Penetrating The Darkness

Joy-sapping workloads, feelings of inadequacy, lack of apparent fruitfulness, and battle fatigue from spiritual warfare are some of the foes that threaten ministry motivation and endurance. Here are six truths that infuse me with biblical perspective and buoy my...

 I’ve always viewed my call from God to vocational ministry as a high privilege. Since I turned 19, forty-eight years ago, my only means of earning a living has been ministry venues: church staff, denominational trainer, writer, and Christian university...

 At 67, I am more prone to reflect on the past, especially my various ministry roles and key relationships.  Here are four regrets, or things I wish I had handled differently.       1.   I wish I had “picked more brains.”  ​When it comes to taking classes,...

 I can’t remember a time when chronic depression wasn’t a nemesis for me.  As a child I often felt an overwhelming sadness and wept without understanding why.  Now I’m a 67-year-old Christian college professor who still wanders occasionally into the dark fog of...

Dr. Johnny Miller            If the worship leader starts by trumpeting, “Let’s all stand to worship God this morning,” I flinch.  This worship service probably isn’t going to include me.  Again.            That’s because I’m physically disabled.  I’m unable to...

 What keeps us from taking our Bible teaching for granted?  From growing lax when it comes to preparation?  What keeps the process from becoming stale and our enthusiasm from waning?Answers to those questions include the challenges to teachers nestled within the...

An exercise I’ve long advocated for leaders and teachers is “exegeting your experiences.”  When a person exegetes a Bible passage, he or she takes out what is inherently there, as intended by the Holy Spirit, using the principles of hermeneutics.Whether you...

What qualities facilitate lifelong learning as a Christ-follower or vocational Christian leader?  What traits expedite success as a college or seminary student?  My 36 years as a faculty member at Columbia International University prompts me to focus on these four...

I’ve heard that with effective training, any Christian will become a successful Bible teacher.I don’t believe that for a second.Forty-five years of training Bible study leaders, both in the classroom and one-to-one, have convinced me that you cannot put out what...

Can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in shuttling truth from the minds of people, to their hearts? Does how we prepare and present truth help determine whether we impact the affective domain of learners? I will give a qualification to my answer in the first point...

For teachers and Preachers of all Age Levels   Who needs a jolt of encouragement more than the Sunday School teacher or preacher?  May these insights buoy your spirit and instill resiliency to keep on serving strong.1.       You are investing in the two things that...