Author: Chris

My belief is that God has created each of us for a holy destiny. Through biblical teaching and writing I hope to lead souls to find God, learn to apply His Word to their lives, and find opportunities to join in the work of His Body, the Church.
Faith

Finding the Strength of Jesus

Chris

In high school I was a distance runner. I would run on the cross-country team in the Fall and for the track and field team in the Spring. Our training involved running every day. Another part of training was hitting the gym a couple times each week. Every time I entered the gym I dream of what it would be like to have muscles and be strong.

Many of us wish we could be strong. It takes a lot of discipline, dedicating yourself to continued time and effort. You can’t quit training once you start. If you aren’t purposeful in continuing your strength will waste away.

Though our television shows, movies, magazines and the internet are full of well-toned bodies, the majority of us are not. We gave up on the routine, or never started it all. As a result we are weak. Strength and muscles remain a dream. But there’s more to strength and weakness than we realize.

Continue reading “Finding the Strength of Jesus” →

Ministry

It’s Okay to be a “Sensitive” Leader

Chris

Leadership is a responsibility. Some people desire a place in leadership so they can have a say or be the one calling the shots. They don’t want to be told to clean the bathroom, they want to be the one doing the telling. Others are thrust into leadership without asking for it. There are few who really understand all there is to know about leadership.

The very first thing to consider, for everyone who aspires to lead, is the issue of responsibility. John Maxwell often says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” Scripture warns those who want to be teachers about their higher level of responsibility. Surely God considers the work of a leader to hold as much weight, if not more. Old Testament prophets often delivered God’s judgment on leadership for their failures that had destructive consequences on the people.

If our individual assemblies were meant to coast their way downhill, ending up wherever whenever, God would not have ordained leaders or provided the spiritual gift of leadership. The fact God places people in authority means that authority is as special to Him as those being looked after. It is no small thing.

Continue reading “It’s Okay to be a “Sensitive” Leader” →

Podcast

The Spirit of Life

Chris

Conclusion. As Christians, our lives should be marked by the Holy Spirit. Like Paul, we have to give up all that we were and find our life in Christ. This means choosing between two ways of life which are opposite and contrary. But only one is right for the follower of Jesus.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/the-spirit-of-life

Christian Living, Ministry

When the Leader Speaks

Chris

After a recent meeting with our leadership team, one of them mentioned how he thought we had a good group. He had heard about church board meetings that involved a lot of yelling and screaming and said with confidence that we should not have to worry about that.

Another team member told a couple of stories from his experiences in those meetings, and agreed with the first’s assessment that we currently have a great group. He also mentioned how one of those big boardroom fights led to innocent families being pushed out of the church.

That’s when I gave the same two-cents I usually share in a discussion like this. It’s the pastor’s job to make sure those situations are as close to non-existent as possible. One way to do that is to be a strong leader, willing to put your foot down. Some things just aren’t up for debate. The senior leader, whether it’s a pastor in a church board or the chairman of a business organization, has to be willing to say so.

Continue reading “When the Leader Speaks” →

Podcast

The Spirit of Gifts

Chris

Part 4. The Holy Spirit is the giver of God’s Gifts to us. They are meant to be part of our lives, but do we forget why? What are the Gifts of the Spirit really for? The Spirit gives by His design and with specific intent. We need a change of heart to see the Gifts return.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/the-spirit-of-gifts