Pastor SGBCjax

Instruments of Good...from Evil

2011-09-24T16:18:00.000-07:00

“Sometimes God makes use of instruments for good to His people, who designed nothing but evil and mischief to them. Thus Joseph’s brethren were instrumental to his advancement in that very thing in which they designed his ruin (Gen. 50:20).”

“[Providences] often puzzle and entangle our thoughts, but bring them to the Word, and your duty will be quickly manifested. “Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end” (Ps. 73:17). And not only their end, but his own duty, to be quiet in an afflicted condition and not envy their prosperity.”

~ John Flavel

How Will They Know?

2011-08-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 13:34-35

Picture of Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:1-3)

2011-07-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 2:1-3

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

St. John Beach Baptism

2011-06-29T14:29:00.001-07:00

God...Are You Here?

2011-06-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

Acknowledging God’s presence through Christ is vital for a follower of Christ. Discouragement is sure to follow when we either forget or ignore God’s presence in our lives. The story of Isaac & Rebekah in Genesis 25:19-23 shows us a married couple struggling to discern God’s presence in their lives. This story demonstrates three blinders which often keep us from acknowledging God presence in our lives: waiting, lack & struggle.

First, we see the blinder of waiting. In verse 20 we find that Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. We also know that Esau & Jacob were born when Isaac was sixty years old, verse 26. Doing the math shows us that Isaac & Rebekah were barren for the first twenty years of their marriage. This twenty years of day after day, month after month hoping to be pregnant must have been very difficult for both of them. In the long periods of waiting we too begin to question God’s presence.

The second blinder is lack. We see in verse 21 that “Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife”. The reason was because she was barren. Isaac’s faith is admirable here. It should encourage us as husbands to be more faithful in prayer for our wives. However, when we lack resources and blessings we often question God’s presence. Lack is a blinder to God’s presence in our lives.

Finally, struggle was a blinder for Rebekah. Isaac prayed for a child and the Lord answered his prayer. However, when the Rebekah conceived it became very difficult for her. Verse 22 says, “The children struggled within her”. The word for “struggle” is the Hebrew word for “crushed”. This pain and struggle was so difficult she called out to God, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” Rebekah, like each of us, lost sight of God’s presence in the midst of her struggle and pain.

How, then, do we remove these blinders? How do we live with a clear sense that God is close and present? We see how in the response God gave Rebekah. The Lord spoke to Rebekah in verse 23, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger." God’s Word was able to remove the blinders of doubt and root both Isaac & Rebekah in truth. These promises in verse 23 did not make everything better. Rebekah probably did not get a better nights sleep the night after the words from the Lord. However, the Lord’s words did confirm to this couple that God was present. Where was God present? In the midst of the twenty year wait for children, during the lack through and the struggle God was present. God’s Word promises us that all creation is being redeemed and coming under the authority and lordship of Jesus Christ because of what he accomplished in his life and death on the cross. The gospel, therefore, removes the blinders that come in the waiting, lack and struggle of our everyday lives and helps each of us see that His kingdom as our great end & joy. However, note, this promise does not often remove the waiting, lack and struggle. The gospel, instead, give us hope in this midst of these. May the Lord give us at SGBCjax great hope because of the gospel through the waiting, lack & struggle in our lives.

Consequences of Sin Remain...Why?

2011-06-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

Why do the consequences of sin remain even when the guilt and power of sin has been removed by the work of Christ?

First, Paul's statement in Romans 7 suggest the consequences of sin remain because in this one is pressed by the law of sin toward the Savior.

Second, these consequences are a reminder of the sinfulness of sin and should bring joy because these remnants are nothing compared to glory awaiting us (2 Cor 4:16-18).

Third, we may want to ask the Lord to remove such consequences. This may be our constant plea but in his wisdom he knows we need these consequences pushing in on our lives to turn us again and again away from our own strength & to lean upon His sufficient grace (2 Cor 12:6-10).

Forth, Christ not only has to save us from our sin but he must also save us from our self made righteousness. Our righteousness is only demerit. The weight of our own righteousness handed to God will cause us to be damned for eternity. God is opposed to the righteousness that we bring to Him. Therefore, the consequences of our sin reminds us of the worthlessness of even our best attempts to be righteous and turns us toward His finished work on the cross and the surpassing worth of knowing Christ alone (Philippians 3:3-11).

Fifth, it reminds us that our Lord too received the affects of sin. Not his own but was tempted in every way like us and we have one who understands our struggles, temptations, sorrows and tears. Christ understands the affects and consequences of sin. With this in mind we are able to approach with great joy the throne of grace because in Christ we are able to find hope and joy there (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Sixth, this struggle in sin has been so with every saint before and this struggle with sin will continued in every life after. By so looking to Christ the founder & perfecter of our faith, knowing he was able to run with endurance the race set before him we too are encouraged to persever (Hebrews 12:1-13).

Finally, one is most like Christ when one suffers while seeking to do good (1 Peter 4:12-19). Ryle speaks of those who think they are regenerate & still are careless with sin. "We maintain that to tell a man he is born of God or regenerated while he is living in carelessness or sin, is a dangerous delusion." ~ J.C. Ryle

May the consequences of sin in this world & in our lives continue to remind us of our all-sufficient and all-satisfying Savior.

Be Reconciled....to God.

2011-05-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

This verse helps us understand reconciliation. First we see reconciliation is a ministry God has given to each person who has been reconciled. However, because we are given this ministry as “ambassadors for Christ”, we are not able to take it or leave it. We, the church, are bound to this responsibility as representatives of this reconciling work. Second, we are also to do this ministry knowing that there will a particular authority behind it. When we speak this message of reconciliation it will be as if God himself were “making his appeal through us.” It is amazing enough that God will reconcile us and then even more amazing he will entrust us with this message of reconciliation but the shock should set in when we realize that He will be appealing through us when we declare this message! This is necessary because, as verse 18 states, reconciliation is solely a work “from God”. And experience tells us, reconciliation is not something we can do. However, the real misunderstanding comes at this point. Because reconciliation is “through us” we often then assume that reconciliation is “to us”. In other words, we often misunderstand reconciliation as being primarily to one another. However, our verse shows us that reconciliation is first and foremost to God, “be reconciled to God”. The end of reconciliation is for people to be reconciled to God. Only after one is reconciled to God can persons then approach each other and be reconciled. Too often however, we think reconciliation is about being right with another, primarily. As long as we continue to see the primary end of reconciliation as me or even another it will never happen. Over time one may even become more comfortable being around another of which there was great hostility at one time but make no mistake there is no reconciliation when God is not the end. So implore each of on behalf of Christ, “be reconciled to God.”

The Righteousness of God

2011-05-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,"

Romans 3:21

The righteousness of God mentioned in Romans 3:21 is a wonderfully complex phrase. However, the main point being made here in Romans 3 is that this righteousness is not something a person can obtain. Why? Because this righteousness is not something a person can accomplish by the law (Romans 3:19-21). Instead, this righteousness of God is “apart from the law”. This righteousness is not simply different in its amount (quantity). This righteousness is different in kind (quality).

Let me illustrate, some like to compare the righteousness of God to a quantity, a measure. So, for example, swimming from Miami to the Bahamas (approximately 178 miles) is required for one to reach perfect righteousness. Everyone gets into the ocean at Miami and starts to swim toward the Bahamas. Some swimmers will not make it far. Others will make a better effort but none will make it to the Bahamas. Then the illustration goes like this. The completed swim is like the righteousness of God. Some of you will do better than other but none will make it. Comparitively, many will do better than others but none of us will reach the righteousness that this required by God. All will fall short along the way. What we need, they will say, is Christ to come along and fill in the gaps. If some swam 2 miles then Christ will come and give the 176 miles. If some were really good swimmers and swam 20 miles then Christ will give you the 158 miles necessary to possess full righteousness.

However, the righteousness of God is not different in quantity (measure) but in quality (kind). In other words, Scripture tells us that our efforts, even our best efforts, are not sufficient to save us. Romans 3:21 tell us that the Old Testament law helps us understand this truth, “the Law and the Prophets bear witness” to the distinction between God's righteousness and man's righteousness,

Isaiah 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.

Here we see that Christ sufferings on the cross saves us not only from our sins but from our attempts of self-righteousness. God's wrath was rightly pointed toward all humanity because of our sin. However, Christ, in His sufferings, absorbed the wrath of God (propitiated) not only for our sins but also for our self-made righteousness.

4 Year Old Sermon Notes from Easter

2011-04-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

Sermon notes from one of our 4 year olds this Sunday. She was obviously listening because she knew the tomb belonged to Joseph (Luke 23:50). I was told the children will just not get much out of the adult worship service.

Heidelburg Catechism on The Providence of God

2011-04-15T07:50:00.001-07:00

Question 27. What dost thou mean by the providence of God?

Answer: The almighty and everywhere present power of God; whereby, as it were by His hand, He upholds and governs heaven, earth, and all creatures; so that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, yea, and all things come, not by chance, but by His fatherly hand.

Question 28. What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by His providence doth still uphold all things?

Answer: That we may be patient in adversity; thankful in prosperity; and that in all things, which may hereafter befall us, we place our firm trust in our faithful God and Father, that nothing shall separate us from His love; since all creatures are so in His hand, that without His will they cannot so much as move.

Pastors, Labor to Awaken Your Own Hearts....

2011-03-12T14:55:00.001-08:00

“In the name of God, brethren, labor to awaken your own hearts, before you go to the pulpit, that you may be fit to awaken the hearts of sinners. Remember they must be awakened or damned, and . . . a sleepy preacher will hardly awaken drowsy sinners. Though you give the holy things of God the highest praise in words, yet, if you do it coldly, you will seem by your manner to unsay what you said in the matter. . . . Speak to your people as to men that must be awakened, either here or in hell. Look around upon them with the eye of faith, and with compassion, and think in what a state of joy or torment they must all be for ever; and then, methinks, it will make you earnest, and melt your heart to a sense of their condition.”

Richard Baxter, quoted in J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness (Wheaton, 1990), 279.

BibleWorks 8 Software

2011-02-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

I have used BibleWorks for 10 years now. In that time I worked in BibleWorks every week for several hours everyday and have found it so helpful as I sought to faithfully shepherd my congregation. As I have used BibleWorks over the years and have come in contact other pastors who use BibeWorks, I have been able to help them better use it. I plan to work through some of the basic tools and answer some of the common questions I get from other pastors on my blog every week or so. May it be a blessing and encouragement to any pastor who would love to use this wonderful tool as well as encourage faithfulness as preach & teach the Word of God together.

BibleWorks 8 is the premier original languages Bible software program for Biblical exegesis and research. It comes with Greek, Hebrew, and Septuagint Bibles for your computer, as well as translations in English, German, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and more! For over eighteen years, BibleWorks has satisfied Bible software users around the world.

8 Tips for Talking to Your Kids About the Sermon

2011-02-24T15:21:00.000-08:00

8 Tips for Talking to Your Kids About the Sermon

Pastor Joe Holland has written an excellent article for moms and dads to help them talk to their children about the Sunday morning sermon. It is so good I’m just going to post it in its entirety rather than excerpt it. Take a read, book mark this, and see how this counsel could assist you in bringing the Word to bear upon the hearts and minds of your children.

They sit there next to you and their feet don’t even hit the floor. You’re thinking, “What, if anything of this guy’s sermon is sinking into my kid’s head?” And with that little thought you’ve already decided not to engage your child about the sermon. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Let me introduce you to the most important rule when talking to your kids about the sermon: They retain more than you think they do. The second most important rule is like it: They understand more than you think they do.
In the interest of these two truths I’m writing this brief guide on how to talk to your kids about a sermon. I’m writing it both as a preacher and as a parent of four boys under the age of 8. I’ve failed, succeeded, and failed some more at talking to my kids about Jesus. Hopefully the tips you find below will help you as they’ve helped me.
At the heart of the gospel is Jesus introducing us to his loving Father. In worship we get to make a similar introduction—we get to introduce our kids to Jesus. Don’t miss that opportunity.
1. Remember the outline. It doesn’t matter if you keep written notes or not. Remember the gist of what is being taught. If your pastor preaches for 40 minutes, then try to make a mental note of what you’ve covered at the 20 minute point. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t get every point. Get as many of the big ones as you can.
2. Know the one, main point. Every passage and every sermon—no matter what your pastor says—has a main point. Grab it when you see it go by and don’t let go. And as a word of caution, every preacher has a bad day. Sometimes the structure of the sermon looks like a piece of abstract art. If so, do the best you can. But don’t let the guy close in prayer without having a main point in your head.
3. How is Jesus the hero? Now that you have an outline and main point, make sure you have Jesus too. How was Jesus the hero of the sermon? Kids are incorrigibly self-centered—and so are a few adults. Make sure you have a ton to say about Jesus, no matter what the passage or where the preacher went with it. Without an emphasis on Jesus your little saints will grow up thinking that the Bible is all about them.
4. Engage your kids with open ended questions. You know the outline and you can keep to the main point. You know you’re going to talk a ton about Jesus. Now engage your kids with any kind of question you can think of… except ones that can be answered, “yes” or “no”. Here are some examples:
In the story questions: “What would have thought if you were an Israelite soldier and saw big ol’ Goliath walking up to little David?”
Emotions questions: “If you were blind, how would you feel if Jesus put his hands on your eyes and fixed them so they could see?”
Leading questions: “The rich young ruler was wrong because he thought he could earn God’s favor. Why is it silly to think we can earn God’s favor by doing enough good things?”
Action questions: “What would you have done if Jesus had made a hurricane turn into a cool breeze right in front of you?”
Application questions: “If Jesus has forgiven you, do you think you can forgive Tommy when he wings a Tonka truck at your head?”
Use your imagination questions: You know your kids best. Make up some questions.
5. Make sure the gospel is clear. Jesus died for sinners. It’s very simple and can get very complex. But no matter the passage, don’t you dare teach your kids moralism. Tell them that Jesus has done everything necessary for them to know that God is overjoyed with them. When you tell them to do something, feel something, or think something, show them how those things are motivated by God’s love and not by fear, guilt, or pride.
6. Be the first to pray and confess. Talking to your kids about the sermon is as much letting them watch you learn from the sermon as it is teaching them about the sermon. If the preacher is helping your congregation diagnose sin, show your kids how it affected you. You could say, “You know, sometimes, daddy struggles with being angry. And it’s then that I realize I really need Jesus.” And when it comes time to pray, let them pray after you. Model for them what it looks like for a Christian to talk to God.
7. Chase rabbit trails. Your kids will lead you down them. Go with them. You’ll find out a ton about how they think. And you may just enjoy the unexpected stroll off the beaten path.
8. Remember the first two rules. After all this, it may be you feel like it was a complete waste of time. It’s at that point you must remember the first two rules:
They retain more than you think they do.They understand more than you think they do.
And I promise you this, they will remember these times with you. They will forget a ton. But they won’t forget Sunday afternoons with daddy and mommy talking about Jesus.

Preparation for Praying in Worship

2011-02-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

Acts 2:42

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

BEFORE YOU PRAY ON SUNDAY

* Read & pray through the primary text many times this week.

* The "Call to Worship" Psalm may provide the best direction for your prayers.

* What attribute of God is revealed in this text?

* Ask for God to reveal any sin in your life from the text.

* Repent of any personal sin discovered from this text.

* Ask for God for help to receive this text by the power of His Spirit on Lord's day.

* Affirm God's promised and sure grace to sustain and keep us from abiding sin (1 Cor. 2:12; 1 Jn. 3:21)

* Use "we" and "us" instead of "I" and "me" in corporate prayers.

Preparation for Reading in Worship

2011-02-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

We value simplicity in worship. We try to push against the "big show" mentality on Lord's day. The elements in our worship service are simple: prayer, Scripture reading, preaching & singing (SGBCjax order or worship). God's people rarely value gathering together for worship enough as it is. However, when the worship is simple and repetitive some value it even less. Sometimes those leading the service allow simple to become shoddy and repetitive to become boring. Yet, simplicity and repetition in worship does not mean that worship is cheap or that it should be done in a shoddy fashion. God is glorious and worthy of our worship! Therefore, we seek to carefully prepare for the worship gathering each week. One way of doing this is by asking the men reading in the service each week to prepare. I usually email those reading by Tuesday or Wednesday to give them the text for the coming Lord's day. I include the following "helps" for reading on Lord's day.

BEFORE YOU READ ON SUNDAY

*** Consider the power of God's Word by reading/thinking/praying/meditating on Psalm 19 before you put your hand to the awesome task of reading Holy Scripture to the Church.

* Confess treating this task too lightly far too often.

** Please read from the English Standard Version (ESV) since our visitors & the children will be using this translation.

* Meditate on the text and the surrounding chapters during the week
* You may want to provide a 1 or 2 line introduction of context before reading the text.

* Work on hard to pronounce words/names aloud a few times before reading them on Sunday (Listening to the text on the ESVonline.org website may help).

* Work on reading the text with regard on periods, commas, and quotation marks.
* Pray through the text several times this week and ask God to mightily accomplish this Scripture in the hearts of SGBC this Sunday.

* Remember humility is the necessary attitude for reading Scripture.

* You may want to close the reading by making a statement affirming that this is no ordinary book by saying something like, "These are the words of God", "This is the Word of the Lord" or "These are God's words for His people today". And the congregation will probably affirm this by saying, "Amen".

The message of the Bible in 240 words

2011-02-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

“God is the sovereign, transcendent and personal God who has made the universe, including us, his image-bearers. Our misery lies in our rebellion, our alienation from God, which, despite his forbearance, attracts his implacable wrath.

But God, precisely because love is of the very essence of his character, takes the initiative and prepared for the coming of his own Son by raising up a people who, by covenantal stipulations, temple worship, systems of sacrifice and of priesthood, by kings and by prophets, are taught something of what God is planning and what he expects.

In the fullness of time his Son comes and takes on human nature. He comes not, in the first instance, to judge but to save: he dies the death of his people, rises from the grave and, in returning to his heavenly Father, bequeaths the Holy Spirit as the down payment and guarantee of the ultimate gift he has secured for them—an eternity of bliss in the presence of God himself, in a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

The only alternative is to be shut out from the presence of this God forever, in the torments of hell. What men and women must do, before it is too late, is repent and trust Christ; the alternative is to disobey the gospel (Romans 10:16;2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17).”

— D. A. Carson
"The Biblical Gospel" in For Such a Time as This: Perspectives on Evangelicalism, Past, Present and Future, ed. Steve Brady and Harold Rowdon
(London: Evangelical Alliance, 1986), 80

Jason Moore ~ Elder of SGBC

2011-02-02T05:11:00.000-08:00

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Sermons

Chris Partyka ~ Elder of SGBC

2011-01-25T06:30:00.000-08:00

Sermons by Chris P

FAMILY

Married above my head to my wise and beautiful wife Denise
Two children Anna and Andrew

EDUCATION

Undergraduate from Moody Bible Institute - 2000- Pastoral Studies
Graduate work at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - 2011 - Masters of Divinity

BACKGROUND

Where were you born? Hartford, CT
Where were you raised? Manchester, CT
Church & date of your Conversion? East Hampton Bible Church 1980s

INTERESTS

Favorite Bible Book? 1 Peter
Favorite Bible verses? Ephesians 2:1-10
Favorite subject in school? History
Play any sports in school? Soccer and Basketball
What is your occupation? At&t Sales and Service
Favorite Vacation spot? The Beach
Favorite book(s) read? Diary of David Brainerd, Desiring God, Memories of an Ordinary Pastor, Words to Winners of Souls, Tom Sawyer, Animal Farm
Favorite past time/hobby? Home Improvement, Coaching Little League, Reading Classic Novels

The Gospel Matters in Marriage

2011-01-13T03:34:00.001-08:00

Gary and Betsy Ricuchi, Love That Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace (Crossway, 2006), pp. 22-23:

Because of the gospel, Christians have become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, in our marriage, our past does not define us, confine us, or determine our future.
Because of the gospel, we are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). Therefore we can live free of all guilt and condemnation for every sin, and we can trust that God, in his mercy, will be gracious to us.
Because of the gospel, we can forgive, just as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32). Nothing done against us compares to our sin against God. Therefore all offenses, hostility, and bitterness between Christians can be completely forgiven and removed.
Because of the gospel, we are accepted by God (Romans 15:7). Therefore we are not dependent on a spouse for who we are or what we need.
Because of the gospel, sin’s ruling power over us is broken (Romans 6:6, 14). Therefore we can truly obey all that God calls us to do in our marriage, regardless of any circumstance or situation.
Because of the gospel, we have access to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16). Therefore we can at any time take any need in our marriage to the One who can do all things.
Because of the gospel, we have hope (Romans 5:1-4). Therefore we can endure any marital difficulty, hardship, or suffering, with the assurance that God is working all to our greatest good (Romans 8:28).
Because of the gospel, Christ dwells in us by his Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14). Therefore we are confident that God is always with us and is always at work in our marriage, even when progress is imperceptible (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
Because of the gospel, we have power to fight and overcome remaining sin, which continues to dwell and war within us (Romans 7:19-21, 24-25; Galatians 5:16-17). This indwelling enemy represents the essence of what is called the doctrine of sin.

These are just a few of the ways the gospel can transform a marriage. Sometimes it’s not easy to live in the reality of these truths. But it is always possible—and not because of our strength or determination, but because of God’s empowering and enabling grace.

Pastor's Prayer ~ Christmas Eve Service

2010-12-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

Almighty God, Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Glorious Savior, upon your shoulders is established the eternal kingdom of God. May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. From the garden Adam and Eve was told of the one who will come and crush the serpent’s head. The patriarchs of Genesis waited expectantly for this promised hope. The kings of God’s people foreshadowed the coming of the King of kings. The prophets declared the great day of the Lord when all will see the glory of God. And on that night in Bethlehem that angel brought us all good news of great joy. This child wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger is our Savior, Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest! And as we consider that wonderful night so long ago we are now, like Adam, the patriarchs, the kings and prophets waiting again for that most wonderful and glorious day when you our Savior and final vicar will come again and break through that eastern sky to finally receive His bride and we will sing together the new song with all creation singing, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! Amen & Amen.

Putting the New Study Bible Size in Perspective

2010-12-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

Putting the New Study Bible Size in Perspective

Here’s an inside look at the new ESV Study Bible, Personal Size (available in January 2011)!

This condensed Study Bible compresses all of the original study notes, full color maps and illustrations, charts, timelines, and intros. Some of the articles have been removed from this edition and moved to the web where it can be accessed for free with your esvonline.org code (included with the purchase of this Bible). Pre-order your copy today! Also available in genuine leather and Trutone.

Praying for Ethiopia ~ Week 8

2010-12-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

In Application as we consider our efforts in Ethiopia:

1) While Anthony’s Psalm 2:12 is a great work, he has not expressed knowing any way to incorporate SGBC’s gifts into his ministry. He is using African pastors (Victor and Isaac) specifically to avoid an appearance of ‘Americanism’, which seems to disqualify Shane from teaching. He and Victor know of our respect for their work & want to keep lines of communication open for future cooperation. We are theologically on the same page with these people.
2) Addis Kidan leaders, while newly embracing the teaching of Psalm 2:12, still make their own decisions. Their General Secretary Kifle Shibre is the point man there. If he wants Shane to teach at some meeting he organizes, this might be done in addition to Psalm 2:12’s involvement.
3) God has brought us into contact with Camden Crane, but what to do is a mystery. She seems to enjoy working independently (she seems to have all the financial support she needs), but also expresses a desire for others’ involvement. I’m not sure she would welcome a church’s help, i.e., oversight, but maybe it is worth asking.
4) The only red flag here is identical to one of the red flags with Camden’s work: does Nega love Ethiopian kids more than he loves Christ? This is in contrast to Anthony Mathenia, whose deep, deep love for the Ethiopian people is subjugated to his love for Christ. OCDA is a great organization, and even if they do succumb to the temptation to water down the gospel message, a la YMCA, we could sort of be their religious compass w/o ever trying to change the nature of their organization.

Praying for Ethiopia ~ Week 7

2010-12-06T07:11:00.000-08:00

6/10/2010
7:30 here in Frankfurt & only 2 more hours before boarding! 11 hrs more (plus 6 in time change) & I’m back in Jax. I need to figure out what exactly I want to bring back to SGBC, so here is what happened, in shorthand & not necessarily in order of importance:

1) Preaching the gospel of the truth continues, with stalwart preachers Victor Kanyense and Isaac Makashinyi, but pastors trained up bold in the truth may be a ways off.
2) Addis Kidan Baptist Association leaders are embracing these gospel teachers, wanting to incorporate their theological bent (truth) into their upcoming pastoral training.
3) Camden Crane is back in Addis and she joined us for dinner at Yosi’s Sunday night. She’s working with 12-18 yr. old boys along with 4 other people, at least one of whom is a man. (Whew!) They are a loose, loose organization with a holistic approach, religious training being included.
4) CHE, now OCDA, also embraces a holistic approach, but with a highly organized structure. Nega Meaza has grown OCDA out of his great love for Ethiopian kids into a multi-phased charitable organization that employs 10 or more people. Joe Bridges of The Forsaken Children is in close association with Nega and OCDA.

New Children's ESV Study Bible

2010-12-02T05:50:00.001-08:00

ESV Seek and Find Bible from Crossway on Vimeo.

Lord's Supper Questions ~ When should we take the Lord's Supper?

2010-11-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

The Lord’s Supper is God’s continual sign of communion with Christ and the Church to declare the gospel until Christ’s return.

When should we take the Lord’s Supper? The Lord’s Supper should be taken regularly. Church history shows us that the Supper has been taken as frequently as every Sunday and as occasional as once a year. Though the closest indicator we have in the text to how often we should take the supper is, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26) Though this phrase does not give us dates it does seem to indicate that regularity is healthier. Especially since when we do it we are proclaiming the Lord’s death and we should always seek to do this more often not less. Therefore, when I use the word “continual” in our definition I mean that the Lord’s Supper should be a done frequently, regularly, consistently rather than scarcely. We must also continue to practice the Lord’s Supper until our Savior returns.

The Lord’s Supper is an appropriate response to the preaching of God’s Word in a worship service. The thought concerning time of the Lord’s Supper is in relation to the worship service itself. When is it best to do the Lord’s Supper in a worship service? Because of what the supper is (all that has been said previously) I believe it is best received as a response in faith to the exposition of Scripture. Therefore I suggest that the supper is best taken at the end of the service after the preaching of the Word. It provides a wonderful opportunity for the church to respond to the preached Word. It also is a more biblically faithful way to respond as opposed to the current unbiblical alter call that is so often used in many churches today.

Finally, the Lord’s Supper should be taken with a panorama of perspective. In other words, we take the Lord’s Supper seeing the past, present and future blessings we have in Christ. Therefore, when we approach the table we are reminded of the past by the broken bread and the cup of his blood poured out for many. We affirm our present standing with God by the act of eating and drinking. We also look forward to the future hope when Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:25)

Praying for Ethiopia ~ Week 6

2010-11-22T12:18:00.001-08:00

5/10/2010
Nega just brought me back to Yosi’s, and he is staying a few minutes before he has to go home. 3 p.m. and I didn’t realize how strong would be my affections for him and the kids and the work at CHE, now OCDA. I was thrilled to see Ashenafi, Esayas, Hannah, Metu and Ruth again, and the new boys and girls are just as adorable. OCDA really is a great work, blessed by God. The boys’ house looks awesome; Esayas is there! It’s great to see how much things have progressed there. Their scheduled school year is December through August, but now they have lunch at the drop-in center/girls house for the girls and all the placed students whose schools are close enough for them to walk there. Now is the time of year they are screening children for the drop-in center, and they only have room for 15 or so. Nega told me they had 20 one time and it was impossible to keep order. Nega, Hannah and an OCDA worker and I visited Hannah’s house (that she used to live in) & it was an eye-opener. The whole time there, Hannah’s mother begged Nega to take in her little sister, but there is no room. Their house is not 300 yds. away, up off the street at least, but consists of assorted tarps tied over sticks tied together. Can’t imagine how it is in a rain storm. I’m waiting now at Yosi’s until the guys get back from Debre Zeyit, which is planned for 4:30. Then some wind-down time & dinner on the way to the airport. Plane leaves at 11:40 (!) tonight, so I’ll be at the airport at about 8:30. See you soon, brothers and sisters.

Lord's Supper Questions ~ What does the Lord's Supper do?

2010-11-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

What does the Lord’s Supper do? Other ways to ask this question is, “If one never took the Lord’s Supper would it really matter?”; “Are there real benefits to the regular taking of the Lord’s Supper?” I would say yes. If there is real judgment for those who do not rightly take the supper (1 Corinthians 11:29) then we must conclude that there are real blessings for those who rightly take the Supper. Simply said, the Lord’s Supper declares the gospel. The gospel is declared in three particular ways as a body of believers takes the supper.

First, the Supper declares the gospel as a sign. We all need reminders in our life. Especially for those things that are most important. The Church eating of the bread as a sign of the body of Christ and the drinking of the cup as a sign of the blood of Christ are necessary reminders of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 11:24-26 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Second, the Supper declares the gospel as a seal of the new covenant. We also see from 1 Corinthians 11:25 that the cup is said to be “the new covenant in my blood”. This covenant is a promise and sure seal of the promises that the blood of Christ accomplished for us. The gospel accounts help us understand the work of this covenant of blood. Matthew writes “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (26:28). And Mark writes likewise, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” (14:24). The benefit of the blood is atonement, forgiveness of sins. We, therefore, can say that when we take the cup by faith the church is affirming the covenant that was established by Christ and sealed with His blood with all the blessings that it confirms. Notice the list of the blessings in Ephesians 1:3ff that we affirm when we take the cup and drink.

Finally, the Supper declares the gospel as needed food for spiritual nourishment. One can not miss the truth that this sacrament is food. It is bread and drink. Also, we see explicit Scriptural command to “Take, eat, this is my body” (Matthew 26:26) and “drink of it, all of you.” (Matthew 26:27). These are commands to consume the supper. We are not obedient to the Lord’s Supper by simply watching it take place. We are to eat and drink the elements. In fact one can only receive the Lord’s Table in a wrong way by eating or drinking not by simply watching. “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27). Therefore, we must see here that the worthy eating and drinking are necessary for the blessings. Much like physical food sustains and nourishes us, taking of the Supper is spiritual food that sustains and nourishes our soul. It is necessary for one who desires to have life in them, one who desires to be lifted up with Christ one day or one who desires to abide in Christ must feed upon Christ in this way. We see that Jesus speaks this way.

John 6:53-57 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.

Praying for Ethiopia ~ Week 5

2010-11-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

4/10/2010
Monday morning, praying for Sovereign Grace & reading some, though we will be leaving for Debre Zeyit just before 7, so the morning will be shorter than previous. God has the birds especially chirpy this morning, & I hope that’s a sign that there will be many active minds listening to the gospel of Christ’s redemptive work today. There were between 30 & 40 people at the Addis conference each day, but Debre Zeyit is a more unknown quantity. But our God is not an unknown quantity, at least not in the great, great love with which he has loved us. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, and this great, glorious gospel has been entrusted to us, so we must respond with faithfulness. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Just before 6 p.m., and day 1 of Debre Zeyit was great, with the word being proclaimed and 15-20 young men (and 2 women!) listening. Victor has been here 4 times now, and is getting comfortable going off script, which he did today. Isaac continued to preach redemption accomplished from Hebrews 9 & 10, and Victor gave a great message showing how God’s sovereignty will embolden evangelism. Great, solid gospel teaching by both of the men. I look forward to the day at CHE tomorrow with Nega and whoever else is there. It should be a good time.

Opera Company of Philadelphia "Hallelujah!" Random Act of Culture

2010-11-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

Lord's Supper Questions ~ Who Should Participate in the Lord's Supper?

2010-11-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

The Lord’s Supper is God’s continual sign of communion with Christ and the Church

to declare the gospel until Christ’s return.

Who should participate in the Lord’s Supper? Notice in our definition that this communion is between Christ and the Church, “The Lord’s Supper is God’s continual sign of communion with Christ and the Church….” One can easily detect the corporate nature of the Supper from every given text. However, it was not for everyone indiscriminately. In all references we see that the Supper was for a specific group of people, God’s people, the Church. In fact we see in the gospels that Jesus often feed crowds and yet when it came time for the Lord’s Supper He only had his disciples present. Consider as well the context of all three gospel accounts and the Corinthian account. All of these were written in context of caution. In the gospels we see that Jesus is cautioning the disciples of one who will betray Him. He warns, “woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born" (Mark 14:21). Paul confronts the Corinth church for the strife and division that is in their midst and then goes on to share a productive outcome for this discord, “for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” Then Paul continues to describe the right administration of the Lord’s Supper for those who are genuine among them. The overarching requirement, then, is that those partaking of the Lord’s Supper should be those who have been baptized in a local congregation and profess faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. In other words a person should be regenerate. We can see a second safeguard in 1 Corinthians text, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord” (11:27). Notice here, as well, the serious consequences of taking the supper in “an unworthy manner”. The very next verse tells us how to worthily take of the supper. “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (11:28). We see here that in order for one to take of the supper he/she must “examine himself”. Consider any continuous or habitual sin and repent. If one does not desire to repent of this sin then he is not suppose to take the supper. A note of warning is in order here. This does not mean that the person is without sin. In fact, if there is one who is without sin he does not need the table or what the elements provide. The table, therefore, is one who is seeking to repent of all known sin and place all of his/her life under the lordship of Christ by faith. The second requirement, then, is a repentant. The third consideration for the table is for one to be a responsible member of his/her congregation. A person refusing to commit to a body of believes should not come and participate in the Lord's Table. At SGBC we have a church covenant which clearly outlines how we seek to be responsible to and for each other. This is plainly seen in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 text where it speaks of how “we” bless and break the bread and cup and therefore “we” are in participation/fellowship with the blood and body of Christ and “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread”(v.17). This text assumes persons who are participating or in fellowship with a body of believers, a local congregation. This participation or fellowship is not just "hanging out" with a group of people. Nor is it speaking of the universal church at large in this text. Instead, this word for fellowship is the Greek word koinonia which speaks of a committed, intimate participation with others and it is always used in relation to a local body of believers. So the third safeguard for the table is that one should be responsible to a local congregation. The final guard for the table is one must be reconciled. In other words, a person approaching the table should not have any broken/unresolved relationships within our fellowship. Paul continues in the next chapter by stating that division among the fellowship can cause the body to be worse not better.

1 Corinthians 11:17-18 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you.

This truth of the need for unity in our fellowship is also seen in our Lord’s teaching from the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:23-24 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Summing up, the four safeguards for those who partake in the Lord’s Table are these: regenerate(a baptized believer), repentant, responsible and reconciled.

Praying for Ethiopia ~ Week 4

2010-11-08T05:28:00.000-08:00

2/10/2010
I am so excited for the work here, and so unsure of our part in it.

3/10/2010
The Lord’s day. I am looking forward to worship, but since the conference in Addis preceded the one in Debre Zeyit, we are worshiping at the Evangelical International Church, EIC (the large, English-speaking church which ministers mostly to missionaries), instead of at a smaller local church. Yesterday was hard, feeling so useless. We at Sovereign Grace need to understand the importance of our support in prayer of the momentous things happening here, and that is difficult for us, who are a bunch of hands-on types. We are used to doing ministry work ourselves, and we should continue to work with CHE, but the church planting, pastor training work being done by Psalm 2:12 needs our prayer support. This includes us being constant in praying and also informing them of our prayers for them. This prayer activity is hard, not least for me, but it is needful I’m certain. I don’t know when God will physically involve us in the church planting work - maybe next trip or maybe never - but we need to remain faithful in these things.
The conference ended real well, with our redemption in Christ being fully explained so that these leaders can faithfully expound it to others. The teaching was deep and intricate, including a thorough survey of Christ as our great high priest whose redemptive work is completely finished, and the subtle yet vital difference between positional and definitive sanctification, among others. Isaac and Victor are both pastors of churches in Lusaka, Zambia, and important leaders in their country’s evangelical movement. They both are great men of God who dearly love the church and the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They know it thoroughly, like Shane does, and are powerful in the Spirit. Anthony just started hymns playing so I’m going to enjoy them and ready myself for worship. My prayers are with you, Sovereign Grace.

What does a Healthy Marriage Look Like?

2010-11-02T11:09:00.001-07:00

Praying for Ethiopia ~ Week 3

2010-11-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

1/10/2010
The morning is clear and bright and the coffee is Ethiopian smooth. Breakfast is being made and Anthony and I are in the common room welcoming the day. Joy really does come in the morning and four sessions await today for the teachers: I can’t wait to hear it!

Well, the day is done and all are excited about a movement in the heart of the local Baptist leaders. First, though, let me correct what I said yesterday. It’s not a pastor’s conference, it’s a leadership conference, so the ladies attending are not a problem but a blessing. So praise God for hearts eager to learn from his word.
Today between sessions Victor and I were talking and he slipped up - he shared his heart for Ethiopia! He spoke in passionate terms about his longing to be involved in God’s work in Ethiopia. He may not end up being one of the men on the ground here, but he is determined to be instrumental in God’s work here. He joins Anthony as key point people for us in Ethiopia. Victor is a powerful pastor and leader in Zambia and the Holy Spirit’s authority is evident when he teaches, and even just speaking with him. He really is something else, and I am glad we are involving ourselves with him, and Anthony as well. And I haven’t even told you about the part of the day that excited Anthony and Victor and Isaac the most.

Anthony has been working here for 10 years now. He lived here full-time for 2 years and has not stopped working here, including working with the Ethiopian Addis Kidan Baptist Church (EAKBC) before. But they were always passive in the relationship. The first conference here in Addis, Thursday - Saturday, is being held at one of EAKBC’s churches; now, remember that EAKBC equates to the Southern Baptist Convention, a nation-wide denomination. Kifle Shibre the General Secretary of Addis Kidan is attending the conference and asked Anthony if he could have dinner with us tonight. Kifle actually asked Anthony if he & Victor and Isaac could supervise the theological direction of a leadership initiative they are beginning. They see their need for biblically grounded pastors and asked for help in training them! Wow. Right now their churches either have no pastors or their pastors are preaching prosperity gospel or charismatic influences (the Protestants here are called ‘Pentes’ because of the strong Charismatic Pentecostal Church influence), so praise God who does great things! The coming years here hold so much promise, but it’s not as if God wasn’t working here 20 yrs. ago. But God’s working, as we’ve seen in his dealings with Israel in the OT, always has ebbs and flows, times of famine and times of feasting; so whatever God is doing, blessed be the name of the Lord. I am certain after today that this work is what god has for us at Sovereign Grace in world missions. sdg

Lord's Supper Questions ~ How is Christ Present in the Lord's Supper?

2010-10-31T03:43:00.000-07:00

The Lord’s Supper is God’s continual sign of communion with Christ and the Church to declare the gospel until Christ’s return.

How is Christ Present in the Lord’s Supper?

The Lord’s Supper is a continual declaration of our fellowship/participation/communion with Christ. Notice 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 says, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” The two usages of the word “participation” in this text is the Greek word “koinoia”, which can also be translated “fellowship”. The answer to the two rhetorical questions asked in the text is, “yes”. When we bless the cup, we do participate in the blood of Christ. When we break the bread, we do participate in the body of Christ. In other words, when we take the Lord’s Supper we declare the fellowship we have with the Son. We confess our participation He has provided for us. We continually rest in the communion that we have through the eating of the bread and drinking of the cup.

When considering the presence of Christ in the Supper one must also reflect on what Jesus meant when he claims, “this is my body” and “this is my blood” from the gospels. We have four views of the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper handed down to us from Church history. First, Christ is physically present (also called transubstantiation). This view, most connected to the Roman Catholic church, states that the actual, physical body and blood of our Savior is present in the elements once blessed by the priest. Second, Christ is physically present “with” the elements (also called consubstantiation). This view is most often associated with the Lutheran church. This view states that the elements do not “become” the body and blood of Christ, as in the Catholic view. Instead, they simply are “in, on, above, beneath & with” the elements. Much like water is in a sponge so Christ is present in the elements. Both of the above views do not take into account the way Jesus continually used metaphor to describe a truth about himself. Jesus said on occasion that he is: “the vine”, “the door”, “the bread”, “the light of the world” in the gospel of John. All of these things are metaphors for truth about himself not literal statements of being. Third, some say that Christ is not present at all in the supper. The Lord's supper, they would suggest, is only a sign or symbol of what Christ has done and nothing more. This view does not seem to account for the value and careful administration that Scripture places on the Supper. It seems odd for the Supper to simply be a sign or symbol given the inclusiveness that Jesus placed on the Supper. If the Supper is just a symbol how then can Paul say that those who are taking it in an unworthy manner “eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (1 Corinthians 11:29) I suggest that there needs to be a balance struck between the mystical presence (Catholic & Lutheran) and the denial of any real significance (view 3). The dominate view in the Protestant church does this. It says that Christ is “spiritually” present in the Lord’s Supper. Christ, therefore, is really and spiritually present in a more specific way while taking the Supper. This presence is made a reality by faith therefore it is called a “spiritual” presence. Re-emphasizing this understanding of Christ’s spiritual presence during the Supper would be a healthy step in the right direction for the Supper to have its valuable place in the Church today.

Praying for Ethiopia ~ Week 2

2010-10-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

30/9/2010

At Yosi Teressa’s house this morning there is a half moon in the early dawn, and I have woken up earlier than I would if it were office furniture I was working on today. This always seems to happen to me on mission trips, like my body can’t take how excited my soul is, so it gets up at first sound. I noisily went outside and saw birds flying higher, I think, than they do in FL. Yosi’s house is a blessing, gracious and comfortable, with one servant and a 15-month old who was barely not yet born when I was here in June of 2009.

The conference starts at 9 a.m. today, and blessings abound. Anthony Mathenia and Zambian pastors Victor Kanyense and Isaac Makashinyi are teaching, but mostly Victor and Isaac. Isaac is teaching on Jesus & Victor on the Holy Spirit. I don’t have any more specifics than these, which is a little frustrating, but specifics are not their spec-i-al-i-ty, as Gromit’s Wallace might say. Every one else is beginning to wake, and God is good on this day in Addis Ababa. We anxiously await the conference and the Holy Spirit’s working! Anthony said there might be 25 or so people there based on what he was hearing. The first conference is in the city, the second, Monday and Tuesday next week, is 45 mins. outside, in Debre Zeyit.

The introductory and first (of ten) sessions are over, as well as lunch is over and we are waiting for everyone to come back. Lunch was an enjera feast w/two kinds of meat, many vegetables, home-made cottage cheese and rice; the afternoon will tell how my body takes it. The introductory session was a great overview of the gospel using Murray’s book, Redemption: Accomplished and Applied, as a guide. The first session was from Hebrews 9:1-10 and was clear and thorough, presenting Jesus as the new, better tabernacle as well as exemplifying its contents.

It’s 10 p.m. back at Yosi’s house and all are relaxing after a busy day; they taught 4 sessions over an hour long each, and then we got internet time and dinner at Jupiter hotel. Isaac finished his teaching on Hebrews 9:1-14 and Jesus’ sufficient redemption purchased for us. Then Victor, who is a mentor of Isaac and the man Anthony says is vital to the pastoral training ministry here, gave a powerful teaching session on God’s sovereignty in the application of redemption, primarily from John 6:35-45 where we find the universal call to salvation in vv 35, 37 & 40, and God’s choosing love in vv 37, 39, & 44. It was an impressive teaching on a difficult text, and it showed me why Anthony holds him in such high regard.
43 people were present at one point in the day, so that’s good. Anywhere from 6-8 of the people attending this pastors conference were women, so that’s bad. A great many of the people at the conference Anthony recognized from past teaching seminars and can be assumed growing in this biblical instruction, so that’s good. Anthony doesn’t think any of the people at the conference are actually preaching-every-Sunday pastors, so that’s bad. But in the end, Isaiah’s words are still true: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Lord's Supper Questions ~ How are we to take the Lord’s Supper?

2010-10-19T04:52:00.000-07:00

The Lord’s Supper is God’s continual sign of communion with Christ and the Church to declare the gospel until Christ’s return.

How are we to take the Lord’s Supper?
Simply put, we are to take it the way Christ instituted it. Why? The Lord’s Supper is “God’s sign”. Christ gave us two specific elements, bread and cup/fruit of the vine, to symbolize His body broken and His blood shed. The gospel writers make this point clearly by pointing out the use of bread and the cup/fruit of the vine in each account. In 1 Corinthians Paul is rebuking those who take the supper because they are not doing it in a way that reflects the Lord’s ownership (1 Corinthians 11:20). We, therefore, do not have the freedom to change these elements or to re-interpret them to mean something different. This is the “Lord’s Supper” and therefore the elements and their understanding must come from Christ as He explains them in Scripture. Also, one can observe a certain order of the service from the nearly exact flow in the accounts given in both Matthew and Mark. Each evangel says that Jesus took the bread, He blessed it, He broke it, He gave it to the disciples and they ate…. And then He took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to them and they drank. This order is not commanded in Scripture but it does provide a pattern that one can use in administering the Supper to the Church.

Praying for Ethiopia

2010-10-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

Phil N has recently returned from a mission trip to Ethiopia. While there he kept a journal so we could better pray for the work there. The next several weeks I'll be posting journal entries & pictures. Please use these entries as a reminder to pray for Ethiopia, the church there and their leadership.

Psalm 117

" Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!"

Journal Entry ~ 29/9/2010

Well, it’s about 4:30 in the afternoon Addis time, only I’m not in Addis Ababa, but 38,000 ft above the Sudan, north of Khartoum. We’ve only got 2 hrs left of what has been a 21 hr ordeal, and my head’s fuzzy and my heart’s scared. I’m not scared of coming here alone & making my way with people I hardly know; I’m scared that I have force-fed this Ethiopia idea to the congregation and now, at a time when we’re short on money, we’re throwing $1K at my 2nd exploratory/fact-finding trip here. I am happy to go, but can’t help worrying about our call here.

I’m in Ps 65 this week, which lists very many blessings from God in common things, and am reminded of flowers and birds and God’s irrational love for sinners who won’t take him at his word. We know God rests, but I’ve heard he never gets tired, which is a good thing, ‘cause if he did he’d surely get tired of my lack of faith. And so he brings me back around to the path of faith: we were looking for a direction to exercise foreign missions and he gave us clear direction. Knowing his heart for orphans, we found a good work faithfully ministering and joined them. Recognizing God’s work in us in family worship and how that could benefit Addis’ orphan problem, we have found someone dedicated to planting churches with faithful, biblical pastors and are seeking to partner with one or more of them, getting our hands dirty with the nitty gritty of developing faithful followers of Christ for the glory of God.
So as I speed on at over 500 mph, now south of Khartoum, I will trust that the God whose throne/chariot travels at the speed of thought will stay ahead of me, preparing the good works in which I will walk.

Church Growth Method: Before & After

2010-10-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

These ladies are such a blessing to our congregation. They all got together in April to get the below pic:
BEFORE ...

Last Sunday they all got together again to get another picture of how God has blessed our congregation in the last few months.
AFTER ...

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
(Psalm 127:3-5 ESV)

Ethiopia Mission Trip Fall 2010

2010-10-09T08:44:00.001-07:00

When should I talk to my Kids about sex?

2010-09-29T05:09:00.000-07:00

Preparing for Lord's Day...on Saturday

2010-09-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

In his book Expository Listening Ken Ramey helps us by giving a list of practices to “Plan Ahead, and Schedule Your Week Around the Ministry of the Word.” I want to encourage especially the fathers to begin praying & thinking through some practical ways you can prepare your family for Lord's day. The below suggestions may help as you think what will best work for yourself & your family.

“For the majority of people, even church members, church is not the priority of their week. Too often school, work, sports, and other activities take precedence over going to church. They make the mistake of letting their time be ordered by the world, which views the weekends as a time to relax, to play sports, to stay up late and sleep in. For Christians, however, Sunday should be the most important day of the week. You should try to schedule your work, activities, get-togethers, and vacations around church. You should live by the principle that Sunday morning starts Saturday night.”

He offers several practical suggestions on how to prioritize the Lord’s Day:

Make it a habit to be home on Saturday night.
Be careful not to do, watch, or read anything that will cause lingering distractions in your mind the next day.
Get things ready on Saturday night to alleviate the typical Sunday morning rush (lay out clothes, set the table, write the offering check, stock the diaper bag, etc).
Get a good night’s sleep so you can be sharp and energetic to worship and serve God. It’s hard to listen when you’re nodding off.
Eat a simple but adequate breakfast that will hold you until lunch. It’s difficult to hear over the grumbling of your stomach.
Work together with the other members of your family to get ready, and to establish and maintain a godly atmosphere on the way to church. Listen to music, sing, and pray together.
Arrive at church ten minutes early instead of ten minutes late so you have enough time to find a parking spot, drop the kids off in the nursery or their Sunday school classes, get a cup of coffee, visit with your friends, and find a seat.

“When you fail to plan ahead,” he warns, “Sunday morning ends up becoming a chaotic crisis, and by the time you get to church, you are frustrated and frazzled and your heart is in no condition to receive the Word. But when you plan well and are able to arrive in a relaxed, leisurely way, you will be in a much more receptive frame of mind.”

If this is a new idea don't try to do all of these at once. But begin rethinking how you & your family prepare for Lord's day.

Prepare for the Lord's Table & Membership Meeting on Lord's Day

2010-09-08T07:53:00.001-07:00

* The Lord's Supper is for those who are:
Regenerate ~ Publicly confessed faith in Christ through baptism.
Repentant ~ Not living in any habitual, treasured sin.
Responsible ~ Seeking to faithfully live out our covenant with one another.
Reconciled ~ Maintaining unity & fellowship by reconciling any broken relationships within Christ's body.

* SGBC Confession of Faith
XIV. Of Baptism And The Lord's Supper
We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect, in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation; and to the Lord's Supper, in which the members of the church by the sacred use of bread and fruit of the vine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.

* Baptist Catechism

Q. 107. What is the Lord's Supper?

A. The Lord's Supper is a holy ordinance, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ's appointment, His death is showed forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporeal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of His body and blood, with all His benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace. (1 Cor. 11:23-26; 10:16)

Q. 108. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper?

A. It is required of them that would worthily (that is, suitably) partake of the Lord's Supper, that they examine themselves, of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body; of their faith to feed upon Him; of their repentance, love, and new obedience: lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves. (1 Cor. 11:27-31; 1 Cor. 5:8; 2 Cor. 13:5)

Why should I attend Membership Meetings?

Biblical church membership is important because the church presents God’s witness to himself in the world. It displays his glory. In the church’s membership, then, non-Christians should see in the lives of God’s changed people that God is holy and gracious and that his gospel is powerful for saving and transforming sinners.

Watch Video about Membership

When I Am Afraid: A Step by Step Guide Away from Fear & Anxiety

2010-09-07T05:12:00.000-07:00

Doing this study with a friend. Looking forward to seeing God work in us through it. May the Lord hold the only fear in my heart.

"A Faithful Foundation" Theology Class

2010-09-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

"A Faithful Foundation" is a monthly systematic theology class taught the first Sunday night of each month at 5pm. This series is to teach and apply various topics of theology from a biblical perspective for the purpose of developing faithful followers of Christ by God’s grace and for His glory.

Ephesians 4:11-16 is our biblical bases & aim for this class.

Ephesians 4:11-16

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Our first class was "An Introduction to Systematic Theology".

Listen or Download Audio
Download Study Notes

Our Kids Keeping Faith

2010-09-01T13:29:00.001-07:00

I was listening to a panel discussion of various religious leaders in the world yesterday & they were talking about how they could better reach the world with the gospel. One the participants on the panel commented how 80% of our teenagers that grow up in evangelical churches drop out of church and never return once they go to college or get out on their own. The suggestion was then made that it is pretty silly to think that we are talking about world evangelizing when we can’t even keep our own children.

This same participant said that there has been a study done on these students who leave their faith and those who have remained. The amazing find was that the common factor for the students who remained. They found that almost with exception the students who remained within the church after high school were:

1) in homes where regular family worship (Bible reading & prayer) was present and
2) they were in churches where age integration (mixing the ages) was present.

The participate continued by saying that the last few decades have been very intentional about meeting the needs and providing “ministries” (like supper camps, ski retreats, special youth worship services) for students and the whole time the percentage of students retained has been getting larger.

May the Lord give us renewed hearts to love our children by being committed to the simply, clear callings the Lord has given us in our homes and in our congregations.

What is the great secret of loving Christ? ~ Ryle

2010-09-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

What, after all, is the great secret of loving Christ? It is an inward sense of having received from Him pardon and forgiveness of sins. Those love much who feel much forgiven. He who has come to Christ with his sins, and tasted the blessedness of free and full absolution, he is the man whose heart will be full of love towards his Savior. The more we realize that Christ has suffered for us, and paid our debt to God, and that we are washed and justified through His blood, the more we shall love Him for having loved us, and given Himself for us. Our knowledge of doctrines may be defective. Our ability to defend our views in argument may be small. But we cannot be prevented feeling. And our feeling will be like that of the Apostle Peter--"You, Lord, who know all things, You know my heart; and You know that I love You."

Darrin Patrick | Re:Lit Book | Church Planter Intro

2010-09-01T13:18:00.001-07:00

SBC Family Worship Resolution

2010-08-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

Wanted to post this so we can better pray & encourage one another in Family Worship.

The resolution adopted in Orlando’s Southern Baptist Convention (2010) includes 10 points explaining why we ought to adopt this resolution, and 7 points of commitment. Take time to read over these, and pray with me that our families would embrace family worship together. The way our children will understand God and the gospel, will depend upon the way mothers and fathers live their lives before them. May we be like Mary and Joseph, and not like Eli and his wife.

WHEREAS, The Bible teaches the spiritual discipline of family worship for the glory of God, the strengthening of the church, and the spiritual nourishment of the family (Deuteronomy 6:1-18; Psalm 78:1-8; Ephesians 4-6); and

WHEREAS, Scripture pictures the Christian home as a place in which parents are instructed to teach and disciple their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:1-18; Ephesians 6:1-4); and

WHEREAS, Family worship has been a cherished Southern Baptist principle reflected in church covenants which have called believers “to maintain family and secret devotions” and “to religiously educate” their children; and

WHEREAS, In recent years, family worship has been emphasized in The Baptist Faith and Message, which states that “Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth”; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have launched major initiatives which have brought to the forefront the need for families to pray, read from the Bible, memorize scripture, and give praise to the Lord within their homes; and

WHEREAS, In 2009, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention included family worship as a key catalyst for a Great Commission resurgence calling on Southern Baptists “to build gospel-saturated homes that see children as a gift from God and as our first and primary mission field”; and

WHEREAS, Family worship is integral to laying a foundation for multi-generational faithfulness to the gospel (Psalm 145:4) and a necessary complement for the strengthening of the local church to fulfill its commission (Matthew 28:18-20); and

WHEREAS, Family worship serves as an important preparation for the corporate worship of the local church on the Lord’s Day (Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 10:25); and

WHEREAS, In recent generations, the act of family worship has been neglected, evidenced by the breakdown of the family in our time; and

WHEREAS, The embracing of the spiritual discipline of family worship in the Christian home has the capacity to nurture stronger families, a stronger church, and a stronger nation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Orlando, Florida, June 15-16, 2010, encourage churches and families to rekindle the spiritual discipline of family worship; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we define family worship as the regular meeting together of a family for a time of prayer and Bible reading, which may include other activities such as scripture memorization, singing spiritual songs and hymns, and discussing biblical truth and Christian mission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage families to cultivate not only structured times of worship together, but also ongoing intentional and informal conversations about the things of the Lord; and be it further

RESOLVED, That as we call families and churches to embrace family worship, we urge fathers particularly to fulfill their divinely mandated responsibility to lead their families toward spiritual maturity (Ephesians 5:22-6:4; Colossians 3:19-21); and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage all parents to consider times of family worship to be an opportunity to introduce their children to the gospel, to train their children to seek the salvation of their friends and neighbors, and to pray for the nations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage churches and families to make use of the many resources produced to aid in family worship; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we urge the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention and their pastors to promote family worship and encourage the families of their congregations to place the highest priority on embracing this foundational spiritual discipline for the well-being of families, the spread of the gospel, the making of disciples, and the glory of God.

John Murray on the Love of God

2010-08-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

“Truly God is love. Love is not something that God may choose to be or choose not to be. He is love, and that necessarily, inherently, and eternally. As God is spirit, as he is light, so he is love.

Yet it belongs to the very essence of electing love to recognize that it is not inherently necessary to that love which God necessarily and eternally is that he should set such love as issues in redemption and adoption upon utterly undesirable and hell-deserving objects.

It was of the free and sovereign pleasure of his will, a good pleasure that emanated from the depths of his own goodness, that he chose a people to be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. The reason resides wholly in himself and proceeds from determinations that are peculiarly his as ‘I am that I am.’”

—John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1955), 10

City on a Hill ~ Church Plant in Boston

2010-08-11T12:13:00.001-07:00

COAH- the BIG move from City on a Hill on Vimeo.

Our Commitment to Manhood

2010-07-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

It was three years ago today when a handful of men gathered at Moore Electric to participate in the “Rite of Passage” ceremony for Scooter. The ceremony was a wonderful reminder of how important it is for us to live out the principles of biblical manhood and to encourage each other toward this end. I want to encourage all who attended that day to be reminded of the commitment they made to Scooter on that day and the commitment they made to live out the example of biblical manhood not only for Scooter but for the rest of our congregation.

Here is the charge to Scooter & to the other men on that day.

Manhood Charge

To Scooter:

Scooter, having heard the challenges, responsibility and honor of living to be a godly man in our world from both the Word of God and from these men sitting here with you, I ask you to seek God’s divine aid to live to fulfill this benevolent responsibility. Allow your life to reflect leadership, provision and protection for women in ways appropriate to your differing relationships with them. Understand that in so doing there will be great influence from our world to be lazy instead of learning how to rightly lead. You will be encouraged to play and entertain yourself instead of growing as a provider. You will find it easier, in your sinful nature, to think of women as objects to look at, lust after or control instead of protecting them with you life. Commit, therefore, to live for God’s glory and by God’s standards in your manhood so you will reflect the wonder of God’s created order and purpose for both men and women (Genesis 2). In so doing, you will demonstrate how both man and woman are image bearers of our Creator (Genesis1:27). When you sin in this, turn to the grace and mercy you will find at the cross of Christ to forgive you for the penalty of this sin and to empower you to become more and more like Christ as you walk each day in His likeness. Do you promise, leaning on God’s grace, to live this way?

I Do.

To the Men:

To all of you men, here today, we know how this task of manhood is not simply difficult but impossible apart from the grace of God. Many of you know of the wonderful blessings that come from faithfulness to the Bible’s description of manhood. The fruit is seen in your marriages, families, at work and when you interact with the ladies in our congregation. And all of us are aware of the incredible pain and hurt that comes from the curse of living contrary to God’s holy standard of manhood. You men are not here today to simply observe this ceremony. You are here today because you have been a part of Scooter’s being a boy. And I am asking you to commit to be a part of Scooter’s becoming a man. So I ask all of you men to walk with Scooter on this journey called manhood. Pray for him. Encourage him. Challenge him. Instruct him. Will you point Scooter to the cross of Christ and the power of the gospel by your living and by your words? It takes a man to make a man. Let’s pray he will grow in our strengths and learn from our weaknesses to be a man who will “turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). Will you, leaning upon God’s grace, commit to do this for Scooter?

We Do.

* Here are the definitions of what we mean when we speak of Biblical manhood & womanhood (www.cbmw.org).

What is biblical Manhood ~ AT THE HEART OF MATURE MASCULINITY IS A SENSE OF BENEVOLENT RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD, PROVIDE FOR ANDPROTECT WOMEN IN WAYS APPROPRIATE TO A MAN’S DIFFERING RELATIONSHIPS.

What is biblical Womanhood ~ AT THE HEART OF MATURE FEMININITY IS A FREEING DISPOSITION TO AFFIRM, RECEIVE AND NURTURE STRENGTH ANDLEADERSHIP FROM WORTHY MEN IN WAYS APPROPRIATE TO A WOMAN’S DIFFERING RELATIONSHIPS.

What is a Sacrament?

2010-07-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

Calvin explains with such clarity the nature and necessity of the sacraments (Lord's Supper & Baptism):

A sacrament "is an outward sign by which the Lord seals on our consciences the promises of his good will toward us in order to sustain the weakness of our faith; and we in turn attest our piety toward him in the presence of the Lord and of his angels and before men." (The Institutes of the Christian Religion ~ 4.14.1)

Family Worship Intro

2010-06-14T13:35:00.001-07:00

Working for the Weekend?

2010-06-04T10:58:00.001-07:00

Here is a lecture from Dr. Michael Horton asking the question, "Does Christianity say anything about what we do all week long, our workplace?"

Christ and the Workplace from Westminster Seminary California on Vimeo.

Family Worship & Busy Lifestyles

2010-05-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Family Worship

Tools:PrintE-mail

David Prince

“Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments”
Psalm 78:1-7

How many people do you know who have too much time on their hands? They are simply not busy enough and wish they could find more to do? How many families do you know that are burdened by too much free time?

We live in a busy world. Ours is a microwave, fast-food, sound-bite, instant world. USA Today is a popular newspaper primarily because it contains short sound-bite articles written on a basic level. Many do not possess the concentration level to read an entire book; television is much easier because one does not have think deeply or use one’s imagination. It is not uncommon to work over thirty minutes away from home and to spend much of life in traffic, irritated at all the other busy people rushing somewhere at two miles per hour in a traffic jam.

If this is the reality of the situation for most people, we must ask a question of utmost importance to Christians. In the midst of our busy lives, who is given the responsibility of rearing the next generation in the Christian faith? Who is given the responsibility of calling the next generation to hope in God?

First, let us begin by emphatically declaring it is parents (fathers in particular) and not the church who are given the primary responsibility for calling the next generation to hope in God. The church serves a supplementary role, reinforcing the biblical nurture that is occurring in the home. It is not the job of “professionals” at the church to rear the children of believers in the faith. Far too often, Sunday Schools, children’s ministries, and youth ministries have become substitutes for the home training of children. Christian parents have largely abdicated their God-given responsibility to insure that their children are instructed in the things of God.

Read the entire Article....

T4G Conf recap Video

2010-05-19T13:01:00.001-07:00

T4G2010 - O Great God from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Is it important to be a member of a local congregation? ~ Piper

2010-05-18T13:03:00.001-07:00

What is a Healthy Church Member? (Chapter 7)

2010-05-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

A Healthy Church Member Seeks Discipline.

When one uses the word "discipline", especially as it relates to the church, the idea often is of punishment or abusive use of leadership authority. However, discipline within the church is not simply important but necessary for a church to function faithfully and also necessary for a Christian live faithfully. In chapter 7 the author defines the two different kinds of discipline within the church: formative & corrective. Then he continues to lay out some helpful points for each of us can joyfully seek discipline.

Receive the Word of God with meekness.
Learn to recognize chastisement as evidence of God's love.
Humbly accept correction from others.
Take seriously our responsibility to discipline others.
Don't forget to rejoice!

The author then closes to explain that church discipline can not be done by only a few within a congregation. Each member must see this as their responsibility and privilege.

You can purchase this book (here).

What is a Healthy Church Member? (Chapter 6)

2010-05-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

A Healthy Church Member is a Committed Member.

In this chapter the author starts off by addressing the basic question of whether church membership is a biblical idea. He then turns his attention to a very practical question:

What does a Committed Church Member Look Like?

Attends Regularly
Seeks Peace
Edifies Others
Warns and admonishes others
Pursues Reconciliation
Bears with others
Prepares for the Ordinances
Supports the work of the Ministry

He then closes with a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God's Word and sacrament. Not all Christians receive this blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands stand alone. They know that visible fellowship is a blessing. They remember, as the Psalmist did, how they went "with the multitude...to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holy day (Psalm 42:4)....Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living in common Christian life with other Christians praise God's grace from the bottom of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees and declare: It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren.

You can purchase this book (here).

What is a Healthy Church Member? (Chapter 5)

2010-05-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

A Healthy Church member is a Biblical Evangelist.

Biblical evangelism requires at least one thing fundamentally from us: that we share the gospel clearly with those God places in our lives. Anyabwile, then lays out 6 things that are helpful for one to be a biblical evangelist:

Tell people with honesty that if they repent & believe they will be saved--but it will be costly.
Tell people with urgency that if they repent & believe they will be saved--but they must decide now.
Tell people with joy that if they repent & believe the good news they will be saved. However difficult it may be, it is all worth it!
Use the Bible.
Realize that the lives of the individual Christian and of the church as a whole are central part of evangelism. Both should give credibility to the gospel we proclaim.
Remember to pray.

He goes on to speak of the value for the local church in one's evangelism. The local church causes people to see the gospel "fleshed out" in the live of people. The local church helps cut the root of individualism in one's Christian life. The local church provides the community needed to grow and be discipled through the gospel.

You can purchase this book (here).

What is a Healthy Church Member? (Chapter 4)

2010-04-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

A Healthy Church Member is Genuinely Converted.
How does one truly know is he/she is converted? We see in this chapter that true conversion "requires genuine conviction of sin that leads to turning around (repentance) and relying only on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation (faith)" (p. 50). The New Hampshire Confession of Faith says it this way in article eight on repentance and faith ...

We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all sufficient Savior.

How then do we discern true conversion within our own souls?

Do we walk in the light or in darkness? (1 John 1:6-7)
Do we love God the Father? (1 John 2:22-23)
Do you love other Christians? (1 John 3:14-19)
Do we have the testimony of the Spirit that we are children of God? (1 John 3:24)
Are we persevering in the faith? (1 John 5:4-5)

You can purchase this book (here).

Praying the Psalms

2010-04-26T04:06:00.000-07:00

I posted this a few years ago but felt it would be an encouragement as a re-post. Enjoy.

I love the Psalms. The Psalms have sustained me through many difficult times. When I am empty and are finding it hard to pray I often turn to a Psalm & begin praying through. Seldom do I walk away as empty as I came. As many of you know, praying through a Psalm has become a regular habit for me. I would encourage you to adopt the same habit of meditating on a Psalm each week.

Monday ~ Read through the Psalm.
Tuesday ~ Read the Psalm out loud.
Wednesday ~ Write the Psalm out or type it.
Thursday ~ Write a prayer using the Psalm for yourself.
Friday ~ Write a prayer using the Psalm for a loved one.

The Psalms are not just an intellectual exercise. They will stir our emotions because they reflect our souls so clearly. Little if anything is a mirror to our souls on this earth like the Book of Psalms.

Growin' the Church the old Fashion Way!!!

2010-04-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Our congregation has 41 members & 5 of the ladies in our congregation are growin' the church the old fashion way. :) These ladies are such a blessing to our congregation. Each one models godly womanhood.

What is a Healthy Church Member? (Chapter 3)

2010-04-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

A Healthy Church member is gospel saturated. The greatest need for the world today is the good news of the gospel. However, the gospel for many in the church has become like the old furniture in your home. It's there but nobody every really pays any attention to it. So how does one become gospel saturated instead of gospel indifferent?

Chapter three proposes 6 ways one can become gospel saturated.

First, know the gospel.
Second, desire to hear the gospel and preach the gospel to yourself.
Third, take the gospel to its conclusion.
Forth, order your life around the gospel.
Fifth, share the gospel.
Finally, guard the gospel.

You can read the entire chapter (here).

Review ~ "What is a Healthy Church Member?" (Chapter 2)

2010-04-12T05:47:00.000-07:00

This week I want to outline chapter 2 of the book What is a Healthy Church Member?

Chapter 2 is entitled "A Healthy Church Member is a Biblical Theologian."

Anyabwile, the author, starts this chapter with this question, “How does biblical Theology Work to Promote Health in a Church Member?”

First, practicing biblical theology helps us grow in our reverence for God.
Second, practicing biblical theology helps us to overcome our wrong ideas.
Third, practicing biblical theology helps inoculate the church against doctrinal controversies.
Fourth, the practice of biblical theology is necessary to fulfilling the Great Commission.
Finally, and most compelling, doing biblical theology deepens our understanding of and facility with the gospel. Then he continues by asking a very important question, “how”? (click here to read Chapter 2)

Pray for me while at the T4G Conference

2010-04-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

I will be at the Together for the Gospel (T4G) conference this week. This is a highlight of my year. Below is a video to give you a taste of what the conference is like. Would you pray for me & the 7000 others there this week?

Together for the Gospel: T4G 2010 Conference from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Pray for safe travel.
Pray for good conversations on the road and in the hotel.
Pray for the ability to comprehend and apply a fire hose of good teaching.
Pray for the speakers, for their preparation, for their hearts, for their health, for passion and humility.
Pray that thousands of local churches would be strengthened through this gathering.
Pray against envy, comparison, competition, and pride.
Pray for discernment to buy some good books, not too few and not too many.
Pray for the families left back at home, mostly wives and children.
Pray for musicians, technicians, and volunteers who will serve us during the conference.
Pray for conversions. Some in attendance may not be believers. Certainly thousands in Louisville aren’t and could hear the gospel from one of us.

Scott Brown ~ Deacon of SGBC

2010-04-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

Facebook Page
SGBCjax Worship Blog

FAMILY

Married since 2006 to Sarah Brown.

EDUCATION

Bachelors in Accounting & Masters of Business Administration from University of North Florida

BACKGROUND

Where were you born & raised? Jacksonville, FL
Church & date of your Conversion? Ft. Caroline Baptist Church, 1997
What is your occupation? Accountant
How long at SGBC? been with SGBC since its start August of 2003

INTERESTS

Favorite Bible Book? Ecclesiastes & Philippians
Favorite Bible verses? 1 Timothy 4:16 "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers."
Favorite subject in school? Calculus
Play any sports in school? I played the typical sports in elementary and middle school (i.e. football, soccer, baseball). I didn't play anything in high school.
Favorite Vacation spot? Somewhere quiet in the mountains or other beautiful landscape.
Favorite book(s) read? Desiring God, Reforming Marriage
Favorite past time/hobby? Playing music

A Healthy Church Member is an Expository Listener

2010-04-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

It is not hard today to find a critic for the church. Most anyone you talk to can give you a dozen reasons or more of why they are not happy with church as they see it. Sadly some of the critique is true and needs to be addressed. However, how many talk about their responsibility they have to their congregation? In this excellent book Thabiti Anyabwile helps us understand what it means for us to be a healthy church member. What is a Healthy Church Member? is a great resource for anyone who wants to be faithful, thus healthy, as a church member of Sovereign Grace Baptist.

Click Here then scroll past the preface & the introduction and read what I think is the best chapter of the book, "A Healthy Church Member is an Expository Listener" and come next Lord's day to listen more faithfully to God's Word being preached.

The advantages of "Expository Preaching" are listed in this chapter:

It cultivates a hunger for God's Word.
It helps us focus on God's will and to follow him.
It protects the gospel and our lives from corruption.
It encourages faithful pastors.
It benefits the gathered congregation.

Next Thabiti gives 6 practical ideas on how to cultivate this habit.

Good Friday ~ "It is Finished"

2010-04-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

Red Mountain Music
Guitar Cords
Sheet Music

Pictures from Ethiopia

2010-03-22T05:45:00.001-07:00

More will be coming soon...

Relationships a Mess Worth Making

2010-03-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Be Still, My Soul: Embracing God's Purpose and Provision in Suffering

2010-03-08T05:33:00.000-08:00

Justin Taylor Interview: Nancy Guthrie from Crossway on Vimeo.

Since the beginning of humanity, the question of suffering-why it happens and how God works in it-has existed. What are you doing, God? Why is this happening? Where are you? These questions fill our thoughts when we experience deep pain and tragedy. Having lost two young children who suffered from a rare and incurable disease, editor Nancy Guthrie has put together this helpful collection of short readings exploring the question of suffering.

This anthology includes essays from both classic and contemporary theologians, Bible teachers, and missionaries such as John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John Piper, Corrie ten Boom, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Helen Roseveare. Each entry expounds on a Bible verse, leading readers to see and be comforted by God's perspective, purpose, and provision in suffering.

The Church and the Surprising Offense of the God's Love

2010-03-01T10:41:00.001-08:00

The doctrine of Church Membership & Discipline displays for us what the true love of God really is. Surprised by this? The Church shouldn't be.

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Table of Contexts
Introduction to the Book

Family Worship Guide

2010-02-25T05:35:00.000-08:00

* This family worship resource is the best I have found online.

About the Family Worship Guide

The Family Worship Guide has its origin in a quarterly booklet published by ReformedPraise.org’s David Ward for the families at Redeemer Bible Church in Minnetonka, Minnesota, where David serves as Director of Worship Ministries. David is no longer publishing that booklet and instead is resourcing the families in his church in exciting new ways. But, believing that such a resource would be beneficial to many seeking to engage their families in family worship, David granted us his blessing to pick up where he left off. And that’s how the Family Worship Guide was born.

It’s our hope that as you work through the Family Worship Guide and become more comfortable leading your family in worship that soon you won’t even need the guide. You’ll be able to put together meaningful and God-glorifying times of family worship on your own with His guidance. But, if you ever need a push in the right direction, we’ll be here. Feel free to recommend the family Worship Guide to others. The great truths of God have always been handed down from generation to generation and it’s our responsibility–it’s ourprivilege–to be faithful to that calling.

Seeds Family Worship Resource

2010-02-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a family worship resource that may be helpful for some of you. Take a look & let me know what you think.

Seeds Family Worship was planted when worship leader, Jason Houser, was asked to write some songs to help kids remember the verses from his church’s summer Bible school.

Jason began writing songs and singing them for the kids and families at church. The songs were well-crafted, catchy, and taken straight from scripture. Families liked them. . . a lot.

From just a handful of songs, Seeds Family Worship was planted – providing God’s Word set to music for thousands of families all over the world. We are gladdened by stories of worship times at home, scripture memorized, and object lessons taught using Seeds songs. The fifth Seeds Family Worship album – The Power of Encouragement – has just released. In total, Seeds has grown to 58 portions of scripture set to music!

The team at Seeds Family Worship continues to create great, scripture-based music. But, we also see God’s call to further equip churches and homes with ways to encourage families to worship together. We want to hear the needs, joys, and hopes for family worship in your church.

Tell us how Seeds can be a more effective resource for family worship. As we work together, we can better tend the plots entrusted to us.

While we plant and water, we know that God is the grower of seeds. We can’t wait to see what happens!

Noah's Dove & the Soul's Only Rest

2010-02-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

"As Noah's dove had no place to set her foot upon, Gen 3:11, till it was received into the ark where it came. And it is God's mercy to us, that when we have let go our hold of God, we should find nothing but trouble and unquietness in anything else, that so we might remember from where we are fallen, and return home again. That is a good trouble which frees us from the greatest trouble, and brings with it the most comfortable rest. It is but an unquiet quiet, and a restless rest which is away from God. It is a deep spiritual judgment for a man to find too much rest in the creature. The soul that has had a saving work upon it, will be always impatient until it recovers its former sweetness in God. After God's Spirit hath once touched the soul, it will never be quiet until it stands pointed back God-ward." ~ Richard Sibbes

Thank God for the Fleas!

2010-02-16T16:12:00.000-08:00

Ken Fraser shared this story of Corrie Ten Boom with us in our last Elders meeting so I went looking for it online and wanted to share it with you all. May God give us eyes to see that even through our most difficult struggles He is to be thanked and praised.

So Was There A Ray Of Hope In This Awful Place?

"The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5)

Corrie and Betsie had smuggled a Bible into the camp and traded it back and forth during the day. If the guards found one or caught anyone having meetings, they were to be executed. At first, the women held these meetings very timidly. But as the weeks wore on and no guards came into the bunkroom, they grew bolder. Corrie marveled at this.

Why was it that no guard came in?

Betsie excitedly told Corrie, "I found out for sure, Corrie. I overheard two guards. The guards will not step foot in the bunkroom because of the FLEAS! Thank God for the fleas!" she exclaimed. The women added that to their prayers daily.

Sin is a work of Darkness

2010-02-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

"But sin is a work of darkness, and therefore shuns not only the light of grace, but even the light of reason." ~ Richard Sibbes in his sermon The Soul's Conflict

May God grant grace....

2010-02-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

May God grant the grace for me to live for something more than what this world has to offer.

Hope Elizabeth Cowart

2010-02-08T15:44:00.000-08:00

This is the 6 year old Haitian girl who was recently adopted by a friend of the Fraser's. We prayed for her a couple weeks ago during worship. The family had been working to get the adoption finalized for many months. She was there during the earth quake & they were just recently able to bring her home to the U.S.

Want to learn more about how Christians are to think about adoption? Read this online book. "Our Adoption in Christ: What It Means for Us and for Orphans".

Ken Fraser ~ Elder of SGBC

2010-02-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

From September 2008

Ethiopia Mission Trip Postponed

2010-02-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

Ethiopia Mission Trip was postponed today. The reason is because there is a massive snow storm in Washington D.C. today & tomorrow which has pretty much shut everything down from going into or coming out of the D.C. area.

Does God control even things like snow storms?

Isaiah 55:8-11 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 'For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.'"

Job 37:5-7 "God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. For to the snow he says, 'Fall on the earth,' likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom he made may know it."

Psalm 147 :15-16 "He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?"