FIRST-PERSON: Are you OK with Jesus but not the Bible?
Shane Pruitt cautions against creating "a Play-Doh Jesus" to "shape and mold" to one's imagination. "If you truly love the Jesus of the Bible," Pruitt writes, "you will also love the Bible that tells us all about Him."
FIRST-PERSON: Responding to criticism
Criticism can be faced in a healthy way, Shane Pruitt writes, noting that it doesn't have to make Christians to "lay down in defeat, doubt or discouragement."
FIRST-PERSON: Death & angels
No one becomes an angel in heaven, Shane Pruitt writes, noting that angels never get to experience the glory of God's grace, hope and forgiveness. "God does not gain another angel," Pruitt writes. "Rather, God calls another worshipper to come home."
FIRST-PERSON: Mission trip miscues
Do short-term mission trips truly advance the Kingdom of God? Are missions teams more of a help or a hindrance to the missionary? Are we really being good stewards of our resources? Shane Pruitt, director of missions for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, sets forth his counsel.
FIRST-PERSON: Reaching students — in their own words
Who better to ask for ideas on reaching young people than young people themselves? So, Shane Pruitt asked, "What do adults need to know about your generation?" at student camps, young adult worship services and other gatherings during the past year.
FIRST-PERSON: Pray for your child’s teacher
Enhance your children's school year by praying for their teachers, Shane Pruitt writes. "If we take the time to intentionally pray for our teachers, we'll have an impact on how efficiently the school year will go for our children, the teacher and the entire atmosphere of the classroom," Pruitt, director of missions for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, notes.
FIRST-PERSON: You’re a Christian? You’re a missionary
"Missionary" isn't a word reserved for those who share the love of Jesus on foreign soil, Shane Pruitt writes. "The call to a relationship with the King is also a call to tell the world about this same King," Pruitt, director of missions for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, writes.
FIRST-PERSON: What church planters want you to know
Shane Pruitt, director of missions for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, examines such questions about church planters as: Who is this kind of person that in the process of church planting often leaves a steady salary and an established ministry for the complete unknown? Is he brave or is he naïve enough to try it?
FIRST-PERSON: Hopeful for millennials
Shane Pruitt, director of missions for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, describes various characteristics of his millennial generation. Although there are differences between 17- and 34-year-olds, "there are some common views that come to the surface in most millennials no matter their age," Pruitt writes.
