Struggling Christian Introduction Weeks

This post is specifically written to help those attending the Struggling Christian class at Trinity Baptist Church.  However, I also hope it encourages anyone who reads it. 

I want to begin with a personal note about the Struggling Christian class.  This was a class topic that I thought was needed, not just for Trinity Baptist Church but also for the universal church.  That became apparent after the first week of class in two different ways.  First, I made 10 copies of the class notes, thinking that would be enough.  The class ended up with close to 30 people.  I didn't know how many people would show up for a class called "The Struggling Christian."  The second reason became obvious as soon as we began the discussion time in class.  We talked about struggles people have, reasons why struggling in a church setting can often be a very real challenge, and how we as individuals in a church can help lessen these challenges.  

Here are some of the points discussed in class.  These are necessary and great reminders.  At the same time, a very encouraging part of each class is the discussion about struggles, challenges, and blessings.  These points form the skeleton of class time.  Each lesson has so much more, as people share life connected to Scripture.    

• As followers of Christ, we will have trouble.  John 16:33b says, "In the world you have tribulation.
• As followers of Christ, we have peace and hope.  BEFORE and AFTER the reality of trouble in this world, we see hope.  The beginning of the verse says, " These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace." The end of the verse says "but take courage; I have overcome the world."  This hope is also found in the Old Testament.  Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."
• As followers of Christ, we need to help others in their struggles by listening and gaining understanding.  Proverbs 18:13 encourages us to listen well before answering.  If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.  First Thessalonians 5:14 tells us to demonstrate patient understanding.  The verse says to "admonish the idle [undisciplined], encourage the fainthearted, help the weak."  There are different types of struggles people are going through and these different struggles require a different response from helpers. 
• Remember the three "do not worry" commands in Matthew 6:25-34, are grounded in God's goodness and richness, not our willpower.  "Do not worry" is not meant to be a three-word mantra to repeat or tell others to repeat.  It reminds us who God is and what He has done for His children.

With these four points in mind, here are three words we need to clarify for class discussion.  These descriptions are not perfect, but they are meant to be a help for this class and even understanding the class title.

• Suffering:  According to Vocabulary.com, suffering comes from Latin roots meaning "below" and "to bear."  It is "something pressing you down that you have to submit to and bear."  For the sake of this class, suffering is something that happens to you.  It is more passive than active.
• Trials:  These are external situations that last for a specific time and have a specific purpose - to prove and purify one's faith.
• Struggles:  These are ongoing, and we are actively fighting them. Because of sin this life is a struggle.  We will always be fighting against something - spiritual apathy, aging, challenging relationships, and so much more.   Ongoing and active

BIG GOD REMINDERS:

God is sovereign and inscrutable.  Here are elementary school definitions of these big words.  

"God is sovereign" means that God is the boss.  He is a good boss.  He is the perfect boss.  He is the most loving boss.  He is the all-powerful boss.  Now I know the word "boss" might not sit well with you as a description of God but remember what a boss is.  The boss is the one in charge, the one who exercises control, and the one who directs others. This word, coupled with good, perfect, loving, and all-powerful, gives a good, yet imperfect picture of God.  

"God is inscrutable" means that God is God and we are not.  Inscrutability means that God cannot be understood.  That might sound disappointing, but the great reality behind our understanding of God is that we cannot fully know God, BUT we can truly know God (adapted from Kevin DeYoung).  This attribute of God is found throughout Scripture and specifically in Romans 11:33, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways."

During the second and third weeks of class, we have dug into passages of Scripture to remind us of who God is and how we are to live in response to who He is.

James 1:1-18

Lament Psalms 3, 13, 22, 42, and 44

ASSIGNMENT:

In our next class (October 4), we will look at Psalm 10, Romans 11, and Job 38- 41, focusing more on discussion and prayer.

RESOURCES:

• All Struggling Christian posts:  drodgersjr.blogspot.com/search/label/Struggling%20Christian
• Worship Initiative:  Lord from Sorrows Deep I Call - sing.theworshipinitiative.com/series/daily/2026-09-30 (You do need to sign up to receive this and other great devotionals)
• TBC sermon on Lamentations 3:21 - 24 by Pastor Dave  - tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/other-sermons/2025-04-27_PM_Rodgers_Lamentations_3_21-24.mp3
• 9Marks Podcast:  On the Christian Practice of Lament (with Mark Vroegop) Mark  https://www.9marks.org/episode/episode-81-on-lament/

The Struggling Christian

Starting September 13, I will be teaching a class at Trinity Baptist Church called "The Struggling Christian."  This post is designed not only to summarize the class but, more importantly, to help brothers and sisters in Christ.

"The Struggling Christian" is not a class title that will draw a crowd.  American Christian culture does not encourage admitting struggles in a group setting.  A "God helps those who help themselves" mentality wrongly promotes self-reliance and gives the appearance that everything is going well.  Gathering together for a class that reminds us, "in this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33), and that we have "a strong tower" that provides safety (Proverbs 18:10) might be difficult to do.  As Pastor Brett communicates the vision the elders have been talking about, discipleship is more than a lecture; it requires the Word, presence, and time. Hopefully, this class time will be a time to struggle together well for God's glory.

It is my prayer that our church (Trinity) and the church will help followers of Christ struggle well and help others struggle well. 

This class and future posts will help those asking the following questions and more.  You may be the one asking the question(s), or you may be trying to help someone else.  

• Why do we struggle as believers?  Maybe the better question is Why am I struggling?
• Are struggles and suffering the same thing?
• What do I do if I am struggling in my spiritual growth?
• How do I deal with people I am struggling with?
• I feel like I am alone in my struggle as a parent, as an adult child of aging children, or a person hurt by the church.  How do I handle these struggles and isolation?
• Why is church often the last place people go to when they are struggling?
• How can I be a better helper to those who are struggling?

While I plan to post some of the lesson notes here, most of the learning and growth will happen through Christ-centered discussion and prayer.  

The Bible is filled with people and their struggles:  Joseph, Job, the writers of many of the Psalms, the Israelites, the church in Acts, the various churches Paul wrote to,

The storyline of the Bible God's glory and our redemption is a story of the struggles with sin and the redemption of God through Jesus Christ.

Here is a very tentative class schedule.  This will be changed depending on discussion and topics that come up throughout the class time.

• 9.13 - Introduction: Clarifying Words & Sharing Big Ideas - Prov 18, 1 Thess 5:14, and Luke 12:27
• 09.20 - Struggles & Trials in the Christian Life - James 1:1 - 18
• 09.27 - Struggles & Suffering – Focus Teaching & Discussion - Job, Psalms, and Lamentations
• 10.04 - Struggles & Suffering – Focus on Discussion & Prayer - specific Psalms
• 10.11 - Struggles & Spiritual Growth & Evangelism – Focus on Teaching & Discussion - Phil 1:6 and Col 2:6 – 7
• 10.18 - Struggles & Spiritual Growth & Evangelism – Focus on Discussion & Prayer
• 10.25 - Struggles & Relationships – Focus on Teaching & Discussion
• 11.01 - Struggles & Relationships – Focus on Discussion & Prayer
• 11.08 - Struggles & Children – Focus on Discussion & Prayer
• 11.15 - Struggles & Aging – Focus on Discussion & Prayer
• 11.22 - Struggles & Difficult People
• 11.29 - COMBINED – Struggles & Church Hurt
• 12.06 - Open
• 12.13 - Open
• 12.20 - Struggles & Next Steps

The Pastor Said What?

TBC parents, this Sunday, Pastor Brett is continuing TBC's sermon series through the book of Deuteronomy.  We will be in Deuteronomy 22:13-20.  In many Bibles, this section is titled "Laws on Morality."  It specifically deals with sexual sins.  Having children in church, especially during a sermon on this passage and topic, can be challenging.  I wanted to share something I wrote when our son was in 5th grade.  Hopefully this will help you and your family, not just this Sunday but going forward.

While this post references a different passage, the principles are the same.  

Let them ask questions.
Keep it basic.
Keep it Biblical.
Encourage further conversation.  

I pray this helps you and your family.
Here is the post from 2017.

Tomorrow's sermon is from Romans 13: 12 -14

12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

The sermon doesn't focus on verse 13, but it is part of the message.

Now, parents of 4th and 5th graders, I don't want you to freak out.  I want you to read these two personal stories about Josiah and me.  I genuinely believe God provided these two talking points to help me have TWO examples to share with you about talking with your child about sex.

Story One:

Earlier this week, Josiah was reading the book Shaken by Tim Tebow.  It is a book about going through challenging times.  The book contains stories of many different people's struggles in life.  As Josiah was reading, he came across the word "molested" and asked me what that means.  Josiah and I have already talked about fundamental character qualities and facts about puberty.

We talk about God's special design for sex between a husband and wife, not a mom and dad OR a man and woman.  In the story from the book, someone took this very special thing, corrupted it, and used it in a way that was wrong and sinful.

Story Two:  

This morning Josiah and I went to The Daughter Project breakfast fundraiser.  On the way there, we talked about what sex trafficking was.  Once again, we had already talked about sex at an appropriate level for him.  So my conversation about the Daughter Project and sex trafficking was basically this: 

Sex trafficking is when sinful people take what God has designed as a special thing between a husband and wife and twist it and use it for profit. 

If you haven't had the talk with your son or daughter yet, I encourage you to check out the resources posted on this blog related to The Talk.  Click HERE.

If you need some help talking to your kids about the text and specifically what sexual immorality is, think basics.  

The sermon text contrasts light and darkness.  God's design and Man's sinfulness.

"Orgies and Drunkenness" are people's attempts to use what God made in ways very different from what God intended.

"Sexual immorality and sensuality" are perversions (twistings) of what God made for human order and flourishing. 

I know when topics like these come up in church, it is easy to think that we need to shield our kids from these words and topics.

But I always come back to the fact that I would RATHER have my kids hear these words and topics under my instruction and in the church building, where they are talked about Biblically, THAN hear their friends or Hollywood talk about these topics.  

Here is an article from Ligonier Ministries on Helping Teens Navigate a Sexualized Culture 

• 
  

Full, flexible, and hopefully faithful.

The italic part was added later.

Full, Flexible, and hopefully faithful.

Recently, I have been using the first two words to describe my life, especially as it relates to ministry.  There are many tasks to get done and people to meet with.  While there are many tasks and people, I pray the last word, faithful, would be what my life is about.  Faithfully living for God, who has proven Himself faithful.  

Many of my most recent posts on this blog have been related to lessons I have taught at Trinity or workshops from the church ministries conference.  

Of the last 25 posts, 2 have been personal and 23 have been lesson- or workshop-related.  Sadly, my amount of personal journaling has also decreased tremendously. While there have been many teaching and ministry opportunities, that is not the only reason for this lack of personal posts and journal entries.

When I honestly look at the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026, I can say I haven't taken as much time as I should for personal reflection.  I want to do better at this.  Throughout my life, personal, private journaling - written prayers - has been a refreshing time of soul searching and even more so seeking the Lord.  

Recently, Krista reminded me of a related devotional from Everyday Gospel.  The June 25 devotional's reading is Psalms 90-95.  There are several quotes related to the concept of Full, Flexible, and, hopefully, Faithful. 

It is important to understand and live within the limits that God, in his infinite wisdom, has set for us.

When you live with your limits in view, you don't waste your time.  You don't load your schedule with things that don't matter.  You value your time, and you want to invest it wisely.  When you live with your limits in view, you want to understand what is important to God, and you spend your days pursuing those values. 

Our days are numbered; may we reach for the grace to invest in them well.

As personal and ministry responsibilities remain constant and personal and ministry opportunities arise, help remember Psalm 90:14, "Satisfy us in the morning with Your graciousness.  That we may sign for joy and rejoice all our days."

I am praying that I will make more time each day to reflect upon the graciousness and the glory of God.  If that is through personal journaling and more public teaching and writing, good. However, I pray that every day I will take time to privately do this and that it will impact the way I live and interact with others.

Hall of Faith Part 2

At Trinity Baptist Church, we are doing our summer study entitled "The Hall of Faith: God's Faithfulness in the Lives of Faithful People."  There are several different people teaching throughout the summer.  I had the privilege of teaching three of the first four lessons.   

This is the post about the most recent lesson I taught in this series.

Here is the other post from the other lessons: https://drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/06/hall-of-faith-part-1.html

Before getting into Sarah's faith, here is a spiritual discipline/prayer help.  

Pray prayers from the Bible.  There are two different ways to pray prayers from the Bible.  First,  pray what the Psalmists write, pray the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray, and pray the prayers Paul and other epistle writers prayed.  The second way to pray prayers from the Bible is to pray from a Bible-saturated, God-glorifying, people-loving heart.  This is what I was praying for this week.  In studying and thinking about the faith of Sarah, I prayed for couples who haven't been able to have children, for those who have adopted children, and for those who need an extra measure of faith right now because of challenging life circumstances.

 

Now back to this week's lesson on Hebrews 11:11.  "And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise faithful."

The Bible is very open about its heroes' shortcomings and sins.  Sarah, this week's person of faith, is a good example of a not-so-great example, but she appears in this Hall of Faith.  Why is she here?

This week's passage makes it clear.  She is faithful "because she considered [God] faithful who had made the promise faithful."  Sarah knew that the promise-making God was also the promise-keeping God.

Now, before moving on, consider a couple of low points in Sarah and Abraham's faith story.  First of all, because of fear, Abraham gave his wife to other men twice, to Pharaoh in Genesis 12:10 - 20 and to Abimelech in Genesis 20:1 - 18.  In both of these instances, Abraham told his wife to lie, and he gave her to other men because he feared death.  He did this not once, but twice.  Another low-point, lack-of-faith example was Sarah's plan to give Abraham a son.  The plan would result in a son, but it was not the way God intended.  Sarah gave her husband her servant woman, Hagar, so that they would "obtain children through her."  Abraham giving Sarah to foreign rulers for protection and Sarah giving a servant woman to Abraham for children are not great examples of faith.  God's plan done my way doesn't equal God's plan.  Consider this Hudson Taylor quote: "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply."

Another not-so-great example of Sarah's lack of faith appears in Genesis 18:9-15.  When Sarah heard the LORD say, "Sarah, your wife shall have a son," she laughed to herself, then denied laughing.  God proved himself faithful to His promise, and Sarah recognized this by saying, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me."  God did such an amazing thing that people would laugh when they heard the story of the woman who was unable to have a child and then had a baby boy.  

 

God spoke a promise to Sarah and Abraham, and from that promise came life.

Now, let's look at Hebrews 11:3.  "By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."  God created the universe and life by His word.  

God's word is powerful and true.  He is incomparably faithful.  His plans stand firm forever (Psalm 33:11).  In The Blessed and Boundless God, George Swinnock writes the following about God's faithfulness.  

At times, lying arises from forgetfulness; some people break their word because their memories are poor.  But God never forgets.  At times, lying arises from weakness; some people want to keep their promises, but they lack the ability to do so because their circumstances have changed. But God never changes.  At times, lying arises from wickedness; some people are able to keep their word, but they refuse to do so.  But God never breaks a promise.  He cannot be accused of wickedness:  'There is no unrighteousness in him' (Psalm 92:15). 

With all of Sarah's missteps, mistakes, & sins, why is she in Hebrews 11?

Because she had faith in God, who is amazingly always faithful.

Looking back over your life, think about how God and His faithfulness are seen in it.
Seen in amazing, and sometimes hilariously laughable ways.  

As we fix our eyes on Jesus and continue on in this life, remember He is faithful no matter what your circumstances are.

Sarah and Abraham were far from perfect. Remember, it is not about the people in Hebrews 11.  It is about our faithful God - his perfection, his promises, his provisions, and more.