University Education with a Soul

By Heath A. Thomas The American university lost its soul, and we need to find it again. University education is a beautiful, noble, formative and helpful endeavor. At its best, university education is transformative: it effects change in people. But the question is…what do they become? We may see graduates who can land a job and make money, but all too often, …

6 Ways Social Media Impacts Your Ministry and How to Steward It Well

By John Murphy, GuideStone Managing Director of Insurance Sales Social media has fundamentally changed the way we communicate with one another. Thoughts are broadcast to followers in a matter of seconds, generating quick public criticism or praise. Posts can be as entertaining as your latest vacation snapshot, as boring as your dinner plate and as controversial as the politics of …

Never Forsaken: How God Answered a Widow’s Prayer with Mission:Dignity

By Dr. Aaron Meraz, Director of Mission:Dignity at GuideStone You are an answer to a widow’s prayers! Jeanetta Watson served with her husband, Wendell, in Oklahoma and Texas for 45 years. Wendell, a bi-vocational pastor, always pastored small churches that could not pay a full-time minister. Some of the jobs he worked to supplement his pastoral income included selling insurance, …

Making Scripture Memorization a Part of Your Disciplined Life

Why Memorize Whole Chapters and Books of the Bible? by Andrew Davis on April 19, 2022 Recently I have begun a discipleship book with a man in our church. The book is a classic by R. Kent Hughes entitled Disciplines Of A Godly Man. He begins by making a strong case for the essential role of discipline in the Christian life. …

More Than a Story – Q&A with Truth78’s Sally Michael

This has a different feel from other Bible books written for children. Why is a book of this type – and tone – so important?  We have many children’s Bible resources consisting of collections of key Bible stories written in an engaging manner. But what seems to be lacking is a comprehensive overview covering the breadth and depth of the …

3 Mistakes to Avoid When Leading a Bible Study

HOW TO LEAD A GREAT BIBLE STUDY BY ANDY DAVIS One of my favorite ways to teach the Bible is in a small group setting in which there is the opportunity for give and take, for dynamic interaction over the sacred texts of Scripture. To prepare for such Bible studies, for years I have written out discussion questions that get …

Why Hope is Essential to Healthy Ministry

HOW TO TREAT SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION IN MINISTRY? By Andrew Davis Spiritual Depression Temporary fits of spiritual depression have engulfed some of the choicest servants of the Lord throughout church history. It is amazing to read the list of those who confessed to feeling dark despair crowd into their souls at critical moments: Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Adoniram Judson, …

Seven Ways to Practice Financial Stewardship in Your Health Plan: Smart spending can keep your health care from costing an arm and a leg.

By Scott CharbonneauManaging Director of Insurance SolutionsGuideStone As a pastor, you most likely preach on biblical stewardship from the pulpit and also practice it within your personal budget. With costs rising on everything from food to gas, every penny counts as you seek to honor the Lord with your finances. It pays to shop smart — especially when it comes to …

From the Son of a Baptist Preacher: How Church Plans and Housing Allowance Work in Your Favor as a Pastor

Follow Our Lead on Church Plans for Your Retirement Needs By Stephen Osborne, Senior Relationship Manager in Retirement Solutions Ministers and ministries are unique — both in mission and in operations. As a minister, you received an inspirational calling from God and most likely pursued theological training to prepare for your vocation. But did your seminary offer you a class …

Southern Baptist Fundamentalism Then and Now

By Nathan Finn For fifteen years, I’ve been a church historian who has taught courses on topics such as Baptist History, Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism, and American Religious History. For my PhD at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, I wrote a dissertation titled “The Development of Baptist Fundamentalism in the South, 1940-1980.” Though I never published the dissertation, I have written several …