I recently had to relocate my entire library, and it got me thinking about books. With boxes stacked upon boxes full of books, my wife’s face grew in dismay as she worried where we would store them all. However, we eventually got them all transported and set up on one too many Ikea bookshelves. Now… Continue reading On the Stewardship of Books
Author: Justin Deeter
Justin Deeter is the Senior Pastor at Forest Hills Baptist Church in Wilson, NC (www.foresthillsbaptist.org). He is also a Ph.D. student studying Historical Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He is married to Kaitlyn, and they live with their two children in Wilson, NC. Justin blogs at justindeeter.com.
The Monstrous Prosperity Gospel and the Hope of God’s Good Purpose
The prosperity gospel is advertised in many churches, broadcasted on your TV screens, and plastered across Christian bookstores. This so-called prosperity gospel is really no gospel at all, but rather just a monstrous combination of Christianity and the American dream. Like Frankenstein’s monster, we’ve assembled a creature out of the rotting corpses of American civil… Continue reading The Monstrous Prosperity Gospel and the Hope of God’s Good Purpose
Church History as Discipleship
We live in a society largely disconnected from history. The secular myth of progress has taught us to disdain history. To many, the figures of history reek of foolishness; such odious Neanderthals pollute with their offensive beliefs and values. Our ignorance of the past is only surpassed by our disgust towards it. Yet, our disgust… Continue reading Church History as Discipleship
Recovering Confessions of Faith
When a contractor builds a house, he must pour a solid and level foundation. If not, everything built upon the faulty foundation will be unstable. When it comes to those committed to build up the church, the same principle applies. Church leaders who build upon a faulty foundation, will only bring the church to ruin.… Continue reading Recovering Confessions of Faith
6 Ways to Appreciate Your Pastor’s Wife
Each October, churches across our country show appreciation to their pastor. As a pastor, I’m thankful for the extra encouragement, cards, and gifts I receive from my congregation this time of year. However, the unsung hero of the pastor’s wife deserves equal if not more appreciation. These godly women pray, sacrifice, and serve silently behind… Continue reading 6 Ways to Appreciate Your Pastor’s Wife
The Pastoral Prayer – Putting the Pastoral Prayer into Practice
In my previous post, I made a case for incorporating a pastoral prayer into the worship service. If I’ve convinced you to consider restoring the long pastoral prayer in your worship, how can you begin to put it into practice well? Let me provide a few practical tips. (1) Plan for Prayer in Your Service… Continue reading The Pastoral Prayer – Putting the Pastoral Prayer into Practice
The Pastoral Prayer – A Case for the Pastoral Prayer in Worship
A cursory survey of today’s evangelical worship would reveal a range of elements, most prominently preaching and singing. However, such a survey would expose a sad deficiency—prayer. In our worship, prayer tends to be a merely transitionary item. A worship leader will pray from one song to the next to give the musicians time to… Continue reading The Pastoral Prayer – A Case for the Pastoral Prayer in Worship
Gospel Community on Mission
With the church in America struggling to reach a new generation, many are beginning to wonder how to reach people for the Gospel. We are rightly asking: “What is the most effective way of reaching the lost?” We can mourn the decline of our so-called Christian culture in America, or we can look at this… Continue reading Gospel Community on Mission
Counseling Children for Baptism: A Practical Guide
When I became a pastor, I imagined all sorts of difficult challenges I’d face in my ministry. However, the challenges I thought I’d encountered turned out not to be as big as I expected. However, one issue I did not imagine would create such strain in me is the counseling of children, particularly in deciding… Continue reading Counseling Children for Baptism: A Practical Guide
Repenting of Independence
Americans swell with the pride of their independence. The Fourth of July sparkles on our calendars, as we gaze upon explosions of red, white, and blue in the night sky. Americans celebrate the self-made man, the man who charts his own course and creates his our own destiny. Christians should express gratitude for our independence,… Continue reading Repenting of Independence