As a Church leader and a follower of Jesus, I always have my eyes on issues that Christians are currently facing. I also watch for topics that I need to address in the coming year or two. Here is my current list. (Is there anything you would like to add?)

1. Proper Interpretation. There is a growing need for people to understand how to interpret the Bible correctly. With so much information available today, most people do not know how to read and understand the scriptures. As a result, they accept anything anybody says about the Bible without asking the right questions. I plan to teach the best practices and tools.

2. Understanding Covenants. I see an enormous need to help people understand the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. This issue will help people to understand the role of the laws and how they align with grace.

3. Redefining Terms. I do not mean giving old terms new modern definitions but instead giving the old definitions again and again. People use words like sovereignty, predestination, covenant, baptism, and even discipleship and do not know the Biblical definition. Often, what people know is how someone in the media defines it. So, we end up using the same words but do not mean the same thing.

4. The Holy Spirit. For years, I have struggled to understand and teach the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. I am sure this is also true for most Christians. We need to get a Biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit and how he works in us.

5. Discipleship. Gaining a better understanding of discipleship has been my most significant project of the last two years. I am growing more convinced that it is not a book or quick program. It is about connecting people and walking with them for an extended time until they reach maturity in the faith.

These are some of the things I am seeing. As I plan my sermons for the future and programs for the Church, these linger in the back of my mind. I am sure that as soon as I address these, new issues will be just over the horizon.