Hi-def Leadership in a Hi-def World: Attributes of Godly Leaders

Posted on February 2, 2017 by William Barrick

High-definition (or, Hi-def, or HD) refers to increased visual resolution as compared to the commonly used standard of resolution. This involves twice as many scan lines per frame, a proportionally sharper image, and a wide-screen format. In other words, this technology produces a sharper, clearer image. Therefore, a Hi-def view of Christian leadership should present a clearer understanding of what leadership involves. As an aid to examining the characteristics of Christian leadership, I have outlined my thoughts by means of “HI-DEF” as an acronym:

Humility
Integrity
Discipline
Excellence
Faith

Humility

As Andrew Murray pointed out in Humility and Absolute Surrender,[1] neither failures nor sin can produce humility.… Continue reading

Give Thanks–Paul’s Prayers of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 24, 2016 by William Barrick

Early in my Christian life I obtained Arthur W. Pink’s Gleanings from Paul: The Prayers of the Apostle (Moody 1967). That study of Paul’s prayers in Scripture kindled a spiritual fire in my heart and life. Paul’s example in prayer, especially in the thanks with which he begins most of his epistles, set a pattern for believers throughout the next two millennia and beyond. Paul’s admonition, “in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) certainly challenges each one of us. As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day 2016, let’s immerse ourselves in opportunities for thanksgiving that the apostle exemplifies through his epistles.… Continue reading

Looking Forward to My Obituary

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Andy Lynch

A long, long time ago in …no wait that’s an entirely different story. Last year as I was working on furthering my theological education one of the classes I took had each student write an obituary of sorts. The goal of the assignment was to write a short biography of one’s life and ministry thinking forward to how one would like to end the race. As God’s providence would have it, I have been giving more thought to such things lately as I have been confronted repeatedly with evidence that I am not as young as I was or think I am now.… Continue reading

Charles Bridges & Christian Ministry

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Andy Lynch

Not too long ago a friend asked me if I had ever read Charles Bridges work The Christian Ministry; with An Inquiry into the Causes of its Inefficiency as he and some other men in his local church are going to be reading through it together. I have indeed read this tome, and wrote an overview/review of it while at student at The Master’s Seminary. What follows is a very broad overview of Bridges’ work along with the observations I made upon its first reading and I thought that not only my friend but our readers here at Parking Space 23 might find it useful.… Continue reading

Reviewing Exemplary Spiritual Leadership

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Andy Lynch

In Exemplary Spiritual Leadership author and pastor Jerry Wragg takes on the notion of much of modern evangelicalism in the realm of what characteristics and qualifications a man must possess in order to be a leader within the Church. The entire tome works to explain the differences between what God demands and what the world seeks in a leader. In the conclusion Wragg offers the following definition of leadership,

“It is the God-given ability to influence others through the power of a godly life and the wisdom gained in the practice of truth.” (p. 144).

From an experiential perspective, this is perhaps the best definition of the term as it applies to the Church I have come across so far in my Christian walk.… Continue reading