Tony Cooke Ministries - Pastor's Form, Featured Articles, Quotes

Confrontation - As a pastor who loves to encourage and nurture others, I find it difficult to confront people. Can you give me some do’s and don’ts and how-to’s (or how not-to)? When do you confront and when do you simply overlook something? Can you give me some advice on how to confront a staff member, a volunteer, or a church member about an issue? Also, are there some preventative, "up-front" types of things I can do so that I don't feel a need to confront issues as often? Read the responses.

Featured Article
Taking Out the Garbage

A man who was trying to get on top of things in his life confided, “My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of chips, and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.” Chips and cake may sound like a good solution, but one of the great keys to truly making it—to living in victory as a believer—has to do with getting the garbage out of our lives. Let’s discuss what this entails using G.A.R.B.A.G.E. as an acrostic. Read the article.

Featured Audio Message:
Leading Through Trauma
by Pastor Gerald Brooks

Pastor Brooks is a gifted teacher on the subject of leadership, and has influenced thousands of pastors with his insights. In this audio lesson, Pastor Brooks shares how that trauma comes to churches just as it does to individuals. This lesson highlights five different traumas churches face and some thoughts on working through them. Click here to listen to the message and to learn more about Pastor Brooks’ ministry.

Featured Teaching Resource:
A Place Called Jehovah Jireh

People often think of God as Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide), and certainly He is, but Abraham “called the name of that PLACE Jehovah Jireh” (Genesis 22:14). In this 2-CD series, you’ll learn what it means to get into that “place” called Jehovah-Jireh. Click here to learn more and to order.

Article:
Yearning to Connect

Have you ever taught what you believed was a good message… you knew that the content was good, but it just didn’t seem to “connect” with the people? I don’t know about you, but I’ve found myself frustrated on occasions feeling like I’d shared good information, but it didn’t seem I’d really done an adequate job of expressing it in a relevant, practical way that truly connected with the hearts of the listeners. Read the article.

Quotes for August

CONVICTION
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, and then stand firm.”
- Abraham Lincoln

GOSSIP
“He who gossips to you will gossip about you.”
- Turkish proverb

OPPORTUNITIES
“Wherever we look upon this earth, the opportunities take shape within the problems.”
- Nelson A. Rockefeller

GRATITUDE
“A hundred times a day, I remind myself that my inner and outer life depends on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am receiving.”
- Albert Einstein

HOPE
“It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent.”
- Jeremy Taylor