Opinion

THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF YOUR LIFE

Rick MarschallRick Marschall, Special to ASSIST News Service writes:

Believers throughout the millennia have endured torture to learn and savour the gospel of Jesus Christ – the good news. Many believers have sacrificed their all in order to know and serve the Saviour. Many believers have risked, and lost, their lives in order to share Christ.

These facts are still true today. In lands where it is most difficult and dangerous, there are martyrs we hear about. We read of secret house churches in China, meeting in secret and in danger, yet boldly reading the Bible one page at a time each meeting. (more…)

RESPONDING TO PENTECOST

Murray Capill

Murray Capill, author and Reformed Theology College’s principal, challenges…

There are three ways we can respond to the central themes of the narrative in Acts and especially its focus on the Holy Spirit.

1. Seeking repetitions
One way is to continually seek repetitions of the day of Pentecost. Charismatics and Pentecostals treat the events of that day as normative and so they look for spectacular signs as manifestations of the Spirit today and for the baptism of the Spirit as an experience subsequent to conversion. (more…)

LEND ME YOUR HEAR!

Ed Delph

Ed Delph shares another thought-provoker…

Recently I had the privilege of speaking at Pure Heart Church in Glendale, Arizona on the subject of communication in marriage.

I’m not the best communicator in marriage – as Becky, my wife of 31 years, will attest. But maybe I can shed some light on this subject that maybe even I will apply.

Knowing is one thing. Doing is another!
All wives would say…Amen! to this. (more…)

APPROACHING ‘THE BIG TABOO’ – MENTAL ILLNESS

Jessica MorrisJessica Morris shares…
As someone who lives with depression, I’ve heard most of clinical talk that comes with the illness.

Stepping in and out of therapy for over a decade, depression and anxiety are something that I have carried all through my teenage years and into early adulthood. The result is that I have become acutely aware of how the church and religion perceive and react to the illness.
(more…)

ABOUT DISABILITY – A WORD TO PASTORS AND CHURCHES

Tait BergeTait Berge, ASSIST special correspondent, answers the question, ‘Why should we care?’

Disability ministry isn’t a program! It’s accepting people with disabilities for who they are and recognising they have the same opportunity to know and serve the Lord as anyone. It starts with sharing the gospel, discipling, and trying to answer hard questions, all the way to helping find a place to serve the Lord.

I share my story to help people understand that disability ministry isn’t just an idealistic idea that people in disability ministry leadership dream about. It’s real. I’ve lived it and believe it can happen anywhere.

‘Let’s see how…’
I can’t give you a step-by-step plan to include people with disabilities at your church. You don’t need one. When I want to serve somewhere, the answer at my church and from my pastor is always, ‘Let’s see how we can make that work.’ (more…)

THREE PRIMARY MINISTRIES OF CHRISTIANS AND CHURCHES

Ed Delph

Ed Delph brings another thought-provoker…

A mother was preparing breakfast for her sons, Kevin, age 5 and Ryan, age 3.

The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw an opportunity for a moral lesson. ‘If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, “Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.”’

Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, ‘Ryan, you be Jesus!’

(more…)

GOOD GRIEF!

Rick Marschall

Rick Marschall challengingly asks:

How many of us have attended church services where the pastor, or perhaps a superstore-style greeter (some larger churches today have designated Hospitality Pastors), flashes the salesman-white smile and asks everybody how they ‘are’?

Assisted by throat-microphone and ubiquitous large-screen image confronting the audience, they often follow with the robotic demands: ‘I can’t hear you! Good morning!! I want to see everybody smiling!’

(more…)

DEPRESSION

Bernard ShiuDr Bernard Shiu, well-known Geelong general practitioner, shares his professional opinion on depression:

In my career, I’ve come across and treated many patients suffering from depression. And, contrary to popular beliefs, it is a pretty common medical condition.

Among those who come and seek help, significant proportions are people who are in authority. This is because they are people who have high expectations of themselves and expect the same from others. And they, surprisingly, include ministers and pastors of churches.
(more…)

PRAYING THE SCRIPTURES

Bruce Hills

Bruce Hills, WOI  Leadership Development Director, confidently makes this bold declaration: God answers prayer!

One of the foundational reasons why we should pray the scriptures is because God has revealed himself as the prayer-answering God (Psalm 91:15).

Now, he doesn’t always answer in the way we may expect or desire. God has eternal plans and purposes that transcend human understanding (Isaiah 55:8-9). The shape and timing of answered prayer depends entirely on the purposes, prerogative and providence of God. (more…)