Faith Facts

• Numbers 33 warns that tolerated issues become persistent thorns that trouble future generations.
• Scripture teaches that small financial problems grow into major burdens when left unaddressed.
• Christian stewardship calls believers to confront money challenges with faith and discipline rather than avoidance.

Small financial problems rarely stay small when ignored. They quietly expand until they disrupt peace, relationships, and even spiritual focus.

Numbers 33 delivers a direct warning about the dangers of leaving problems in place. The passage speaks of tolerating what should be removed, describing the result as “thorns in your sides.”

“What we tolerate today may trouble us tomorrow,” the teaching reminds readers who are tempted to delay action on debt, overspending, or poor financial habits.

The principle applies directly to household budgets and personal finances. A single unpaid bill or unexamined expense can grow into long-term strain if left unchecked.

Christian teaching emphasizes honest assessment of resources as an act of faithful stewardship. Avoiding the numbers does not make the problems disappear.

Believers are encouraged to seek wisdom through prayer and practical steps rather than hoping difficulties resolve on their own. Scripture consistently links diligence with blessing and avoidance with loss.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Faith Facts

• Franklin Graham is bringing the Gospel to Manchester as part of his God Loves You Tour.
• The evangelist reports many young people in the United Kingdom are searching for answers only God can provide.
• The Manchester event is scheduled for Saturday.

Evangelist Franklin Graham is preparing to bring a clear Gospel message to thousands in Manchester this Saturday.

The upcoming stop is part of his God Loves You Tour across the United Kingdom.

Graham says he is seeing a growing hunger among young people for the hope and purpose that only faith in Jesus Christ can satisfy.

“People are searching.”

That spiritual search, he believes, opens a door for the timeless truth of the Gospel to be shared with fresh urgency.

The Manchester event will give local believers an opportunity to invite friends and family to hear the message of God’s love and salvation.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Faith Facts

• Leadership in the local church shapes its health and spiritual direction.
• Jesus modeled servant leadership by washing His disciples’ feet.
• Healthy churches flourish when leaders prioritize humility, trust, and Scripture.

Leadership matters. When it comes to the health of a church, as the leadership goes, so goes the church. A new series of guest columns is launching to address this critical need.

The writers will come from different regions, congregations, and traditions. Some churches use songbooks while others employ praise teams. Some preach from the KJV and others from the NIV.

Yet all share key convictions. They hold an authoritative view of Scripture. They believe the God of Scripture remains active in the world today. They believe the Gospel must stay the first priority of the church. They share a deep love for the Churches of Christ.

“Leadership is more than a position or title. It is influence. It is stewardship. It is the responsibility to help people see what God may be calling them to become and then create an environment where they can grow into it.”

Jesus redefined leadership. He picked up a towel, knelt before His disciples and showed us that greatness in the kingdom is measured by our willingness to serve. That kind of leadership requires humility.

It requires leaders who can say, “I may be wrong.” Leaders who listen before they speak. Leaders who can disagree without becoming disagreeable. Leaders who are secure enough to celebrate someone else’s success. And leaders who understand that the church belongs to Christ — not to the elders, the preacher, the staff or any individual leader.

Healthy leadership also requires trust. Trust is built over time through integrity, consistency, transparency and keeping our word. It gives teams the freedom to have difficult conversations without becoming divided. It creates an environment where people can challenge one another, extend grace and pursue what is best for the kingdom rather than simply what is most comfortable.

Leadership requires teamwork. The biblical picture of leadership is rarely one person doing everything. God has always worked through communities of people with different gifts, experiences, personalities and perspectives. Healthy teams do not require uniformity; they cultivate unity.

Faithful leadership requires a high view of Scripture coupled with an understanding of the culture in which we minister. We do not change the Gospel to fit the culture. But neither should we ignore the culture around us. Effective leaders remain deeply rooted in biblical truth while learning how to build bridges to people who desperately need the hope of the Gospel.

Over the coming months, the series will explore humility, trust, teamwork, spiritual discernment, cultural awareness, courage, communication, succession and the intentional development of other leaders.

After more than two decades of ministry in the same congregation and walking alongside churches across the nation through seasons of remarkable health and painful transition, one conviction stands out. One of the great opportunities before the Churches of Christ is for our leaders to become better leaders.

Not simply more effective leaders. Not simply more strategic leaders. Leaders who look more like Jesus. Because leadership matters.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.