by Randy Harp
As parents, we love experiencing milestones with our children. We get excited the first time they roll over, sit up, crawl, and take those first steps. We begin to have mixed emotions when we drop them off for their first day of kindergarten and are even more emotional as they graduate high school and move on to college. Then we see them begin their new lives as they get married and have their own children. Each of these milestones are steps in our journey called life. Although they may not be quite so sequential, they each require a next step.
The Christian life is very similar. At salvation you are made new, but you are not intended to stay the same. There is a lifetime of growth taken one step at a time. There is an old Chinese Proverb that says, “The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” This issue of the Tribune is focused on how to help you take that next step, wherever you currently find yourself. Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” My prayer is we would each surrender our steps to the Lord.
One of my goals as the new editor is to allow multiple contributors to share their knowledge and wisdom. I don’t know if there are any official records, but this issue has to be close to the most contributors in a single issue. Including our regular columnists, there are over 20 different individuals who provide content from basically every aspect of ministry. It is also great to have the daughter of a former Tribune editor as well as the co-founder of Liberty University as contributors this month.
Pastors, I encourage you to share this issue with your congregation. There are many practical features and columns to help those in your church. I also encourage you to read through this issue asking yourself, “How can I take my next step and how can I lead our church to take the next step.” Use the “Afterwords” on page 30 as a tool to apply these principles.
I know I probably sound like a broken record but I want to remind you that the Baptist Bible Tribune is a ministry of the BBFI primarily funded by the support of local churches. Yes, we receive funds through advertisements and there are those who have individual subscriptions, but the vast majority of our budget is based on voluntary support. Would you consider partnering with us by contributing to our February Tribune Offering (it is never too late) or becoming a monthly financial contributor? You can make an immediate donation by logging onto www.tribune.org and clicking on the “Partner” button or contact our office at (417) 831-3996.
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve Christ as I serve you. If I can ever be of service to you, please let me know.