Jim Dempsey

Author, trainer for the National Center for Biblical Parenting and host of the radio show Parenting Unchained

[Jim Dempsey @jimdempsey54]

@Immy_220 1856 on the sign. Should be 1956

[Jim Dempsey @jimdempsey54]

@us_connie 1964

[Jim Dempsey @jimdempsey54]

@theamelia__ 95

[Jim Dempsey @jimdempsey54]

@RGIII @TexasTechFB @TexasTech @OuttaPocketRG3 @Gretegiii Heisman!!!

[Greg Stier @gregstier]

Church history is littered with bad marriages.

John Wesley—founder of the Methodist movement and one of the three key preachers in the First Great Awakening (along with George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards)—had a notoriously bad marriage that was full of fights and fits. He and his wife, Molly, relentlessly insulted each other, and their arguments went from private to public.

John thought Molly was a rebellious woman who should quietly wait for and on him. Molly was tired of being home alone while he was gone for months at a time on preaching trips. Once, in 1758, when John was preparing to go on another preaching tour, his parting words to her were: “I hope I shall see your wicked face no more.”

Not quite pillow talk, Mr. Wesley.

John and Molly separated again and again, until she finally left once and for all. He wrote in his journal, “Finally, she left for good. I did not forsake her, I did not dismiss her, I will not recall her.”

This is sad indeed. A man who is considered by many to be the organizing force behind the First Great Awakening could not organize his life in such away as to prioritize his wife and could not bring a great awakening to his dead marriage.

Wesley pathetically tried to excuse his long absences and cold demeanor behind a ministry mantra: “for the sake of the cause.”

According to Robert Southey, in his book The Life of John Wesley, Wesley compared his own ministry impact with the impact of his wife’s life with these cut-to-the-heart words, “…of what importance is your character to mankind? If you were buried just now, or if you had never lived, what loss would it be to the cause of God.”

Ouch.

Tragically, Wesley is not the only man of God to have a marriage ruled by the Devil. And this is not true just of church history—it’s true all across the world in many churches today.

It was true in my marriage early on.

For the first several years of my marriage, I was busy preaching at my church on Sunday and leading Dare 2 Share the rest of the week. When I wasn’t on the road or in the office, I came home to collapse on the couch and watch television. I, like Wesley, subconsciously excused my lameness in loving my wife and leading my marriage on busyness with “the greater cause” of Christ.

Then one night, it all blew up in my face when our argument spilled over into public, literally during a Bible study. I’ll spare you the gory details, but I ended up in the fetal position in the middle of the Bible study circle, crying unconsolably for 30 minutes. Why? Because I knew she was right and I was wrong.

I was a jerk! I hadn’t been paying attention to her and her needs. I had been pulling a Wesley, “for the sake of the cause.” I wanted my wife Debbie to just suck it up so I could go on the road and save lost souls.

It was my soul that needed to be saved, not from the flames of Hell, but from the ice-coldness of a marriage on life-support.

That moment marked a turnaround point—not an immediate, full 180, but more like a Wall Street graph headed in the right direction. Yes, there have been—and continue to be—ups and downs. But my wife is the love of my life, and we’ve now been co-laboring side-by-side for, as of yesterday, 33 years!

Now we’re together “for the sake of the cause.”

Busyness from saving souls and leading ministries is not a good excuse for a bad marriage. Instead, our marriages should be a shining example of the Gospel, full of forgiveness, reconciliation and on-going transformation because of the example of Christ on the cross and power that comes through His Spirit.

[Jim Dempsey @jimdempsey54]

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[Preston Sprinkle @PrestonSprinkle]

I was 19 when I converted to Christianity, & I immediately prayed James 1:5–“Lord, give me wisdom!”

I woke up the next day still stupid.

But I gained a desire to study the Scriptures.

I’ll never be the same.

Go where the text leads. Even if it leads to unpopular places.

[Dr. Eli David @DrEliDavid]

This is Bill Gates. He is very concerned about climate change. He flies in his private jet to conferences all over the world to express concern over climate change, and ask you to stop driving cars.

[Sachin Jose @Sachinettiyil]

Tony Dungy, the Hall of Fame NFL coach who spoke at the March for Life rally yesterday is being attacked by left wing extremists over his pro-life Christian views. Dungy has 3 biological children and 8 adopted children. Retweet to show your support to this great man!

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

New Twitter policy is to follow the science, which necessarily includes reasoned questioning of the science

[TEAM USA @TEAM_USA__]

Raise your hand if you think the January 6th Committee is a complete sham and an embarrassment to America.

[Jim Dempsey @jimdempsey54]

Clearest exposition of this truth I have ever read.

[Pastor Mark Driscoll @PastorMark]

There is no Christianity without repentance. If your version of Jesus loves you but doesn't need you to change, you're worshipping yourself.

[Jim Dempsey @jimdempsey54]

@IanJaeger29 Yes. Doxxing is wrong.

[Shane Pruitt @shane_pruitt78]

The same Bible that tells us that “God loves us” is also the same Bible that calls things “sinful”.

As leaders, we can’t boldly proclaim God’s love, then cower down when it comes to calling sin - “sin”.

We must teach the whole Bible.

[hbcharlesjr @hbcharlesjr]

If Paul saw the church in America, we’d be getting a letter - Chad Bailey

[Jim Dempsey @jimdempsey54]

@Yes99T @elonmusk 52

[Shane Pruitt @shane_pruitt78]

Any version of Christianity that stops calling sin, “sin”; is no version of Christianity at all.

[Franklin Graham @Franklin_Graham]

God defines what is sin, not us, & every person is guilty of sin—Franklin Graham included. God is also the one who created & defined sexual orientation & gender—male & female. His laws & standards are given to mankind out of truth & love.

[Raider Red 🌵 @TTURaiderRed]

I’ve said it before but I’m saying it again. The @TTUGoinBand is by far the greatest band in the land ❤️