A personal and ministry blog from Dr. James MacDonald. Subscribe here to receive new posts in your inbox.
I had a great time with my friend Kirk Cameron talking about the crisis of biblical illiteracy on his TBN show, “Takeaways,” on May 15, 2022. View the entire program here.
While Pastor James now seldom travels to fill weekend church pulpits, he does preach at local church men’s retreats and men’s conferences (most recently in Wisconsin, Texas, and California) and is building into men by building into pastors, as well as developing Act Like Men’s conferences in 2023.
In fall 2021, with the study Act Like Brothers: 7 Confessions of Biblical Brotherhood, Pastor James began offering seasonal Bible studies geared for men. Subscribe above for notifications when this season is scheduled and other ALM updates.
Desiring to equip as many men as possible with this in depth, 40-day teaching, Pastor James is giving his Act Like Men book away for the cost of shipping + a nominal handling fee.
The ALM MC unites men on mission for Christ, living out biblical brotherhood, riding Harleys, and outdoor fun. The MC will focus its energy on our ALM Sobriety House (both reside on same campus), pouring into the residents who seek to live free from addiction and helping get them back to their families.
As this emphasis grows, the ALM MC will look to replicate itself and multiply those experiences with other groups of men around the country — a model of men’s ministry where fellowship is not an end in itself, but the by-product of men serving Christ by serving men who need their friendship and support.
Retreats, Conferences + Teachings ➡
Flowing from Pastor James’ decades of men’s ministry emphasis, current Act Like Me [ALM] efforts are focused on a new Sobriety House, Motorcycle Club, and Retreats, Conferences + Teachings.
Our ALM House provides transitional housing, spiritual counsel, and other support for men getting free from incarceration and/or substance addiction. Inspiration for the ALM House was drawn from Matthew 25:40 and Jesus’ promise “in that you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
MORE INFO OR APPLY FOR RESIDENCY ➡
“Vertical Church” preaching is all about the expectation that God blesses the unapologetic, Spirit-dependent heralding of His Word…
But is there more a preacher can do to be effective? Beyond the requisite faithfulness to Christ and His Word, can a preacher do more to amplify the sermon’s impact? If you want to see your message make a difference, reach the lost, heal the wounded, lift the discouraged, instruct the weak, etc., give attention to these additional elements of a high-impact sermon. (more…)
I want to be careful in the words I choose to warn fellow ministers about the danger of reductionism in our preaching and teaching. Dictionary.com defines reductionism as: “The practice of simplifying a complex idea, issue, condition, or the like, especially to the point of minimizing, obscuring, or distorting it.” Few things discourage young Christians, or those considering the faith, more than an over simplification of the many complex issues current residents of this planet are grappling with. (more…)
I was a really skinny kid. To look at me now you wouldn’t know it, but my arms were like pipe cleaners and my legs like pick-up sticks. Really.
I was embarrassed at swimming parties and felt ashamed to wear my basketball jersey ‘cause my shoulders could barely keep the straps up. I remember going to picnics and participating in tug-o-wars with futility. A close personal friend, who was as strong as I was weak, could grip my wrists and slap me silly with my own hands. I know the feeling of physical weakness and it is very uncomfortable. (more…)