Importance of the Bible in Ministry

"The Bible is a story that preaches a message.  From the beginning to the end, the Bible tells a single story of salvation."  Sound Doctrine by Bobby Jamieson.

For example, those who wondered if The Trellis and the Vine and The Vine Project from Matthias Media discuss an every-member word ministry, a church ministry mindset in which every church member and every form of church ministry seeks to help each person hear the gospel, grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ, and become better equipped to share Christ with others.  

Payne and Marshall respond to the critique that this type of every-member work ministry would devalue expository preaching and the work of the preacher with the following.

In our view, the word ministry of pastoral leadership (especially in expository preaching) takes on an even greater importance when it is seen in relation to a flourishing ‘every member word ministry’. For the sermon is not just one word ministry among many; it is the foundational word ministry that feeds and regulates and builds all the others… In his preaching, a pastor sounds the tuning fork so that the whole orchestra knows in what key to play. He teaches and guards the sound deposit of the gospel so that all may know it clearly and thoroughly (for how else will they speak it?). He shows them not only what the Bible says, but how they can read and speak that truth for themselves. He constantly teaches the sound doctrinal framework that shapes the Bible reading and speaking of the whole congregation. (p. 117)

Ministry needs to be rooted in the Bible because the Bible is sufficient, clear, authoritative, and necessary.  The graphic below explains each of these.

To see the poster and more info, click on the image

What do we use the Bible for?  Many answers to this question exist, but we looked at three VERY BASIC uses in our class discussion.

1. Evangelism
2. Personal, spiritual growth
3. Corporate, spiritual growth

In teaching the lesson on Sunday morning, I wanted to allow those in attendance to encourage others with God's word.  Here is how this happened.

Each person was given one of the passages below and told to summarize what it says about the Bible.  Along with this assignment, each person shared a verse that has been an encouragement and help.

Here are short sentences explaining what each verse says about God's Word.

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17:  The Bible is from God and for the good of those who hear it.
• Romans 15:4:  The Bible was written for instruction and gives hope.
• Matthew 24:35:  The Bible will not pass away.
• Isaiah 55:11:  The Word of the Lord will not pass away.
• Hebrews 4:12—13:  The Bible is sharper than a two-edged sword.
• 2 Peter 1:19—21:  The Bible is a lamp shining in a dark place and comes from God.
• Galatians 3:21—22:  The Bible gives life and gives us Christ.
• 2 Peter 3:15—16:  The Bible can be challenging to read and used for sinful purposes.  
• Luke 24:27:  All of scripture points to Jesus Christ.
• Matthew 4:4:  The Bible gives life.

Resources:

• How Can I Get More Out of My Bible Reading by Jeremy Kimble
• Order book:  https://www.9marks.org/books/how-can-i-get-more-out-of-my-bible-reading/
• Free audiobook: https://www.crossway.org/articles/full-audiobook-how-can-i-get-more-out-of-my-bible-reading-by-jeremy-kimble/
• Why Trust the Bible? by Greg Gilbert
• Lead by Paul David Tripp—drodgersjr.blogspot.com/search/label/lead
• Class posts—https://tinyurl.com/tbc-pray-prepare
• Church Ministries Conference, March 7 and 8— grchurchministriesconference.com/

 

Ministry and Missions

Week 2 of "How do you pray for and/or prepare for ministry and/or missions?" explained what ministry and missions is.

Notes from Lead by Paul Tripp.

"Fruit in ministry is the result not of our wise planning and diligent execution but of the loving operation of God's rescuing and transforming grace." (48)

"Prayerlessness in a leadership community is always a result of putting credit where it is not due.  Your leadership community is in trouble if your leaders are more excited about a strategic planning meeting than a prayer meeting. "(48)

As we continue this study of ministry and missions, we must remember both are dependent upon God and His work.

What is essential for spiritual growth?

Contemporary church culture tells us there are so many different things.  Many "silver bullets" are being promoted through the mail and online.  The reality is the essentials for spiritual growth are the Gospel (Romans 1:16 - 17), the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:15 - 17), the Holy Spirit (John 14:26), the church (Hebrews 10:23 - 25), prayer (Philippians 1:9), and time.  

Many things can be helpful but are optional for growth.  Books other than the Bible can be beneficial, but they must point you to God and His Word.  Many people believe finding the right program is necessary.  The problem is that some people think the program must be "new and exciting," while others believe the "old and familiar" is needed.  

The Trellis and The Vine summarizes disciple-making with the following statement.  "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."  

Another way to think about developing a disciple-making culture is developing a Biblical counseling mindset in which members share their hope in Christ with one another.

Ministry is NOT programs or events to keep people busy and entertained.

Ministry is the faithful proclamation of the Word of God, knowing that He is the one who changes people and helps them grow.

Below, there are specific prayer points in purple related to these specific levels of Biblical Counseling

ATMOSPHERE OF GRACE & SOUL CARE CULTURE

Pray that God's Word will be faithfully preached and God's people will lovingly care for one another.

Biblical counseling in a local church setting allows the church to offer real hope to church members, regular attendees, and the surrounding community.

The Sunday preaching and teaching are foundational in helping people understand and live out this hope. The BIBLICAL DOCTRINE taught and the ATMOSPHERE OF GRACE experienced during the church meeting time is essential because this is a standard meeting time for everyone. Throughout the Pastoral Epistles, Paul reminds Timothy and Titus to teach and live the truth before people. Specifically, in 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul tells Timothy to share what he has learned with faithful men who will share it with others. The preaching and teaching prepare a congregation of "mini-preachers" to proclaim the Gospel to their families, neighborhoods, and workplaces. The church's ministry on Sunday is so much more than just the pulpit ministry. It is also a "pew" ministry. Each member is a minister.

The ATMOSPHERE OF GRACE goes beyond Sunday meeting times. A church body with a growing biblical counseling mindset also has a CULTURE OF DISCIPLESHIP and SOUL CARE that is marked by a love for one another (John 13:14, 34, 35; 15:12, 17; Romans 12:10; 15:14; 16:16; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 5:21; Hebrews 3:13). This CULTURE OF DISCIPLESHIP is Spirit-led, relationship-driven, not program-directed.

This ATMOSPHERE OF GRACE, CULTURE OF DISCIPLESHIP, and DIRECTIVE COUNSELING is an every-member church ministry.

DIRECTIVE COUNSEL

Pray that EACH MEMBER OF TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH would be a biblical counselor/disciple-maker by speaking biblical truth into one another's lives.

"The body of Christ is built up because the men and women in a church family openly acknowledge their pain, hurts, and struggles. There is mutual edification. This is biblical counseling." Biblical counseling is not a silo ministry. It is not a ministry that is isolated from other ministries. The counseling ministry and discipleship ministry are two separate areas of ministry. The biblical counseling ministry of a church is interwoven throughout its disciple-making mandate.

A church will never have enough highly trained, certified counselors to meet all its counseling needs. If we genuinely believe in biblical community and the priesthood of believers, then EVERY MEMBER of the church needs to be equipped to "speak the truth in love to one another at every level in the body of believers." Every disciple is a disciple maker.

Every growing Trinity Baptist Church member needs to be involved in DIRECTIVE COUNSELING. This is counseling that is life-on-life. It happens through friendship, Sunday School classes, small groups, conversations before church, after church, and throughout the week. DIRECTIVE COUNSELING aims to encourage and obey by speaking the truth in love. Each member is a counselor. The question is, "What kind of counselor are you?"

The quotes and the basic idea of this post have been taken from Biblical Counseling and the Church.

CORRECTIVE COUNSEL

Pray that people would seek help when needed, and pray that members of Trinity Baptist Church would seek training to become even more equipped biblical counselors.

There are times when more intentional, focused help is needed. Someone may need specific help with parenting, communication, finances, or other ongoing issues. If a church member has been doing DIRECTIVE COUNSEL, he or she may notice the same problems in a person's life. CORRECTIVE COUNSEL is meant to help those "stuck in sin." At this level, the counselor has more specific education and training to help those struggling. Individuals giving DIRECTIVE COUNSEL can come alongside the individual as a helper/advocate at the CORRECTIVE COUNSEL level.

INTENSIVE COUNSEL

Pray that counselors speak God's truth and have Godly wisdom while helping those struggling with complex, intense situations. Also, pray that those working with intense problems will seek the help they need.

INTENSIVE COUNSEL is focused on issues that have become life-dominating or tragic. Some examples include addictions, significant fear, and potential divorce. 

Because of the nature of the problems, INTENSIVE COUNSEL takes more time and requires a counselor with more in-depth training. Most people think of The level of counseling when they hear the word "counseling." The challenge in the local church setting is helping the congregation understand that if people sought and gave more counsel at the DIRECTIVE COUNSEL and CORRECTIVE COUNSEL levels, it would help with how much INTENSIVE COUNSEL needs to be given.

Plans and programs do not grow disciples, but one path of discipleship is our Adult Christian Education (ACE) classes.  These classes are designed to establish believers in the faith, edify them in their walk, and equip them to do the ministry's work.

This disciple-making mindset and disciple-making movement should happen in the ministry that should occur in every church.

  

Missions is the church crossing barriers, whether they be linguistics, economics, culture, geography, or religion, to share the Gospel (adapted from Missions by Johnson and Understanding the Christian Mission by Sundquist)

Ugly Class Name

Week 1 of "How do you pray for and/or prepare for ministry and/or missions?" focused on why this class is important and who should be in this class.

"How Do I Pray AND/OR Prepare for Ministry AND/OR Missions?" may be one of the worst class titles I have ever used.

According to online sources, "AND / OR" is ugly and inelegant.
Two "AND / OR"s are even uglier and more inelegant.

The title is not only ugly but also confusing. Some people may not join the class because they don't think it is for them.  

However, the title is accurate, and I wouldn't change it.  This post will explain why it is an ugly but accurate title for the class and review what we discussed in the first session (12.01.24).

Why this class?

Churches need to be praying more for missions and ministry. 
Everyone should be praying for these things.  This class will dedicate part of each session to pray for specific ministries and missionaries of Trinity Baptist Church.  The problem is not a complete lack of prayer in our church but too little God-dependent prayer.  “When prayer is sparse and sporadic when it’s done just enough to ease the conscience and not much more, we’ve got a problem.”  (Onwuchekwa, 18)

Churches must identify, challenge, and prepare people for vocational ministry and missions.  This will help the church fulfill its disciple-making mission NOW and in the FUTURE.  To help everyone understand that whatever and wherever you work, you do it for the glory of God, the church has forgotten the significance of pursuing vocational ministry and missions.  Full-time ministry roles in the local church and missionary roles across cultural, language, and geographical lines are great works. 

So, who would benefit from this class? 

Generally, 

Anyone who wants to grow as a prayer warrior and disciple-making.  

Specifically,

Those who want to learn how to specifically pray for the ministries of Trinity Baptist Church, other churches, and the universal church.

Those who are prayerfully considering or currently pursuing vocational ministry.

Those who are prayerfully considering or currently pursuing missions work.

In this first introductory session, we examined First Corinthians 4:1 - 21, some observations from the class, and D.A. Carson's book The Cross & Christian Ministry.

This passage was broken into three parts.

First Corinthians 4:1 - 7

Carson writes that Christian leadership means being entrusted with the "mysteries of God" and being a servant of Christ.  A Christian leader's loyalty must first be to Jesus.  This loyalty is lived out as one pursues godly righteousness.  In looking through the qualifications for an elder and a deacon, note that most of the list is made up of character qualities every believer should be pursuing these things. 

The "mysteries of God" that have been entrusted to leaders is not some high, secret knowledge that is only revealed to some people.  It is the Gospel, which was a shadown in the Old Testament and is now made clear in Jesus Christ.  

First Corinthians 4:8 - 13

Carson says Christian leadership means living life in the light of the cross.  He goes on to say, "Paul's language is now steeped in biting irony."  The Corinthians thought they had all they needed. 

Christian leaders will be reviled, persecuted, and slandered.  In each of these situations the godly leader will bless, endure, and seek to bring reconciliation.

 

First Corinthians 4:14 - 21

We are reminded that Christian leadership means "encouraging, and if necessary, enforcing the way of the cross, among the people of God."  It is not only about gathering information but also about living out what one believes.  Paul encourages the church to imitate him as he follows Christ.  The goal is not more Pauls.  The goal is for more disciples living for God's glory through Jesus Christ.  Christian leaders, through encouragement and, when needed, discipline.

 BOTTOMLINE:

The Christian leader sets the example by
Proclaiming the Gospel
Living life in the light of the Gospel
Fostering genuine Christian living in the church and the world.

Praying and Preparing for Ministry and Missions

I am excited to teach a class this winter quarter entitled "How Do I Pray for and/or Prepare for Ministry and Missions?"

First, I want to tell you what this class is NOT.

It is not only for those who want to be a pastor or missionary.  

It is not an automatic seal of ministry approval.  

It is not in-depth training for a specific ministry role.

Who is this class for?

If you want to pray more for ministry and missions, this class is for you.

If you want to learn more about full-time ministry and/or missions, this class is for you.

If you want to learn more about ministries in the local church, especially Trinity Baptist Church, with the purpose of praying, refocusing on what God is doing through the ministri, and learning more about the ministry of TBC.

What is meant by "ministry and missions?"

Here is a list to think about:

• International missions
• local missions and ministry
• pastors
• elders
• deacons and deaconesses
• teachers of adults, youth, and children
• the main part of the class discussion in the first two weeks

What is the class going to cover?

Several definitions of what ministry and missions are.

Reminders and some tips related to the importance of the Bible for personal, spiritual growth and understanding ministry and mission.

Reminders and helps related the importance of prayer for personal, spiritual growth and ministry and mission.

The character of a leader, specifically as it relates to church leadership

The challenges facing a leader, specifically as it relates to church leadershp

Men in ministry and missions

Women in ministry and missions

Teaching and Serving Helps

Elders, Deacons, Deaconesses, and the Congregation  

 Here is the class description:  

This class is designed to help those interested in praying for and/or pursuing ministry (teaching a class, leading a small group, serving as an elder, deacon, or deaconess, pursuing missions, or pastoral ministry).  It wi be filled with prayer, practical ministry helps, and encouraging one another and ourselves to become even more equipped for the Gospel work in the church, community, and worldwide. 

Praying at Breakpoint

On November 19th, I had the privilege of sharing at Breakpoint, the monthly meeting of some Grand Rapids area pastors. I set two goals for the time.

1. Challenge each of us, as pastors and ministry leaders, to pray more. 
2. Give time to pray with and for each other's ministries.

Most of the material I presented was not original to me.  It was quoted or adapted from  Prayer:  How Praying Together Shapes the Church by Onwuchekwa, Praying with Paul by D.A. Carson and The Praying Church by Paul Miller.  

The time began by getting into three groups to see what the following passages say about prayer and how to pray.

• Daniel 2:17—23
• Psalm 13
• Philippians 1:9—11

Rather than sharing what we talked about, I want to encourage you and others from your church to study and pray these verses.

Here are other prayer passages from Ephesians 1:15 - 24, 3:14 - 19, 6:18 - 20.

I have been learning how praying prayers from the Bible helps with God-centeredness, specificity, and more.   Most, if not all, Bible-believing Christians would say prayer is important.  However, Bible-praying Christians see the need to pray more and live more God-dependent prayers.

“When prayer is sparse and sporadic, when it’s done just enough to ease the conscience and not much more, we’ve got a problem.”  

Here are some faulty ideas about prayer. Here are a couple of these ideas. 

• Seems like a waste of time.  
• Lie: Let's get working and doing something.
• Truth:  We are commanded to pray.  We need to grow in our dependence on God.  

• "I don't know how to pray."
• Lie:  There is an exact way that I need to pray.
• Truth:  Ask others to help you grow in your prayer life.  If you aren't sure how to pray, look to the Bible for examples of prayer.  
• If God is sovereign, why bother praying.
• Lie:  There is no reason to pray if God is sovereign.
• Truth:  We are commanded to pray.  The purpose of prayer is not to change God's mind.  
• Prayer does not work.
• Lie:  I have prayed for specific things and didn't get what I wanted.
• Truth:  ” Effective prayer is the fruit of a relationship with God, not a technique for acquiring blessings.”  D.A. Carson

KEYS TO PRAYER

• God and His Glory
• Man’s dependence on God
• God’s Word
• God's family, the church

Marks of a praying church?

• People pray more.
• Harmony and unity in Christ.
• Growing dependence upon God

• “Where prayer is abundantly present, it teaches the church that we really need the Lord.  Where prayer is absent, it reinforces that we believe we are okay without God.”

• Understanding that prayer is not ONE MORE activity of the church.  Prayer lies at the heart of all the church's ministry.  (The Praying Church, p. 28)
• Individuals pray for each other and ask others to pray for you. 

 

Here are some ways you and others in your congregation can pray for churches.

1.  Pray they will keep their eyes on God.

King Jehoshaphat faced three combined enemy armies and did not know what to do except to lock his eyes on God. That’s the answer whenever we have no clue about the next steps.

“For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You.” (2 Chron. 20:12, HCSB)

2. Pray they will not take a step apart from God’s leading.

Moses prayed this prayer when God would send only an angel to lead His people after their fiasco with the golden calf. He would rather the people not start the journey if God Himself were not leading them.

“If Your presence does not go,” Moses responded to Him, “don’t make us go up from here.” (Exod. 33:15)

3. Pray they will beware of relying on their own strength instead of God's

David, who knew the Lord is the one who fights for him (1 Sam. 17:47), trusted in his own might when he took a census of the Hebrew armies. Recognizing his sin, he prayed a prayer most leaders need to pray at some point:

“I have sinned greatly in what I’ve done. Now, Lord, because I’ve been very foolish, please take away Your servant’s guilt.” (2 Sam 24:10)

4. Pray they will be wise in leading God’s people.

When Solomon might have asked for much more, he instead asked God to give him a “listening heart” as he governed the people of God. All of us who lead congregations need this wisdom.

“So give Your servant an obedient heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who can judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings. 3:9)

 

RESOURCES:

PERSONAL PRAYER:  Do you pray? A Question for Everybody by J.C. Ryle
Free ebook @ www.monergism.com/call-prayer-ebook

1.  I ask, `Do you pray?' because prayer is absolutely necessary to a person's salvation

2.  I ask, `Do you pray?' because a habit of prayer is one of the surest marks of a true Christian

3.  I ask, `Do you pray?' because private prayer is the most neglected Christian discipline

4.  I ask, `Do you pray?' because the Bible is full of encouragement for all who want to pray

5.  I ask, `Do you pray?' because faithfulness in prayer is the secret of true holiness

6.  I ask, `Do you pray?' because neglecting prayer is one of the great causes of backsliding

7.  I ask, `Do you pray?' because prayer is the best recipe for happiness and contentment

CHURCH—WIDE PRAYER:  A Praying Church by Paul Miller

“We’ll hear sermons on prayer, listen to a pastoral prayer, and begin meetings with prayer, but prayer seldom happens naturally in conversation.  It just feels too religious.”  (18)

“Prayer is not one more activity of the church—it lies at the heart of all the church’s ministry.” (26)

“Good preaching (and teaching) needs good praying, or we begin to rely too much on the power of our horizontal words.”  (56)

“The act of praying itself is a kind of dying, where you give up your self-will to “make things happen” and go to God with a collective “Help us.”  The initial feeling of prayer is dying to self because praying is an act of the will, a decision to shut down your activity and open the door to God’s activity.” (111)

“Prayer isn’t just another ministry; it is the ministry that sparks the rule of the Spirit of Jesus in all ministries.”  (154, emphasis authors)

Think about these questions…

• How can I grow prayerful dependence in my own life? 
• How can you help grow prayerful dependence in your church?

Tough Questions Week 11

Using the PRAY acrostic, we took time to pray about several of the topics discussed throughout this quarter

You can read more about what we discussed and learned by clicking on the link.
Here are the prayer requests that we shared 

POLITICS  (Part 1)  (Part 2)

• Praise and Thanking God
• God is sovereign over all.
• For the country we live in
• For the freedom of worship we have in the United States
• Repent
• of trusting man and politics more than God
• Indifference
• Selfishness and pride
• Identifying ourselves and others by political party rather than image bearers in need of a Savior
• Ask & Yield
• The people of our country would look to Jesus Christ as their savior
• Ongoing freedom of worship here and a growing passion for God
• For the ongoing passion for God in countries where the church faces persecution - India, Uzbekistan, China, and other places

ABORTION

• Praise and Thanking God
• Strategically placed pregnancy centers
• God is the author of life
• God is compassionate and holy
• Repentance
• Indifference - nationally and individually
• Wrongly representing Christ
• Ask & Yield
• Jesus Christ would change people's hearts
• Jesus Christ would change the laws of this land

LGBTQIA2S+

• Praise and Thanking God
• God is the creator of sex and marriage.
• Opportunities to reach people who need Jesus Christ as their Savior, including those in LGBTQIA2S+ community
• People who share the truth of the Gospel
• People who have been saved
• Repent
• Indifference 
• Compromise 
• Not loving and sharing with people who need Jesus
• Identifying people by the sexuality 
• Ask & Yield
• Show me where I need to caring for and talking to family, friends, and others.
• Work in our minds and hearts as it relates to our attitudes
• Remember the great, life-changing power of the Gospel

CHILDREN (these prayer points are for parents and anyone in a church that desires to minister to parents and children)

• Praise and Thanking God
• God has brought children into our lives as parents and as a church family
• Children are a gift from the Lord
•  Repent
• Making our children an idol
• Thinking that we can save our children and forgetting that it is Jesus who saves
• Ask & Yield
• Plead with God to work in our children's live
• We would point our children to Jesus

At the end of class, I said I would share some resources about Christian Nationalism.
Here are some of those links:

• G3 Podcast on Christian Nationalism - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0N68dMTJdvJLpYicHLBTQX
• Christian Faithfulness:  The Biblical Alternative to Christian Nationalism - https://g3min.org/christian-faithfulness-the-biblical-alternative-to-christian-nationalism/

Christian Nationalism appears to have begun as a slam or a put-down, but over time, it seems to have been embraced by some.  It is a confusing term because people have differing ideas about it. 
The bottom line is that true, eternal life change comes only through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we cannot make laws to make people worship God. Life change and worship are not political issues.

The Christian Faithfulness article makes the distinction between Christian Faithfuness and Christian Nationalism.

Tough Questions Week 9

This post and other Tough Questions posts don't necessarily reflect the beliefs of all the pastors and elders at Trinity.  I use this blog to share things I am teaching and thinking about.  

Also, note that this is written by a pastor who loves and wants to help people grow as disciples of Christ and glorify God in everything he does.

The Tough Questions class has examined general doctrine, abortion, politics, parenting philosophies, and school choice.  These lessons began with a common belief, and the challenging part was the different responses.

This lesson on election begins with different beliefs, and the goal is a common response.  Many writers say this is one of, if not the most, controversial doctrines in the church.  "Just because I don't understand how something can true, does not mean it is not so."  See Romans 11:34.

The goal of the Week 9 lesson and this post is not to end the debate on this issue because I would be foolish to think I could do that.  The goal is to help those in the class, those at Trinity Baptist Church, and anyone reading this post make much of God and His Work in our salvation.  

I want to offer three challenges when considering election/predestination and free will. 

When you consider God's sovereignty and man's responsibility, there is an antinomy—an appearance of a contradiction between conclusions that seem equally logical, reasonable, or necessary.  In Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J.I. Packer writes, "God's sovereignty is a reality, and man's responsibility is a reality too."  This appearance of a contradiction in our minds is so hard to grasp.

Another challenge when discussing this issue is that both sides are often attached to men rather than scripture.  The debate becomes more about what Calvin vs. Arminius or Augustine vs. Pelagius said than what the Bible says.  Both sides often construct faulty arguments and make straw men of the viewpoint.

A third challenge at the heart of this debate is that humans are trying to understand God's mind, which is impossible.  God is God.  We are not, and thank God we are not God.

So, what is the doctrine of election?

The free and sovereign choice of God made in eternity past based on nothing in the person solely because of the good pleasure of His will to be saved from sin and inherit the blessing on eternal life.  (author unknown)

God is the author, provider, perfecter, and finisher of my salvation.

There are verses that show God's sovereignty in salvation and others that show man's responsibility for salvation.  

Here are some verses that show man's responsibility.

Ezekiel 18:23 says that God does not have "any pleasure in the death of the wicked rather than that he should turn from his ways and live."  

First Timothy 2:3, 4 says God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Second Peter 3:9 says God is "not wishing any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Acts 17:4 says Paul persuaded some people, and they joined Paul and Silas.

Acts 17:27 - 34 describes people seeking, groping for, and finding God.  At the end of this time in Athens, it is written that some men joined and believed.

Here are verses that show the importance of God's sovereignty in salvation, along with a brief statement after each.

Ephesians 1:4 - 5

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Verse 3 states that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.  Then, several verses later, verse 11 says, "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will"

Throughout Ephesians 1, Paul reminds the church that God has predestined, chosen, willed, and blessed us with salvation.  These are words from the chapter.  

Romans 8:29 - 34

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Be sure to check out Pastor Brett's sermons in Romans at tbcgr.org/sermons-romans.html

2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:13, "the divine element in election (sanctification by the Spirit - being set apart by God) and the human element in personal salvation (faith in the truth)."  (Stallard)

Other verses to consider are Acts 13:48, 16:14, Ephesians 2:8, and 2 Timothy 2:8.

I want to respond to the verses earlier in this post, which I have divided into two groups.  

Ezekiel 18:23, 1st Timoty 2:3, 4, and 2nd Peter 3:9 discuss God's desire, not man's response.  Greg Koukl has a five-minute video entitled "Does God Literally Desire All to be Saved?" 

The two verses in Acts 17 discuss what Paul did and how the people responded.  These two narratives explain what people saw as God working through Paul and in the people.   

“C. H. Spurgeon was once asked if he could reconcile these two truths to each other. “I wouldn’t try,” he replied; 'I never reconcile friends.' Friends?—yes, friends. This is the point that we have to grasp. In the Bible, divine sovereignty and human responsibility are not enemies. They are not uneasy neighbors; they are not in an endless state of cold war with each other. They are friends, and they work together.”  (Evangelism and Sovereignty of God , J.I. Packer)

Tough Questions Week 8

PARENTING is not dependent on programs and human plans. 
It is dependent upon God, His Word, and His Grace.

"Our Children don’t belong to us but to God.  Parenting is about what God has planned to do in our children through us.”  Paul Tripp

Here are videos about the 14 Gospel Principles from Paul Tripp's Parenting book 

Calling
Grace
Law
Inability
Identity
Process
Lost
Authority
Foolishness
Character
False Gods
Control
Rest
Mercy

SCHOOLS

What I've Learned About School Choice

1. School isn’t a right and wrong decision.
2. School isn’t necessarily a one-and-done decision.
3. School isn’t entirely our decision.
4. School isn’t a salvation decision.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

KIDZ:  Kids and families Intentionally Discipled Zealously.

Zealous by David Michael tbcgrkidz.blogspot.com/2022/02/zealous-introduction.html

Zeal is so much more than enthusiasm and excitement.  "It is the result of a heart on fire for the glory of God that is uncontainable and spills out in zealous evangelism, discipleship, service, and good works." (p. 13)

1. Embrace a Biblical Vision for the Faith of the Next Generation 

2. Foster a Robust Partnership Between Church and Home

3. Teach the Breadth and Depth of the Whole Counsel of God

4. Proclaiming the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ

5. Disciple the Mind, Heart and the Will

6. Prayerful Dependence on God's Grace

7. Inspire Worship of God, for the Glory of God

Tough Questions Week 7

The book of 1st Peter is addressed to "those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in..." (1:1)

The book ends with a greeting: "She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings." (5:13)

There are believers in many different places that they don't want to be.

Five verses in the middle of the book (2:13 - 17), show how what Peter wrote and God requires are the following.

• "Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors" (2:13-14a)
• do good, and by doing good you put to silence ignorant talk. (2:15)
• live free and live as a servant of God (2:16)
• honor everyone (2:17a)
• love the brotherhood (2:17b)
• fear God (2:17c)
• honor the emperor (2:17d)

While 2:18 is specifically about servants and masters, it includes a good, but hard, reminder.  "Be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

We must remember to prepare ourselves to provide these responses in challenging situations like an election.

Resolve in your mind to do the right thing. (Daniel 2:1)

Always be prepared to defend yourself against anyone who asks about your hope. (1 Peter 3:15).

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Tough Questions Week 6

Because there is so much more to discuss on this topic, we are doing one more week on politics.

Is this the BIGGEST election ever?

Yes AND No.

YES, the election matters and is important.  Plus, all previous elections are in the past.

NO, this election does not matter as much as the kingdom of God.

As we think about politics, we must remember that God is sovereign and holy, and man is limited and sinful.  An election does not change these facts at all.

Remember, it is not about every four years.  It is about every day!

It is not surprising that non-Christians view that the next election is the most important thing in the world.  Because they have no real future, eternal hope.

Let's start thinking about politics in the Old Testament and then the New Testament.

This is a self-study; take out your Bible and answer these questions.

• What does Jeremiah 29:4 - 14 say about how those who trust the Lord must live?

• What does Romans 13:1 - 7 say about what the government should do?

As we consider political issues, we may ask ourselves, "How can they be Christians and support that?"  There are several reasons people think this.

1. Justified people care about justice.
2. Self-satisfying people are certain their convictions are just.  Too often, we are self-serving with our anger.
3. Political judgments require wisdom: "Most political judgments we make depend on wisdom, not on directly applying explicit biblical principles."  (Leeman, Naselli)

How can we love church members with different politics?

1. Adjust your expectations
2. 2.  
3. Recognize what unites a church and what belongs to the domain of Christian freedom.
4. Straight line vs. Jagged line issues
5. Respect those who have a different conscience on jagged line issues.
6. Remember what is most important.

"The more a nation denies God, the less savory all our options might be."

Here is the recent Wisdom Conversation, "Christianity and American Democracy: Living as a Faithful Christian and Citizen," at Cornerstone University.

Tough Questions Week 5

LGBTQIA2S+ Biblical Teaching Overview 

God is the Creator and Designer of human beings.
Going against God's design and plan is never fulfilling.
Our identity is found in Christ.

The book What Do I Say When...? has five chapters on sexuality identity:  sexuality, gender, homosexuality, identity, and transgenderism.  Key points from each chapter are listed at the end of this post. 

As we consider this current hot topic, we must look beyond culture or individual stories to God's Word.

Genesis 19:1 - 9 is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Verses 4 and 5 say, "But before they lay down the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house.  And they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight?  Bring them out to us, that we may know them." Let's look at two ways this passage can be misused.   One misuse is that every homosexual person looking to cause riots and civil unrest like these men.   omosexuality does not equal riotous behavior.   On the other side, some say Sodom and Gomorrah have absolutely nothing to do with homosexuality.   They say the sin of these cities was hospitality.  They look to Ezekiel 16:49 to prove this.  "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom:  she and her daughters  had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease but did not aid the poor and needy." Two important interpretation principles to remember when looking at this specific verse are the surrounding context and Biblical context.  The surrounding context of Ezekiel 16 is filled with abominations, idolatry, selfishness, and so much more than just hospitality.    The verse says they had pride. In the Biblical context, there are other verses about the sin of homosexuality.  

The Biblical context is looking at the Old and New Testaments.  Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 talk about men lying with men and women lying with women.  While it is sometimes suggested that these verses are about pagan worship, not committed relationships, nothing in the context indicates this, and these are moral laws, not civil or ceremonial laws.     the New Testament passages like Romans 1:18 - 32, some explain away by making a distinction by focusing on the term "natural relations." Heterosexual men going against their natural tendency is wrong.  Homosexual men following their natural tendency is not wrong.  However, the problem is there is a difference between "natural relations" - God's created order and "human nature," which has been corrupted by sin.  The other New Testament passages containing the English word homosexual are 1 Corinthians 6:9 - 11 and 1 Timothy 1:8 - 10.  Supporters of homosexuality argue these words do not mean homosexuality as we think about it today.  In many of these and other arguments, supporters of homosexuality appear to know better than God and His Word. 

With this Biblical context and the following statement from What Do I Say When...? "No bigger lie has been told in our culture than the life that sexual freedom is the source of personal happiness and fulfillment," we looked at the following three questions.

What do you say when a family or friend says he/she is gay?
Is it o.k. to attend a loved one's gay wedding?
What is transgender?  Why is it such an issue today?

What do you say when a family member or friend says he/she is gay?
From Your Child Says, "I'm Gay" by Tim Geiger

1. Grab the ANCHOR (Isaiah 41:13)
2. You don't need to know all the answers, so watch your words (Proverbs 10:19) and pray for wisdom.
3. Acknowledge their courage to tell you.
4. Affirm your love for your child.  Your child's struggle with sexuality is primarily an issue with God and His Word.
5. Begin the dialogue.
6. Remember, you can't change people.
7. Your child doesn't need to become straight.  Your child needs to be Holy.
8. Bring others in for prayer and support.
9. You may need to set boundaries.

Is it o.k. to attend a loved one's gay wedding?

From Your Gay Child Says "I Do by Nicholas Black 

Four possible responses:

1. Cut off your child completely.
2. Embrace their homosexuality.
3. Do not attend, but stay connected.
4. Attend the wedding with grief.

"Only the last two alternatives accomplish what is true to Scripture and honoring to God."   As you think through the third and fourth responses, let's be prayerful, humble, loving, and biblical.  The booklet has a brief explanation of both of these responses.

While there are many different thoughts, opinions, and responses to this question, I want to share my answer.

I would not attend, but I would try to stay connected.

A wedding is a celebration of marriage. 
When Jesus teaches about marriage and divorce in Matthew 19, he returns to Genesis 2 and the creation of man and woman.

Now, here is an additional thought I shared in class.

Some may say that is making a bigger deal of homosexuality than other sins. 

I would say that I also would have a problem going to the wedding of a man and woman living together before marriage.  

What is transgender?  Why is it such an issue today?

Go to the Transgender section below for more about this question.

Remember, transgender does not equal intersex.

 SEXUALITY 

• God created human beings to be sexual; therefore, sexuality is good under God's design.
• God's pattern for sexuality upholds the marriage of husband and wife as the exclusive grounds for sexual activity.
• God's pattern for sexuality is freeing and tied to human flourishing.
• Rightly-ordered sexuality brings God glory.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body.  (1 C  r. 6:19–20)

GENDER

• Male and female embodiment is a gift from God.
• The body reveals identity, purpose, and calling.
• "Gender" is first and foremost determined by biological sex.
• Biblical gender expression has broader contours than modern culture's tendency toward gender stereotyping.
• The logic of bodily sex difference helps explain the moral logic of biblical sexual ethics overall.

HOMOSEXUALITY

• Everywhere homosexuality is mentioned in the Bible, it is mentioned critically.
• The Bible prohibits all forms of homosexuality.
• The Bible's prohibition on homosexuality is grounded in creational reality.
• Jesus affirms the immorality of homosexuality.
• Claiming an identity at odds with Scripture is never fulfilling.
• Expect and prepare for disagreement.

IDENTITY

• The Bible provides a comprehensive and stable account of human identity.
• Biblical love does not mean affirming non-biblical identities.
• Moral relativism at the level of personal identity is unsustainable and harmful.
• The Bible provides a consistent and impartial standard for judging which identities are sinful and which are morally good.
• There are other identity-giving forces in our lives, but none as important as God.

TRANSGENDER

• Sex difference is an embodied reality.
• Sex difference is stable and unchanging.
• The transgender worldview is built on incoherent foundations and internal contradictions.
• Compassion is owed to those who are psychologically vulnerable.
• The beauty of the Christian worldview surrounding questions of transgenderism is the sufficiency of the Christian worldview.
• Intersex conditions do not disprove the gender binary.
1. Intersex conditions are medically verifiable and diagnosable, whereas claims that someone is transgender are not.
2. Intersex conditions are a recognition of a problem that exists against a typical medical standard.  These conditions actually serve to reaffirm the abiding authority of the gender binary by recognizing a deviation from it.
3. Despite ambiguities in anatomy, the majority of individuals who are intersex do not have confusion over whether they are male or female once chromosomes and other primary and secondary sex characteristics are discovered.

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Podcasts

• Christians, the LGBTQ Community and the Call to Hospitality by Rosaria Butterfield -  www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-christians-the-lgbtq-community-and-the-call-to-hospitality-rosaria-butterfield/
• Making Sense of Transgenderism and the Sexual Revolution - www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-making-sense-of-transgenderism-and-the-sexual-revolution-carl-trueman/

Books

• The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield
• Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier
• Strange New World:  How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman
• What Do I Say When...?  by
• What the Bible Says about Homosexuality by Kevin DeYoung