Five Lessons from Puritans on Family
by Winfield Bevins
What do a bunch of dead white guys have to say to me about my family issues?
Winfield Bevins, lead pastor of Church of the Outer Banks in Nags Head, NC, spoke at the Raleigh, NC Boot Camp recently about the pastor’s family and he drew from the timeless teachings of the Puritans to remind us about the value and importance of family ministry. According to Bevins, “Family worship was one of the hallmarks of the Puritan era and one of their greatest legacies for us today.”
Richard Baxter said, “We must have a special eye upon families, to see that they are well ordered, and the duties of each relation performed. The life of religion, and the welfare and glory of both the Church and the ...
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By Pastor Scott Thomas
Broken inside the Church
Broken marriages are far too common than we want to admit and the church cannot ignore the adulteries occurring among its members any longer. Married couples are sitting in church pews hiding in shame and experiencing anger, despair, fear, jealousy, guilt, relief and revenge. Restoration begins by placing hope in God and not in your circumstances and not in your partner (Psalm 46).
The following is a brief summary of Robert D. Jones, Restoring your Broken Marriage: Healing After Adultery (CCEF; New Growth Press, 2009).
Practical Strategies for Change (according to Jones)
What if I have hurt my spouse? The Offending Partner’s Path
Break the adulterous relationship immediately and completely.
Fully admit the facts by ...
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Ten Tips When Working With Female Assistants
By Scott Thomas, President of Acts 29
Recently, another Mars Hill Church pastor came to me to ask for some advice. He needed an assistant, and the right hire was a young single gal. He wisely asked for some help in navigating a working relationship as a pastor, as my assistant is a single woman as well.
At Mars Hill Church, we have women who serve as deacons and many assist pastors. Much great ministry is done by these women in the capacities they serve – but with these kind of working relationships comes a great need for wisdom and careful boundaries to keep pastors and their assistants not only above reproach in the eyes of those watching, but also truly living with sexually and emotionally pure hearts before God.
Here are ten tips ...
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By Dustin Neeley, Acts 29 Pastor of Crossing Church
It was an old car but we loved it. It leaked oil and antifreeze, but hey, I was a church planter and thankful to have any car that actually operated without pedals. I will never forget the day that it almost caught fire--while I was driving it!
I will never forget the distinct smell of burning antifreeze. The billowing smoke in my old car began slowly and then impaired my vision like a horrifyingly blinding cloud at a Willie Nelson concert. I panicked suddenly when I realized that the car I was driving was now out of control on a busy road. I’ll never forget the helplessness I experienced.
Family on Fire
You don’t forget the moment when your wife looks at you and tells you that if things don’t change, she’s ...
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By Chan Kilgore – CrossPointe Church, Orlando FL | Acts 29 Board Member
Chan Kilgore has planted numerous churches in Florida and has many years in church planting ministry. Here he recounts a moment of great conviction from God – in how he was putting the church before his wife.
After years of working long and unhealthy hours in ministry, God graced me with a defining moment of repentance. It happened during the core phase of our church plant, just weeks after I had moved my young wife who was pregnant with our third daughter to Orlando to plant a church.
It was a Sunday evening. I was about 30 minutes into lecturing about Gospel values to my core group when I noticed my wife was sitting in the room, feeling sick. She is an incredibly godly wife and would never complain. ...
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