Posts by John Staiger (Page 61)

Years ago, I read a book by an old preacher that gave advice on sermon preparation. He said that he gleaned information for his lessons by reading multiple newspapers and listening to news reports on his car radio and watching the cable channels. (He has long since gone on to his reward and left an admirable spiritual legacy.) However, as the decades have passed, I have not since heard any other brother, let alone preacher, encourage anyone to ‘keep up…

I saw a church survey that stated that in the average congregation, “10% of its members cannot be found.” Now, if that isn’t bad enough, it also stated that “20% of its members never as much as attend a church service.” However, since these statistics are from 1999, they probably reflect better days. These, of course, are the easy statistics. Tabulate the number of members who come and go from one congregation to another, and worse, one church to another,…

I met a man who returned to his home church after being away for a few years. He told the preacher that God had sent him to help him with the work of the Lord. The preacher took him at his word and good works were achieved. Tragically, it didn’t last. The preacher found out the very hard way that the brother was returning to his troublesome ways. He and another brother proceeded to slander the preacher and decimate the…

Jesus, Lord of lords and King of kings, hardly needs my input on macro-politics to achieve anything. But here I sit, expert above the rest, believing that the world would be a better place if it but took heed of my wisdom. I dare not implicate my few readers in my sin of know-it-all-ness, but I do invite you to consider the implications of a world run solely on the ideas of one single man. We know that Alexander the…

My son and I were having one of those conversations about someone who had claimed to have been ‘ripped off’ in a transaction. Young John concluded, “As you have always said, ‘If you want someone to hate you, mess with their money.’” As much as I would have liked to have taken credit for that cautionary wisdom, I had to admit that it came to me from his grandfather, Al Horne. Money is the great divide. Wars are fought over…

“Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment” (Jm.3:1). It can be argued that everyone is a ‘teacher’ (small ‘t’), but only some are ‘Teachers,’ (capital ‘T’). Biblically, this is so. Since a congregation’s teachers are responsible for the transfer of Holy Scripture from the text to the hearts and minds of those before them, they had better know what they are talking about. On any given Sunday in…

It is a trustworthy statement: “if any man aspires to the office of overseer” (1Tim.3:1). Dennis Walton was an Elder in the Lord’s church in Azle, Texas. He has since gone on to his reward. When I was around Dennis, I was around a great man of God. I knew I was blessed to be in the presence of a man who put the mission of Christ and the church first. To this day I praise God that I am…

With the fall of Afghanistan into the hands of the Taliban in recent days, the plans of 30 million people have immediately changed. While the world is trying to avoid the deadly effects of a virus, the poor Afghan citizens are trying to avoid the deadly effects of Sharia Law. Life is happening to us all. For some, it’s the forces of nature and for others the forces of men. This one thing we hold in common—The power to choose.…

We are told of a study where students were asked to state their future goals. The experts assured us that those who committed their future goals to writing became extremely successful. We are also told that no such study ever took place. So, what must we believe? Well, as one who lost his original list from his youth, I cannot give you a definitive answer. But I do believe that there is one area of life that proves that writing…

1. Pray away your thin skin. I know that being told to develop a thick skin is not quickly appreciated. However, there is much virtue in it. For overlooking an offense will prevent those relationship-hindering emotions from forming and causing you to push others away. You may have to start by enduring a ‘smart-Alec’ or two, but it is worth it. Remember, your goal to “go into all the world and preach the gospel,” and you will not get very…