Do you ever feel forgotten by God? Do you wonder if He still knows your address? If He has a plan for your life? If He is able to help with your needs? 

Do you ever feel discouraged while looking at the state of our nation? Do you wonder where the speedily declining moral degradation will end?

In short, do you wonder if God is in control? 

Patience! Does any Christian not need to grow in this area? We want our questions answered immediately, our trials resolved quickly, and every irritation removed yesterday. It doesn’t matter if we are at Costco trying to figure out which checkout line will be the fastest or at a restaurant wanting our food at lightning speed. We have an agenda. 

When I was in junior high, I had a fervent desire to become a great basketball player and one day possibly be drafted into the NBA. Now that never became a reality (not even close), but my love for the game was sincere. 

This month I will celebrate my fortieth year being ordained as a Baptist pastor. No one could have prepared me for the changes that were ahead in the church and ministerial landscape over this forty-year period.

When most of us think of ministry work, we think of shepherding people, leading souls to Jesus, and teaching and preaching God’s Word. Yet for these essential roles to be successfully fulfilled, there is an unglamorous, easily-neglected side of local church ministry—the administrative side of managing projects and processes. It’s the daily grind, and, frankly, it doesn’t come naturally for many ministry leaders. But local church ministry benefits from intentional strategies and processes. 

It doesn’t take long to notice the great spiritual needs at the average public high school. But getting into a local school with a gospel ministry can be challenging. One avenue few churches consider is through the athletic programs. In most public schools, athletics is a hub for student life. Ministering to the athletes and their friends is a way to serve a large percentage of a school.