Author Archives: Andrew Schank

About Andrew Schank

Andrew Schank is an Independent Baptist Missionary/Pastor who loves to blog about spiritual matters! His main ministry website is http://www.togetherinthegap.com. Andrew is also a contributing author to two other blogs/websites including http://linked2leadership.com and http://www.ifbkjv.com. Pastor Schank's Church website is http://www.greatcommissionbaptist.org
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Tony Hutson – Preaching In A Black Church!

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No matter what color skin you have, when you are in the minority, it can be somewhat amusing watching and listening to the majority as they speak, sing, and even when they worship. Brother Tony Hutson relates an experence he had when first starting out in the ministry! Feel free to share this…

[sermons id=6]

519586: Raising Children God"s Way Raising Children God’s Way

By D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones / Banner Of Truth

When the light of the gospel enters the soul it brings with it a supernatural power that radically transforms the whole of life. This change is perhaps no more clearly seen than in the relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children. Our age has witnessed an almost total collapse of the family unit, and in many places the majority of children are now being raised in ‘broken homes.’ Our society presents Christian parents and children with a unique opportunity of bearing witness to God’s love by just being different. Few things are more powerful than a Christian family in which the true relationship between parents and children is clearly seen. This may be one of the ways in which God will bringing many to a knowledge of the truth.
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Coping With Criticism – A Pastor’s Nightmare | Introduction

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Coping with criticism is one of the hardest things to deal with as an adult. Rest assured, it can be a nightmare, of all nightmares, in a pastor’s life if it is coupled with other issues of discouragement. In this post, I would like to introduce this series and lay the groundwork for future posts. Remember, even though criticism can be harsh, it can also be your best friend.

Nobody, by nature, likes criticism whether it is constructive or not. No spiritual leader, business leader, or community leader likes to be criticized in any way. For a pastor, of a local church, it can be a nightmare; especially if there is a faction in the church who have set themselves against his leadership.

Though criticism is often seen in a bad light it can be a leader’s best tool for self improvement. As stated earlier, it can be a good friend. The Bible speaks of the faithfulness of the wounds of a friend. Consider…

(Proverbs 27:6) “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”  (KJV)

Whether you are a pastor, evangelist or missionary, this series of posts will help you. In fact, anybody who wants to mature as a believer can be helped. For sure, I am writing these posts for my benefit. I need help in this area.

In future posts in this series we will address the following:

  1. Thankfulness For Those Who Criticized You.
  2. Criticism – A Gift From God.
  3. An Important, Self Examining Question.
  4. Examining The Sting Of Criticism.
  5. Assumptions On Our Part.
  6. Sinful Responses To Criticism.
  7. What Goes Around, Comes Around.
  8. The Danger Of Over-Reacting.

Your Involvement…

Before I conclude this post, I want to invite you to participate in this series with your stories, suggestions, and helpful comments. I would really like this to be a collaboration from several pastors, and various spiritual leaders. Would you please help in this endeavor?

Looking forward to working with each of you in days to come.

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Pastor – A Voice Or An Echo

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I was reading a tremendous book the other day, written by the late Keith E. Knauss (1928-1998), entitled, Heartbeats Of The Holy. This book was given to me several weeks ago, while at a meeting in Union, South Carolina, by Evangelist Joe Bryant. As I was devouring it’s contents, I stumbled across a thought that I wanted to pass along. Brother Knauss wrote about being a voice or an echo. Needless to say, I wanted to run and fall under a rock to hide myself!!!


The Charge…

The portion under consideration is found in chapter ten of the book. While speaking about John the Baptist’s effectiveness as God’s man, Brother Knauss states the following…

“ANY HILL CAN MAKE AN ECHO. ‘I am the voice of ONE,’ said John. Can you say that, preacher? Or must you, in all fidelity to truth say, ‘I am an echo.’ If a man is but an echo he is common-place, for echos multiply. But if he be a voice – men will stop, listen, and marvel.”

WOW! Brother Knauss states it very well, doesn’t he?

The Chiming…

“The woods are full of ‘em” says the men of yesteryear. Yes, there are numerous echos across our land today. They simply regurgitate what they have heard someone else say. That is all well and good for those who heard it first hand. They digested the Word from Heaven! Praise the Lord! However, they should rightly divide a fresh portion for their sheep, and not vomit up what they have previously eaten! The content may be the same, but it is fresh from Heaven. Every day but the Sabbath, the manna fell. Leftovers stank and were no good. Such can be said for echos!

The Challenge…

Pastor, let us decide, right now, that we will be HIS VOICE and not an empty echo! Far too many times we mount the pulpit and, if the truth be told, we are full of self. We are empty vessels chiming against one another. If we truly had the water of life to pass out, then there would be a different ring. The tone would be so heavy that our hearers would know God’s Spirit is near. As John of old, let us be a VOICEto our family, our congregation, and our community.

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