Tragically, the reason so few are willing to accept leadership roles in the Church is because so few are willing to live out the characteristics of leaders.
Tragically, the reason so few are willing to accept leadership roles in the Church is because so few are willing to live out the characteristics of leaders.
You know what the Church needs today? The same thing it has always needed. Leaders who are more concerned with following the commands of God than the traditions of men.
You know what the Church needs today? The same thing it has always needed. Leaders who are more concerned with following the commands of God than the traditions of men.
If you were on a church board looking to hire a new pastor, what questions would you ask the interviewees? What qualities would you most want to see? Paul has given Titus the weighty responsibility of anointing new elders in Crete, and his checklist may surprise you.
If you were on a church board looking to hire a new pastor, what questions would you ask the interviewees? What qualities would you most want to see? Paul has given Titus the weighty responsibility of anointing new elders in Crete, and his checklist may surprise you.
Stephen and Scott discuss questions phoned in by listeners. Please note that there is NO transcript available for this program. Due to the Corona Virus situation, this program is a repeat of QA24 which aired in October 2016.
What does a man of integrity look like? How does he think, speak, and act both in the public eye and behind closed doors? In this convicting message, Stephen deals with that question as he expounds Paul's command to Titus to find men who are "above reproach."
What does a man of integrity look like? How does he think, speak, and act both in the public eye and behind closed doors? In this convicting message, Stephen deals with that question as he expounds Paul's command to Titus to find men who are "above reproach."
Imagine a stranger walking into your church and announcing that he is going to make wholesale changes. He then proceeds to anoint new pastors and deacons, while delivering instructions on worship and teaching. Crazy, right? Well that is exactly what Paul is commanding Titus to do in Titus 1:5! As we'll learn from this passage, obedience to God might ruffle a few feathers.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey recounts how Katharina Luther’s courageous escape from a convent and marriage to Martin Luther helped reshape the church’s view of marriage during the Reformation. Transformed by the truth of justification by faith alone in Romans 1:17, she entered a union that modeled commitment over compatibility, humility over self-interest, and ministry partnership over isolation. Despite public slander, hardship, and relentless labor, Katharina managed their home, finances, hospitality, and farm, enabling Luther’s preaching and teaching ministry to flourish. Their marriage demonstrated that the home could serve as a living testimony of the gospel and an extension of ministry. Davey concludes that Katharina’s quiet perseverance and sacrificial faithfulness became a revolutionary legacy of light for generations to follow.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey recounts how God sustained William Cowper through lifelong battles with severe depression and despair while using him to leave a lasting legacy of gospel truth. Though Cowper repeatedly wrestled with feelings of abandonment and even attempted suicide, God anchored his soul in the doctrine of Christ’s propitiation, especially through Romans 3:24–25. Davey explains that Cowper’s suffering did not signal God’s rejection but became the soil from which some of the church’s richest hymns of grace were written. Through faithful friends, Scripture, service, and God’s providence, Cowper continued to testify of salvation by grace alone. Davey concludes that powerful faith does not eliminate suffering, but it carries believers safely through it, proving that God’s mercy shines brightest in the darkest valleys.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Amy Carmichael’s strong will, suffering, and obedience to build a lasting legacy of eternal impact. From childhood determination to missionary service in India, Amy chose costly sacrifice over comfort, guided by her life verse about building with gold, silver, and precious stones. God redirected her ministry to rescue children trapped in temple prostitution, leading her to found the Dohnavur Fellowship, where hundreds of children found physical safety and spiritual life. Though misunderstood, criticized, and bedridden for her final twenty years, Amy continued to serve through writing and prayer. Davey concludes that God values the quality of faithful obedience over public success, and a life surrendered to Christ will shine long after it ends.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Hudson Taylor’s deep trust in the finished work of Christ to shape a life of radical faith, humility, and endurance. Converted as a teenager through meditating on Jesus’ words “It is finished,” Taylor learned early to rely on God alone for provision, direction, and strength. Davey highlights Taylor’s willingness to suffer loss, poverty, misunderstanding, and criticism in order to reach China’s interior with the gospel. By identifying with Chinese culture and trusting God through relentless trials, Taylor helped establish hundreds of mission stations and the China Inland Mission, which transformed an entire nation for Christ. Davey concludes that Taylor’s enduring legacy was not strategy or success, but childlike faith in an illustrious Master who accomplishes His work through willing, surrendered servants.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Oswald Chambers’ surrendered life to leave a lasting spiritual legacy far beyond his brief lifetime. Converted as a teenager, Chambers pursued ministry marked by humility, doctrinal depth, joyful faith, and an unwavering dependence on the Holy Spirit rather than methods or popularity. Serving as a YMCA chaplain during World War I, his Bible teaching and prayer ministry brought revival among soldiers facing death and despair. Though Chambers died at just forty-three, God multiplied his influence through the faithful work of his wife, Biddy, whose preservation of his sermons led to writings that continue to shape millions of believers worldwide. Davey concludes that a life fully surrendered to God may appear obscure for a time, but faithfulness empowered by the Spirit produces eternal fruit beyond imagination.
