Lets Talk Politics

Was the most recent presidential election the biggest election ever?

Yes and No

It is not surprising that non-Christians view the next election as the most important one ever. 

They have no real, future, eternal hope.

Jeremiah 29:4—11

Romans 13:1—7

Remember,

God is holy and sovereign 

Man is sinful and dependent on God. 

Government is 

The purpose of government is  

Christians are 

The solution to political  

The solution to political

Resources from How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics by Leeman & Naselli

1. Adjust expectations.
2. Recognize what unites a church and what belongs to the domain of Christian freedom.
3. Understand the difference between straight-line and jagged-line issues.
4. Respect those who have a different conscience on jagged line issues.
5. Remember what is most important.

Quotes from What Do I Say When…? by Walker & Walker

“Changing your world doesn’t happen by complaining but by slow plodding and persuasion.”  

“Apathy and obsession are equally alike in being the wrong approach to political engagement.”  

“Political engagement is a forum for loving one’s neighbor by seeking your neighbor’s flourishing. Christians should not engage in politics for the sake of their own interests of what causes all people to have the best chance to prosper.”

God vs. Government by Busenitz & Coates

• Supreme Allegiance:  Psalm 118; Daniel; Acts 5:29
• Sovereign Appointment:  Daniel 4:32; Romans 13:6; 1 Timothy 1:17
• Secular Animosity:  Matthew 10:16—20; Luke 12:8—12; Jesus was falsely accused; Acts 5:40—42
• Submissive Attitude:  Romans 13:1—7; 1 Timothy 2:1—8; Titus 3:1—2; 1 Peter 2:13—17
• Spheres of Authority
• Parents in family matters
• Belief in church (ecclesiastical matters) Government in civil matters

Five Categories of Times When it is Appropriate or Even Necessary for Believers to Disobey Governments: 

• An order to do what is wrong
• An order to stop doing what is right
• An order that contradicts another level of civil authority
• An order to stay silent in the face of evil
• An order to turn yourself in

Conscience: What It Is, How To Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ by Naselli & Crowley 

Contains a great chart Paul’s Solution of Love.

Praying the Bible - Daniel

More coming soon.

Daniel 6:25-27 is filled with truths about who God is and truths we need to pray.

Prayerfully read through these three verses and consider how to pray these truths.

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, 

for he is the living God, 

enduring forever;  

his kingdom shall never be destroyed  and his dominion shall be to the end.  

He delivers and rescues;  he works signs and wonders  in heaven and on earth,  

he who has saved Daniel  from the power of the lions.”

 Monday - Daniel 1 - OBEDIENCE

Daniel and his friends trusted the LORD.

God gives knowledge and wisdom (1:17).

God, help us obey you and your commands. 

Mark 12:28 - 31 the Greatest Commandments

Remember the heart of God's commands

What do we need to obey God and His Commands?

Tuesday - Daniel 2 - PRAYER

Daniel and his friends prayed (2:17, 18).

God reveals his plan. 

God, grow our prayer life.

Prayer Problem:  "The method of most Christians in prayer is to say the same old things about the same old things." 

Don Whitney

Prayer Helps:

• Pray the Bible
• Pray Jesus' prayers
• Pray the Psalms
• Pray Paul's prayers
• Some books about praying the Bible - Praying with Paul by D.A. Carson, A Praying Church by Paul Miller, Praying the Bible by Don Whitney
• An article entitled "How to Pray the Psalms" - https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-pray-the-psalms
• Pray Puritan prayers.  A help with this is Valley of Vision, collection of Puritan prayers.

Wednesday -Daniel 3 - WORSHIP

Daniel’s friends didn’t worship the idol. They trusted God (3:16-18).

God saves.

God, help us to see people and things that distract us from you.

Proverbs 29:25

Titus 2:12 - 13

Two part sin in the heart of man

1. Idolatry (Exodus 20:1 - 3; Romans 1:25). Seeking ultimate satisfaction in anything other than God.
2. Violation of God's Moral Law.  Sinful behavior.

Thursday - Daniel 4 - HUMILITY

Nebuchadnezzar was humiliated and then prayed (4:37)

God is the one who humbles and restores.

God, help us be humble and, if necessary, humiliate us.

Psalm 115:1

Friday - Daniel 5 - CONFIDENCE

Daniel spoke the truth to the king (5:22-23)

God judges.

God, give us boldness to speak the truth, Your truth, all the time.

2 Corinthians 2:4 - 6

Saturday - Daniel 6 - HOPE

Daniel prayed (6:10).

God saves.

God, help us hope in you no matter what the circumstances.

Hebrews 10:23 - 25

To wrap things up, here is a possible prayer.

God,

help us obey you and your commands. 

grow our prayer life.

help us to see people and things that distract us from you.

help us be humble and, if necessary, humiliate us.

give us boldness to speak the truth, Your truth, all the time.

help us hope in you no matter what the circumstances.

Don't Disciple

Why don't churches disciple?  The quotes under each point are from the articles unless otherwise noted.

The first five reasons are from a series of 9 Marks articles.

• Because they preach cheap grace (9Marks article).

"Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession.  Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 43 - 44).

• Because they are seeker-sensitive but believer-insensitive (9Marks article).

Churches can become so focused on doing whatever it takes to get those who are not part of the church to come to church that they lose their disciple-making zeal.  "We are desperate for people to enter, and desperate for them to stay."

• Because they are less converted (9Marks article).

"In some large, well-known evangelical churches, you can become a member simply by ticking a box on a welcome card.  There is little or no attempt to examine the person spiritually to try to ascertain that they are truly followers of Christ."     

• Because they are program-dependent (9Marks article)

"A program - however biblically faithful - is no substitute for ongoing, personal discipling."   

"Programs can imply that discipleship is a matter of following the correct 'process' rather than cultivating the correct character."

• Because they are too often ashamed of the gospel and therefore assume the gospel (9Marks article)

"'Growth without the regular, faithful teaching of the gospel is growth without depth.  If we want depth as well as breadth, there's no substitute for gospel-saturated preaching and conversation.'"

 "The deep, wide discipleship we long for in our churches will only come when we stop assuming the gospel, and actually proclaim it."

• Because they don't pray.

In The Praying Church, Paul Miller shares some challenging prayer ideas.  One of the book's guiding principles is "Prayer is not one more activity of the church - it lies at the heart of all the church's ministry." (26) 

• Because they promote "perfection," not sanctification.

Discipleship often doesn't happen because church members want to give the appearance of perfection rather than live out the process of sanctification - sinners growing into the image of Christ through dependence on the Holy Spirit.

Previous Be a Disciple/Make Disciples lessons:

1. Be and Make Introduction - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2025/12/be-and-make-intro.html
2. Ministry & Missions - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2025/12/ministry-and-missions.html
3. The Bible and Disciple-making - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/01/bible-and-disciplemaking.html
4. Prayer and Disciple-making - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/01/prayer-and-disciplemaking.html
5. Time and Productivity - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/01/time-and-productivity.html
6. Men and Local Church Ministry - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/01/men-and-local-church-ministry.html
7. Women and Local Church Ministry - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/02/women-and-local-church-ministry.html
8. Congregation, Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses -  drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/02/congregation-elders-deacons-and.html
9. Teaching and Serving Helps - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/02/teaching-and-serving-helps.html

 

God's Faithfulness through Himself, His Word, and His People

 Later today, I will be on a podcast that a friend and member of Trinity, James Wisneski, is part of with my new friend, Andrew Gommesen.

Andrew sent me some questions to prepare me for the time.  The initial title of the podcast is Ministry Musings.  Musings are lengthy, intent considerations.

As I prepared for the interview and considered the definition of musings, I wanted to briefly share some thoughts before and after my time with Andrew and James.

Throughout my time in various areas:  Pittsburgh, PA, Rochester, NY, Santiago, Dominican Republic, Toledo, OH, Scranton, PA, Grand Rapids, MI, and places for short visits, God has been faithful over and over again.   

He has shown Himself faithful in Himself, His Word, and His People.

Through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and the empty grave, God has shown His faithfulness to me in my salvation.   

Through countless Bible-teaching opportunities I have been part of - from one-to-one breakfast meetings to conferences with thousands of people in an arena - God has shown His faithfulness to me through the teaching of His Word.

Through the many different relationships God has blessed me with, He has shown Himself faithful in how He helps and sustains me through the gift of His people.  In the podcast, I am planning to name names.  I know the phrase often has a negative connotation, but in this case, I mean I plan to mention many different people who have been a blessing, a help, and an encouragement to me.
DISCLAIMER:  The people I mention in the podcast are in no way an exhaustive, complete list.  

As I was musing about ministry, I was reminded that ministry is about God-glorifying, personal relationships.
And I am so thankful for all the relationships God has blessed me with.

The section above this line was written before the interview.

-----------------

The section under this line was written after the interview.

Posts

• Open Letter to Those In Ministry Who Are Struggling - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2019/05/a-letter-to-those-in-ministry-who-are.html
• My Father-In-Law Was Not Normal - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2025/12/my-father-in-law-was-not-normal.html
• Favorite Gospel Primer Entry - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2017/05/favorite-gospel-primer-entry.html

Books

• Gospel Primer Review - www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/review/a-gospel-primer-for-christians-learning-to-see-the-glories-of-gods-love/

Teaching and Serving Helps

A couple of lessons ago, we discussed essentials for disciplemaking. This was the list.

• The Gospel
• The Holy Spirit 
• The Word of God
• The People of God
• Prayer 
• Time

The Trellis and The Vine provides a one-sentence explanation of what disciples are.

Disciples are made by the persevering proclamation of the Word of God by the people of God in prayerful dependence on the Spirit of God

This post will highlight two things. 
One of them is the last essential on the list - time. 
The other is not on the list - programs of men, even godly men.

These two highlights are not more important.  They are being highlighted because they are often overlooked and confused.

Programs of Men are not listed because discipleship is about the people of God speaking the Word of God into the lives of others.  

Here is an interesting modern-day parable in the article Five Reasons We Don't Disciple - Part 3

A young man walked into a Christian bookstore in Chicago and asked where the bumper stickers were.  The assistant said, "What kind are you looking for?  The man said, I'd like to buy a fish sticker."  The assistant said, "Oh, I'm afraid we've sold out of those."  To which the man responded, "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO EVANGELIZE WITHOUT FISH STICKERS?" 

As Western evangelicals, we have become increasingly reliant on courses, programs, techniques, and methodologies to do the work of evangelism and discipleship. 

The article later states that the church often has the following mindset.

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DISCIPLE WITHOUT A NEW PROGRAM?"  

Brothers and sisters, discipleship is possible without programs.  Jesus wrote a really good book about it.

Ministry is NOT programs or events planned to keep people busy and entertained.
Ministry is saints in motion towards Christlikeness for the glory of God.  (from Praying Church by Paul Miller).
The formal ministries (i.e., programs and scheduled events) of the church are meant to help people grow in godliness, connect with people, and help others do the same.

Children's Ministry, Student Ministry, Women's Ministry, Men's Ministry, Bible Studies, and ACE classes provide connection and equipping points for the church to do the work of the ministry every day of the week.

First Corinthians 15:58 serves as a good reminder of the second focus point of this post - time.

There is always the aspect of waiting on and working for the Lord in teaching, serving, and ministering to one another.

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."  1 Corinthians 15:58.

The Lord is the one who ultimately does the work. If you are working "in the Lord," that work is not done "in vain."  Prayerfully dependent work will bring glory to God. 

The Trellis and The Vine quote at the beginning of this post refers to "persevering proclamation."  This is a major part of Gospel ministry and disciplemaking.   

In speaking about growth and change, John Newton said, "A Christian is not of hasty growth, like a mushroom, but rather like the oak, the progress of which is hardly perceptible but in time becomes a deep-rooted tree."

From the Lead video below.
"There is nothing more important for a leadership community than to be constantly reminded of the presence, power, promises, and grace of the Redeemer."

Previous Be a Disciple/Make Disciples lessons:

1. Be and Make Introduction - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2025/12/be-and-make-intro.html
2. Ministry & Missions - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2025/12/ministry-and-missions.html
3. The Bible and Disciple-making - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/01/bible-and-disciplemaking.html
4. Prayer and Disciple-making - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/01/prayer-and-disciplemaking.html
5. Time and Productivity - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/01/time-and-productivity.html
6. Men and Local Church Ministry - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/01/men-and-local-church-ministry.html
7. Women and Local Church Ministry - drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/02/women-and-local-church-ministry.html
8. Congregation, Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses -  drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/02/congregation-elders-deacons-and.html