Episode 18 of Thriving Talk came out last week. The topic is "Travels & Storms" This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/v25HKZxqYig
Episode 17 of Thriving Talk came out last week. The topic is "Technology Addictions" This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/AJ7pyHkvD74
I want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.
Main Points from the messages.
Episode 16 of Thriving Talk came out last week. The topic is "Struggles with Bi-Vocational Ministry." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/MCln2gOsBQM
I want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.
YouTube Link - https://youtu.be/PONXAa7jDGg
Main Points from the messages.
Episode 15 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Temptation." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/NSuijjv16_M
Episode 14 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Anger Management." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/8pKrfGgkUtI
I want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.
YouTube Link - https://youtu.be/I6dZZ44ocpw
Main Points from the messages.
Growing up, I often heard this phrase: "Blood is thicker than water." It is a proverb in English, meaning that family bonds will always be more robust than other relationships. Honestly, I did not experience that it is valid in all circumstances. In my own life, others came to my help more often, and I also found some other relationships to be stronger.
Last year when I was battling with sickness, I did
experience it again. I am not saying family members were not there or did not
express concern, and I found that others were genuinely concerned about me.
When I tried to think about it, I found the real reason. It is possible in my
adoptive family.
Few Bible verses-
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family
by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do,
and it gave him great pleasure. (Eph. 1:5)
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." (Rom. 8:15)
Bible teaches us that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become God's children and part of His family. That means we have a large family with God's people. Many times, people do not realize it. If you feel like you do not have anyone or are disowned or neglected by your family, remember that you are part of God's family.
Sometimes I am surprised that people take side with their family
members and opposes brothers and sisters who belong to the household of God. They
neglect justice and righteousness to stand and support their blood relations. I
also see people treating others like they will never want to see them. We
cannot mistreat anyone if we hope to spend eternity with others in heaven. We have
to wait for the prodigal sons to return and accept them.
What a privilege it is to be part of God's family. It not only
gives us comfort but encourages us to lead a humble and balanced life in this
world.
I want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.
YouTube Link - https://youtu.be/enF5VF6LB70
Main Points from the messages.
Main Verse:- Rev. 20:15
Episode 13 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Time Management." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/Ut6-Mzm0AkE
I want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.
YouTube Link - https://youtu.be/Xq1VGq9Xrls
Main Points from the messages.
Main Verse:- Luke 11:8
We all encounter the challenge of lack of time. We are busy
and have more tasks to do than we can. We compromise on the time we should take
out to relax and rest. Most of the time, we are catching up. This can lead to
an experience in which our private life is not in order.
I had been in a similar situation some time ago, and then I
changed a few things, and it got better, but still, there was this hurry and
busyness. When I got sick last year and spent most of my time in the hospital
bed and recovery, everything I was doing came to a standstill. I was left with
nothing much to do—no more preaching or taking the pressure of conducting
meetings. No work, no more involvement in ministry and was free most of the
time.
It gave me time to reflect and think a lot. This led me to make
many changes in my life, giving me many benefits. One significant advantage is
that I am no more in a hurry or busy. People may not get it, but I am more
organized and purposeful now. I am not worrying about what I cannot do. More
focused on doing faithfully what I can do today to the best of my ability.
I have learned that consistency is the key to success in
many areas of our life. Along with everything, one thing I am intentional about
now is delegating, and it has helped me immensely since I am reaping the
benefit in many ways.
One incident we see in the Bible, which teaches us about
delegation, is in Exodus 18. The advice is given to Moses by his father-in-law
Jethro.
18 “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. 19 Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. 20 Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. 21 But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. 22 They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. 23 If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.” (NLT)
One big challenge with delegation is that it is sometimes easier to delegate tasks but not authority.
“Don’t just delegate tasks to the next generation. If you delegate tasks, you create followers. Instead, delegate authority to create leaders.” – Craig Groeschel.
If we want to develop leaders, we must delegate
authority. At times this cannot be done all of a sudden. This may require time
and training. It will be worth the effort in the end. The goal of delegation
should be to make leaders who can also function effectively in your absence. The
temptation is always there is have a tight grip on everything. Then how long
can we hold on? One day we will have to let everything go. Will there be people
ready at that time? Sometimes people may motivate and encourage you to hold on
to everything since they feel you do things better and want you to do them. Again,
we cannot yield to those suggestions when we look at the bigger picture.
We have to start doing delegation as it will help us and will benefit us in the long run.
Episode 12 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Tragedy and Hope." In this episode, I interview Pastor Sunil Korade from Odisha, India. He has experienced some personal loss in the family recently. In this interview, he shares his hope and the outcome of the difficult situation.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/ExOr8L040Rg
We all grow in many areas of life with time. Our roles and
responsibilities also change. We hear about people who started at the bottom of
an organization and grew up to become top-level executives. In some cases, the
changes are based on people’s desires, and circumstances and situations
sometimes force them to transition to a different role.
We have different seasons in spiritual life and ministry,
and we may not always be given the same assignment. There will be changes and
movements, and our role may change. I taught Sunday School for many years in
different churches, and it is now more than ten years since I have taken a
Sunday School class regularly. My first job was as a teacher. In a few years, I moved on
to programming and, after some time, moved to another role.
One area we see the change of role is leadership. Many
people do not spend time training or equipping themselves as they transition to
a new position and struggle, and they do not change their approach and style when
moving to a different role. When I say style, I mean “a manner of doing
something.”
In the Bible, we see many people transitioning to different
roles with time and based on need. Nehemiah served the king in the palace, but
he picked up the burden of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem when he was made aware
of the situation. He becomes a builder and then governor. In every situation, he
functioned as needed. He identified a need and then came up with a solution. He
also delegated the responsibility. He not only motivated people but also worked
with people.
Nehemiah was a leader who combined prayer and planning. He
operated as the situation demanded, but one thing consistent was his prayer
life. He encountered his burden and challenges with prayer. As God gives us different
assignments or responsibilities, we need to adapt to the situation, but one
thing which needs to be consistent to see success is prayer.
Yes, we may have to change our style of operation based on the
situation and the role we are assigned, but we need to remember that to be successful
as Christian leaders, we need to be prayerful. One style that should not change or get
impacted as our responsibilities change is our prayer style. It should improve
or increase but not go down as we progress in life.
Episode 11 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Christians and Sports." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/s-GpaJzdW68
I want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.
Main Points from the messages.
Main Verse:- Daniel 2:17-18Episode 10 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Good Habits." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/Jpq4HeJ0sAk
I want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church. I spoke in Malayalam with translation to English.
Main Points from the messages.
Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say.അവരോà´Ÿു പറവിൻ: à´žാൻ à´•േൾക്à´•െ à´¨ിà´™്ങൾ പറഞ്à´žà´¤ുà´ªോà´²െ തന്à´¨േ, à´Žà´¨്à´¨ാà´£, à´žാൻ à´¨ിà´™്ങളോà´Ÿു à´šെà´¯്à´¯ുà´®െà´¨്à´¨ു യഹോà´µ à´…à´°ുà´³ിà´š്à´šെà´¯്à´¯ുà´¨്à´¨ു
- What do you say to yourself? - Do you say many negative things against what God has already told you.
- What do you say to others? - Do you spread things that build faith or destroy faith.
- What do you say to God? - Do you tell everything to God?
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt
It is claimed that Bible has around one thousand leaders listed. There is more data than just the name of about one hundred leaders. I heard that someone did a study and found that nearly one-third of these finished well while the rest failed. Most of those who failed encountered failure during the last half of their life.
It was a little surprising to me as I thought that the chances of failure are reduced as people mature and grow. I was wrong, and the critical issue I found is “mature and grow.” Do we stop growing after a point as we realize that we have figured out the formula to keep things stable while giving the impression to everyone that we are doing good in all areas of life? Are we growing or just going forward based on experience and our wisdom?
I heard a man of God say that “Strong leaders have strong weaknesses. The key is allowing God to control our weaknesses.” In my view, the life of leaders we find in the Bible and the recent history of leaders validate that statement. We have heard about leaders who were considered giants in faith and service fall. In some cases, it is a severe issue that may take a long to recover, and in other cases, there is little hope of restoration.
It is humbling to see that God takes people with weaknesses and uses them to advance His kingdom. Our imperfections do not automatically disqualify us from God’s service. God is there to strengthen us, but we have to be careful that we follow His steps consistently if we have to finish well. Inconsistency is dangerous as it may be during one of the weak, inconsistent moments that we may end up doing or saying something which may ruin everything.
We cannot afford to stop growing and maturing in Christ as it is another danger zone from where we can quickly fail. Our relationship cannot become static, and our hearts should not be left cold for a long time. Sin will find its way back into our life, and we will encounter failure, which we may have never anticipated would happen to us.
Starting well is good but finishing well is equally important. We have an enemy who will try to distract and plant traps to make us fail. We must trust God, rely on His grace daily, and move forward. Our years of experience do not guarantee that we will not fail. Daily dependence and being truthful with our actual condition of heart and conduct in the presence of God is critical. Having anything fake or secret is a sure path to failure. Being transparent and truthful can guarantee a good finish.
Discipleship is a key term we use and hear all the time in
church and ministry. A few years ago, I was in a meeting where a person accused
all the pastors who served his church that they never spoke or taught about discipleship.
I was shocked to hear that since discipleship is core to Christian faith life.
I just felt like this person was exaggerating, as I cannot comprehend how pastors
can ignore discipleship without ignoring Jesus Christ itself.
The mission statement of the church I pioneered and serve
now is “Making disciples who will make disciples.” There are two aspects: those
who make or train others to be disciples of Jesus and those who are being trained
to be disciples of Jesus Christ. You cannot teach others to be disciples unless
you are a disciple.
I want to share a few things I noticed while going through
some training. If you want to disciple someone, choose someone you know well
enough to discern their weaknesses. Once you decide on someone, remember to
focus on their potential and not their problems.
People who are disciples trying to learn must have some essential qualities to be successful. Some of the key attributes are: -
Making disciples is exciting, but we cannot do it unless we
ourself is committed to a committed disciple of Jesus Christ. To be a good disciple,
we must be faithful, available, initiating, and teachable.
Another episode of Thriving Talk is out. The topic this week is Christians and Missions.
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -
On Gospel-Link.com website - https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/
Links to different podcast platforms - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/7ojY9w8qTMY
Sharing the sermon, I preached this Sunday at my church. It is in English.
YouTube Link - https://youtu.be/rjtPzHTVX8o
God created humans as relational beings. We are created with emotions; at any given moment, we can experience different emotions and behave and act based on what we feel. We could be feeling angry, anxious, ashamed, hopeless, lonely, concerned, disappointed, hurt, jealous, stressed, annoyed, bored, calm, confused, tired, curious, confident, excited, focused, happy, ambitious, determined, grateful, included, proud, etc.
Many types of emotions are defined, and if we do not learn
to understand and control ourselves, we could make decisions or actions we will regret
later. There is a saying that broken glass can be taped together but will never
be the same as old. You can try to repair the damages you caused due to your childish
attitude or carelessness, but it won't be easy to regain trust. Thinking before
you say or act in a particular way is better. The hurt you create may last your
entire life.
One of the common human reactions to show displeasure or
protest is to withdraw or quit. You try to become passive initially and then try
to get out. When we do it, we often want to be back and do it to get attention.
If I have to put it plainly, I will say we try to threaten others. Then there
are other times when we are serious because we are tired and cannot handle a
situation anymore.
In my life, I remember a few incidents when I wrote a resignation
letter. Two times, my managers were able to make me withdraw it by giving me a raise
in salary. I was serious, but I was taking that step because I felt underpaid.
When the issue was addressed, I was back. On another occasion, I decided to
move on and my manager asked me what my demand was and offered even to double
my salary. At that time, my answer was a plain "NO." The reason was
not salary but my goal for life.
There are other times when you feel like quitting when going
gets tough and you are disappointed with others' behaviors. You approach everything
sincerely, and you have no idea why people react and behave in a particular way.
You will question yourself and get a feeling that you may be the reason for the
problem and that it is better that you go away. You will feel things will get
better if you get out of the picture. It is true in ministry and mainly in pastoral
ministry. I had moments when I decided to stop doing everything and then lead a
peaceful life. Why take all these burdens of ministry and be a source of
discomfort for others? The respect and appreciation you get at your secular
workplace are often missing on the ministry side.
I had my moments like Elijah when I decided to quit. It is
enough, Lord, and I am no better. Then something happens, and God reminds me of
my calling and purpose. I have realized that my current location and
assignments are within the plan and purpose of God. God has placed me and assigned
it to me. The only one who should ask me to move or quit is my master, who appointed
me. The enemy or others cannot decide my moves. I must follow God's
instructions as long as I am in His hands. I do not have an option or opinion when
I see the bigger picture.
The tree with fruit will face stones. The more fruitful you
become, you will be a blessing for many, but also expect stones coming your
way. You do not have to focus on the stones. Focus on the one who called you
and continue to be a blessing. You will be rewarded for sticking around and not
quitting before time.
Episode 8 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Kingdom Vs. Individual View." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
The links mentioned in this episode are -
Link to blog - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2018/05/individualistic-view-to-kingdom-view.html
Link to paper - https://www.bethel.edu/seminary/about/initiatives/work-with-purpose/resources/tinku-thompson-colloquy.pdf
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/rT7Q0IeDpFs
Sharing the sermon, I preached this Sunday at my church. It is in English.
YouTube Link - https://youtu.be/aLSra4L7yas
Episode 7 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic this time is "Life Management." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.
Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html
“The end or outcome justifies the means” is a statement that
many people use when you point out something that is not quite right or something
fishy. People steal things, give them to the poor or needy, and may feel good. Recently
I heard about someone who does things that are not legal, but he said he is
doing a good thing as he helps others by doing what is illegal.
When it comes to spiritual life, something similar exists.
As long as I am blessed and have no problem, God is happy with everything I do
and is in my favor. In Psalms 73, Asaph shares his concern about a similar matter.
Ps. 73:3-8 (NLT)
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.
Asaph shares his concerns and finds an answer towards the end.
Ps. 73:17 (NLT)
Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
Asaph saw wicked prospering, and he thought his integrity was
in vain. He finally understood the reality. The main issue is not with people
who do not know God but with those who claim to follow Jesus. They do not seem
to care to follow the basics of the Bible and still think that since outcomes
are satisfactory, it is all good. One example I want to bring up here is how
Moses lost his chance to enter the land of Canaan. The issue was simple. He hit
the rock when God commanded him to speak for water to come (Num. 20:12). Water
did come irrespective of disobedience, but God was not happy and gave the
verdict.
Are we happy with the water coming out? If we are, then we
are only focused on the outcome. In the Bible, we learn that obedience matters
to God. Bible teaches us that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22).
The process of how we achieve something is critical. The outcome may look good,
but how we got it matters to God.
We should not deceive ourselves by the outcome and should pay
careful attention to the process of achieving it. Obedience to God’s word and commands
should be fundamental, even if the result is not what we expected. Obedience
will pay off in the long run. Good outcomes with a shady process will not last
long and fall apart, and it will be like a house built on sand. Let us build on
rock and ensure we do not ignore the process.
Sharing the sermon I preached this Sunday at my church. It is in English.
YouTube Link - https://youtu.be/Tq5A7Q5XtF8
Introduction Recently, a Pastor visited me, and I took him to the Mall of America, the biggest mall in America. As we were walking, we met ...
