The apostle Paul’s solemn charge to Timothy was to “preach the Word.” Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2 Timothy 4:2) Biblical preaching and teaching is the expounding of the Word of God to a world that needs to hear it. Of course, the gospel is our central message in preaching. But pastors are also to declare “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) as the expound Scripture to their church family. I have...

Pastors are surrounded by stress-inducing circumstances. Whether it be the uncivil culture in which we minister, family burdens, financial pressure, dealing with problems in the church, or any number of other factors, stress is a daily reality for pastors. But if stress is a daily realty for pastors, the availability of God’s grace is too. Jesus told us, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have...

A few days ago, our church hosted our annual World Impact Missions Conference. One of our guests here for the conference was Dr. Kevin Folger, who is the North American Director for Spiritual Leadership Asia. The Spiritual Leadership Asia initiative has grown as God has continued to open amazing doors of opportunity for ministry in some of the most spiritually-needy places of the world. In this short bonus episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, Dr. Folger and I discuss the three...

In the process of leading a church family and building a congregation, there are times when you need a restart. Sometimes this needed reset is because the church has gone through a specific trial or need. Other times, it’s simply the process of a spiritual leader stepping back, renewing his own heart and focus, and then helping the church family reengage in the work of the Lord. In this episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, I share seven steps that have been helpful to me in this process.

Every church has core values, but not every church has written them down. And actually, it wasn’t until several years ago that I and some of the other leaders in our church worked on writing our core values. Both the process and the product proved to be a helpful exercise and tool. Today, we have our core values visibly displayed and give them to each new member. They are a key way that we communicate the philosophy of ministry and goal for the body life of our church family. Whether you...

At a recent California for Christ meeting, I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Alan Fong, Robbie Yapp, and James Kim to discuss the need for and challenges of church planting. It was our joy nearly twenty-five years ago to help Pastor Fong in planting Heritage Baptist Church in San Leandro, CA. It was a blessing to me then in this discussion to join with Pastor Fong to encourage a new generation of church planters on their journey. Robbie Yapp and James Kim are preparing to plant new...

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Jerry Vines for the Spiritual Leadership Podcast. Some of the audio and technical quality was not up to the quality we desired, and so we delayed in posting it. However, I felt the content of this interview is relevant and important, and so we are posting today in hopes that it will be a help and encouragement to you. We discussed ministry trends and his commitment to Bible truth. I enjoyed our discussion and hope you will enjoy it as well.

On this episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, I sat down with one of my closest friends and mentors in the ministry, Dr. Don Sisk. We discussed an article he recently wrote for the Baptist Voice magazine and ministry127.com on the topic of disagreement without disunity. His thoughts on ministry relationships was a blessing to me, and I trust it will be an encouragement to you as well.

The Lord has allowed me to serve him in ministry here at Lancaster Baptist Church for more than 35 years. It has not always been easy. There have been many difficult seasons, and numerous challenges, but as I look back over thirty-six years of ministry, these are some principles that have helped me to keep moving forward, and not to quit. This is part two of this lesson. In this podcast I will talk through the biblical principles of separation, balance, commitment, unity, and joy.

The Lord has allowed me to serve him in ministry here at Lancaster Baptist Church for more than 35 years. It has not always been easy. There have been many difficult seasons, and numerous challenges, but as I look back over thirty-six years of ministry, these are some principles that have helped me to keep moving forward, and not to quit. This is part two of this lesson. In this podcast I will talk through the biblical principles of separation, balance, commitment, unity, and joy.

The Lord has allowed me to serve him in ministry here at Lancaster Baptist Church for more than 35 years. It has not always been easy. There have been many difficult seasons, and numerous challenges, but as I look back over thirty-six years of ministry, these are some principles that have helped me to keep moving forward, and not to quit. This is part two of this lesson. In this podcast I will talk through the biblical principles of separation, balance, commitment, unity, and joy.

When the Lord first brought me into the pastorate, I was twenty-four years old and had a great desire to reach people in our community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s hard to believe that a few weeks ago, I celebrated my sixtieth birthday, and in a few more weeks, I’ll begin my thirty-seventh year at Lancaster Baptist Church. Sometimes I wonder where the time went! I still believe that I have far to go, and with every part of my being, I want to finish well to the glory of God. But...

Mentoring may be a corporate buzzword, but when you think about it, the whole idea of mentoring is a biblical process. From Jesus mentoring His disciples to Paul mentoring Timothy and Titus, we see these kinds of relationships throughout the Bible, including the New Testament. One of the most direct instructions about mentoring is a verse we commonly think of in relation to discipleship: And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful...

That word perilous in 2 Timothy 3:1 speaks of an unraveling. It’s not hard to see the application of this verse to the world we live in today. It seems that culture from top to bottom is unraveling around us. The question is, how should we as spiritual leaders respond in this perilous time? In this newest episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, my son Larry and I discuss three vital responses: We need to settle our convictions. We need to know what we believe from Scripture and be...

Prayerfully, and with God’s help, as vaccines get distributed, it looks like we could soon be closing the chapter on COVID-19. I think most of us are looking forward to breathing a collective sigh of relief. This season of ministry has brought numerous challenges, and most church ministry today does not look like it did just 12 months ago. Most of our churches have seen some combination of spiritual, physical and financial challenges over the past year. So what do we do now? How do we...

Time is one of God’s greatest gifts. He gives it to all of us equally, and how we use it is our gift back to Him. We often speak of managing our time, but I have learned you really can’t manage time—you can only manage yourself. In this episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, we discuss how to develop and remain accountable to a weekly schedule that holds all of the core responsibilities which God has given to us. My son, Larry, joined me for this discussion and posed helpful...

In today’s episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, I interview Pastor Tim Rasmussen, Pastor of the Faith Baptist Church in Canoga Park, CA, and his brother, Dr. Mark Rasmussen, who serves as a vice president here at West Coast Baptist College. I recently had the honor of attending the funeral service for Mark and Tim’s father, Dr. Roland Rasmussen, who pastored the Faith Baptist Church for decades. I was struck by his testimony and how he was able to pass his faith and convictions on to...

In this new episode of the Spiritual Leadership Podcast, my son Larry and I discuss my new book, Keep the Faith and walk through the chapters and topics covered. This episode is for anyone who teaches or preaches God’s Word or anyone who would like insight into the changes happening in churches nationwide. Keep the Faith is available here: https://strivingtogether.com/products/keep-the-faith The book is organized into three parts: Standing for Biblical Truth—In these introductory...

On today’s podcast, I begin a discussion about leadership qualities for turbulent times. What kind of spiritual leader will you be during this trying time? First I believe God’s people deserve a leader with a sense of calling. We should have a firm belief that God intends for us to serve Him. Secondly, I believe we need spiritual leaders with the right spirit. Just as Daniel expanded his leadership influence through his excellent spirit, people are looking for a genuine hearted, kind,...