Sometimes we think that we are communicating the gospel because we get up and preach sermons or share our faith on Facebook or we are constantly talking about Jesus. But unless there is a connection there can be no communication. According to Sydney Harris, “Information is giving out while communication is getting through.” As disciples, […]
Category Archives: Church Growth
I am working on a series of articles on the subject of effective gospel communication. Good communication is everything. Sydney J. Harris said, “the two words ‘information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through. As Christians, our responsibility to announce good news […]
Several years ago I had the privilege to do the daily devotions for a Reformation Tour with Star Travel, (shout out to Gerald & Kathleen Martin for the best Reformation tour in the world: http://www.starmountaintravel.com/). Toward the end of the tour, while in Rome, we visited the Lateran Baptistery which stands adjacent to St John […]
When I was a kid, growing up in the church, I heard a lot of phrases like: “Walk softly in the sanctuary.” “Talk quietly in the church.” “Be reverent” There was always a strong emphasis on reverence, (which basically just meant being quiet). I have since learned reverence is so much more than that. I […]
1 Corinthians 9:20–23 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law […]
Amos 8:11 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. Whether we want to admit it or not preaching is a vital element to the life, and […]
Mark 6:5 And he could do no mighty work there— It is one of the most startling verses in all of the Bible. A place where Jesus could do no mighty work. The place was His hometown. And Matthew tells us it was —because of their unbelief. (Matthew 13:58). The place that should’ve seen the […]
Chapter 17 of John’s gospel is a powerful scene. Jesus prays for his disciples, and He prays for us. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one […]
In Luke 4 Jesus goes into the synagogue, reads a portion of Isaiah concerning the coming Messiah. He then turns to the congregation and basically says “Surprise, It’s me.” At first everyone is cool with it. Luke 4:22 says “all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth.” But […]
On February 28, 2015 at 4:00 P.M. the College Drive Church launched a new church in Clinton MS called The Ridge. What started as a vision years before had finally become a reality. The process began when I sat down with my head elder, Mike Whatley, and he shared with me the vision the church […]
Richie Halversen 