“Though heaven and earth shall pass away, not one word of grace shall fall to the ground. The sun and moon shall expire—they will dim with age and they will cease to shed their light abroad. But the love of Jesus Christ shall be as fresh and new as in the day of his espousals, and as delicious as when you first tasted of it. Yours shall it be forever and ever to inherit and enjoy.”

Read the Sermon Here

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Learn More about Charles Spurgeon at our new website, Spurgeon.org

Read the Puritans.

You will not find authors who are more saturated with Scripture, overflowing with biblical connections and insights. Their writings (books and sermons) relentlessly unpack God’s word, aiming it at the soul—mind, heart, and life. They were masters of spiritual, affectionate theology.

When J. I. Packer wrote that the Puritans shaped him in at least seven ways, I took note.1 Packer said the Puritans helped him:

1. Understand the reality of the Christian life. It is an ongoing battle to kill sin and cultivate holiness. We should not overly despair our weaknesses, or “get bogged down in mystical fanaticism.”2 The Christian life isn’t overly complicated.

2. Understand the sovereign grace of God and the redeeming love of Christ. For the Puritans, the sovereign love of God is a sweet subject. As Packer put it, “Biblical religion is God-centered, not man-centered. To get the love of Christ in focus changes one’s whole existence.”3

3. See intentional meditation on Scripture as vital for spiritual health. The mental mulling on God’s word, as stressed by the Puritans, helps us learn, know, recall, love, and respond to God and his word—which is to praise God.

4. See the true charge, duty, privilege, and joy of ministry. For Packer, his vision for preaching the gospel, teaching Scripture, shepherding souls, writing, and lecturing was given shape by the Puritans. Packer did these things exceedingly well.

5. See and feel the brevity of this life, while anticipating the next life. This mindset—or soulset, even—was so prevalent in the Puritans because they faced diseases, wars, prisons, high infant mortality rates, and many other sufferings. These pains pushed the Puritans to look to the horizon of heaven and eternity. Puritan writings are chock-full of reminders of the glories of eternity.

6. Understanding the importance of the church. While Packer was Anglican, and I’m a Baptist, the Puritans help us see the non-negotiable presence and power of the bride of Christ in the Christian life. Our place in this world is with the people of God.

7. Savor that theology is spirituality. Packer wrote, “The Puritans made me aware that all theology is also spirituality, in the sense that it has influence, good or bad, positive or negative, on its recipients’ relationship or lack of relationship to God.”4 The Puritans were spiritual theologians, or as Packer called them, “affectionate and practical” writers of the faith.

I couldn’t agree more with Packer. The Puritans have helped me know God and his word, enjoy Christ, walk in the power of the Spirit, preach the gospel, pray with light and heat, and feel the love of Christ as I behold his glory.

So, what Puritans should you pick up? Here’s seven I’d consider starting with:

• The Heart of Christ for Sinners by Thomas Goodwin

• The Glory of Christ by John Owen

• Communion with God by John Owen

• The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

• The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson

• The Great Gain of Godliness by Thomas Watson

• Keeping the Heart by John Flavel

As you can tell, my favorite Puritans are John Owen, Thomas Watson, Thomas Goodwin (then Flavel and Sibbes). Just get whatever you can by these men. While Packer loved Richard Baxter, his writings don’t speak to me as much as these three above. I’m currently working my way through Watson’s complete works. So rich. His word pictures, metaphors, and illustrations make him so enjoyable.

Add some Puritans to your reading list. Stock up. You won’t regret it.

For a great podcast on the Puritans, check out Dr. Stephen Yuille on Room for Nuance.

“He that loves Christ will never be tired of hearing about him…If there is anything to be learned about Jesus, you will want to know it. Dear brethren, let us cultivate this spirit more and more. Let us live in the study of the life of Jesus. These are things the angels desire to look into. Do you not desire to look into them too? Watch your Master. Let your experience, as it alters and ripens, reveal to your fresh beauties in your Lord.

As you turn over page after page of Scripture, search after Jesus in it as men search after gold, and be not content unless you see your Saviour’s face revealed in every page.”

Read the Sermon Here

If you enjoy these Spurgeon quotes, check out The Spurgeon Library on Instagram. Every week, we are releasing new quotes, paired with unique images from our collection of Spurgeon’s personal library. Give us a follow!

Learn More about Charles Spurgeon at our new website, Spurgeon.org

We have many resources on the “I am” statements, but have you studied his “I will” statements? They are rich, enlivening, and sweet promises!

Meditating and writing on these promises of Jesus has blessed my soul. Boosted my joy. Deepened my trust. I pray these words of Jesus will do the same for you. I’m excited to share this book with y’all.

Releases March 2027. Available for preorder from the publisher and at Amazon.

This past Sunday at church, we sang one of my favorite worship songs, Holy Forever. While praising the Lord, I began to meditate on these words:

My meditation and mental arrangement of names began to form. I thought of God’s name(s):

YHWH1 ~ Father, Son, Spirit ~ God ~ Jesus ~ Helper ~ El Shaddai (God Almighty) ~ El Roi (God Who Sees) ~ El Olam (The Everlasting God) ~ Helper ~ Alpha & Omega ~ and more

And then I thought of the names God stands above:

• Pharaoh

• Baal

• Molech

• Asherah

• Dagon

• Chemosh

• Rimmon

• Artemis

• Zeus

• Caesar

• Muhammad

• Napoleon

• Genghis Khan

• Confucius

• Buddha

• Darwin

• Gandhi

• Hitler

• Marx

• Lucifer

• Jeff Medders

What a reason to praise his name! He is great and greatly to be praised!

On this 250th anniversary of the United States of America, we ought to thank the Lord for the freedom we have to worship him in this land of liberty. What a gift.

Back in 1878, Spurgeon made these comments below about England, and we can apply them to ourselves today in 2026.

“How grateful we ought to be that we can meet together to worship God after that form which best satisfies our consciences without any fear of being hunted down by the authorities of the land…We worship God in unlimited liberty, and we ought to be exceedingly glad of the privilege, and infinitely more grateful for it than we are…Blessed is the land in which we dwell, and blessed are the days in which we live, when in all peace and quietness we worship God in public and sing his high praises as loudly as we please. Great God of peace, thou hast given us this peace, and in remembrance of our hunted forefathers we bless thee with our whole hearts!”

Read the Sermon Here

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Learn More about Charles Spurgeon at our new website, Spurgeon.org

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: A Gospel Call to Bold Enjoyment by Ray Ortlund

I loved every paragraph in this book. This is Ray at his best. Gospel rich, profound, personal, crisp writing, compelling, focused on Jesus. Get this one.

“With a pastor's heart, Ray Ortlund invites readers to embrace God's strategy for facing reality and living well. Meditating on Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, Ortlund explains how following Christ here in this world is a nuanced mix of both suffering and happiness. Ecclesiastes is a gospel call to accept the suffering and to savor the happiness—and savor it boldly.”

Simplify Your Spiritual Life: 90 Ways to Make the Spiritual Disciplines Less Overwhelming and More Sustainable by Donald S. Whitney

Don’s books on biblical spirituality are so helpful, rooted in Scripture, and practical. His tips and advice in this new edition will encourage your walk with Christ.

“Simplify Your Spiritual Life is a natural companion and follow up to Whitney’s landmark book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Here he guides you through a garden of 90 ways to simplify your practice of the Christian disciplines, encouraging you to pick those that will help you grow closer to Christ and more like him.”

Praying in Pain: How to Know You’re Heard When You Haven’t Been Healed by Glenna Marshall

“Prayer is how we survive the grip of crushing pain. Sometimes there are no words. Buried in grief and pain, we don’t know what to say, how to pray. Glenna Marshall has been there. Suffering for over a decade with chronic pain, she has spent nights exhausted, frustrated, and, at times, prayerless. Praying in Pain is inspired by the words of the psalmists, fellow friends and saints of old, who understand loss, pain, and heartache.”

Authentic Masculinity: Leaving Behind the Counterfeits for God’s Design by Seth Troutt

“Do you know what it means to be a man? Our culture is confused. Sometimes the differences between men and women are overemphasized. At other times, we hear that the differences between men and women are merely social constructs. Bewildered or discouraged, you might be asking: ‘What should I aspire to as a man?’ Or, even better, ‘What does it mean to be a Christlike man?’ Authentic Masculinity answers our questions and gives us a biblical vision of manhood.”

I listened to Seth on the Knowing Faith podcast and it was outstanding. This is a message and book we need for our times.

The Restoration of All Things: How the Promise of Christ’s Return Brings Us Comfort Today by Benjamin Vrbicek

“Leaving behind fear and politicization, this pastoral exploration of the end times shows us why Christ's second coming is a source of comfort, hope, and clarity, especially for those who are suffering. Rather than fixating on tribulation and the antichrist, this exploration of Christ's return reveals how, in the end, there will be justice for the wronged, renewal for the broken, abundance for the famished, and rest for the weary. Most importantly, our faith will become sight.

For anyone who is looking for hope and reassurance about the second coming and the end times (or just hasn't seen how they're relevant to life today) this book offers biblical answers and encouragement that will have you praying, ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’”

“As we feel a thousand deaths in fearing one, so do we feel a thousand afflictions in the fear of sorrows which will never come. Probably the major part of our griefs are born, nourished, and perfected, entirely in an anxious, imaginative brain. Many of our sorrows are not woven in the loom of providence, but are purely homespun, and the pattern of our own invention….Half our afflictions are only appalling in prospect because we do not know what they are; and if we will but in faith patiently await them, they will be but light and transient. Thus, by chasing away the gloom of our dark imagination, God often makes darkness light before us.”

Read the Sermon Here

If you enjoy these Spurgeon quotes, check out The Spurgeon Library on Instagram. Every week, we are releasing new quotes, paired with unique images from our collection of Spurgeon’s personal library. Give us a follow!

Learn More about Charles Spurgeon at our new website, Spurgeon.org

The praise I’m offering the Lord today was twenty years in the making.

Last night, I taught my first class of students at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The students were wonderful—engaged, eager, and offering great insights. After the class was over and I was debriefing with Natalie, a profound sense of gratitude for God’s providence and care in my life swelled in my heart. “I’m actually a professor….and….” And then it hit me.

In this live online class covering Biblical Spirituality, I give a weekly lecture and space for discussion, in addition to Dr. Don Whitney’s stellar lectures on the personal spiritual disciplines. One of the textbooks for the course is Dr. Whitney’s, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life.

I remember when I first read his book. It was the green one.

About twenty years ago, as a young college student, I remember talking with a friend who was tired of bumbling through his Christian life. He wanted to grow. He wanted to get serious. I was a little bit further a long than him—a few strides, but not much. But my buddy wanted me to meet with him and help him grow.

Enter Don Whitney’s work.

I remember sitting with my friend and going over chapters in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. It was life-changing. Soul-stirring. I can see my underlinings, highlights, and scrawled notes on the pages. These memories moved me to praise God.

I could never have imagined that college-Jeff, reading Whitney’s work with a friend, would become professor-Jeff, teaching Whitney’s work to seminary students. Seminary-Jeff, sitting in Dr. Whitney’s class, couldn’t have guessed we’d be here.

It’s an undeserved privilege to teach Biblical Spirituality and to echo what Don has taught me over these twenty years. He continues to pour into students through teaching, writing, and doctoral supervision. And in addition to learning from Don’s other books, like Praying the Bible, that have served my soul in indelible ways, he’s also personally blessed me.

Don was also my doctoral advisor. Don is a mentor. Don is now a colleague. And he’s a friend. He signed this for me back in 2013.

College-Jeff had no idea what God had in store.

Present-Jeff has no idea what God has stored up for Future-Jeff.

When I’m 61, Lord willing, I will reflect on being 41 and say, “That poor sap had no idea how good God was going to be to him!”

We are all on the journey of God’s providence.

Today may be confusing, foggy, and even frustrating. I’ve been there. We mull over hundreds, maybe thousands, of branches, timelines, hopes, dreams, and possibilities for our lives. Should we move? What if I take that job? Should I get more education? Is this the church for us to join? The what-ifs and what-abouts come in wave after wave. Here’s where I find rest and peace in the pilgrimage of God’s providence.

It’s a done deal. He makes no promises to fulfill our plans. But his purpose for us will be completed. It’s more sure than a Charles Barkley “Guarantee.”

We should still pray, make plans, and go after what we think the Lord is calling us to do, but remember:

• Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

• Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.

Our lives are in his hands. His purpose for us will go according to plan. College-Medders, going to Bible College, delivering flowers, working at Starbucks, trying to get this girl to go out on a real date with me (we will be married 20 years next year), couldn’t imagine becoming Dr. Medders. That knucklehead couldn’t fathom the blessings in marriage and fatherhood that awaited him.

I’m praising God for his plans and purposes. Take time to do the same.

What can you trace in your life that God has done—something you couldn’t have orchestrated? Praise him.

What outcomes and arrivals can you look at and say, “That’s on God.”

Don’t forget his work in your life. Rejoice. Celebrate. Thank him. And trust him for whatever may be in store.

Some praises may take a decade or two to come together.

This praise I’m offering is more than twenty years in the making. It’s 41. All my life. And it’s even further—this was all prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).

Hallelujah.

“The more real Jesus Christ is to us the more power there will be in our religion…

Now the force of the religion of Jesus, under God the Holy Spirit, it seems to me, is never fully brought out except when our faith greets the Lord Jesus Christ as a person, and holds to him as a personal leader and commander, loving him and devoting ourselves to him as an ever-living, ever-gracious Friend.

Let us feel his presence, though we cannot see his face, and remembering that there is such an one as Jesus of Nazareth, who became a babe in Bethlehem for us; who lived, and toiled, and suffered for us; then laid bare his breast to the spear, and gave up his life for us.

We grow strong when we thus think of him as our Saviour, when his thorn-crowned head rises before our mind’s eye, when we look into that face so marred with shame, and pain, and cruelty, till we are constrained to cry out, ‘Oh! my Saviour, I love thee…’”

If you enjoy these Spurgeon quotes, check out The Spurgeon Library on Instagram. Every week, we are releasing new quotes, paired with unique images from our collection of Spurgeon’s personal library. Give us a follow!

Learn More about Charles Spurgeon at our new website, Spurgeon.org

First, I’m nearing the finish line of my new book on the “I will” statements of Jesus (set to release in the spring of ‘27). Pretty much every free moment has been dedicated to writing, editing, drafting, dreaming, and rewriting chapters I can’t wait to share with y’all. We are in the cover design stage right now, too. Exciting times!

Second, I’ve been busy writing talks for my sessions at the Spurgeon Conference in Brisbane, Australia, presented by the Haddon Institute. I got back from the conference earlier this week, and it was as wonderful time! If you are in Australia, the Pacific Islands, or looking for online courses from a Reformed Baptist institution, check them out.

Third, Orlando! I’ve also been preparing for Midwestern Seminary’s Alumni and Friends Luncheon at the SBC to present on Spurgeon’s joy and humor in his ministry. If you are going to the be at the convention, come on out! Use code MEDDERS50 for 50% off your tickets. Some sweet Spurgeon prints will be given away here, too. (I think to all attendees)

Things will return back to regularly scheduled Spurgeon goodies soon, but stay tuned for another big announcement or two.

Thanks for reading!

JAM

“Get Calvary's blood-red rose into your hand by faith, wear it; by communion preserve it; by daily watchfulness make it your all in all, and you shall be blessed beyond all bliss, happy beyond a dream. So be it yours forever.”

If you enjoy these Spurgeon quotes, check out The Spurgeon Library on Instagram. Every week, we are releasing new quotes, paired with unique images from our collection of Spurgeon’s personal library. Give us a follow!

Our lives are filled with axioms. These truisms, even if overstated, make a helpful point that’s easy to remember.

In the world of sports, we hear, “Your best ability is availability.” I love this axiom. A great player who is always injured hurts his team’s chances to win it all. (Insert name of player you are thinking of, and I agree!) But when we hear this axiom, we also instinctively know that every other ability (talent, work ethic, and competitive drive) must be there, too.

Axioms are like portable parables. Quick, memorable, and unpackable. There’s always more to say, explain, and caveat. But the point is to grab the point and go.

I recently wrote about three elements we could all imitate from Spurgeon’s spiritual leadership. But in this article, I want to extract four axioms from Spurgeon’s teaching on leadership. If we boil down his profound insights on leadership, we can create four simple axioms or truisms that apply to church planting and all of pastoral ministry.

1. Leaders Leap First

Leadership includes showing and showing up.

Spurgeon shows a simple lesson of leadership: show the way forward. When the church, staff, and pastors are wondering, “Where are we going? What are we doing? What’s the plan?” Leaders leap forward. Leaders propose a direction. Leaders bring ideas. Leaders don’t sit on their hands and wait. Leaders call for prayer. Leaders lead the team to brainstorm. Leaders call for collaboration. Real leaders show, model, and demonstrate what it means to be a leader.

It is easy to be the kind of leader who only shows up for vision-casting, preaching, and the other fun aspects of ministry. But the “best dog” shows up for the danger, too. Show up for hard conversations, difficult tasks, and those painful moments. The kind of leader who always delegates or evades the hard stuff is a pretender.

Leaders leap first.

2. Leaders Reach Past Their Reach

Leaders do more than the bare minimum. Leadership isn’t simply meeting expectations. Leaders have ambition for what’s next. They look beyond the horizon and imagine what could be done.

This part from Spurgeon is critical—leaders love to push their capacity. This is about having a vision/idea that’s bigger than we can currently handle. Why is this a part of leadership? Because it means I’ll need to grow, I’ll need a team, we’ll need to work together, grow together, and most importantly, we’ll need God to get us to the other side.

3. Leaders Love Deep Work

If you haven’t read Cal Newport’s Deep Work, I highly recommend it to you. He basically says that if you want to get ahead, do great work, and stand out, you need to do deep work—extended blocks of time (2–4 hours) where you only work on one thing, undistracted, not multitasking. Spurgeon knew this principle, too.

There’s an element of self-leadership, or self-control, required for leadership. You need the ability to focus, concentrate, and devote your full self to the task.

Leaders are not perpetually scrolling on their phones. They are not summoned by pings and memes. They flow onward.

4. Leaders Love Excellence

The best leaders engage in deep work so they don’t waste their time and energy and fail to do what King Solomon said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Spurgeon, who was insanely productive and fruitful, put it like this:

As a pastor/planter or ministry leader, the work is too precious and meaningful to do halfway. Teaching God’s word requires a stewardship of our calendars, meetings, brains, hearts, souls, and margin so we can study and rightly handle the word of truth. Don’t settle for good enough. Counseling and care can’t be set to cruise control.

Let’s leave it all out on the field for Jesus. Make no apologies for your zeal. The lukewarm, immature, and lazy are not our guides. We serve one Master. He’s our Leader. Let’s follow his example and serve with the energy he gives us.

This post originally appeared in my column, The Planter’s College, at New Churches.

“There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, but Jesus Christ and him crucified. There were not two arks, but one ark: so there are not two Saviors, but one Savior. There was no other means of salvation except the ark: so there is no plan of deliverance except by Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners. In vain you climb the lofty top of Sinai. In vain you climb to the highest pinnacles of your self-conceit and your worldly merit: ye shall be drowned—for “other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid—Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

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If you’ve been a reader for a bit, you may recognize the story of Spurgeon that I share.

Leadership is influence toward a goal.

This simple definition applies to NFL teams chasing the Super Bowl, businesses seeking to increase sales, and church planters and church-planting teams.

Planter, you are a spiritual leader. Spiritual leadership is influence toward the biblical goal of glorifying God, of growing in Christlikeness, of making disciples and making much of Jesus.

Spurgeon was, without a doubt, a great spiritual leader. And there’s a lot we can learn from him.

Spurgeon’s Influence

Everywhere he went, Spurgeon’s leadership and influence were felt. First, it was experienced in a small countryside church that, under Spurgeon’s leadership, saw more conversions, church growth, and changed lives in the community. When Spurgeon arrived at a declining church in London, his leadership resulted in greater growth, more conversions, the training of 900 pastors, and the planting of additional churches in England and around the world.

Spurgeon’s influence reached beyond London, too.

Spurgeon’s wife, Susie Spurgeon, said in the Autobiography that it is impossible to know the exact number of her husband’s sermons that were sold, dispersed, and translated around the world. She could only assume that “many millions of copies” were sold. One biography on Spurgeon estimated that the weekly sales of Spurgeon’s sermons, in total, rose over one hundred million copies around the world. What began as words preached to a church in London would eventually be read in the United States, the Bahamas, New Zealand, and translated into German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Syriac, and Arabic. His influence was incredible. Three stories illustrate how famous Spurgeon was.

In the United States, a young boy was asked on a test to name the Prime Minister of England, and he answered “C. H. Spurgeon.” In Mentone, France, as Spurgeon walked down the street, a carriage passed him, and the coachman confidently pointed out to his passenger that they had just passed the “Pope of England.” Back in England, Queen Victoria was aware of Spurgeon’s influence as well. The Queen called for a day of fasting as Great Britain faced a mutiny in India, and she asked Spurgeon, at a mere twenty-three years old, to preach a fast-day service at the Crystal Palace, with nearly 24,000 in attendance. And here we are, nearly 200 years later, still reading Spurgeon, benefiting from his sermons and his ministry. His influence is still at work among us.

So what is it about Spurgeon’s spiritual leadership that made him so effective, fruitful, and enduring? What can be imitated from his leadership?

I’ve written about his strong commitment and call to prayer. And we know he has tons of wisdom on preaching. Here are three additional points of Spurgeon’s leadership we should pursue.

1) Christ-Centered Leadership

One of the most obvious things about Spurgeon’s leadership and life is that he was focused on Christ being exalted. When the church moved into its new facility, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Spurgeon stated the subject of his ministry:

Every sermon, every book, prayer meeting, and all that he did was for Jesus and about Jesus.

One time, Spurgeon was preaching a communion address in France, and he made it very plain what he was all about. “I have but one sole subject for my ministry—the love and loveliness of my Lord.” Christ was Spurgeon’s central and all-consuming message and motivation in ministry.

Brothers, make every sermon about Jesus. Fill the entire worship service with the gospel. When you counsel people, point them to Jesus. Evangelize for Jesus. Remind everyone of his death and resurrection. He is the hope of everyone you talk to, and the point of everything you do.

Spurgeon helps us remember that everything we do in ministry belongs to Christ, too.

When you plant a church, it’s Christ’s church. When you see a new convert, they belong to Christ. When disciples and leaders are made, they are Christ’s sheep, and they are in His pasture. This is all Christ’s. We have our moment of service, and then we fade off into the heavenly horizon.

Christ-centered leaders are Christlike leaders. Spurgeon echoed Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s remark, “It is not so much great talents that God blesses, as great likeness to Christ.” The applications here are legion, but let’s look at one: humility.

2) Humble Leadership

Since this is all Christ’s ministry and kingdom—and He humbled himself to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2)—humility ought to define our spiritual leadership.

There was one event in Spurgeon’s life that I think really marked his ministry. As he was seeing great growth and fruit in his first pastorate, he had the opportunity and desire to apply for college, and as he was walking and thinking about it, he was struck by God’s word.

These words from Jeremiah 45:5 convinced Spurgeon to rethink his desires for ministry. “All was given up; everything was renounced, the finest prospects seemed to melt into thin air, merely on the strength of that text.” He realized he would be happy to serve in this little village and preach the gospel for the rest of his life. But God had other plans for Spurgeon. And that’s the point. Humility rests in God’s plans, not ours.

Humble leadership is grounded in the reality that we are servants of Christ:

We don’t plant churches so we have somewhere to preach. Sheep don’t exist for the shepherd. We exist for them. And we will likely be walked over, have dirt put on us, and be looked down on—but we do it for the cause of Christ. No task is too small for the church planter. What does it tell volunteers when the pastor of 27 people won’t show up for the setup team? And if he does show, that it’s only for the show of social media?

Church planter, Spurgeon reminds us not to seek great things for ourselves, but to do it all for the glory of God. And inside of this deep humility, we find a supernatural joy.

3) Happy Leadership

Spurgeon was a happy leader. He had a good time. He was serious about the gospel and the ministry, but he didn’t take himself too seriously. Spurgeon was a hilarious man. Only a happy leader can say things like:

• “There is hardship in everything except in eating pancakes.”

• “Call me what you like, but don’t call me too late for dinner.”

The joy of Christ, of salvation, of resting in the sovereignty of God, really marked his style of leadership, too. One biography said that Spurgeon’s face was “brightened by eyes overflowing with humour and softened by a most gracious and sympathetic smile.” He was a happy man because of Christ. Spurgeon said this about the kinds of leaders he loves to see:

What story does your face tell? What does your attitude reveal? It is a great privilege to serve Christ and his church. Rejoice in your calling!

As a church planter/pastor, you are a messenger of grace to people who are enslaved to sin, the world, and the devil. You have the greatest news in the world—let your face show it! Let your preaching and leadership be seasoned with the joy of knowing Christ. Our lives should reflect the supernatural joy we know in the gospel. Because of Jesus, we have an undefeatable joy. And the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Leadership is influence. Influence others toward Christ. Be humble because of Christ. And be happy because of Christ. That kind of leader is easy to follow.

This post originally appeared at New Churches.

On this Good Friday, an excerpt from The Risen King - Day 38 - is over at Spurgeon.org, the official site of The Spurgeon Library.

“Let the day unfold in your minds. Christ is brought to the cross; he is nailed fast to the cruel wood. The sun burns him. His brutal wounds increase the fever....

At last, he cries, ‘It is finished!’ Christ dies.

Hear it, Christians. Hear this shout of triumph as it rings today with all the freshness and force which it had years ago! Hear it from the sacred Word and from the Savior’s lips, and may the Spirit of God open your ears that you may understand what you hear!

What did the Savior mean by ‘It is finished’? First, that all the emblems, promises, prophecies, and Old Testament sacrifices were now fully realized in him. All the Scripture was now fulfilled. When he said, ‘It is finished,’ the whole book—from the first to the last, in both the law and the prophets—was finished in him. There is not a single jewel of promise or prophecy, from that first emerald which fell on the threshold of Eden to that last sapphire stone of Malachi, which was not set in the breastplate of the true High Priest.”

Continue to Spurgeon.org

“It was a day of bitter defeat for the enemy when our Lord rose from the dead. The old serpent had watched the pale corpse; but when he saw it live, and when the angel rolled away the stone, and Jesus, the Christ, came forth to die no more, I warrant you the serpent ate the dust that day.”

“I have always considered, with Luther and Calvin, that the sum and substance of the gospel lies in that word Substitution—Christ standing in the stead of man.

If I understand the gospel, it is this: I deserve to be lost forever; the only reason why I should not be damned is that Christ was punished in my stead, and there is no need to execute a sentence twice for sin.

On the other hand, I know I cannot enter Heaven unless I have a perfect righteousness; I am absolutely certain I shall never have one of my own, for I find I sin every day; but then Christ had a perfect righteousness, and He said, ‘There, poor sinner, take My garment, and put it on; you shall stand before God as if you were Christ, and I will stand before God as if I had been the sinner; I will suffer in the sinner’s stead, and you shall be rewarded for works which you did not do, but which I did for you.’

I find it very convenient every day to come to Christ as a sinner, as I came at first. ‘You are no saint,’ says the devil. Well, if I am not, I am a sinner, and Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Sink or swim, I go to Him; other hope I have none. By looking to Him, I received all the faith which inspired me with confidence in His grace; and the word that first drew my soul—‘Look unto Me’—still rings its clarion note in my ears. There I once found conversion, and there I shall ever find refreshing and renewal.”

See For Yourself: How To Study Your Bible with Confidence and Joy by Jimmy and Kelly Needham | Editions for MEN and WOMEN

Learning how to study the Bible can change your life. The core principles of observation, interpretation, and application will help you taste and see like you always hoped was possible. You can study the Bible! Really happy to see these new studies from my friends, the Needhams. Jimmy wrote a study for men, and Kelly wrote for women.

When God Seems Distant: Surprising Ways God Deepens Our Faith and Draws Us Near by Kyle Strobel and John Coe

“Most Christians experience zeal early in their Christian life, but when that fades to a season of dryness, it's tempting to assume one of two things: We have failed or God is absent. So we throw ourselves into ministry, spiritual disciplines, and study in order to break through to the other side of this dry season, not realizing that willpower and habit modification cannot "fix" our spiritual lives or kick-start a new season of spiritual growth. Why? Because we've missed the point of the wilderness. If you have found yourself in the desert, desperately longing for the living waters Jesus promises, this book will assure you that God is not absent--and you may be on the cusp of experiencing a deeper faith.”

Essentials of Reformed Systematic Theology by Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley

“Theology is not just an academic subject. It’s a spiritual practice for every believer, even those who feel too busy for rigorous study or aren’t advanced readers. To make theology accessible to a wider audience, Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley have combined content from Reformed Systematic Theology into one abridged book. Richly biblical, faithfully doctrinal, warmly experiential, and consistently practical, Essentials of Reformed Systematic Theology ministers to the whole person―head, heart, and hands.”

The Dragon Slayer and His Super Special Suit by Kyle Worley

“The Dragon Slayer and His Super Special Suit not only retells the gospel story but also introduces kids to the armor of God. Like the dragon slayer defeats the dragon, Jesus defeats Satan. In the same way that the dragon slayer gave the people a suit to help fight before his return, God’s people receive His armor to join in the fight against Satan until Jesus comes back. From beautiful illustrations to memorable rhyme, this story is sure to get kids excited about Jesus, the armor of God, and the hope God’s people have for the future.”

Meet the Puritans: A Guide to Their Lives and Books, 2nd Edition by Joel R. Beeke, Randall J. Pederson, Fraser E. Jones

“If your impression of the Puritans comes from grim portraits, high collars, and joyless sermons, Meet the Puritans will surprise you in the best way. Behind those caricatures lies a warm, Christ-centered spiritual tradition shaped by people who loved Scripture, treasured grace, and sought to glorify God in every part of life. If you hunger for depth, for holiness, for real communion with God, open these pages. Let these lives challenge you and these writings nourish you. Take the time to meet the Puritans—you’ll find in them deep truths, godly examples, and an exalted Christ.”