Author Archives: Mark Cole

About Mark Cole

Jesus follower, Husband, Father, Worship Leader, Writer, Pastor, Church Consultant, Founding Arranger for Praisecharts.com, squash & tennis player, blogger & outdoor enthusiast.. (biking, hiking, skiing). Twitter: @MarkMCole Facebook: mmcole

What Does It Mean To Be A Servant of Christ?

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Mark Cole

Paul often describes himself as a “slave” (or “servant”) of Christ, showing his deep sense of commitment and submission to Jesus as his master. This idea appears across several of his letters, emphasizing that following Christ involves willingly yielding one’s life to God’s purposes Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Jesus, Leadership, Wisdom | Tagged allegiance, commitment, dedication, faith, follower of Jesus, God's purpose, Jesus, life, Lord, ministry, redeemed, servant, set apart, slave, submission | Leave a comment

What Does It Mean To ‘Live Like Jesus’?

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Mark Cole

In the Gospel of John, a powerful message is delivered in 1 John 2:6: “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” This profound statement sets a foundational principle for followers of Jesus, encouraging us to model our lives after the teachings and example of Christ. But what does it mean to live like Jesus in everyday life? Let’s explore this idea through key principles and actions. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Jesus, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged action, believers, community, compassion, discipleship, Evangelism, faith, fellowship, generosity, humility, integrity, love, model, prayer, principle, servanthood, teachings, Trust | Leave a comment

How Do We Keep Our Eyes on Jesus?

Posted on November 7, 2024 by Mark Cole

The race of life is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. Hebrews 12 encourages us to “run with endurance the race God has set before us.” But the key to this endurance lies in the phrase that follows: “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” So how do we keep our eyes on Him, especially in a world full of distractions? Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Jesus, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged Bible study, community, confess, discipline, endurance, eternal life, faith, focus, gratitude, guidance, hope, Jesus, marathon, prayer, promises, scripture, serve, truth | Leave a comment

What Does the New Testament Teach About Healing?

Posted on November 6, 2024 by Mark Cole

The New Testament’s teachings on healing revolve around Jesus’ ministry, which emphasized healing as a demonstration of God’s kingdom, and the practices of His apostles, Peter and Paul, who continued this work in the early church. Here’s a breakdown of the perspectives and practices on healing by each: Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Healing, Jesus | Tagged authority, compassion, early church, faith, forgiveness, gifts, God's kingdom, God's love, healing, Jesus, miracles, mission, Name of Jesus, Paul, Peter, power, pray, prayer, sickness, sin, spiritual, spiritual gifts | Leave a comment

The Secret: Christ In You and the Path to Wisdom

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Mark Cole

The apostle Paul unveils a profound mystery in his letter to the Colossians, something that had been hidden for ages: “And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing His glory” (Colossians 1:27). He goes on to say, “In Christ lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). The secret is out—Christ in us is the key to unlocking a life of wisdom, growth, and transformation. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, God Adventures, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Wisdom | Tagged abide in Christ, crucified with Christ, cummunity, fullness, God's Word, Holy Spirit, humility, knowledge, power, prayer, purpose, renewing, secret, Surrender, treasures, truth, wisdom, Word | Leave a comment

Worship Leading: 4 Major Ways To Improve

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Mark Cole

Leading people in worship to the Living God is an awesome privilege and really involves four major areas: music, worship, leadership (people) and your relationship with God. The more you understand and grow in each area, the stronger your worship leading should become. … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, God, Jesus, Leadership, Music, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged administration, click track, communicate, guitar, harmony, improvise, keyboards, lessons, memorize, music skills, music styles, music theory, people, read, rehearsals, secret, serve, singing, songwriting, stage presence, team | Leave a comment

Seek Wisdom

Posted on October 8, 2024 by Mark Cole

In today’s fast-paced, information-saturated world, the need for true wisdom is more critical than ever. While knowledge can be found with a few keystrokes, wisdom is something deeper—something that guides our decisions, shapes our character, and aligns our lives with truth. The Bible, especially the book of Proverbs, offers us timeless principles on how to seek and attain this priceless treasure: wisdom. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Health, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Leadership, Wisdom | Tagged ask, character, clarity, correction, difficulties, faith, fear of the Lord, folly, fool, God's Word, humility, meditating, pray, priceless, pride, purity, reading, respect, reverence, righteous, teachable, timeless, treasure, truth, wisdom | Leave a comment

Raise the Bar: Hard Work and Enthusiasm in Worship Leadership

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Mark Cole

As I was reading Romans 12 this morning, Paul’s words, “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically,” challenged me. They reminded me of the essential role that a strong work ethic plays in worship ministry. Too often, we may find our teams stagnating—not because of a lack of talent or resources, but because we aren’t fully committing ourselves to the work with the enthusiasm and diligence Paul speaks of. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Leadership, Music, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged charts, diligence, hard work, inspire, organized, prep, preperation, scheduling, serve, serving, spiritual, time management, transformative, work, work ethic | Leave a comment

Why Does God Heal Some and Not Others?

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Mark Cole

This is a question many of us wrestle with at different points in our lives. It’s a question that often arises when we’re faced with illness or watching someone we care about suffer. As a pastor and someone who has experienced healing personally, I, too, have pondered this difficult issue. While we may not fully grasp why God chooses to heal some and not others, there are a few biblical truths that can anchor us as we navigate this profound mystery.
Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, God Adventures, Healing, Jesus, Wisdom | Tagged Bible, confidence, don't give up, eternal, faith, God heals, heal, healing, heals, mystery, prayer, praying, sickness, thorn in the flesh, Your will | 1 Comment

Serving The Church And Your Family

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Mark Cole

My pastor wants me to participate in his message on Sunday by answering this question: Mark – You are a husband, a father and a grandfather, you have served in ministry with your wife, you have raised your kids and now they serve in ministry, you have grandkids now. How have you balanced serving and family, and what has been the impact on your family that you still see to this day? Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Family, God, Leadership, Music, Worship | Tagged attending church, children, church, faithfulness, family, fun, grandchildren, grandkids, holidays, Jesus, ministry, prayer, reading the Word, serving, teaching, water baptism | Leave a comment