Featured Blog Posts – August 2010 Archive (19)

Called to Worship

I was recently in a small church that for years has struggled to grow beyond 60 people. They are dear, sincere people who want to trust God to use them in greater ways in their community. I…

Kick-Starting Pastoral Leadership in Prayer

(Adapted from Fresh Encounters – Experiencing Transformation through United, Worship-based Prayer; by Daniel Henderson; NavPress)

From my personal struggles and interactions with many of my peers, I discovered five basic reasons why pastors sometimes resist…

Leading / Facilitating Corporate Prayer

Elisha was a man of unusual “God moments.” I’m still pondering the floating axhead story—and have absolutely nothing to write about that!



But I am especially struck by the details of two miracles involving Elisha: the widow with the replenishing oil and the Shunammite woman’s son who was raised from the dead. Both of these stories from 2 Kings 4 have a common thread…

If you don’t believe we are in need of a spiritual awakening in our nation, you are not obsessed the news networks like I am! Seriously, you cannot live in this nation without some awareness that a movement of God is desperately needed.



Historically, this nation has experienced some powerful spiritual awakenings that have dramatically changed the spiritual climate of…

I was just settling into a comfortable spot on the floor in front of the fireplace on a bitterly cold winter night, with pillows perfectly positioned. I was reading a book written by a friend about dealing with disappointment when God seems to "disappear." *…

I recently finished re-reading a book that may well be my favorite book on prayer: The God Who Hears, by Bingham Hunter. I really appreciate the premise of the book that prayer begins with God, not with us. God is the one who draws us to prayer; we tend to see prayer as us coming to God when actually it's Him drawing us into His presence.

Hunter begins where prayer really should begin - with who God is. He deals with several…

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).…

Celebrating 50 years (this year) in ministry I can assure you that misunderstandings, mistrust and betrayals are unavoidable. In fact, as odd as it may sound, they are actually part of the plan. After all, if we're to reign with Him, we must first suffer with Him. It's in our suffering that we are conformed into His image.



For resurrection life to exist, something must die. It's not "if I'm ever betrayed". It's "when I'm betrayed". You see, many people blame the devil, when all…

PRESS RELEASE

August 2, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Darrel deVille…

“Why didn’t God answer my prayer?” That was the question posed by the new Christian, although the question is not unique to new Christians. First of all, there is no such thing as unanswered prayer, in spite of the old hymn text by B.B. McKinney. Sometimes, God says “No” or “Wait” but those are answers. When it seems God is not answering we tend to look for reasons. We blame God –…