For nearly 25 years of ministry, I have tried to surround myself with spiritually minded, Bible-believing, pastoral-hearted shepherds who love the Lord and tend to the flock of God. Throughout those years I have sought their counsel, gleaned from their wisdom, and learned from their experiences. The practical theology one can learn at a syrupy Waffle House table while Sweet Home Alabama is playing in the background is a profound reality. During those unassuming moments, God sharpens iron, He uses the wisdom of one pastor to mold and shape the convictions of another.

It would be impossible to articulate or …

It was so small, so miniscule, so seemingly insignificant that at first glance no one would not have noticed the variation. It didn’t take long, however, until the laborers discovered that the insidious plant growing among the budding wheat wasn’t really wheat at all. Known as the “bearded darnel,” the tare was an imposter, a fake, a poisonous grass that could potentially kill off any livestock that came into grazing distance. This satanic seed was not only sown with the intention to destroy the crops of the master but to simultaneously distract those servants who were employed in the labor …

“Writing is easy,” said Red Smith, “all you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” That may sound a tad bit drastic, but the truth is, writing, in so many ways, is the pouring out of your soul. It is the depletion of self on paper. It is a wrestling match with thoughts, words, and syntax. Writing is ironic in that it’s therapeutic and unnerving. It’s relaxing and laborious. It is boring and inspirational. I dread it, and I absolutely love it.

In his book, The Conviction to Lead, Albert Mohler said, “Most of the words …

“So skilled is error at imitating truth” said A.W. Tozer, “that the two are constantly being mistaken for each other.”  Such an observation succinctly describes Christendom in these last days.  Sure, there have always been tares among the wheat, and goats among the sheep.  There have always been prowling wolves who don the garments of the shepherd’s cloak.  But in these last days, the lines of spirituality and doctrine are blurred as never before.  Perhaps the greatest tragedy in the church is not error; it is that so few people recognize it.

William Howells said, “Parts and parcels of truth …