Signposts With Russell Moore

At our recent ERLC national conference, I had the opportunity to sit down with pastor Andy Stanley. Andy and I have a lot of significant disagreements about ministry, but our conversation was fascinating and helped me and everyone at the conference think through some important issues. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on my time with Andy Stanley, and how our dialogue about ministry and theology sharpened my own thinking about Scripture and the church. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: Reflections On My Conversation With Andy Stanley appeared first on Russell Moore.

How does the gospel address our deepest fears? How can we be confident, while facing an uncertain future? In this episode of Signposts, I offer some thoughts from Scripture on why the gospel disarms our fear, and allows us to walk confidently toward the kingdom. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How to Be Free From Fear appeared first on Russell Moore.

Christianity isn’t normal anymore, and that’s good news. The Book of Acts, like the Gospels before it, shows us that the Christianity thrives when it is, as Kierkegaard put it, a sign of contradiction. Only a strange gospel can differentiate itself from the culture around us. But the strange, freakish, foolish old gospel is what God uses to save sinners and to build the Church. The post Signposts: Why Christians Must Keep Christianity Strange appeared first on Russell Moore.

The illusion of being a Christian majority in this country has not been good for our understanding of what it means to be the people of God. As we enter the public arena, we don’t come with a Christless form of religion that is satisfied with mere behavior modification rather than new birth. We need to remember that we are sent with consciences that are shaped and formed by the Word of God, for the purpose of reconciliation. The post Signposts: How to Engage the Culture as the Church appeared first on Russell Moore.

Each and every one of us is tempted to shelter ourselves from the prophetic edge of Scripture. We don’t want to hear that we’re wrong, and we don’t want to hear the diagnosis of our sinfulness. But we need to understand the way our own hearts often seek to evade Scripture’s call on our lives. In this episode of Signposts, I talk about the need for the Word of God to confront us and challenge us in areas that we are not choosing so that we can be equipped to engage in the warfare of the Christian life. The post Signposts: How to Be Changed by the Word of God appeared first on Russell Moore.

Recently I read that sales of e-readers like the Kindle had slowed, and that sales of physical books had risen. This made sense to me, since over the past couple of years I’ve realized that I almost totally prefer bound books to digital versions. In this episode of Signposts I talk about why physical books are so important to me in my life and ministry, and what e-readers, though helpful, miss about the written word. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts to automatically receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: Why I Prefer Books to E-Readers appeared first on Russell Moore.

Recently I was asked by a younger man, “How can I make sure to end my ministry well?” In my own life I’ve seen many ministers end their service poorly, not only through moral failure but also through anger, bitterness, and disillusionment. In this episode of Signposts I talk about what ministers, young and old, should remember in order to end their ministries well, and how the gospel helps us see ourselves the way God sees us. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How to Plan Now to End Your Ministry Well appeared first on Russell Moore.

One question I am asked frequently is, “Should Christians boycott?” Over the past few years there have been several calls within evangelical communities for boycotts of corporations like Starbucks and Target. Is this kind of activism effective and wise? In this episode of Signposts I talk about evangelical conscience and boycotts, and what the Scriptures can teach us about human nature and real change. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: Should Christians Boycott? appeared first on Russell Moore.

One of the most important things that we as Christians can know is what fathers need to say to their children. The Scriptures give us wisdom on this, and help us to see what it is that every human yearns to hear from their earthly, and heavenly, father. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on what the Bible says about fathers and children, and how the gospel leads and forms Dads to model the fatherhood of God. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically. The post Signposts: What Fathers Need to Tell Their Children appeared first on Russell Moore.

Not long ago I received an email from a new Christian. This person wanted to know how she could help a friend realize that her lifestyle was sinful and destructive, without being too harsh, judgmental, or overbearing. This is a question that all Christians have to wrestle with if we seek to live faithfully as believers. In this episode of Signposts I talk about how Christians can help those close to them who are struggling in the fight for purity, and why this struggle matters for the church. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How Can You Help a Friend Struggling With Sexual Immorality? appeared first on Russell Moore.

With the Department of Education’s recent decree on transgender restrooms and public schools, many families are wondering how they are going to help their children navigate through these questions. In this episode of Signposts I discuss what Christian parents need to do when discipling their children to think about gender identity questions, and why hard conversations about controversial topics are essential. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How Should You Talk to Your Children About Transgender Issues? appeared first on Russell Moore.

Summer means vacation, cook outs, and late nights. For many families, it also means an often intense schedule of summer sports leagues. These activities can be rewarding and helpful, but what about when they collide with other priorities–like church attendance? In this episode of Signposts I talk with my friend, pastor David Prince, about what Christian families can do to maintain healthy priorities when it comes to church and sports. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: What If Your Kids’ Sports Teams Interfere With the Church Schedule? appeared first on Russell Moore.

Christians talk a lot about sexual purity. In many ways, I think the discussion amongst evangelicals is better than it has been in years past. But what are the “blind spots” of our teaching on purity, how do we bring the conversation back to the gospel? In this episode of Signposts I talk about what evangelicals should remember in discipling one another in sexual purity, and how we can correct the areas where we’ve unintentionally mimicked the culture. Listen below and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and automatically download episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: What We Miss in Our Sexual Purity Teaching appeared first on Russell Moore.

In the past few years, many of us have watched as well-known, respected ministers have fallen morally. This can lead us to ask: If these men didn’t resist temptation, how can I? In this episode of Signposts I talk about why it matters to think strategically about how you will fight temptation in your life and ministry, and what practical things can help. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and download new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How Can You Guard Yourself Against Moral Failure? appeared first on Russell Moore.

A daily personal devotion time is something that most Christians would say is vital to their walk with Christ. But often it’s a spiritual discipline wrapped in frustration and confusion. In this episode of Signposts I talk about my own personal methods for private devotions, and reflect on what I’ve learned about the priority of spending time in meditation and prayer. Listen below and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How I Do My Personal Devotions appeared first on Russell Moore.

One question I get asked frequently is, “How can our local church promote adoption and orphan care?” The reality is that the answer to this question will look different from congregation to congregation. But regardless, there are a handful of principles that every church can build their adoption and orphan care ministry around. In this episode of Signposts I talk about the main things that every church should keep in mind in promoting an adoption culture, and the importance of involving everyone–from 17 to 90–in the church’s ministry. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How Should You Build an Adoption Culture In Your Church? appeared first on Russell Moore.

One question I get frequently is, “How can I know that I’m called to ministry?” Years ago I grappled with this very question, and it’s one that’s important for the life of the church. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on the lessons I’ve learned in my own life about discerning a call to ministry, and what the biblical principles are that can help potential ministers and churches understand clearly what God is doing. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How to Know If You’re Called to Ministry appeared first on Russell Moore.

Many churches have families with special needs children. Even as these congregations want to help and bless these families, there is often confusion about the best way to do that. In this episode of Signposts I consider what the church’s attitude towards special needs children should be, and practically, how the body can best serve these families in a helpful way. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: The Church’s Mission to Special Needs Children appeared first on Russell Moore.

Recently I was thinking back to my ordination for ministry. In the years since, I’ve realized that my ordination and early ministry years were formative for me in ways I couldn’t imagine at the time. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on the lessons I learned from my ordination, and how my earliest days of ministry gave me some of the most important wisdom I’ve ever gained. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. _________ Photo credit (resized), licensed under CC 2.0. The post Signposts: What I Learned About Ministry At My Ordination appeared first on Russell Moore.

From the blockbuster release Batman vs Superman, to the upcoming Captain America movie, it seems that a lot of our favorite superheroes are fighting each other. This can make for an exciting film, but I actually think this motif has something profound to teach Christians about how we relate to one another. In this episode of Signposts I discuss the problem with assuming the worst motivations of those we disagree with, and how the “civil war” of superheroes can help us see our church tensions in light of the gospel. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: What Can Fighting Superheroes Teach the Church? appeared first on Russell Moore.