Here are a couple of honest questions that need to be answered by everyone working in any arena of ministry. Is there room in our ministry for the spontaneity of the Spirit, or, to use the King James vernacular, "and suddenly"? Have we become so polished and programmed that the Holy Spirit has to fight to interrupt our agenda for an opportunity to speak or change our overly-prepared schedule? Years ago, I heard a joke about a group of preachers discussing their sermon preparation. The Baptist minister stated that because of preaching three sermons a week, he would immediately begin working...

I love the story that I've heard over and over since my childhood, the story found in Matthew 21:12-16 where a man's man, John Wayne-type Jesus goes into the Temple and does some housecleaning. I know that you've also heard this story umpteen million times about Jesus turning over the money changer's tables and kicking both the merchants and customers out of the Temple. Hearing about tables flying and people being chased out of church is every boy's idea of an exciting story. But here's the part of the story that your Sunday school teachers and children's church leaders generally forgot to...