Category Archives: Pastors

What Satan Did to His Fellow Angels: Rebellion

Posted on August 20, 2025 by russellmckinney

“The Wiles of the Devil” series (post #2) The Bible tells us quite a bit about angels, but it leaves certain parts of the story blank. First, it doesn’t tell us how many angels there are. Second, it doesn’t tell … Continue reading →

Posted in Angels, Children, Church, Demons, Disobedience, Family, Fatherhood, Government, Headship, Husbands, Parenting, Pastors, Politics, Rebellion, Satan, Series: "The Wiles of the Devil", Spiritual Warfare, Submission, The Devil, Wives, Work, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Strange Prayer Request

Posted on June 9, 2025 by russellmckinney

A man and his wife joined a local church. Since the couple was out of work and had precious little food and clothing, it wasn’t long before they asked the church for help. The church lovingly obliged by providing plenty … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Church, Church Attendance, Commitment, Faithfulness, God's Love, God's Provision, Husbands, Money, Pastors, Prayer Requests, Priorities, Prosperity, Repentance, Service, Stewardship, Thankfulness, Wives, Worship | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Church Boss

Posted on May 7, 2025 by russellmckinney

The epistles of 2 John and 3 John paint a small corner of a larger picture of what life was like in the early church. Those two epistles speak of how itinerant teachers would travel around to different places and … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, God's Work, Headship, Humility, Leadership, Ministry, Pastors, Preaching, Service, Sunday School, Teaching, Worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Selling Hamburgers

Posted on February 7, 2025 by russellmckinney

I have never served as the pastor of a megachurch, and I don’t figure that I ever will. My pastoral ministry has always involved small, rural churches. Still, I’ll admit that, like megachurch pastors, I feel the internal pressure to … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Church, Church Attendance, Music, Pastors, Personal, Preaching, Worship, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Kateland’s Answer

Posted on January 22, 2025 by russellmckinney

I was in my first pastorate, and our church was having its annual Bible School week. The attendance was excellent each night as several visiting kids who weren’t part of our church were coming. One of those visitors was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Baptism, Children, Church, Discernment, Evangelism, God's Work, Humor, Ministry, Parenting, Pastors, Personal, Reward, Salvation, The Holy Spirit, Witnessing, Youth | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Two Different Bible School Meetings

Posted on January 8, 2025 by russellmckinney

After a relatively successful V.B.S. at one of my former churches, I called for a meeting of the teachers and workers who had been involved with the effort. My purpose for the meeting was to assess what had gone well … Continue reading →

Posted in Attitude, Backsliding, Brokenness, Christian Unity, Church, Church Attendance, Confession, Criticism, Extending Forgiveness, Forgiveness, God's Work, Humility, Ministry, Pastors, Personal, Pride, Problems, Reconciliation, Restoration, Worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Worship Wars

Posted on January 3, 2025 by russellmckinney

I once met with the pulpit committee of a certain church about the possibility of me becoming that church’s next pastor. I don’t normally take Tonya along for such meetings, but this committee wanted to meet her as well. So, … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Balance, Change, Christian Unity, Church, Church Attendance, God's Guidance, God's Will, God's Work, King James Only, Ministry, Music, Pastors, Personal, Sunday School, Worship, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

One Reason Why God’s Will Rarely Gets Done

Posted on August 1, 2024 by russellmckinney

Suppose I wake up tomorrow morning and God burdens me to spend the day working on a new sermon based on John 3:16. Okay class, how many individuals are involved with me either doing God’s will by preparing that sermon … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Church, Criticism, Discernment, Disobedience, Doing Good, Doubt, Dying To Self, God's Will, Obedience, Pastors, Personal, Prayer, Preaching, Rebellion, Reconciliation | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Word American Christians Don’t Want to Hear

Posted on July 24, 2024 by russellmckinney

But the Lord said him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Children, Commitment, Courage, Disappointment, Discipleship, Faithfulness, Giving, God's Work, Loneliness, Ministry, Money, Parenting, Pastors, Persecution, Perseverance, Preaching, Priorities, Problems, Prosperity, Service, Sports, Stewardship, Suffering, Tithing, Trials | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jesus & Nazareth

Posted on June 21, 2024 by russellmckinney

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4, N.K.J.V.) With the exception of the times when I was attending Appalachian State … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ's Miracles, Doing Good, Evangelism, Family, Friendship, God's Work, Individuality, Influence, Leadership, Ministry, Pastors, Personal, Preaching, Service, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment