Interviews
Words of Wisdom from Pastors with Tenure (Part 1)
A 2011 Lifeway Research poll found that the average tenure for pastors in a local church is 3.6 years. Some have suggested that the number may be higher. Nevertheless, pastors who stay at a given church for ten, twenty, thirty, or more years are a rare occurrence. Yet the pastors that we tend to admire the most are those who have stayed at and labored in a single local church for an extended period of time. Furthermore, some advantages emerge with a pastoral tenure or longevity at a single local church. For these purposes, I’ve asked four men...
read moreThe ERLC, Marriage, and Ministry: A Conversation with Ray Ortlund, Jr.
On Tuesday, January 17, 2017, I had the opportunity to attend an Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Leadership luncheon in Nashville, Tennessee. Approximately sixty-five local leaders sat around tables, discussing life, marriage, ministry, politics, and more. Chuy’s catered. The guest of honor was Ray Ortlund, whom ERLC president Russell Moore interviewed on the topic of marriage. Before the interview began, Moore introduced Congressman Diane Black, who attended the luncheon. Black is a representative from Tennessee who chairs the House...
read moreTransformational Leadership, Books, and Politics: An Interview with Allison Ball
by Frank Thornsbury You’ve probably heard the proverb, “Good leaders are also good readers.” Well, look no further for evidence of this truth than the life and career of Allison Ball, Kentucky’s state treasurer and the youngest female constitutional officer in the United States. She’s no stranger to the pages of an inspiring biography or a tangled spy yarn or the Book that matters the most. Indeed, Treasurer Ball herself seems to share certain qualities with the protagonists she admires. Talk to her for only a minute and you’ll find that...
read moreWhy Pastors Aren’t Perfect: An Interview with Zack Eswine
Pastors are a very unique species. They are not only called to bridge two worlds in their preaching, as the John Stott title famously put it, but to live in two worlds. They bear the demanding burden of feeding and leading the flock of God, while at the same time being members of the flock (1 Pt. 5:1-4). They must find a way daily to manage the expectations of those they serve, while living with the fact that those expectations still exist, and vary from member to member. They must avoid trying to be everyone’s savior (despite the temptation...
read moreThe Christian Publisher, Church, and Family: An Interview with Ron Hunter
For decades, Randall House Publications has served the National Association of Free Will Baptists as its publishing arm. In addition to being the main provider of curriculum to our churches, they also provide a range of resources and products designed to foster spiritual formation and discipleship. More recently, under the leadership of Executive Director and CEO Ron Hunter, they have attempted to move family ministry to the forefront of how churches think about discipleship Since 2002, Ron has been with Randall House, having come there after...
read moreWhat Makes a Sermon ‘Good’? An Interview With Jeff Jones and Jeff Manning (Part II of II)
by Jacob Riggs “The preacher . . . is the only one who is in a position to deal with the greatest need of the world” (Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers, 40). In this post, we continue our interview with Jeff Jones and Jeff Manning. To see Part I, click here. Can and does God use “preaching” that neglects or misinterprets the text? If so, why is it still important to proclaim what the original author meant? Jones: In Numbers 22, God used a donkey, and that is close to how I feel about preachers who neglect, misrepresent, or are too...
read moreWhat Makes a Sermon ‘Good’? An Interview With Jeff Jones and Jeff Manning (Part I of II)
by Jacob Riggs “The preacher . . . is the only one who is in a position to deal with the greatest need of the world” (Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers, 40). Preaching is the pastor’s primary task, but often viewed subjectively. Two people of similar backgrounds could listen to the same sermon and be impacted in different ways. One might believe the sermon to have been excellent, and the other may have slept through it or even found it heretical. The discussion that follows seeks to define a “good” sermon and to understand why...
read moreAn Interview with Dr. Donald Whitney
I first came across Donald Whitney’s writings while taking an undergrad course on spiritual disciplines at Welch College. It was there that I read his premier work Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. I’ve since read the book numerous times—each time gaining a greater understanding of biblical spirituality. In many ways, Dr. Whitney’s book played a key role for me in better understanding how God uses His ordinary means of grace to grow me more into the likeness of His son. It was in that class, and through reading his book, that I...
read moreA Life in Ministry: An Interview with Bobby & Jane Jackson
A few years ago we were privileged at the Forum to have posted an interview we conducted with veteran evangelist Bobby Jackson. In particular, we discussed his memoir entitled Yesterday: Memoirs of an Itinerate Evangelist from 1950-2010. While Brother Bobby is essentially retired, he still takes meetings and speaks at special events. Most recently, he was one of the featured speakers at the North Carolina State Association Meeting in Greensboro in early June. Recently I was able to enjoy some wonderful hospitality from Brother Bobby and his...
read moreArminian and Baptist: An Interview with Matt Pinson
Arminianism has enjoyed something of a renewal of interest in theological discussions in the last decade. This interest has been embodied in the publication of a host of diverse books. Roger Olson’s Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities (2006) was an influential title that got many asking questions about Arminianism. His work has been followed by other historical and theological titles, including Arminius Speaks (2010), God’s Twofold Love: The Theology of Jacobus Arminius (2010), Jacob Arminius: Theologian of Grace (2012), and a recently...
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