Early on in our ministry in Montana, my wife and I were easily discouraged. We were certain of God’s call. We were prayerful. We were relational in our approach and we were faithful to teach and share the Truth of Scripture. We were experiencing God’s presence and provision, but we were not seeing much spiritual fruit. Planting and growing a … Read More
Lat45, A Great Adventure
Have you heard about Lat45 Adventure Ministries? No? Well, let me tell you about this great organization! Lat45 is a 501c3 nonprofit based out of Billings, MT, with the goal of fulfilling the great commission as stated in the Holy Bible and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with youth. This is accomplished by providing young people, from all walks … Read More
Huge Fines in Virginia for Churches and Ministries Operating According to Beliefs
On July 1, churches, Christian schools, and other religious ministries with theologically orthodox views on marriage will no longer be welcome in Virginia. And if you are among those operating a ministry in accordance with your religious beliefs about marriage and human sexuality, the state has declared a sort-of legal “open season” on you. The first offense comes with a … Read More
Church Planter Retreat 2020
On January 16-17, over a dozen of Montana’s current and future church planters gathered at Fairmont Hot Springs for the annual Church Planter Retreat. This is a much-needed time each year when church planters and their wives can connect with each other while learning and being encouraged in their ministry. The speaker this year was Danny de Armas, Senior Associate … Read More
No Restraints: Coming to Montana in 2020
In 1 Samuel 14, we read of the incredible faith of Jonathan as he climbs a rocky cliffside to engage a garrison of Philistine soldiers with his armor bearer. He believed that the Lord would work for him and in verse 6 declared “for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.” This declaration … Read More
A Respite for the Soul and Reaching Out for Help
One thing pastors often fail to do well is to take some time of Sabbath and Sabbatical. Times of rest and refreshing are so important to our long-term health but the pressing needs of ministry priorities and life responsibilities often drown out the crying of our soul. This is even more prevalent among our bi-vocational pastors who manage full-time jobs … Read More
Making Our Churches Safer Places
The report of the SBC Sexual Abuse Advisory Group was recently released. Every church should be concerned about the findings of the report. For starters, just consider the incidence of sexual abuse in society: The Center for Disease and Prevention cites that 1 out of 3 women and 1 out of 4 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact … Read More
Drips (not tips) to Fruitful Student Ministry
The beauty of technology these days is that we have access to more information and people than ever before in history. As a result, there is no shortage of lists, tips and lists of tips on how to do something like, “10 tips to keep you sane when life gets crazy” or “3 tips to cook a great steak.” Eating … Read More
Serving God in Colstrip
Pastor Jeff Parker was raised in church in a small town in West Texas. Growing up near his grandmother, Jeff says, “If they weren’t in church everyone was in trouble!” He laughingly recalls, “We attended the same church as my grandmother, it was a family tradition.” He was raised within the Disciples of Christ and was saved at nine years … Read More
Effective Ministry Leadership
Most agree that Ephesians 4:11-12 demonstrates God’s plan to grow and mature His Church. No matter which translation you read, the emphasis of the text is that Christ Himself personally gave the Church (among others) pastors to train His people for the work of the ministry. They are to build up the body of Christ by investing their time and … Read More