11.30.2009

Please Pray for Matt Chandler

Matt


I just read that Matt Chandler suffered a major seizure last Thursday. CT reports a mass was found on his frontal lobe. He's seeing a neurologist on Tuesday. Please pray for Matt, his wife and children, and for his church family as they share this trial.

Click here to read a statement from the elders at The Village Church about how you can help Matt.




Why should I want to be a Christian?

HT: Desiring God

The Christmas War

While traveling home from Thanksgiving in St. Louis I listened to one of the best Christmas sermons I have heard in a long time. Tim Keller, in his sermon Christmas War, reminds us that Jesus didn't come to bring peace, rather he came to be king. But that creates a problem. Jesus was born in a region where another was already king and whenever you have two kings in one land that leads to one thing - war. That was true at the first Christmas and it remains true today. Jesus came to be our king as well and Christians should be prepared for a war from within (Romans 7:23) and against the one who is already king in this unbelieving world (John 12:31).

Media and Your Family


Here are a few shocking statistics about media and the family. After reading these facts think about how much influence the media has over you and your household. Compare these with the time the average person spends devoted to prayer, reading, the Bible, or family devotion.

• Based on the US Census, adults and teens will spend nearly five months (3,518 hours) next year watching television, surfing the Internet, reading daily newspapers and listening to personal music devices.
• People will spend 65 days in front of the TV, 41 days listening to radio and a little over a week on the Internet in 2007.
• Percentage of households that possess at least one television: 9
• Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes
• Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
• Number of hours of TV watched annually by Americans: 250 billion
• Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 3.5
• Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
• Percentage of 4-6 year-olds who, when asked to choose between watching TV and spending time with their fathers, preferred television: 54
• Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
• Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500
• Number of murders seen on TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school: 8,000
• Number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18: 200,000
• Number of 30-second TV commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000
• Number of TV commercials seen by the average person by age 65: 2 million

HT: Winfield Bevins

What Does It Mean to Walk In Darkness?

"If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth" (1 John 1:6).

Walking in Darkness

1 John chapter 2, verses 8-11 give some real clear indications. It says that he who hates his brother is in the darkness and he who loves his brother abides in the light. Walking in the light means being a loving person and walking in the darkness means being a person of hate. But there is something more basic than that.

11.29.2009

First Chapter of Dug Down Deep Chapter By Joshua Harris

Dug Down Deep-Chapter 1 by Joshua Harris

Gospel Enemy #1: Self-Righteousness

Jerry Bridges recently taught from Luke 15:25-30 at Covenant Life Church, arguing that "Self-righteousness is like a virus that causes people to trust in themselves, look down on others, and even accuse God of being unfair. The cure for self-righteousness in Christians comes when they realize how much they have been forgiven."

Hear his message here.

True Christianity is a Fight

By J.C. Ryle

True Christianity! Let us mind that word "true." There is a vast quantity of religion current in the world which is not true, genuine Christianity. It passes muster; it satisfies sleepy consciences; but it is not good money. It is not the real thing which was called Christianity eighteen hundred years ago. There are thousands of men and women who go to churches and chapels every Sunday, and call themselves Christians. Their names are in the baptismal register. They are reckoned Christians while they live. They are married with a Christian marriage service. They mean to be buried as Christians when they die. But you never see any "fight" about their religion! Of spiritual strife, and exertion, and conflict, and self-denial, and watching, and warring, they know literally nothing at all. Such Christianity may satisfy man, and those who say anything against it may be thought very hard and uncharitable; but it certainly is not the Christianity of the Bible. It is not the religion which the Lord Jesus founded, and His Apostles preached. It is not the religion which produces real holiness. True Christianity is "a fight."

11.23.2009

What Are You Thankful For?

"Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused" (Romans 1:21). Not much has changed in this regard since Paul penned these words. Are you thankful for the blessings God has bestowed upon you? Are you thankful for your health? For you loved ones? For the freedom you enjoy? Are you thankful for even the next breath of air you will breathe. Heartfelt thankfulness has an amazing effect. It gives us hope, turns our eyes on Jesus, and protects us from sin.

If you're having a hard time coming up with anything, start with this list:

I AM . . .
  1. A Child of God (Romans 8:16)
  2. Redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy (Psalm 107:2)
  3. Forgiven (Colossians 1:13,14)
  4. Saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8)
  5. Justified (Romans 5:1)
  6. Sanctified (I Corinthians 6:11)
  7. A New Creature (II Corinthians 5:17)
  8. Partaker of His Divine Nature (II Peter 1:4)
  9. Redeemed from the Curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13)
  10. Delivered from the Powers of Darkness (Colossians 1:13)
  11. Led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)
  12. A Son of God (Romans 8:74)
  13. Kept in Safety Wherever I Go (Psalm 91:11)
  14. Getting All My Needs Met by Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
  15. Casting All My Cares on Jesus (I Peter 5:7)
  16. Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might (Ephesians 6:10)
  17. Doing All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Me (Philippians 4:13)
  18. An Heir of God and a Joint Heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17)
  19. Heir to the Blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:13, 14)
  20. Observing and Doing the Lord's Commandments (Deuteronomy 28:I2)
  21. Blessed Coming in and Blessed Going out (Deuteronomy 28:6)
  22. An Heir of Eternal Life (I John 5:11, 12)
  23. Blessed with All Spiritual Blessings (Ephesians 1:3)
  24. Healed by His Stripes (I Peter 2:24)
  25. Exercising My Authority over the Enemy (Luke 10:19)
  26. Above Only and Not Beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)
  27. More than a Conqueror (Romans 8:37)
  28. Establishing God's Word Here on Earth (Matthew 16:19)
  29. An Overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of My Testimony (Revelation 12:11)
  30. Daily overcoming the Devil (I John 4:4)
  31. Not Moved by What I See (II Corinthians 4:18)
  32. Walking by Faith and Not by Sight (II Corinthians 5:7)
  33. Casting Down Vain Imaginations (II Corinthians 10:4, 5)
  34. Bringing Every Thought into Captivity (II Corinthians 10:5)
  35. Being Transformed by Renewing My Mind (Romans 12:1, 2)
  36. A Laborer Together with God (I Corinthians 5:21)
  37. The Righteousness of God in Christ (II Corinthians 5:21)
  38. An Imitator of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1)
  39. The Light of the World (Matthew 5:14)
  40. Blessing the Lord at All Times and Continually Praising the Lord with My Mouth (Psalm 34:1)

Fill in the Caption

Fill in the Caption

My caption: "Looks like it's going to be packed in worship today."

11.20.2009

Reconsidering Children's Church

After attending The Resurgence: Text & Context Conference last year, I wrote a blog post, End Children's Church?, about the suggestion that John Piper offered during one of the Q & A sessions for pastors to put an end to Children's Church. His argument was that children need to worship with their families and they need to hear God's Word preached in order for them to recognize the role of the church in their spiritual development.

Recently a friend read and responded to my original post and I think she brought up some good points in favor of Children's Church. Here's part of what she had to say:

(We used to not have Children's Church). Everyone did sit in church together for the duration. Result? Stressed out parents trying to keep their little ones from being fidgety and bored, frustrated kids who did not look forward to coming to church. In talking with a handful of adults we found that "being made" to stay in church proved to be detrimental to their view of church as they matured. Our decision to start church 'just for kids' was actually a result of our wanting to teach the Bible to the next generation, but to create an environment they would enjoy and look forward to coming to, rather than the opposite. We time it so that the children are present for some of the beginning elements of corporate worship with their families, and then dismiss them a bit before the sermon so they can go hear a "sermon" that is appropriate for their cognitive development. I feel pretty strongly about what I see to be the positive elements and outcomes of this! What we have seen in the 5.5 years is that when the kids get a bit older, they become "bored" with the "little kids church" and DESIRE to come to "Big Church."

I'm interested to hear what others think about this issue? I see where Piper is coming from, but I also understand and appreciate the points raised above. What do you think? What do your experiences tell you about what might be the best approach for helping children know Christ and appreciate the Church?

You 86 the rules. You do what just feels right. . .

Walt Mueller:

Youth culture is a map and a mirror. It is both directive and reflective. We watch it to see where it's sending us and our kids. We watch it to see where we are. We monitor, deconstruct, and exegete it to know how to bring the map of the Biblical world and life view to bear on the realities that exist. A world that's not the way it's supposed to be keeps heading in that direction. We're in desperate need of being straightened out, fixed, and made new. That's why we listen and watch carefully.

Looking for a cultural map and mirror to ponder and talk about over the next month or so? Here's one worth engaging.

"You 86 the rules. You do what just feels right. . . "




HT: Vitamin Z

What Does it Cost to Be a Disciple of Christ?

Matthew 28:19 clearly states that our mission is to "make disciples" for Jesus. "Go and make disciples." The most important word I think Jesus ever said about becoming a disciple was Luke 14:27, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." Bearing a cross does not mean primarily having hard times. It means going to Golgotha. It means dying with Christ—dying to the old attitudes of envy and strife and jealousy and anger and selfishness and pride; and turning to follow Jesus in newness of life. When we make disciples, we bid people to come and die to their old, destructive ways and to live for Jesus, who loved them and gave himself for them.

HT: Desiring God

How NOT to be a missional church

Jonathan Dodson has shared an excellent series of blog posts at The Resurgence about how not to be a missional church. He provides three ways:

  1. Event-Driven Mission
  2. Evangelism-Driven Mission
  3. Social Action-Driven Mission

Jonathan's posts are based on the messages he delivered at the Lead '09 Conference.

Was Jesus Tempted With Homosexuality?



HT: Desiring God

11.19.2009

Something Incredible Is Happening on Sunday Morning

Jeff Purswell has a great post at Sovereign Grace Ministries Blog, addressing the apathy and boredom that many express experiencing in Sunday morning worship services. He provides a biblical perspective about what is going on in our worship services and challenges us to think about what exactly we're focusing on when we enter our sanctuaries to worship the God who made us.

Below is an excerpt, but you can read the entire post
here.

When you enter church on Sundays and the music begins, what are you more aware of? Is it the song set? the musicians? the mix? Does the worship band wow you? Does the routine bore you?

Or do you perceive something beyond all this?

Your church is one authentic manifestation of the entire people of God that right now is worshiping before the throne of God. That is the reality of new covenant worship. And when we begin to wrap our minds around that, there springs to mind a thousand reasons to rejoice, to praise, and to sing; and to renounce flippancy, self-display, selfishness, superficiality, sloppiness, and thoughtlessness.

Before the God who is a consuming fire, we don’t shuffle in casually. We don’t demand our artistic preferences. We don’t merely gather with our friends. We don’t merely sing together. As the people of God, we enter into the very presence of God. Encountering God in this way is the very nature of the church. By definition, to be the church is to gather in God’s presence and to worship God together. And when we begin singing, we join the glorious worship that takes place unceasingly before the throne of God.

This is true regardless of how we feel, who leads worship, what songs we sing, or how we think worship went. There is something incredible happening on Sunday morning! Something eternal is going on in there. Don’t miss it.

HT: Sovereign Grace

Twilight and Voluntary Demonization

Another Twilight movie, New Moon, is set to release tomorrow and nearly every teenage girl (and some guys) I know is all geeked out about it. A few are even planning to attend midnight showings this evening, in some cases with their parents, in order to be among the first to set their eyes on the next theatrical installment in this series. So how should parents and pastors react to these movies and others like them? With indifference? With caution? Should we view them simply as an educational opportunity?

I believe, and admittedly I take some flack about this from the youth I serve, these movies
can be a pathway to occultic activity and idolatry. How? While most teens know that these stories are fictional, but they also often refer to the main character in the series, Edward, as being "perfect" and talk about him in ways that make you wonder if what's intended to be fictional hasn't taken on the role of a very real idol in their hearts.

I think Dr. Sam Storms makes some interesting points in his article,
Doors to Demonization, about the possible spiritual danger posed by movies like
Twilight and other forms of entertainment which contain an element of the supernatural. Here are some of Dr. Storms' thoughts:

Voluntary Demonization

Voluntary demonization can occur in two ways, by what we neglect to do and by what we do voluntarily.

1.
What we neglect to do. The word "neglect" is possibly a poor choice of terms. It isn't that one little, inadvertent, slip-up will lead to demonization, but rather that persistent and unrepentant refusal to do what the Bible says to do may open the door.

a. Failure or refusal to resist the devil (Js. 4; 1 Pt. 5). Is Satan required to flee from us if we don't resist him? No.

b. Failure or refusal to wear the armor of God (Eph. 6). What happens if we engage the enemy unadorned?

c. Failure or refusal to put on Jesus (Rom. 13:14).

d. Failure or refusal to pray for protection from the power of temptation (Mt. 6:13).

2.
What we deliberately do

a. Occultic activity (Deut. 18:9-14) For example: astrology, palm reading, any form of fortune telling such as reading tea leaves, using a crystal ball, etc.; Ouija board, tarot cards, witchcraft, sorcery, magic (not sleight of hand or illusion but appeal to supernatural power to effect miraculous events), table lifting, Dungeons & Dragons, automatic writing, hypnosis, séances, incantations, good-luck charms, amulets, water-witching or dowsing, pendulum, etc.

b. Idolatry (Deut. 7:25; Acts 19:18-19; Lev. 17:7; Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:34-39; 1 Cor. 10:19-21). "When objects are made for occult purposes, or when people look to an object with the anticipation that it has power, demons will meet their expectation quite apart from any qualities inherent in the object itself. Or, in other cases, a person engaging in occult practices may invite demons to empower an object, and in this way the demons may become associated with that object" (Warner, 94).

c. Willful, unrepentant, unresolved sin (1 Tim. 3:7; 1 Pt. 5:8; 2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 4:26-27).

Read more
here.

How Much Do You Have to Hate Somebody to Not Proselytize?

That’s a quote from atheist Penn Jillette, of the magician duo, Penn & Teller. Video, followed by transcript, below:




“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me along and keep your religion to yourself—how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?

“I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

HT:
Justin Taylor

Whom Shall We Invite to Thanksgiving Dinner?

The Parable of the Great Banquet

He said also to the man who had invited him,
“When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers [1] or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” 15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant [2] to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, [3] none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

11.17.2009

The Greatest of These Is Love: John Piper Sermons

The Greatest of These Is Love: An Introduction to the Series
1 John 4
March 12, 1995

Who Shall Separate Us from the Love of Christ?

Romans 8:28-39
March 19, 1995

The Depth of Christ's Love: Its Cost

Ephesians 4:32-5:2
March 26, 1995

The Depth of Christ's Love: Its Undeserving Objects

Romans 5:1-11
April 2, 1995

The Depth of Christ's Love: Its Lavish Benefits

Palm Sunday
1 John 3:1
April 9, 1995

The Depth of Christ's Love: Its Freedom

Easter Sunday
John 10:14-18
April 16, 1995

Faith: The Link Between God's Love for Us and Ours for Others

Galatians 5:1-6
April 23, 1995
Excerpts: Listen

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, Part 1

Matthew 22:34-40
April 30, 1995

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, Part 2

Matthew 22:34-40
May 7, 1995

But I Say to You, Love Your Enemies, Part 1

Matthew 5:43-48
May 14, 1995

But I Say to You, Love Your Enemies, Part 2

Matthew 5:43-48
May 21, 1995

Love One Another with Tender Affection

Romans 12:9-13
June 4, 1995

Summer Is for Seeing and Showing Christ

2 Corinthians 3:12-18
June 11, 1995

Dying as a Means of Loving, Part 1

John 12:20-26
June 18, 1995

Dying as a Means of Loving, Part 2

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
June 25, 1995

How Often Are You On Script?

Consider how many ordinary conversations you everyday, ordinary conversations that go something like this:

"Hello, how are you?"
"Hi. I'm fine. And you?"
"Aw, pretty good. What's going on?"
"Same old same old. And you?"
"Yeah, me too."
[Long, somewhat awkward pause here]
"Well, we should get together sometime."
"Yeah, let's do that."
"Right."
"Right."
"Well, I gotta run. Shoot, I'm already late!"
"Yeah, me too. Bye."
"Yeah, bye."

Chances are good that this kind of conversation constitutes most of the public conversations that you live through and in everyday. Most of us probably think of these kinds of conversations as necessary, obligations of "being social." Or perhaps as just rituals of politeness when you run into someone you know in the traffic of an ordinary day. If we ignored them we would be considered to be a snob, right?

But really these sorts of conversation are robing us of our ability to connect with each other in any meaningful way. They are scripts, used to acknowledge others, By using these mundane scripts we are exchanging relatively meaningless communication for genuine dialogue. We say so little to each other because we are so busy to say anything else - and just to strangers, but to our spouses, our children, and to those in our church family (to be honest, I can't think of a social setting that I use and experience social scripts more than on Sunday morning in the church).

Does God Really Want All People To Be Saved?

11.16.2009

Is it possible to love your neighbor as yourself?

The Great Commandment 

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

In the newly released documentary of the debates between atheist Christopher Hitchens and Rev. Doug Wilson, Hitchens charges that Christianity is ultimately not good for the world because it calls people to live by a standard that is impossible to meet. His example is the call to "love your neighbor as yourself," something that Hitchens believes is an unattainable moral standard.

Hitchens' is absolutely correct. We can't meet God's moral standard. In fact that's the point of the call to "love our neighbor as yourself," it cuts to the heart of our sinfulness. It's a radical command. But it's not the standard that makes us guilty, but rather it's our sinful nature, which causes us to hold self over Other, that makes us sinful and thereby guilty.

I highly recommend the use of this DVD for small groups, Bible studies, youth ministry, and for anyone interested in hearing a terrific and lively conversation which pits a postmodern worldview against a Biblical worldview. Both men are very intelligent and respectful of each other throughout and there is plenty to be discussed by groups as they gather to watch.

When You Don't Want to Do What You Ought To

If your "want to" does not conform to God's "ought to," what can you do to have peace?

John Piper lays out five possible strategies:

1. You can avoid thinking about the "ought to." This is the most common strategy in the world. Most people simply do not devote energy to pondering what they should be doing that they are not doing.

2. You can reinterpret the "ought to" so that it sounds just like your "want to." This is a little more sophisticated and so not as common. It often takes a college education to do this with credibility, and a seminary degree to do it with finesse.

3. You can muster the willpower to do a form of the "ought to" even though you don't have the heart of the "want to." This generally looks pretty good, and is often mistaken as virtue, even by those who do it. In fact, there is a whole worldview that says doing "ought to's" without "want to" is the essence of virtue. The problem with this is that Paul said, "God loves a cheerful giver," which puts the merely "ought-to givers" in a precarious position.

4. You can muster the willpower to do a form of the "ought to" and feel remorse for not having the heart of the "want to." This is not hypocrisy. Hypocrisy hides one of the two contradictory impulses.

5. You can seek, by grace, to have God give the "want to" so that when the time comes to do the "ought to," you will "want to." Ultimately, the "want to" is a gift of God.

"The mind of the flesh is hostile to God…it is not able to submit to the law of God." (Romans 8:7)

"The natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God…because they are spiritually appraised." (1 Corinthians 2:14)

"Perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 2:25) The Biblical doctrine of original sin boils down to this (to borrow from St. Augustine): We are free to do what we like, but we are not free to like what we ought to like.

God's free and sovereign heart-changing work is our only hope. Therefore we must pray for a new heart. We must pray for the "want to": Incline my heart to Your testimonies. (Psalm 119:36). He has promised to do it: I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes. (Ezekiel 36:27). This is the new covenant bought by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 8:8-13; 9:15).

HT: Desiring God

11.12.2009

This Little Church Had None

Paul informs us in Romans 1:19-23 man's problem is that he has suppressed the truth about God that has been revealed in the creation around him. This suppression has led to darkened hearts and imaginations that are empty of spiritual reality. Man tries to fill in the blanks with whatever might be in vogue at the moment -- in biblical times it was idols and the direct conscious worship of creation. Today it might be New Age philosophy, Eastern religions, human achievement, humanistic theory, modernistic certainty, postmodern uncertainty, or any number of other theories. Bottom line: mankind has rejected God and His truth and suffers the consequences of that choice as God hands him over to enslavement by his own worldview with its resulting sins (1:24-32). It is no wonder people are disillusioned with life; sin and false beliefs ultimately have that affect.

To this end this book is dedicated. We want to understand the opposition to having and living a biblical worldview, what steps we must take to implement the same in our churches, and then how to evangelize people from a biblical worldview framework.

Converts vs. Disciples


Some churches focus on evangelism at the expense of discipleship by seeking to win converts instead of making disciples. The goal of evangelism is disciple making. The Great Commission in Matthew chapter 28 is to make disciples who will follow Christ rather than simply win converts. When Jesus said, “make disciples” the disciples understood it to mean more than simply getting someone to believe in Jesus and they interpreted it to mean that they should make out of others what Jesus made out of them. Robert Coleman explains the Great Commission in the following way:

“The G
reat Commission is not merely to go the to the ends of the earth preaching the gospel (
Mark 16:15), nor to baptize a lot of converts into the name of the triune God, nor to teach them the precepts of Christ, but to ‘make disciples’—to build people like themselves who were so constrained by the commission of Christ that they not only follow, but also led others to follow his way.”

Superficial Discipleship 

The Great Commission compels Christians to focus on keeping people through discipleship as much as they focus on reaching people through evangelism. With the rise of the modern evangelical movement in North America in the 20th century came an over-emphasis on evangelism at the expense of discipleship. At the First International Consultation on Discipleship, John R.W. Stott called attention to the “strange and disturbing paradox” of the contemporary Christian situation. He warned, “We have experienced enormous statistical growth without corresponding growth in discipleship. God is not pleased with superficial discipleship.”

Read more here.


Read Winfield Bevins’ free e-book Grow: Reproducing Through Organic Discipleship.
 

11.11.2009

He is a Refiner's Fire

In 1987 John Piper preached a sermon series from the Book of Malachi, including a sermon entitled, "He Is Like a Refiner's Fire," from Malachi 2:17 - 3:6. "He is a refiner's fire, and that makes all the difference. ... we need a refiner."

HT:
Desiring God

Honoring Veterans and Active Duty Soldiers

When most of us think of those serving in the military, especially during times of war, we think of the force that our military, at times, is called to use. It is important to recognize the sacrifices our soldiers make and the realities they endure within the war torn regions of the world, but the image of the fighting soldier does not, thankfully, represent the typical, everyday reality for most of our military personnel. All have or will answer the call of war, and I am thankful that they answer that call, but our military does so much more than fight. They also help us, as a nation, love our international neighbors by doing all that is demanded of us as a member of the global community (Deuteronomy 10:12-13, 17-21): They help feed and clothe those in need, protect the weak, and treat the sick and dying. So to those who have served and to those who are currently serving, including their families, thank you, for all that you do and have done to protect freedom at home and throughout the world. Happy Veterans Day!