Darryl Dash's Blog, page 7

The End of Satan, Sin, and Death (Revelation 20)

Big Idea: God will ultimately defeat Satan, restore his people, and destroy evil and death.

When I went to seminary, I studied under a brilliant professor who originally lived in Indiana. As I got to know him, I found out the story of how he ended up teaching in Canada. He was part of a denomination that held a particular view of the chapter we just read. To pastor in that denomination, you had to agree with their view. The professor accepted a ministry assignment in Toronto, which let him adopt ...

Saturday Links

Curated links for your weekend reading:

The Destructive Power of Porn (and How to Break Free)

If you’re struggling with pornography, here’s the good news. Jesus came to forgive you and set you free. Here’s where to begin.

People Expect It to Be Churchy

It seems the churches that are attracting people at the moment are the, well, fairly churchy ones.

Could Scrolling Become the New Smoking?

We’re humans, not robots—no matter how impressive artificial intelligence becomes. We possess agency. We can cours...

Essential Lessons for Young (and Old) Pastors

I'm used to reading blog posts with titles like “What They Didn't Teach Me in Seminary.” Usually, the goal is to create buzz or sell a course or book. I don't want to add to that noise, but I'm going to write about a few things they didn't teach me in seminary that I think are important for a young pastor to know.

First, aim to be boring.

I don't mean your preaching should be boring, but your ministry should largely be pretty ordinary. Ministry involves doing a few things well over a long period o...

Saturday Links

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Outbuild the Critics

Here’s my challenge for pastors and leaders who want to reinforce the gospel’s centrality and renew the center: Outbuild the critics.

Your Pastor Isn't Your Therapist...And Your Therapist Isn't Your Pastor

If you need therapy, get it. Some of us need it (I do), and many of us don’t. All of us need a pastor. All of us need a community of people who can be honest with us.

Back-to-Back Meetings Harm You, Your Effectiveness, and Your Team

Even i...

Three Ways Weakness is a Gift

In 2 Corinthians 12:10, the Apostle Paul wrote one of the most counter-intuitive sentences ever:

“So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

This sentence makes absolutely no sense. Who takes pleasure in things like weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties, even if they’re for Jesus? We normally try to avoid these things, and if we end up suffering them, we don’t usually...

The Marriage You Were Made For (Revelation 19:1-10)

Big Idea: Rejoice because of the marriage you were made for.

I don’t know if you’ve ever had a friend who got engaged. You met this person’s future husband or wife, and you thought, “What in the world have they done?” It’s really awkward because you want to support your friend, but you have serious doubts about their decision.

We know that getting married is serious. We know that getting married is about much more than the wedding. It’s about the start of a new life together. When you get married,...

Saturday Links

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20 Lessons from 20 Years in Ministry

With the hope that these thoughts might encourage others, I’m sharing 20 lessons on 20 years in ministry.

Young Men Wanted: A Missions Call for the Unmarried

Common men, ordinary men, young men can do incredible things when they trust an all-powerful God.

God’s Guidelines for Sex Aren’t Arbitrary

In a world soiled and sodden with sex, God’s rules intend to uncoil our selfishness until we become enflamed with divine love.

The D...

Ministry: A Long Yet Short Journey

Imagine becoming a pastor at age 25 and continuing your ministry until you retire around age 65. That's 40 years. Four decades. Some two thousand Sundays, which is way more than a month of Sundays.

I want to suggest that this is both a long time and a short time.

A Long Time

On one hand, forty years is a long time. It's ultramarathon territory, not sprint territory. It’s long enough that you will see trends come and go. You may perform the marriage ceremony of young couples, and later their childre...

Babylon and the Beast (Revelation 17-18)

Big Idea: We are meant for relationship with Jesus, not with a seductress who’s trying to draw us away and is doomed for judgment.

There’s something about certain cities that I really like.

I love London, England. I love the history. I love visiting Metropolitan Tabernacle where Spurgeon preached. I love visiting Bunhill Fields, where John Bunyan and Susanna Wesley are buried. The British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey — I could go on and on.

I love New York City: its restaurants, its...

Saturday Links

Curated links for your weekend reading:

The Power of Christ in My Inconsistent Life

Christ in you is a reality even when you do not feel that it is true.

A Short Prayer for Reading the Bible

When you sit down to read the Scriptures, make this prayer your own: “More light, Lord!”

Reading Revelation

Reading the book of Revelation resembles playing the piano. It is easy to do poorly.

How Healthy Is Your Pursuit of Health?

As we train our bodies rightly, we train ultimately for godliness.

How to Mentor

So how...