Thoughts, devotions, and more from Jeffrey K. Ross, author of "Next Step Devotions"
I have served as a deacon for decades across two churches. Long before becoming a deacon, the church in which I grew up elected a friend and me to serve as "junior deacons" while we were high school teenagers—a non-voting position meant to expose us to the role and encourage our growth. From that time …
Continue reading Book Review: “Deacons: How They Serve and Strengthen the Church” by Matt Smethurst
(The following is the March 2 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Mark 16 and pay close attention to verses 19-20.) Have you ever had a job that required you to be on your feet most of the time? Occasional breaks are cherished because we get a moment to sit and …
(The following is the February 26 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Mark 12 and pay close attention to verses 13-17.) When some Pharisees and Herodians asked Jesus about paying taxes to Caesar, they tried to trap him (v. 13). They wanted to trick him into saying something that would get …
(The following is the February 21 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Mark 8 and pay close attention to verses 34-38.) Have you ever been ashamed of someone? Perhaps a family member did something publicly humiliating, and you wanted to distance yourself from that person or the public for a time. …
(The following is the February 19 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Mark 7 and pay close attention to verses 14-23.) Jesus emphasized the importance of people’s spiritual heart condition. On one occasion, Jesus encountered scribes and Pharisees who were upset that his disciples did not observe traditions related to ceremonial …
