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Consider Helping Me Serve in Colombia in 2023

Joshua Wallnofer

Consider helping me serve in Colombia in 2023! Since the year 2014, I have been blessed to teach once or twice a year future pastors, church planters, and ministry leaders in the great South American Country of Colombia! This June 2023, I have the wonderful honor to return to serve at the Escuela Bíblica Nueva Providencia, a school that I have had the blessing to teach at since 2017. This school is located right outside the city of Medellin, which has a population of over 4 million people (see the map at the bottom of this post). Continue reading Consider Helping Me Serve in Colombia in 2023

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The Danger of Profess-ianity

Joshua Wallnofer

What is profess-ianity? Profess-ianity is an often well-intentioned but profoundly different view of salvation than what is described in the Bible as saving faith.

Profess-ianity says, “I know they are a Christian because I remember that at a particular day or time, they were saved by professing faith in Jesus as Savior.”

or

“I am going to heaven because I remember when I prayed a prayer to receive Jesus as my Savior, and as you know, once saved, always saved.” Continue reading The Danger of Profess-ianity

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John Paton: Carrying Jesus To Cannibals

Joshua Wallnofer

The message from Reformation Sunday 2021 on the life of missionary John Paton (1824-1907) from Romans 15:21 and Selected Scriptures.
This is a story of faithfulness, courage, and he transforming power of the Gospel. A story of Cannibals of the South Sea, islands of people led out of darkness into light. This story has been called by one writer, “The Indiana Jones of missionary stories” and Charles Spurgeon called John Paton, “The King of Cannibals.” Continue reading John Paton: Carrying Jesus To Cannibals

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Whispering Over Sexual Sin And Shouting Salvation

Joshua Wallnofer

Former SBC President and Pastor of The Summit Church, Dr. J.D. Greear* and current SBC President and Pastor of Redemption Church, Rev. Ed Litton* have both commented in recent sermons on Romans almost synonymous statements that I believe need to be responded to.

Pastor Greear: “The Bible appears more to whisper about sexual sin compared to its shouts about materialism and religious pride.”1

Pastor Litton: “In the Bible, sexual sin is whispered compared to the shout God makes about greed and judgmentalism.”2 Continue reading Whispering Over Sexual Sin And Shouting Salvation

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Living With A Recovering Addict: Developing An Addiction Recovery Rhythm

Joshua Wallnofer

THE NEED FOR ADDICTION RECOVERY RHYTHM
Learning to live with the person who has finally come clean with their addiction problem, detoxed of the harmful substances that have controlled them for months or more often years, and is now seeking a healthy pattern of life is critical to success in recovery and an individual’s comprehensive healing.
There are approximately 19 million people currently battling a substance use disorder in the United States, an overwhelmingly heartbreaking statistic. This colossal count demonstrates the reality that addiction has touched the lives of almost every family in this country. Continue reading Living With A Recovering Addict: Developing An Addiction Recovery Rhythm

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Dad and Mom, Embrace Your Children. The Church Can Hug Too.

Joshua Wallnofer

Dad and Mom, Embrace Your Children. The Church Can Hug Too

by Joshua M. Wallnofer

This is a long title for a blog that would not have needed to be written in past generations. I would like to begin with an observation. I have noticed in pastoral ministry and family counseling that the power and influence of physical touch, in particular appropriate hugs, embraces, and affirmations, have rapidly dwindled in the modern era of exposed abuse and online connectivity. I can only prophetically fear that even the minimalist handshakes will disappear with the fears of spreading contagions due to our current struggle with COVID-19. Continue reading Dad and Mom, Embrace Your Children. The Church Can Hug Too.

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An Urgent Plea To Fellow Pastors Six Months Into COVID-19

Joshua Wallnofer

This is not a painless blog to write.  Mainly, because there are many pastors that I love, men that I feel are more accomplished, seasoned, and knowledgeable than me, whose ministries have greater influence, who will diverge with what I am about to propose.
There have been no easy answers, instantaneous fixes, and absolutely no consensus on how to pastor during a pandemic, or how to advance the worship of a congregation in response to the current challenges and panic we are encountering. All this to say, I do not stand in judgment of those who disagree, I instead plea with my friends, colleagues, and fellow shepherds to consider another way forward.

An acquaintance on social media recently posted,

“You guys think things are bad now in 2020? Wait until you see our nation without church until 2021”

I imagine this kind of statement comes in response to those following the lead of “megachurch” pastor Andy Stanley who recently made an announcement that his 38,000 attendees will not be gathering in person until at least 2021. Sad to me, at least five percent of pastors say they will follow this course.

I urgently plead with you to reconsider following such advice for multiple reasons…. Continue reading An Urgent Plea To Fellow Pastors Six Months Into COVID-19

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How Not To Do Your Marital Counseling

Joshua Wallnofer

HOW NOT TO DO YOUR MARRIAGE COUNSELING

Professing Christians love to squander their pastors time. They will show up to marital counseling for weeks or even months with no inclination to put any effort or change forth. It is simply an empty gesture of toxic exhaling for self gratification.

When they feel like they have festered long enough in the quagmire of contamination they have created, rather than expend any energy to disinfect the mess, or even break a light sweat seeking God’s renewing grace, they’ll simply jump ship, change houses, swap mates, and say there was no hope. They may even have the audacity to blame the counselor for not fixing in hours what they birthed together in a lifetime. Continue reading How Not To Do Your Marital Counseling