5 Ways Billy Graham Has Influenced Evangelicals and Evangelism

Last updated on: February 21, 2018 at 6:14 pm By Jim Erwin

Dr. Billy Graham died today at the age of 99. (You can view his memorial site).He was an ordained Southern Baptist minister. Graham was an evangelist. He was well-admired by many people. During his lifetime, he influenced American Evangelicals and Evangelism. Below are five ways in which he influenced both movements. 1. He brought many organizations together to cooperate in evangelistic efforts Graham launched several ministries. He was the first full-time staff worker for Youth for Christ. In addition, he... Read more

5 Major Fault Lines in the SBC Split Today

Last updated on: May 23, 2018 at 10:20 am By Jim Erwin

If you have been watching the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in recent years, you know that there has been a decline in membership, a stagnation of baptisms, and an increase in plateauing churches. This has been happening for well over a decade. Read more

10 Helpful Resources for Lent

Last updated on: February 12, 2018 at 10:52 pm By Jim Erwin

10 Helpful Resources for Lent 40 Simple Thoughts for 40 Days of Lent This is a list of 40 simple thoughts or devotional reflections which I have written. They center around “Jesus _______.” God’s Favorite Place on Earth by Frank Viola I read this book during Lent and I found it a delightful read. The way Viola tells the story of Lazarus and his relationship with Jesus was unique and personal. You can find Viola’s blog on Patheos. Preparing for a... Read more

How to Train in the Sport of Godliness

Last updated on: February 11, 2018 at 8:55 pm By Jim Erwin

How to Train in the Sport of Godliness 1 Timothy 4:6-10 Starting this week, the Winter Olympics in South Korea will showcase a group of athletes who will compete for medals. Have you ever worked to get better at something? If so, you soon realized that the cliché “practice makes perfect” is true. Olympic Athletes seem to succeed with effortless grace, but their performances aren’t as easy as they look. The average Olympian trains four hours a day at least... Read more

How to Be a Champion in the Game of Life

Last updated on: February 11, 2018 at 4:24 pm By Jim Erwin

How to Be a Champion in the Game of Life 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Sylvester Stallone surprised the entertainment world by resurrecting his iconic movie hero, Rocky Balboa, for one last film in 2006. Then, while promoting the film, Stallone shocked Christian fans by saying that his faith in Jesus Christ had influenced the writing of the first Rocky screenplay. His renewed affiliation with Christianity had motivated him to write the last one. In an interview with Citizenlink.com, Stallone said, “I... Read more

5 Church Evangelism Principles

Last updated on: February 7, 2018 at 10:44 pm By Jim Erwin

5 Church Evangelism Principles Mark 6:7-13 1. Believe in the authority of Jesus (Mark 6:7) “He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits.” (Mark 6:7, CSB) When you are sharing the Gospel, you are involved in spiritual warfare. You have to realize that this is not just about technique. This is not just about methods and models. This is about serious warfare. You have to believe that Jesus gave... Read more

Healing for Damaged Emotions by David Seamands

Last updated on: February 6, 2018 at 11:42 am By Jim Erwin

Healing for Damaged Emotions by David Seamands Healing for Damaged Emotions by David Seamands is an excellent resource to help Christians deal with emotions that have been damaged. Seamands uses Matthew 8:17 and Romans 8:26-27 as the thesis for his book. He suggests from these verses that “infirmities” are damaged emotions. After explaining the Biblical definition of damaged emotions, Seamands shares how to deal with damaged emotions. He explains that one may be spiritual, yet still have emotional problems inside.... Read more

How to Run My Life Race Well

Last updated on: February 13, 2018 at 8:44 pm By Jim Erwin

How to Run My Life Race Well Hebrews 12:1-2 Three top contenders in the Bangalore Half Marathon were following their pace car when the car missed a turn and led the runners 2.5 miles in the wrong direction. The mistake occurred about nine miles into the 13.1-mile course, and the runners didn’t realize right away that the crowd had disappeared. They had to borrow money from morning joggers in a Bangalore neighborhood so they could buy train tickets to the... Read more

5 Rewarding Crowns for the Christian

Last updated on: February 7, 2018 at 2:47 pm By Jim Erwin

5 Rewarding Crowns for the Christian There are eternal rewards. These rewards are given to every Christian. It is interesting to see that each of the five crowns listed in the New Testament is related to each of the five purposes for the Christian (which are described in the books by Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, and The Purpose Driven Church.) 1. The incorruptible crown – The crown of DISCIPLESHIP “Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do... Read more

Tony Perkins, Franklin Graham, and Presidential Moral Authority

Last updated on: January 31, 2018 at 8:38 am By Jim Erwin

Supporting these political leaders for other reasons than character diminishes the power that these evangelical leaders can exert in other truly important moral issues. Read more