Dr Paul Allen

The Christian Martyrs' Last Prayer (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Very few pastors would claim that they pray enough for their people. Perhaps it’s an impossible task—no one will ever think they’ve prayed enough. Still, we can see from the example of our Lord and His apostles that praying for our people is of monumental importance. Though the Bible says a great deal about preaching, only a few passages speak directly about sermon preparation (cf. Ezra 7:10 and 2 Timothy 2:15 ). Yet there are many passages that highlight the need for consistent prayer. This is not to say that sermon preparation is unimportant (for it certainly is). Rather, it is to emphasize the vital necessity of prayer. Even pastors need to be reminded that prayer is an essential part of their ministry, and that praying for their people is a biblical priority. So, how consistently do you pray for your people? The apostles devoted themselves both to the Word and to prayer ( Acts 6:4 ). We should also be devoted t...

Image via Wikipedia Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:12 , "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man ." In light of this, is it appropriate for men to listen to female speakers and teachers ? I'm a guy. Is it wrong for me to listen to Beth Moore ? No. Unless you begin to become dependent on her as your shepherd—your pastor .  This is the way I feel about women speaking in Sunday school . The Bible is clear that women shouldn't teach and have authority over men.  In context, I think this means that women shouldn't be the authoritative teachers of the church—they shouldn't be elders. That is the way Rick Warren is understanding it, and most of us understand it that way. This doesn't mean you can't learn from a woman, or that she is incompetent and can't think. It means that there is a certain dynamic between maleness and femaleness that when a woman begins to assume an authoritative teaching role in your life the manhood of a...