Among Jesus’ last commandments to the Apostle Peter prior to his ascension was to feed his sheep and to tend his sheep (John 21).  Have you ever thought deeply about what these commandments mean and how they practically apply to the way pastors and elders are to serve in the church today?  I have found The Shepherd Leader by Timothy Z. Witmer very helpful in thinking through and practically applying shepherding practices to the churches in which I have served as an elder.  This book is helpful and practical for not just pastors, but especially the lay elders, who frequently...

9Marks is doing a great job producing materials for young as well as mature Christians, and for those who stand behind the pulpit and those who sit in the pews. The First Step Series is aimed at those young Christians who are looking for guidance to grow and live out their faith in this world. As a part of this series, Training: How Do I Grow as a Christian? is a well-written book by Isaac Adams. It is a Christian’s training guide on how to become a strong and faithful Christian. This book, Training, is creatively written with a few...

James, in his epistle, rightly reminds his readers that the ministry of teaching God’s Word isn’t for everyone. Paul writing to Timothy and Titus emphasizes the characteristics of a Christian leader. The title of the book Character Matters: Shepherding in the Fruit of the Spirit suggests that the author addresses pastors and Christian leaders. Therefore, the character of a shepherd matters and shepherding God’s people as God’s under-shepherds is a work that requires great responsibility. As David Murray rightly said, “the minister’s soul is the soul of his ministry.” Many times, pastors focus on the structure and doctrine of the church. Both...

Christians should read their Bible, pray regularly, and belong to a local church. You may be someone who takes these habits seriously or maybe not! Or, you may be someone like me who at times struggles to remain on track. No doubt, these are basic fundamentals of the Christian life for us to mature in our Christian walk.These habits may be conscious to some, that is,they have  become a part of the routine of daily life. Pause for a moment and ask yourself these questions: Are you enjoying Jesus while practising these spiritual disciplines? Is your daily pursuit in these...

Dr Edward T. Welch is no stranger to the world of Biblical counselling. He has written many helpful articles and books for the benefit of the church at large. Caring for one Another is a short and yet power-packed book about how we can be equipped to reach out in love towards other people in the local church. This book is based upon that wonderful passage in Ephesians 4 where Paul says that the risen and exalted Christ “gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building...

Should Christians celebrate Diwali or Onam (if you’re from Kerala), or Christmas? Should women wear a bindi, or wear ornaments, or not? Arranged marriage or love marriage? Can Christians agree to disagree on issues the Bible doesn’t speak directly on? Andrew Naselli and J.D Crowley’s book Conscience will be the book to give you a framework on how to think through these issues.  The writers set out to define what conscience is, which is “the consciousness of what you believe is right and wrong”. There are two foundational principles of the conscience, which are God is the only Lord of...