Tony Cooke Ministries - Strengthening Churches and Leaders

Proper Protocol for Leaving a Church
It always seems difficult when people leave the church. Some are gracious in departing, some are not, and others just disappear. This can be painful to me as the pastor and unsettling to church members when their friends leave. Is there a proper protocol for people leaving the church? I’d like to be able to teach some reasonable guidelines to people about the proper way to leave the church if that becomes their decision, but what’s reasonable for me to expect of people who depart for whatever reason? Has any pastor taught his people on the proper way to leave the church, and if so, what are the main points or considerations? Read the responses.

Featured Article:
Are You Making Pearls or Just Getting Irritated?
Rev. Tony Cooke

There is a great lesson for us in understanding the formation of pearls. Natural pearls are formed when a grain of sand or another object slips in between one of the two shells of the oyster. Because of the irritating nature of the sand, the oyster encapsulates it in layers of “mother of pearl” secretion, and the pearl grows in size as the number of layers increases and the iridescent gem is formed. So the next time you find yourself in disagreement with someone (or someone in disagreement with you), ask yourself this question… Read the article.

Two Ways to Get All of the TCM Audio Teachings:

Fingertips on Glory
Pastor Kenneth W. Hagin

Many people have had their fingertips on happiness, or their fingertips on glory, if you want to say it that way. King Agrippa, in Acts 26:28, after Paul had been talking to him for a number of hours, said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Judas had fingertips on happiness. He was one of the twelve disciples who walked and talked with Jesus. The rich young ruler, the scribe that came to Jesus, all of these people had their fingertips on glory. Those mentioned in the Word of God are not the only ones found in this condition. Right now, there are people all around the world who have their fingertips on glory, and that glory is slipping away. Read the article.

Successful Church Finances
Pastor Dave Williams

How well I remember the marathon board meetings discussing – no, arguing – over the upcoming church budget for the next year. How much should the youth department get? How about the children’s ministry? Music? Education? Salaries? Where should we buy boxes of tissues and get the best price? Department leaders were frustrated. Board members were at each other’s throats. And I, as pastor, started getting weary, dreading any board meeting where money was the topic. Read the article.

Shake It Off and Step Up – The Lesson from an Old Mule

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule braying or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. Read the story.

Especially for Easter

Great Thoughts Regarding the Cross, and the Suffering, and Death of the Lord Jesus Christ

Thoughts on the Resurrection of Christ

Quotes for April
Read all of our quotes by visiting our Quotes Page.

CHRISTIANITY
“Christianity started out in Palestine as a fellowship. Then it moved to Greece and became a philosophy, then it went to Rome and became an institution, and then it went to Europe and became a government. Finally it came to America where we made it an enterprise.”
- Richard Halverson (former U.S. Senate Chaplain)

SHAME
“Shame is a spin-off from guilt. We may feel guilty for what we did, but we feel ashamed of who we are.”
- Dr. Les Parrott

TRUST
“Trust in yourself, and you are doomed to disappointment. Trust in your friends and they will die and leave you. Trust in money and you may have it taken away from you. Trust in reputation and some slanderous tongues will blast it. But trust in God and you are never to be confounded in time or in eternity.”
- Dwight L. Moody

BIRTHDAYS
“The first fact about the celebration of a birthday is that it is a way of affirming defiantly, and even flamboyantly, that it is a good thing to be alive.”
- G. K. Chesterton

COMPARISON
“Rabbits don’t fly. Eagles don’t swim. Ducks look funny trying to climb. Squirrels don’t have feathers. Stop comparing. There’s plenty of room in the forest.”
- Charles Swindoll