Category Archives: Influence

The Danger of Silence

Posted on June 27, 2011 by russellmckinney

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Adultery, Coming Judgment, Commitment, Communication, Criticism, Current Events, Doctrine, Doing Good, Drugs, Evangelism, Faithfulness, God's Work, Homosexuality, Influence, Ministry, Missions, Obedience, Persecution, Perseverance, Politics, Preaching, Scripture, Service, Sin, The Bible, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Christian’s Paradoxical Life

Posted on June 10, 2011 by russellmckinney

But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them … Continue reading →

Posted in Belief, Brokenness, Current Events, Discipleship, Doing Good, Dying To Self, Evangelism, Faith, Faithfulness, God's Work, Influence, Ministry, Missions, Personal Holiness, Salvation, Sanctification, Service, Trusting In God, Witnessing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Can a Person Truly Change?

Posted on May 31, 2011 by russellmckinney

Can a person truly change? Mel Trotter did. Trotter was born to a Christian mother and an alcoholic father. By age 19, he was drinking heavily himself as well as gambling. He met and married a young woman and fathered … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Belief, Change, Choices, Depravity, Forgiveness, Gambling, God's Love, God's Work, Husbands, Influence, Marriage, Ministry, Problems, Repentance, Salvation, Sin | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Missed Opportunities

Posted on May 26, 2011 by russellmckinney

When Alexander Graham Bell was trying to market the telephone, he went to wealthy financier Chauncey DePew and offered him a one-sixth interest in the new invention for the price of $10,000. DePew took a week to consider the offer … Continue reading →

Posted in Discernment, Discipleship, Doing Good, God's Omnipotence, God's Work, Influence, Ministry, Personal Holiness, Service, Spiritual Gifts, Talents | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Power of One

Posted on May 10, 2011 by russellmckinney

…one sinner destroys much good. (Ecclesiastes 9:18, N.K.J.V.) Wow, you talk about a statement with truth to it! These words from Ecclesiastes punch us right in the face, don’t they? What a sad but very real fact it is that … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ's Second Coming, Christ's Return, Coming Judgment, Current Events, God's Timing, God's Wrath, God's Judgment, Human Life, Influence, Prophecy | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Me & My Bird

Posted on April 29, 2011 by russellmckinney

At our house, we’ve been dealing with an interesting problem for the past couple of days. Well, “interesting” is one word for it. “Annoying” would be another. “Maddening” would perhaps be best. A certain bird has been pecking away at … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Disobedience, Influence, Personal, Rebellion, Sin | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Conflict Within the Church

Posted on April 6, 2011 by russellmckinney

W.B. Riley, who served as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota, for some fifty years, told the following story: In my first pastorate, three of my church officials had refused for three full years to speak to … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger, Christian Unity, Church, Church Discipline, Confession, Deacons, Doing Good, Extending Forgiveness, Forgiveness, God's Work, Influence, Pastors | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Different Way to Preach the Gospel

Posted on April 4, 2011 by russellmckinney

An army private became a Christian and began to experience some persecution from his fellow soldiers. One rainy night he came in very tired and wet, but he still got down on his knees and prayed before he went to … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Doing Good, Evangelism, Extending Forgiveness, Humility, Influence, Mercy, Persecution, Perseverance, Personal Holiness, Prayer, Salvation, Trials, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Third Suit

Posted on March 29, 2011 by russellmckinney

Here’s a story that plays off my previous post about the original Sunday Schools. In one of Scotland’s manufacturing towns, a young lady applied to the superintendent of a Sunday School and asked for a class. He advised her to … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Doing Good, Dress and Appearance, Influence, Patience, Perseverance, Sunday School, Teaching, Youth | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Sunday School

Posted on March 25, 2011 by russellmckinney

Most people don’t know that the Sunday Schools of today’s churches bear little resemblance to the original Sunday Schools of England’s late 1700s. Those schools were quite literally places of basic education where poor children could learn to read and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study, Children, Church, Discipline, God's Work, Influence, Scripture, Sunday School, Teaching, The Bible, Youth | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment