Several years ago in Ottawa, I had the joying to telling the Christmas story at a banquet for Canadian Members of Parliament and ambassadors from a wide variety of nations. The challenge was the time limit: I was allotted three minutes.
Category: Life Lessons
Praise and Prayer Update (December 5, 2025)
Linda and I recently returned from celebrating US Thanksgiving with our kids and grandkids down in the States. We had a joyful, meaningful time together around the Thanksgiving table. We even got to hear our son Ryan preach a Thanksgiving…
The Shaping Power of Friendships (Part 4 of 4)
I have two favourite songs about friendship. The first is James Taylor’s classic, “You’ve got a friend.” Don’t you love the promise he makes in the chorus: “Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you’ve got to do is call, and I’ll be there—you’ve got a friend.” Where can we find a friend like that?
The Shaping Power of Friendships (Part 3 of 4)
When it comes to friendship, Proverbs says a true friend sticks with us through adversity. Since that’s true, we may be tempted to think a true friend always makes life easier and smoother for us. But that’s not the case. Here’s a second (and surprising) mark of a true friend.
The Shaping Power of Friendships (Part 2 of 4)
Since our friends shape up in deep and lasting ways, we must choose them wisely. This raises the question: “What does a true friend look like?” Proverbs answers this question by identifying two memorable marks of a true friend. In this post, we'll focus on the first mark.
The Shaping Power of Friendships (Part 1 of 4)
“Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” This statement echoes an important theme in the book of Proverbs. The theme of the shaping power of friendships. In this series of four posts, I want to explore the impact of our friendships and how to find (and be) a true friend.
Preachers: Stay on the Expository Path
Preachers and teachers have a choice to make every time they prepare to speak. They must choose the path they will travel. Here's why they should choose to stay on the Expository Path.
What Does a Faithful Pastor Look Like?
Ever wonder what a faithful pastor looks like? I certainly did when I began serving as a pastor. After studying the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 TImothy and Titus), I came up with a simple sketch to picture a faithful pastor.
Home Run Sermon Introductions
Hitting a home run in a world series game is the desire of every baseball player (just ask Addison Barger). Hitting a home run in our sermon introductions should be the desire of every preacher. So how can we do that?
Getting Free from Your Sermon Manuscript (Part 3 of 3)
How do you keep your manuscript from become a manacle? How do you break free from your carefully prepared manuscript so the sermon is preached rather than read? That's the focus of this final installment in the mini-series on Sermon Manuscripts.
Rick and Linda Reed 