Mark BriansOn the night of His betrayal, Jesus knew that the Father had given him all things into his hands. This biblical phrase signifies dominion and power, yet Jesus chose to use this authority not for revenge or domination, but for acts of...
Brian CollinsCommentaries are tools in the toolbox of Bible teachers and preachers. But just as a woodworker will use a table saw, miter saw, and band saw for different purposes, Bible teachers will turn to different types of commentaries for different purposes...
Harold L. SenkbeilI am going to make a few assumptions about you, the reader of this article: First, you know what spiritual authority is. Second, you presently hold some sort of leadership position in a church in which you regularly exercise this sort of authority...
Jennifer GrishamWe were in the middle of a care group gathering at church. People would share some of their deepest struggles, and then, inevitably, a leader in training would derail the conversation with unhelpful questions. It’s not uncommon. We often tap people...
Ryan NelsonSeveral years ago, the New York Times observed that members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life...
Casey BedellRecent studies on pastoral resiliency have brought to the forefront the impact that loneliness has on pastors and pastoral burnout. Many pastors admit to having few friends whom they can truly open up to. Should pastors seek out friendships among...
Logos StaffFathers play a critical role in the lives of their children. They are called to be teachers, providers, disciplinarians, and living examples of God. It’s a tall order from the greatest Father of them all. Though Father’s Day is a great day to teach...
To reconcile means to bring back together. But unless we approach it on the Bible's terms, we will fail to account for it in the life of the church. The following provides twelve important truths from the Bible to keep in mind as we engage in the...
Guy WatersGovernment is a word that we often associate with matters that concern the life of the nation—taxes, infrastructure, defense, and elections. But government is also a critical part of the life of the church. Jesus had many disciples, but he named...
Karen EngleFinding appropriate Mother’s Day sermon ideas isn’t always easy. Let’s face it—Mother’s Day can be a tricky day to preach on. The pastor-preacher has to stand in front of a congregation and find something special to say to connect with the hearts of...
Daniel ViezbickeA succulent sits on my desk at church. I bought it years ago because I wanted something to break up the monotony of my office, as well as something to symbolize my ambitions in pastoral ministry. Crassula ovata—so my horticulturalist wife told...
Phillip CaryGod says to put God first. He also tells us to love our neighbor. But why does God command us to love him? And why does Jesus identify it as the greatest commandment?
It is often assumed that Christianity grew and maturated in the ancient world because the gospel fit its sense of enchantment. So many have proposed that we need to re-enchant that which has been disenchanted. One aspect of enchantment evidently...
Jeannine BrownJesus's parable about servants investing money wisely, more popularly known as the parable of the talents, has generated many interpretations.
Ray Van NesteWhen I teach my pastoral ministry class, I assign Pastoral Care by Gregory the Great. The first time I taught the class, one of the students said, this guy sounds like a Catholic. Yes, indeed. Not only was he a Catholic—he was a pope! Why would I, a...
Gerald BrayIn the ancient world—as for most time since—the gospel of Christ was primarily spread by verbal proclamation, i.e., preaching, and in those days there was no shortage of gifted preachers. Among the pre-modern sermons of which we have record, John...
Layton TalbertPrayer by itself has no power whatsoever. It wields no inherent supernatural sway; nor does it involve a formula or ritual which, if done right, guarantees any desired result. Christian prayer is not magic. The measure of prayer’s power, then, is...
Jason StoneFor more than a decade now, I have trained pastors and students to leverage Logos for their study of the Bible, including sermon preparation and planning. Over the years, I have heard the same concern time and again: many professionals study the...
Kelley MathewsWhy limit theological training to just pastors? Theology (theo, God; logia, study of) is the study of who God is and what he is like. With a subject that vast, those who plan to lead churches often spend large amounts of time and money pursuing...
Daniel R. HydeThe author of Hebrews presents us with vivid imagery of Old Covenant worship in the tabernacle and temple, its priests, and the sacrifices they offered. But what, if anything, does this have to do with my worship as a Christian? Do we still worship...
Kyle BeutlerFrom Thanksgiving to Christmas Day, you won’t need to look—or listen?—far to run into a Christmas song or two. They’re playing in the background of grocery stores and coffee shops aplenty. But when we let Christmas songs sit in the background they...
Jimmy McNealHave you ever been in a worship service and looked at the faces around you? What about a worship service where you know for a fact that the Lord was moving? Souls are singing loudly and connecting with God in ways that only unity could bring about...
Christmas is upon us, and it’s a vital time for solid, gospel-focused preaching. Below we offer some unexpected Christmas texts worth using—plus some tips for how Logos can help you discover new Christmas sermon ideas. Plus, we’ll share why...
G. K. Chesterton claimed he never discussed anything except politics and religion stating there was nothing else to discuss. By this, he meant these two topics compass the whole of human activity and thought. I believed that valuing religion and...
John HaralsonImagine yourself in a courtroom where God himself is the prosecutor. The heavens and earth are called as witnesses, and the lawsuit is against none other than his own people. The charge? Rebellion—despite all the love and care God had shown them...
JoAnna HoytAs a child, I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. These books allowed me to shape the story to my desires. No other book allowed that. If I did not like an outcome, I simply “rewound” my decision and chose another. The book provided the...
Sean McGeverI recently addressed a gathering of church leaders about the Everlasting Gospel for Gen Z. When I finished speaking, a long line of people formed to ask questions. That wasn’t strange or unusual. What was strange was that they all asked me versions...
Donald C. McIntyreThe Bible does speak of demons, and demonology is a proper subject of theology. If angels and demons exist and afflict God’s people as the Bible asserts, then their existence and methods are necessary for a Christian’s understanding of reality. The...
Joseph DodsonI recently heard about a hiker who came across another hiker with her two dogs. As they chatted, the dog owner unleashed her pets so that they could frolic among the flowers and the trees. The dogs could not contain their excitement as they felt...
Christopher KouChekov's gun is a rule of stage drama named after the Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov. The rule states that if a gun appears in the first act, it must be fired by the end of the final act.