ABSC Recap 2011

3 11 2011

It’s that time of year again.  The time of year when Arkansas Southern Baptists get together for our annual meeting.  Although you might not describe everything that takes place at these meetings as “action packed” overall it is always a good time for meeting and encouraging both new and old friends.

I don’t know the average number of messengers that attend these meetings but this year’s count was around 600.  Seems to be a little low for having the meeting in Little Rock (there’s something like 1500 SBC churches in Arkansas). I don’t know the median age for the messengers there but I’d guess that it was around 50-55 (not very many younger pastors ministers there).

This is only the 3rd annual meeting that I’ve attended and overall I’d say it was pretty average.  Don’t get me wrong, Arkansas Baptists are doing some great things around the state and it was encouraging to hear some of the reports from the different ministries that we are involved in, but I’m afraid that year after year we are being lulled to sleep.

For 3 years in a row I’ve heard a couple of challenging messages that were met with hardy amens from those attending. Yet, the honest truth of the situation is that we are in desperate need of revival.  I’m afraid of where we are headed as a denomination if things do not turn around.  We need leaders who have a zeal and passion for pursuing God.  We desperately need churches who will risk all to preach the true Gospel of Christ.

Once again, I’m not knocking this year’s meeting per se.  It was an average meeting.  But that’s exactly what I’m afraid of.  I know some may think I am being to harsh.  I am an avid supporter of the cooperative program and our great convention.  However, I believe we are in need of an act of our great God.  It’s only by His hand that we can be put back on the right track.  Arkansas Baptists, please don’t go to sleep.  There is a battle raging and the opportunity is now to make a difference.  But this is no easy task. One of the speakers at the convention made this statement: “Maximum results do not come from minimum efforts.”  It’s time that we put everything on the table.  Everything. 

Are we maximizing every dollar?  Do our prayer lives reflect the urgency of our day?  Are we willing to change and rearrange certain things? Are we willing to stand unapologetically by some of our traditions that are backed up by the Word of God? Are we satisfied or will we repent of our complacency and “go” no matter the cost?

Time will tell.


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What is the Gospel?

26 10 2011

What is the Gospel? I hope that you understand the Gospel clearly enough that you can articulate it in 60 seconds or less.  Obviously there are parts of the Gospel we could go into very deeply, studying tons of verses, that might take a long time to discuss.  However, the Gospel is simple enough for children to understand.  Here’s an outline of the Gospel: (the headings are used from Greg Gilbert’s book What is the Gospel?)

God the Righteous Creator: Genesis 1 tells us this story.  God created the heavens and the earth and everything in the universe, including mankind. He is Holy, Righteous, Loving, Just, etc….  God is.

Man the Sinner: God gave Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden the command to not eat of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil… They disobeyed.  Since Adam was our representative his curse is our curse.  It’s not that we are born perfect and then mess up, we are born as sinners! (cf. Romans 5).  Romans 3 tells us that “None is Righteous…” and that on our own, none of us seek God.  The Bible is clear that mankind, left to itself, is in a hopeless condition.  Everything we do is sin, and unable to please God.  We overlook our own sin and make ourselves into our own idols.  We worship everything that is not God: self, money, sex, T.V., power, fame, etc… We are totally depraved, meaning that we are not always as sinful as we could be, but that every single fiber of our being is tainted by sin.

Jesus Christ the Savior:  God is a Holy God, unable to fellowship with Sin.  There did not HAVE to be a Way made for salvation. God, justly so, could have left us in our sin to punish us for all eternity.  Because of our Sin we deserve an eternity of judgement.  However, in His compassion and grace and mercy He decided to make a way by sending His Son to die on the Cross as a substitute.  Jesus is God the Son.  Jesus lived the perfect life and then died our death.  He was our substitute!   He died on the Cross in our place  (Is. 53:5-6).  Because of our Sin there had to be a perfect sacrifice to make atonement.  Jesus was that sacrifice.  He drank the cup of wrath stored up for us.  Then, to exemplify His power over death, Hell, and the grave Jesus rose from the dead.  After 40 days He ascended to heaven to be with the Father and He is coming again soon in power and glory… (Romans 5 contrasts the first Adam and the second Adam- Christ). 

Our Response Faith and Repentance:  All this being said, what’s left? When God opens our eyes to the Gospel and the wonders of His infinite love, mercy and grace, it is our responsibility to respond with faith and repentance.  Jesus says “repent and believe” (Mark 1:15), and in the book of Acts the Apostles say “repent and believe”. So what must we do? Repent and Believe! (respond in faith and repentance). Faith means that you trust Christ alone for your salvation. It means that you acknowledge you are totally dependant upon Him for your salvation and the final righteous verdict.  It is by His righteousness that you can stand before God completely justified.  Let us not forget that faith is also trusting Christ not only as the King of the Universe, but also King of our lives (Lordship Salvation).  You move from being a slave to sin to a slave of Jesus! Repentance is where you acknowledge your sin and turn from it.  Repentance is not just acknowledging your “sins”, i.e. “I lie”, “I think bad thoughts”, etc., but acknowledging your Sin! That to the very core you are a sinner in need of a Savior.  “Turning” from our sin implies asking God to forgive our Sin and trusting that it has been paid for on the Cross. When God saves us the Bible tells us that we are a new creation (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17) and that we will be known by our fruits (cf. Matt. 7:16).  Transformation is at the heart of the Gospel.  We go from being dead to being alive.  The good fruit that flows out of our Salvation is not what saves us, but what Christ Himself produces in us. Now, as Christians we live for the King, awaiting His triumphant return.

So, there’s the Good News! I know some of that would make a presentation a little longer than 60 seconds, but I felt there were a few things that you might have needed clarified.  For some of you reading this blog you might not be a Christian.  For the first time, God has opened your eyes to His truth.  If that’s you, what you’re left with, is the responsibility to respond to Him in repentance in faith.  It’s not some “magical” prayer or long process of using the right words and rituals.  Trust Christ.  Put your faith in Him as the King of kings (the God-man) who paid for your sin and died in your place.  Turn from your sin and your self in repentance.   God is merciful and mighty to save by His great Grace, but remember too, that God is just and will punish all sin.  For those who’ve been redeemed our price was paid on the Cross.  But for those with hard hearts who refuse to turn to Christ, God promises an eternity in Hell (the place He will carry out His righteous judgement), a place prepared for the Devil and his angels.


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What Must the Neighbors Think?

20 10 2011

Certainly don’t consider myself a poet by any stretch of the imagination! But here’s something that’s been on my heart… This is just my reflection on what type of Gospel witness it is for Pastors to leave churches every few years (or sooner).  Sometimes Pastors leave for greener pastures and sometimes they leave because they were “forced” to (whether by an actual firing or a group of people who will simply not follow).  Regardless the reason, what type of statement does this make to a lost and dying world?

What must the neighbors think?

To dwell near the Pastor’s home grants an interesting perception
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, the seasons come and go
And so do the tenants
Here today, gone tomorrow, they blow away like autumn leaves
Each one is the same
Arrival with the vigor and enthusiasm of Spring
Departure with the coldness of the coming Winter
The people do not change, what must the neighbors think?
What is this Gospel being proclaimed?  Where is its power?
What is this Christianity?
If this is the love of Jesus, why would we want a part?
The carousel preaches a sermon more impactful than the pulpit
Our church, our way and the Pastor will not stay,
What must the neighbors think?
He comes with lines all heard before
People, Promises, Programs
But Winter looms on the horizon. When the days begin to get dark he leaves.
Towards something better? Towards a new Spring.
What type of love is this? It cannot weather a storm.
The revolving door is a powerful evangelist.
What must the neighbors think? We want no part.
Bad actors in a bad play.
What is this Gospel? Where is its power?
As Pastors march in and out, we’ll continue our march…
Towards a Christless eternity


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How long should a church service be? Question 2

30 06 2011

The last several weeks we’ve been looking at the question “How long should a church service be?”  To get caught up to speed CLICK HERE.  Again, we are looking at the regular meeting of the local church that should be happening at least once every Lord’s Day (Sunday). 

Today we are looking at the question “What are church services for?”  We really won’t be getting into the “elements” of the service but rather just discuss the purpose of a regular gathering of Believers.  1st, let’s look at what Sundays are NOT for:

1. Entertainment: You are not the spectator.  The service will not be tailored to your specifications.  Hopefully though, many things will be “your preference”  although some things you may in humility need to count others as more significant. (see Phil. 2:1-11)

2. Country Club:  This is not an “out of college” fraternity or sorority.  It’s not the place we come to in order to socialize and make new friends or political alliances.  Yes, there will be some elements of “socializing” going on, but much more of that should be going on the rest of the week.

3. The God clinic:  It’s not the place you come to get your “shot” of God that should last you the rest of the week!

Previously, I’ve already discussed the question “Do I have to go to church to be a Christian?” Suffice it to say that attending regularly is something Christians should do, should want to do, and need to do.

I believe the Bible is clear that the two major purposes of the weekly gathering of believers are: 1. The Corporate Worship of God and 2. The Edification of Believers

1. The Corporate Worship of God: I say “corporate” worship of God because of course Sunday is not the only day we Worship the Lord!  It is however, usually the only day of the week the whole local Body comes together to worship God.  Jesus says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (see Mark 12:28-30).  I often hear Brothers and Sisters in Christ say “God is my #1 priority”.  Yet, some of these same people miss the regular gathering of the church for trivial matters.  How are we saying that God is our 1st priority if we miss gathering with the local body for something more important?  This is inconsistent.  Hebrews 10:25 is a command from Scripture.  Scripture is the command of God.  Disobeying Scripture is disobeying God.  “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15).

2. The Edification of Believers:  The synonym I’ll use for “Edification” is “building up”.  Again, just like Corporate Worship, we can’t undergo corporate edification without regularly gathering with the local body. Paul says “let all things be done for building up” (1 Cor. 14:26). Does this mean everything has to be “positive” and “encouraging”? Certainly not, but it does mean everything must be done in truth with love (cf. Eph. 4:15).  I don’t want to go too much into the “elements” necessary to fulfill these purposes (which we will cover next week) but here I must mention that the only thing that will truly build us up is the Holy Spirit using the Word.  This means we sing the Word, we pray the Word, we preach the Word, and we live the Word.  I think if i were to use another term besides “edification” I might use “discipline”.  Sundays are part of the “discipline” of the Believer.  Now, this normally carries a negative connotation, but here we are talking about the formative discipline of Believers whereby they are “discipled” through the ministry of the Word.

So, in summary up to this point we’ve established that the “church service” is for Believers, and that it’s purpose is for Believers to corporately worship God and to edify one another.  Next week we’ll look at what elements must be present in our services to fulfill these purposes.


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How long should a church service be? Question 1

27 05 2011

In my last post on this topic (click here) I said that asking the question “how long should a church service be?” is really the wrong question.  The 1st question you must ask is this: Who are the services for?  This post seeks to answer that question…

Let’s just get to the point: Weekly gatherings are for Believers.  You will not find a shred of evidence in the New Testament that would suggest our regularly gatherings are for anyone but Believers.  Here are just a few verses to look up: Acts 2:46, Hebrews 10:25, Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2, and 1 Thess. 5:27. 

Automatically this should cause us to know/be reminded of several things:

1. Our service is geared towards the tastes and interests of Believers (not the World- i.e. I shouldn’t put a motorcycle on stage in hopes that more people will come)

2. Believers are characterized by a thirst and zeal for more of God and love for one another. (Psalm 63, 1 John 3:14).

3. Believers need regular fellowship with God and one another.

Now a word of caution: We must remember 3 things-

1. Believers will be on different maturity levels in their walk with Christ.

2. Some who claim to be Believers are not actually Believers.

3. Inviting lost people (or them just coming on their own) to our services is a good thing!

Again, we are seeking to answer the question “How long should church services be?” by answering the questions that really lay the foundation for that question.  If services are for the lost in the World then that would definitly change the way that we do things.  Hopefully, however, you see that they are not- the bible is clear that our weekly gatherings are for the Redeemed.

Next week we’ll seek to answer the question: “What are our weekly gatherings for?”


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How long should a church service be?

23 05 2011

Read another article this morning about the need for “1-hour” church services. This is something we’ve been wrestling with at FBC as we seek to bring honor and glory to Christ through our weekly gatherings.  So, how long should a church service be?

Right from the beginning we ask the wrong question.   Paul says “all things should be done decently and in order.”  In context he is talking about our regular gatherings so I do believe that it is important for leaders to spend time planning and preparing for Sunday morning services.  I am not advocating a “we don’t plan anything because we just get up there and let the Holy Spirit lead us” mentality.  Of course the Holy Spirit must lead us but that doesn’t give us the right to be lazy in planning our services.

But back to our question: How long should a church service be?  Why is this the wrong question? It is so far removed from the heart of the issue that it clouds the real issue.  It’s kind of like me asking this question: “How long should my doctor’s visit be?”  Well, there’s really no context for that question for someone to make an intellegent answer.  So, here are the questions that leaders must ask instead of the infamous “how long should our church services be?”:

1.  Who are the services for?- The lost? Believers? Some mixture in between?

2.  What are the services for?- Entertainment? Encouragement? Chastisement? Something else?

3.  After these two questions are answered then we must ask: What elements must be included in such a service so that it is geared towards the people it was intended for and meets the intent of what the services are for in the first place?

I think that the Bible is clear on these answers and in the next few weeks we will seek to answer them


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Memorizing Scripture in 2011

28 12 2010

“I just don’t have a good enough memory to memorize Scripture.”

That’s the excuse we often give ourselves, others, and God for why we don’t memorize Bible verses.  Think for a moment about the stuff you actually do have memorized… How many songs do you know by heart?  How many phone numbers could you dial right now without looking at your contact list?  How many movies can you quote line by line?

The point is, God gave us an amazing memorization capacity.  You CAN memorize verses!  Psalm 119:11 says

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

For many of us our “verse bank” has insufficient funds!  When we need to make a withdrawal to combat sin in our lives there just isn’t anything there to work with.  I would write a little more about the necessity for memorizing Scripture, but John Piper has an excellent read on this subject: CLICK HERE to read what he says.

I will admit to you this is something that I struggle with too.  We need to discipline ourselves to memorize God’s Word!  Will you challenge yourself to do so in 2011?

Below is a link to a challenge I’m taking in 2011- Memorizing the book of Philippians.  Beginning in February we’ll start a series on the book of Philippians here at FBC so if you are a member here, this would be a good challenge for you to take too!  If you don’t attend FBC DeWitt, then I still think this will be worth your time… Check it out below:

Partnering to Remember the book of Philippians

I also found this website: http://scripturetyper.com/ I have not really looked at it much yet, but it seems that it may be a neat resource to use in your effort to memorize passages of Scripture.


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How to Read through the Bible in 2011 (and why you should)

27 12 2010

One bite at a time.  That’s the answer to the old riddle, “How do you eat an elephant?”.  I think it’s also the answer for Christians when it comes to the question, “How can I read through the entire bible?”.  Ok, so I don’t think we want to pull a Jeremiah and literally eat the Word of God, but when it comes to reading through the entire Bible in 2011 here’s how you’ll do it: One verse at a time.

One verse at a time.  Why is that so important to remember?  I think some Christians look at their Bible and feel so overwhelmed by its size and content that they lose the battle to read it in its entirety before they even get started with Genesis 1:1. 

The Bible is made up of 66 individual books, but it is also one grand story.  I’m not advising reading the Bible out of context or to zoom yourself in so closely to a single verse that you miss God’s amazing narrative.  What I am saying though is that the Bible is made up of books, and that the books are made up of chapters, and the chapters are made up of verses.  Keep this in mind as you plan to read through the Bible in 2011…

Do you really think it’s a must that Christians read through the entire Bible? What about all those genealogies? What about difficult books and passages?

What did Jesus say?   “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4).

How about the author of Hebrews:  “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (4:12)

And then of course Paul: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Tim. 3:16).

How can we live on every Word of God, if many of us haven’t even read every Word of God?  It’s amazing that we live in such a nation with such easy access to God’s Word and yet have become so ignorant as to what it says.

The goal is to not just read the Bible as a textbook.  Read it as Scripture! Read it for transformation!

So, what can you do? Start one verse at a time! Make a commitment right now to read through the Bible in its entirety in 2011.  Below are a few practical tips on how to do it, and some links to several Bible reading plans.

Tips:

1. Have a consistent time and place for Bible reading.  This is key!  Don’t just read when you find time, make time.

2. If you miss a day, or even a few days, don’t get discouraged.  Keep reading! One verse at a time!  And if you get to a day where you can read a little more to catch back up, do it.  And if you get to December 31, 2011 and you still have 1/4th of the Bible to read, just keep reading!  The goal is to read the whole Bible in 2011, and I hope you meet that goal, but the most important thing is that you do read through the entire Bible.  So, if it takes a little longer than a year for you, then so be it.

3. Pray.  Pray that God will open your heart to receive His Word.  Pray that He’ll give you the faith to apply His Word to your life.

4.  Don’t get discouraged about not being able to understand some passages.  I do believe that most of the BIble is pretty clear, but you will probably run across at least a few things that you may need to talk to a pastor about or consult some extra readings.  Don’t get bogged down on those passages, but don’t just dismiss them as incomprehensible either. (Sometimes a good study bible can help clear that up!  Here, here, here, and here are some I recommend).

Bible Reading Plans:

Bethlehem Baptist Bible Reading Plan (I used this in 2010.  You read a few chapters from different places in the Bible each day, and then have a few catch up days built-in at the end of each month).

Expository.org Bible Reading Plan (Similar to the plan above, but you’ll read the OT Chronologically)

OWNit365 Bible Reading Plan (This one’s pretty neat!  Gives you one day off each week. The other 6 days you’ll have 2 separate readings on your own, and one chapter to read with your family! Great way to begin Family Worship!)

Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading Plan (Probably not a plan for 1st time readers!  This plan is 10 chapters a day.  Click the link for more info.)

Create your own plan! The first time I read through the Bible I looked at the number of pages in my Bible and divided it by the time I wanted to finish reading.  So, if you want to read your bible in 365 days and it is 1075 pages you’ll need to read 3 pages a day (1075 divided by 365).

Also, if you haven’t heard about YouVersion, it’s worth checking out…

I hope you will commit to reading the entire Bible in 2011!


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That “Same Old Story”

14 12 2010

Well, here we are again… It’s less than two weeks before Christmas and this week most pastors are preparing to share that “same old story” from Luke 2.  Every year it’s the same thing… How can I tell this story in a new or creative way? How can I keep my congregation from tuning me out since they have heard this story so many times?

I want you to remember something: It’s a marvelous story! Don’t worry about how to present this story in a new or creative way because it is wonderful just the way it is!  It’s most amazing story in history and without it we would still be wandering in darkness.

This Sunday I’m preaching Luke 2:1-7.  During the course of my study for the message I began to think about explaining to my church the necessity of the incarnation. 

We know that ever since the moment mankind fell in the Garden that we have been storing up wrath for ourselves.  This is because God is completely Just.  As R.C. Sproul says, we have committed “cosmic treason” against God by setting ourselves upon His throne.  This means that if there is to be reconciliation between us and God then our sin debt must be paid. But how?

In the Old Testament we see the foreshadowing of what needed to take place: the shedding of blood.  However, the blood of bulls and goats is insufficient to pay for our sins (cf. Heb. 10:4).  In order for payment to be sufficient for God’s justice, the sacrifice had to be perfect.

Well, what about an Angel? Couldn’t God have sent forth an Angel to live in perfect obedience?  This is problematic for several reasons, but some of the main issues are this: Angels are created beings unable to withstand the full wrath of God that had to be poured out.  Also, an Angel is neither God nor man and therefore could not mediate between us.  And of course the sacrifice must be willing, otherwise God’s justice would be compromised. 

All that to say, if there was to be reconciliation between God and man, here are the requirements of the Sacrifice:

  1. The Sacrifice must have the capacity to perfectly obey God’s Law. (To make right what went wrong in Eden)
  2. The Sacrifice must have the ability to relate to God and man for reconciliation. (100% God and 100% Man)
  3. The sacrifice must have the capacity to withstand the full weight of God’s wrath without being annihilated into oblivion. (again, God’s justice demands payment for our sin)
  4. The Sacrifice must be willing.

The standards are such that for all eternity only ONE can fulfill all.  Only One took on flesh and blood, and bones and guts to perfectly obey God’s Law.  Only One withstood the full weight of God’s wrath during the crucifixion. Only One was willing to do His Father’s will.

His name is Jesus.  God sent His Son into the world for the sake of His people and His glory.  He didn’t wrap His gift to us in pretty Christmas paper, He wrapped in flesh and blood.  He didn’t lay it under a pretty Christmas tree in a warm cozy mansion.  He came to the manger.

Praise God, this story will never get old…


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Do I have to go to church to be a Christian?

8 12 2010

“Don’t be deceived: If u r able to go to church and don’t, u r either in sin or you’re not a Christian”

On November 30th 2010 I “retweeted” the above quote.  Since then I’ve had some questions and comments about this quote so I thought that I would write a little…

Where in the Bible does it say a Christian has to attend “church”? Aren’t we all the “Church?”
Yes the term church in the New Testament can mean the universal church.  It can also mean the church of a specific region. But also very specifically, it can (and does in many instances) mean the “local” church. Check out for example Philippians 1:1. Notice Paul addresses the Saints, Overseers, and Deacons of Philippi. He was writing to a local congregation that gathered regularly.

Secondly, think about church structure. There are Pastors, and deacons in churches. This is clearly taught in the New Testament. Hebrews 13:7 says “obey your leaders.”  Teachings and verses like this wouldn’t make sense if there was not a regularly gathered congregation.

In Acts 2 we see the church regularly gathering.  In Hebrews 10:25 we have a specific command to not forsake the times we meet together. Also,  in the New Testament world the idea of “being a Christian” and “not gathering together with the church” would not have made sense.  Now days we do have many “Christians” who claim to be adopted by God but don’t gather with His family. Now, I do agree that the church is NOT a building.  We should not say “I’m going to church today”.  We should say “I’m going to gather with the church today.”  But in our culture, “going to church” and “gathering with the church” have become synonymous, so I don’t think we’ll win that battle!

1 John 3:14 tells us that we know we have passed from death to life because we love the “brothers.”  This is not talking about cheap “I love you” with my words love either.  This means that we can’t truly love one another if we don’t ever see one another.

Now, is the church supposed to gather on a weekly basis? Several passages of Scripture not only indicate yes, but they also indicate what day!  Take for instance one of the first gathering of the disciples post-resurrection (cf. John 19-20).   Then we look in Acts and see the church gathering on the same day (Acts 20:7).  What day were they gathering? Sunday! The first day of the week- Sunday- the day Jesus rose from the grave.  See also 1 Cor. 16:2 where Paul instructs the church at Corinth to collect money on the 1st day of the week, and also notice in Revelation where John was shown many great wonders on the Lord’s Day (Sunday).

Paul instructs Timothy to “preach the word” and even tells him that one day people will still “gather” but with false teachers because they can’t take sound doctrine (cf. 2 Tim. 4:1-4). Another interesting verse is 1 Thess. 5:27 where Paul instructs the recipients of his letter to read that leader to all the brothers and sisters.  These things would be impossible without a time that the church regularly gathered.

Also, Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 14 talk about our spiritual gifts that we use when we are gathered.  What’s interesting about 1 Cor. 14 is that Paul goes on to detail for us some of the things that need to go on during worship together (1 Cor. 14:26-40).  The New Testament shows that God’s people gathered together in local congregations (that were led by Elders (Pastors)).  The Bible clearly commands God’s people to gather on a regular basis.

Finally, I’ll comment some more on Hebrews 10:24-25.  Just because you attend church does not mean you are actually fulfilling this commandment.  One may go to church and still be “forsaking” the assembly.  They may go to church begrudgingly or just for ulterior gains (power, political, etc.).  Also, one may be at home and not really be breaking the commandment given in these verses.  They may actually be unable to gather (sickness, unavoidable job situation, etc.).  The point is however, that the people of God desire to be with the people of God.  Those who are able, but don’t go to church are either living in sin, or not a Christian.


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