately, not unprecedented in Christian circles. Nevertheless, the rate at which people are falling and the caliber of those who do is alarming. People have suggested that the Southern Baptist Convention is…
My wife, Lisa, and I have an ongoing dilemma. She loves to give presents. It is unquestionably her spiritual gift! Nothing gives her more joy than brightening someone’s day with a gift. The problem? I typically pay for them. This arrangement would be fine if my gift of earning matched her gift of giving. But…
One of my friends has a wonderful townhouse on the beach in Destin, Florida. He graciously allows my family to spend a week there every year. In the mornings, I love to sit on the deck and watch the waves rolling in to shore. This year, the folks along the beach were consumed with building…
It has been said that leaders must determine which hills are worth dying on. Not every hill is worth fighting for. Unfortunately, our world has become increasingly polarized, and people find it painfully difficult to compromise or find middle ground. To give an inch is viewed as surrendering everything. Americans are reminded of this phenomenon…
For many years I kept a special file folder in an office cabinet. It was my “dream folder.” This file wasn’t for my dreams, but for the ideas of others. People would stop by my office and excitedly tell me about their vision to plant a new church, or start a ministry to addicts, or…
Can we all take a collective deep breath? The 2016 presidential election is finally over! It is not an understatement to say this election process has been more grueling, acrimonious, unpredictable, and theologically challenging than any in recent memory. But it is finished. The question now is: what do we as Christians do the day…
Can we all take a collective deep breath? The 2016 presidential election is finally over! It is not an understatement to say this election process has been more grueling, acrimonious, unpredictable, and theologically challenging than any in recent memory. But it is finished. The question now is: what do we as Christians do the day…
The fact that western society has an abundance of time-wasting devices ought to alarm us. Perhaps few facts about modern society bring any greater indictment than this. In an age awash with human need and possibilities for good, people are frantically searching for the next best way to waste their time. Millions of immigrants and…
Few subjects are discussed more and understood less than leadership. Everyone knows that society and the Church desperately need it. Yet it continues to be elusive. The Church has numerous leadership books and conferences available to it, yet hundreds of churches in America are closing their doors every year because their leaders cannot navigate them…