Category Archives: Influence

Conflict Within the Church

Posted on September 12, 2022 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 September 7, 2022 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 August 31, 2022 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 August 29, 2022 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

Be a Good Neighbor

Posted on August 24, 2022 by russellmckinney

He who despises his neighbor sins… (Proverbs 14:21, N.K.J.V.) Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:10, N.K.J.V.) Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God will all … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Contentment, Discipleship, Doing Good, Extending Forgiveness, Influence, Personal Holiness, Problems | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Golden Rule

Posted on July 4, 2022 by russellmckinney

When you talk about the Old Testament law that God gave to the people of Israel, you’re on a BIG subject. Likewise, when you talk about the many prophecies that were given by God’s prophets from the Old Testament era, … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Doing Good, God's Work, Influence, Ministry, Service | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Word to the Adults

Posted on June 20, 2022 by russellmckinney

I once had the privilege of speaking at the chapel service of our local Tri-County Christian school. Trust me when I tell you that wasn’t an easy assignment. If you doubt me, you try coming up with something that will … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Character, Children, Discipleship, Doing Good, Dying To Self, Elderly, God's Will, God's Work, Holiness, Influence, Parenting, Personal, Personal Holiness, Sanctification, Service, Submission, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Slander

Posted on June 13, 2022 by russellmckinney

Ray Donovan was the Secretary of Labor under President Reagan. His time in office was marked by a highly publicized case in which Donovan and six others were tried in New York on charges of larceny and fraud. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Communication, Criticism, Discernment, Doing Good, God's Work, Holiness, Honesty, Influence, Personal Holiness, The Tongue, Truth | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Christian as a Teacher

Posted on June 1, 2022 by russellmckinney

Allow me to offer three illustrations that involve teaching. Teaching, of course, can be a wonderful thing that produces desirable results. As we will see with each of these illustrations, however, sometimes the whole process can turn sideways in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study, Children, Influence, Parenting, Scripture, Teaching, The Bible | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Tragedy of Living the Wrong Life

Posted on February 21, 2022 by russellmckinney

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4, N.K.J.V.) In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Dying To Self, God's Will, God's Work, Human Life, Individuality, Influence, Priorities, Service, Trusting In God, Work | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment