Blog https://www.lifepointbaptist.org This blog is operated by the pastors at Life Point Baptist Church in Apple Valley, California. It is intended to be a resource primarily for our congregation, but also for other Christians who are interested in the topics we discuss. Common themes in our posts are Bible application, discernment, and Christian worldview. Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:32:00 -0700 http://churchplantmedia.com/ Church Center App! https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/church-center-app https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/church-center-app#comments Thu, 09 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0800 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/church-center-app Hey Life Point family,
Last Sunday, we launched our new church app, Church Center! We are excited to use it as a tool to better helps us serve one another, stay informed about ministries of our church, as well as give to our church ministries.
Overview of the app:
  • Home: basic church info
  • Directory: access member info such as profile picture, phone number, email, home address, etc.
  • Give: online giving through the app
  • Groups: way for ministries to share event info, resources, and send messages in a small group setting. Look for more info on Groups in the near future.
  • Calendar: access our church calendar to find out about ministry and event details. You can sort by ministry; the browser version has a traditional 30-day calendar view.
    • To sync the full Life Point calendar with your calendar app/program (iCal, Outlook Google Calendar, etc.): links.lifepointbaptist.org/full-calendar 
    • To sync only special/unique events from the Life Point calendar (e.g. Life Point lunch, teen activity, etc.) with your calendar app/program (iCal, Outlook Google Calendar, etc.): links.lifepointbaptist.org/special-events 
    • Note: depending on your calendar app, you might be fine to just click the link and add it to your calendar; others might require you to open your calendar app and enter the link manually. Let us know if you have questions.
    • Profile button: in the top right corner, click on your profile image to access your account info. Here you can view/update your profile pic, household and personal directory info; view your personalized schedule (updated based on groups you’re in, ministries you’re serving in, etc.); and view your activity and giving. 
    Yesterday, we gave a brief overview of the app and explained how to access it at the end of the service. If you were not able to be at the morning service yesterday or if you want to go back and watch the presentation again, here is a YouTube link that will take you right to the presentation. Here is a PDF of the screenshots that Dustin used for his presentation.
    Below are four simple steps to download and use the app:

    1. Download the app or visit the website
    • Download the “Church Center” app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store
    • Then, search for “Life Point Baptist” within the app
    OR
    2. Enter your email or phone number to get a verification code
    • If the church does not have your phone or email on file, you will not be able to login. Please email us to update your information: info@lifepointbaptist.org
    3. Allow Notifications: that way you can remain updated on the events and ministry resources in the church. We promise not to spam you!

    4. Share your profile in the “Directory”
  • Note: The directory will ONLY be seen by people within our church. This is not a public directory.
  • Upload a profile picture of yourself and your family.
  • Share as much info as possible so that we can stay connected with each other.

Online Giving

  • Online giving is a simple, regular way for you to contribute to the mission and ministries of our church.
  • If you have been giving on our old SimpleChurch app, you will need to cancel any recurring donations (in the app or on a browser) and set up your giving on the new Church Center app.
  • To setup one-time or recurring giving, simply click Giving on the app and setup your account.
  • Note: if you would like to give to multiple designated accounts (e.g. General, Building, Benevolence, etc.) you need to setup your online payments through the website, not the app (only 1 account at a time in the app). You can do so here: lifepointbaptist.churchcenter.comand click Give.
  • To give the most amount of $ to our church as possible, please setup ACH payments to your bank vs. credit/debit cards. The ACH fees are a flat $.30 per transactions vs. credit debit cards which are $.30 + 2.15% per transaction. If someone gives $300/month or $3600/year, that is $77.40 more that goes to the church if it is ACH vs. credit/debit cards. Based on 2022 online giving, that total could be well over $2,000 saved from not paying processing fees!
  • If you have questions about the security of online payments, this is a helpful overview of the process.

Prizes!

  • For the next 4 Fridays, we will choose 1 name at random who shared their info on the Church Center directory to win a $20 Starbucks gift card!
  • For the next 2 weeks, it will be anyone who shares their info. For the final 2 weeks, the names will have to upload a profile picture too.
  • Enter before this Friday to have the most chances to win!
We hope that this new app will be a great tool to help you stay in close contact with the church and your brothers and sister here at Life Point. If you have any questions about the app please contact Dustin Van Wyk: dustinvanwyk@lifepointbaptist.org.
Pastor Tim
]]>
Hey Life Point family,
Last Sunday, we launched our new church app, Church Center! We are excited to use it as a tool to better helps us serve one another, stay informed about ministries of our church, as well as give to our church ministries.
Overview of the app:
  • Home: basic church info
  • Directory: access member info such as profile picture, phone number, email, home address, etc.
  • Give: online giving through the app
  • Groups: way for ministries to share event info, resources, and send messages in a small group setting. Look for more info on Groups in the near future.
  • Calendar: access our church calendar to find out about ministry and event details. You can sort by ministry; the browser version has a traditional 30-day calendar view.
    • To sync the full Life Point calendar with your calendar app/program (iCal, Outlook Google Calendar, etc.): links.lifepointbaptist.org/full-calendar 
    • To sync only special/unique events from the Life Point calendar (e.g. Life Point lunch, teen activity, etc.) with your calendar app/program (iCal, Outlook Google Calendar, etc.): links.lifepointbaptist.org/special-events 
    • Note: depending on your calendar app, you might be fine to just click the link and add it to your calendar; others might require you to open your calendar app and enter the link manually. Let us know if you have questions.
    • Profile button: in the top right corner, click on your profile image to access your account info. Here you can view/update your profile pic, household and personal directory info; view your personalized schedule (updated based on groups you’re in, ministries you’re serving in, etc.); and view your activity and giving. 
    Yesterday, we gave a brief overview of the app and explained how to access it at the end of the service. If you were not able to be at the morning service yesterday or if you want to go back and watch the presentation again, here is a YouTube link that will take you right to the presentation. Here is a PDF of the screenshots that Dustin used for his presentation.
    Below are four simple steps to download and use the app:

    1. Download the app or visit the website
    • Download the “Church Center” app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store
    • Then, search for “Life Point Baptist” within the app
    OR
    2. Enter your email or phone number to get a verification code
    • If the church does not have your phone or email on file, you will not be able to login. Please email us to update your information: info@lifepointbaptist.org
    3. Allow Notifications: that way you can remain updated on the events and ministry resources in the church. We promise not to spam you!

    4. Share your profile in the “Directory”
  • Note: The directory will ONLY be seen by people within our church. This is not a public directory.
  • Upload a profile picture of yourself and your family.
  • Share as much info as possible so that we can stay connected with each other.

Online Giving

  • Online giving is a simple, regular way for you to contribute to the mission and ministries of our church.
  • If you have been giving on our old SimpleChurch app, you will need to cancel any recurring donations (in the app or on a browser) and set up your giving on the new Church Center app.
  • To setup one-time or recurring giving, simply click Giving on the app and setup your account.
  • Note: if you would like to give to multiple designated accounts (e.g. General, Building, Benevolence, etc.) you need to setup your online payments through the website, not the app (only 1 account at a time in the app). You can do so here: lifepointbaptist.churchcenter.comand click Give.
  • To give the most amount of $ to our church as possible, please setup ACH payments to your bank vs. credit/debit cards. The ACH fees are a flat $.30 per transactions vs. credit debit cards which are $.30 + 2.15% per transaction. If someone gives $300/month or $3600/year, that is $77.40 more that goes to the church if it is ACH vs. credit/debit cards. Based on 2022 online giving, that total could be well over $2,000 saved from not paying processing fees!
  • If you have questions about the security of online payments, this is a helpful overview of the process.

Prizes!

  • For the next 4 Fridays, we will choose 1 name at random who shared their info on the Church Center directory to win a $20 Starbucks gift card!
  • For the next 2 weeks, it will be anyone who shares their info. For the final 2 weeks, the names will have to upload a profile picture too.
  • Enter before this Friday to have the most chances to win!
We hope that this new app will be a great tool to help you stay in close contact with the church and your brothers and sister here at Life Point. If you have any questions about the app please contact Dustin Van Wyk: dustinvanwyk@lifepointbaptist.org.
Pastor Tim
]]>
Disciplined by Faith: Part 2 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/disciplined-by-faith-part-2 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/disciplined-by-faith-part-2#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:00:00 -0700 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/disciplined-by-faith-part-2 In Part 1 of this post, I described two inadequate responses to spiritual dryness and practical crisis. First, many turn to worldly methods of addressing their problems or of drowning their sorrows. Second and more importantly for my purposes, many submit to the tyranny of the urgent. Their Christian life is defined by urgent concerns and finding answers to them (i.e., felt needs). I argued that neither approach yields the deep-seated maturity God desires and that best sustains us through the highs and lows of life.

Therefore, we should embrace a third approach where we are disciplined by faith. By this I mean that we discipline ourselves to cultivate spiritual maturity even when it doesn’t feel relevant because we believe in its long-term value. Paul reflects this focus when he prays for the churches in and around Colossae, “That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:2–3). He wants them to love each other and know Christ deeply. Everyone’s on board with loving each other, but many Christians have little patience for knowing Christ deeply because Christology and Soteriology seem irrelevant to parenting a rebellious teen or navigating a financial crisis. However, God says that knowing Christ is our fundamental need. Then vv. 6–7 add, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” God is clear—spiritual maturity and spiritual power come from walking “in Him (i.e., Christ).” Our greatest ambition must be to “walk in Him (i.e., Christ), and God says that we get there by becoming “firmly rooted,” “built up in Him,” and “established in your faith.” We must not be content with a shallow faith; instead, we must pursue maturity. And maturity is not defined by mastery of felt needs or practical Christian skill; it is defined by “a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself.”

How do we fulfill this ambition? Paul answers, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:1–3). Paul exhorts Christians to prioritize a rich knowledge of Christ and to dive deeply into the meat of the gospel as revealed in Scripture. We must “set our minds” on Christ, and discipline them to remain in the rich soil of the gospel. Christian maturity is the fruit of deep thought and meditation on Christ.

How do we apply this as a church? We understand Paul to mean that the most practical, relevant gift we can share on Sunday is a worship service that dwells deeply on the truths and promises of God’s character and the gospel. We want to equip people for practical challenges, but we believe that nothing is ultimately more practical than the gospel. The same philosophy should drive your personal Bible study and prayer patterns. Don’t merely search for a practical nugget to get you through the day; instead, pursue a firm foundation and a mature faith.

This pursuit must be anchored in a deep conviction about the truth of 2 Timothy 3:16–17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” God says that he has put everything you need for life and godliness in his Word. And here’s a point that you especially must remember. God knows better than you do what exactly you need for life and godliness. This is very important because if you subscribe to the felt needs model of discipleship, you will probably view vast swaths of Scripture as irrelevant to your spiritual growth. Afterall, Leviticus, the Prophets, Revelation, etc., are hard to understand, and they aren’t filled with practical nuggets. But if you believe that God designed his Word with a perfect understanding of what we need, you will treasure all of Scripture and yearn to comprehend it all. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Believe Jesus. Sanctification happens through Spirit-illuminated study of God’s entire Word.

I entitled this post “Disciplined by Faith” because this philosophy of discipleship and worship is anchored in faith. For example, my private devotional time is built on reading through the entire Bible, but my daily schedule doesn’t always seem relevant to my pressing concerns. My private prayer time is built on praying through the Psalms, and there are days that the psalm before me does not address my biggest cares. Finally, I don’t build my preaching calendar off the biggest stories from the nightly news but on expositing books of the Bible. I know there are weeks when I don’t scratch the biggest itch of many in attendance. So, why should you value disciplines that don’t always seem immediately relevant? The simple answer is that you trust the Lord, and you trust the means of grace he has provided. You believe that if you embrace the disciplines he commands in the strength of his grace, he will build the foundation of maturity that Paul describes in Ephesians 4 and Colossians 2. We believe he will do the same in our church. We believe that the long-term value of following the process God prescribes in his Word will yield better fruit than chasing people’s felt needs.

Believe in the long-term value of spiritual maturity and power. Believe that there is nothing you need more than to know God deeply and to appreciate every facet of the salvation he has provided in Christ. Believe in the value of all Scripture. Believe in God’s process even when it feels dry and irrelevant or when it is complex and inconvenient. Believe that God knows exactly what you need and that he is doing more than you can see.

Then discipline yourself to follow through. Prioritize consistent Bible reading and prayer. Don’t quit or bail when life is hard, or the text seems irrelevant. If you must confront a crisis, do so, but get back on schedule quickly and stick to it. Discipline yourself to participate heavily in the life of the church. Push through when you are tired, achy, or the kids are cranky. Discipline yourself to desire the things that God says you need most—to see God, to know Christ, and to be rooted in the gospel. If you leave feeling dry, discipline yourself to believe God is building you in ways that you cannot see. Then discipline yourself to do it again the next week.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones sums up the spirit of this post when he says, “Do what He (God) has told you to do. Live the Christian life. Pray, and meditate upon Him. Spend time with Him and ask Him to manifest Himself to you. And as long as you do that you can leave the rest to Him. He will give you strength…He knows us better than we know ourselves, and according to our need so will be our supply. Do that and you will be able to say with the apostle: ‘I am able (made strong) for all things through the One who is constantly infusing strength into me” (Spiritual Depression, p. 300).

Trust the process God provides in his Word and follow that process day by day. In the short-term, you may have hard days and your progress may seem slow. But God will slowly transform you, and you will be amazed at what he accomplishes.

]]>
In Part 1 of this post, I described two inadequate responses to spiritual dryness and practical crisis. First, many turn to worldly methods of addressing their problems or of drowning their sorrows. Second and more importantly for my purposes, many submit to the tyranny of the urgent. Their Christian life is defined by urgent concerns and finding answers to them (i.e., felt needs). I argued that neither approach yields the deep-seated maturity God desires and that best sustains us through the highs and lows of life.

Therefore, we should embrace a third approach where we are disciplined by faith. By this I mean that we discipline ourselves to cultivate spiritual maturity even when it doesn’t feel relevant because we believe in its long-term value. Paul reflects this focus when he prays for the churches in and around Colossae, “That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:2–3). He wants them to love each other and know Christ deeply. Everyone’s on board with loving each other, but many Christians have little patience for knowing Christ deeply because Christology and Soteriology seem irrelevant to parenting a rebellious teen or navigating a financial crisis. However, God says that knowing Christ is our fundamental need. Then vv. 6–7 add, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” God is clear—spiritual maturity and spiritual power come from walking “in Him (i.e., Christ).” Our greatest ambition must be to “walk in Him (i.e., Christ), and God says that we get there by becoming “firmly rooted,” “built up in Him,” and “established in your faith.” We must not be content with a shallow faith; instead, we must pursue maturity. And maturity is not defined by mastery of felt needs or practical Christian skill; it is defined by “a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself.”

How do we fulfill this ambition? Paul answers, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:1–3). Paul exhorts Christians to prioritize a rich knowledge of Christ and to dive deeply into the meat of the gospel as revealed in Scripture. We must “set our minds” on Christ, and discipline them to remain in the rich soil of the gospel. Christian maturity is the fruit of deep thought and meditation on Christ.

How do we apply this as a church? We understand Paul to mean that the most practical, relevant gift we can share on Sunday is a worship service that dwells deeply on the truths and promises of God’s character and the gospel. We want to equip people for practical challenges, but we believe that nothing is ultimately more practical than the gospel. The same philosophy should drive your personal Bible study and prayer patterns. Don’t merely search for a practical nugget to get you through the day; instead, pursue a firm foundation and a mature faith.

This pursuit must be anchored in a deep conviction about the truth of 2 Timothy 3:16–17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” God says that he has put everything you need for life and godliness in his Word. And here’s a point that you especially must remember. God knows better than you do what exactly you need for life and godliness. This is very important because if you subscribe to the felt needs model of discipleship, you will probably view vast swaths of Scripture as irrelevant to your spiritual growth. Afterall, Leviticus, the Prophets, Revelation, etc., are hard to understand, and they aren’t filled with practical nuggets. But if you believe that God designed his Word with a perfect understanding of what we need, you will treasure all of Scripture and yearn to comprehend it all. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Believe Jesus. Sanctification happens through Spirit-illuminated study of God’s entire Word.

I entitled this post “Disciplined by Faith” because this philosophy of discipleship and worship is anchored in faith. For example, my private devotional time is built on reading through the entire Bible, but my daily schedule doesn’t always seem relevant to my pressing concerns. My private prayer time is built on praying through the Psalms, and there are days that the psalm before me does not address my biggest cares. Finally, I don’t build my preaching calendar off the biggest stories from the nightly news but on expositing books of the Bible. I know there are weeks when I don’t scratch the biggest itch of many in attendance. So, why should you value disciplines that don’t always seem immediately relevant? The simple answer is that you trust the Lord, and you trust the means of grace he has provided. You believe that if you embrace the disciplines he commands in the strength of his grace, he will build the foundation of maturity that Paul describes in Ephesians 4 and Colossians 2. We believe he will do the same in our church. We believe that the long-term value of following the process God prescribes in his Word will yield better fruit than chasing people’s felt needs.

Believe in the long-term value of spiritual maturity and power. Believe that there is nothing you need more than to know God deeply and to appreciate every facet of the salvation he has provided in Christ. Believe in the value of all Scripture. Believe in God’s process even when it feels dry and irrelevant or when it is complex and inconvenient. Believe that God knows exactly what you need and that he is doing more than you can see.

Then discipline yourself to follow through. Prioritize consistent Bible reading and prayer. Don’t quit or bail when life is hard, or the text seems irrelevant. If you must confront a crisis, do so, but get back on schedule quickly and stick to it. Discipline yourself to participate heavily in the life of the church. Push through when you are tired, achy, or the kids are cranky. Discipline yourself to desire the things that God says you need most—to see God, to know Christ, and to be rooted in the gospel. If you leave feeling dry, discipline yourself to believe God is building you in ways that you cannot see. Then discipline yourself to do it again the next week.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones sums up the spirit of this post when he says, “Do what He (God) has told you to do. Live the Christian life. Pray, and meditate upon Him. Spend time with Him and ask Him to manifest Himself to you. And as long as you do that you can leave the rest to Him. He will give you strength…He knows us better than we know ourselves, and according to our need so will be our supply. Do that and you will be able to say with the apostle: ‘I am able (made strong) for all things through the One who is constantly infusing strength into me” (Spiritual Depression, p. 300).

Trust the process God provides in his Word and follow that process day by day. In the short-term, you may have hard days and your progress may seem slow. But God will slowly transform you, and you will be amazed at what he accomplishes.

]]>
Disciplined by Faith: Part 1 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/disciplined-by-faith-part-1 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/disciplined-by-faith-part-1#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0700 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/disciplined-by-faith-part-1 Most Christians know the feeling. You sit down to read the Bible and pray, wanting to enjoy a passionate experience of God, but,…crickets. You struggle to focus on the text, and what you grasp seems irrelevant to your pressing concerns. Your prayer time is dry, and your burdens don’t feel any lighter afterwards. You wonder, “What was the point? Did I just waste 30 minutes of my life?” You’ve probably walked away from a church service with the same feeling. You entered the service carrying a heavy burden expecting God to lift it. Or you came with a pressing practical concern about parenting, finances, conflict resolution, etc., and you were desperately looking for answers. However, neither the songs nor the sermon seemed relevant to the issues weighing on your mind. You didn’t love the songs, and the sermon was dry. Again, you wonder, “Did I just waste 75 minutes of my life? How did any of that help me address my problems?”

People often respond to these challenges in one of three ways. First, some people turn to alternative sources of relief. Instead of reading the Bible or going to church, they sleep in, go for a walk, take a bike ride, or watch T.V. These outlets often provide more immediate relief than reading an old book or getting the family out the door to church. They all may have their place; however, none of them bring divine power or anchor your heart in eternal realities. They relieve pressure, but they don’t build true spiritual stamina.

A second, more “spiritual” response is to build Bible study, prayer, and worship around our pressing concerns or what we sometimes call “felt needs.” Instead of reading through the Bible, you do topical studies or read devotional books about your pressing concerns. You dedicate your prayer times to whatever feels most pressing. Many churches plan their services around these “felt needs.” They begin by identifying people’s most common concerns, and they choose worship themes and sermon topics that speak directly to them. This strategy also generally bears immediate fruit. People get answers, they feel better, and they build a plan of attack. These are all good things. However, this approach to spiritual growth doesn’t build a deep understanding of and faith in the character of God or in the assurances of the gospel. Therefore, it generally leaves people with a shallow faith and ill-equipped for the next crisis or to minister well to others in their crisis. The Christian experience becomes defined by crisis, worship becomes about crisis management, and pastors become crisis managers.

In saying this, I want to be clear that crisis is a harsh and painful reality. The Christian life will include overwhelming burdens and pressing questions. We must know where to turn for help, and pastors and church members must be ready to love, encourage, and counsel each other through hardship. This ministry is crucial to the health of the church. However, building your personal spiritual disciplines and the church building its services around felt needs is shortsighted and unbiblical. I say this because God’s primary calling for pastors, the church, and, by extension your private devotional life, is not crisis management but building deep-seated spiritual maturity. Notice the vision of Ephesians 4:11–16.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”

This passage describes Christians who are constantly growing, stable in their convictions, and contributing to the health and maturity of others. Gifted leaders are at the center of this growth, but they don’t prop up the entire structure as if everyone and everything collapses without their constant input and energy. Instead, God commands pastors to cultivate widespread, stable maturity which equips members to withstand life’s storms and to support each other through them. Again, we must respond to crisis, but felt needs should not define the church’s ministry, and neither should they define your private devotional life. Instead, God calls us to keep long view toward deep-seated spiritual maturity.

I hope you desire the vision of Ephesians 4, and you believe that God knows how to get you there. My next post will explain a third way, the biblical way of pressing toward real biblical help with eternal value.

]]>
Most Christians know the feeling. You sit down to read the Bible and pray, wanting to enjoy a passionate experience of God, but,…crickets. You struggle to focus on the text, and what you grasp seems irrelevant to your pressing concerns. Your prayer time is dry, and your burdens don’t feel any lighter afterwards. You wonder, “What was the point? Did I just waste 30 minutes of my life?” You’ve probably walked away from a church service with the same feeling. You entered the service carrying a heavy burden expecting God to lift it. Or you came with a pressing practical concern about parenting, finances, conflict resolution, etc., and you were desperately looking for answers. However, neither the songs nor the sermon seemed relevant to the issues weighing on your mind. You didn’t love the songs, and the sermon was dry. Again, you wonder, “Did I just waste 75 minutes of my life? How did any of that help me address my problems?”

People often respond to these challenges in one of three ways. First, some people turn to alternative sources of relief. Instead of reading the Bible or going to church, they sleep in, go for a walk, take a bike ride, or watch T.V. These outlets often provide more immediate relief than reading an old book or getting the family out the door to church. They all may have their place; however, none of them bring divine power or anchor your heart in eternal realities. They relieve pressure, but they don’t build true spiritual stamina.

A second, more “spiritual” response is to build Bible study, prayer, and worship around our pressing concerns or what we sometimes call “felt needs.” Instead of reading through the Bible, you do topical studies or read devotional books about your pressing concerns. You dedicate your prayer times to whatever feels most pressing. Many churches plan their services around these “felt needs.” They begin by identifying people’s most common concerns, and they choose worship themes and sermon topics that speak directly to them. This strategy also generally bears immediate fruit. People get answers, they feel better, and they build a plan of attack. These are all good things. However, this approach to spiritual growth doesn’t build a deep understanding of and faith in the character of God or in the assurances of the gospel. Therefore, it generally leaves people with a shallow faith and ill-equipped for the next crisis or to minister well to others in their crisis. The Christian experience becomes defined by crisis, worship becomes about crisis management, and pastors become crisis managers.

In saying this, I want to be clear that crisis is a harsh and painful reality. The Christian life will include overwhelming burdens and pressing questions. We must know where to turn for help, and pastors and church members must be ready to love, encourage, and counsel each other through hardship. This ministry is crucial to the health of the church. However, building your personal spiritual disciplines and the church building its services around felt needs is shortsighted and unbiblical. I say this because God’s primary calling for pastors, the church, and, by extension your private devotional life, is not crisis management but building deep-seated spiritual maturity. Notice the vision of Ephesians 4:11–16.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”

This passage describes Christians who are constantly growing, stable in their convictions, and contributing to the health and maturity of others. Gifted leaders are at the center of this growth, but they don’t prop up the entire structure as if everyone and everything collapses without their constant input and energy. Instead, God commands pastors to cultivate widespread, stable maturity which equips members to withstand life’s storms and to support each other through them. Again, we must respond to crisis, but felt needs should not define the church’s ministry, and neither should they define your private devotional life. Instead, God calls us to keep long view toward deep-seated spiritual maturity.

I hope you desire the vision of Ephesians 4, and you believe that God knows how to get you there. My next post will explain a third way, the biblical way of pressing toward real biblical help with eternal value.

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Instincts for Spiritual Care https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/instincts-for-spiritual-care https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/instincts-for-spiritual-care#comments Thu, 31 Mar 2022 16:00:00 -0700 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/instincts-for-spiritual-care My sermon text a couple weeks ago was, “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thess 5:14). It’s a highly practical verse for local church ministry, and it teaches that appropriate spiritual care varies from situation to situation. Some people need direct, strong confrontation while others need gentle compassion. We must evaluate people, and we must tailor ministry to the need of the moment. Otherwise, we may do more harm than good.

The concept is easy to grasp, but actually applying it in real life situations is oftentimes incredibly difficult. Sometimes we jump to conclusions, or we don’t take the time to understand the unique complexities of each person and situation. We must learn to slow down, ask questions, listen, and deliberately evaluate. At other times, we don’t have much time to evaluate, or we lack the tools to accurately diagnosis the problem and to offer the best prescription. We try to comfort the unruly, and he wrongly interprets it as approval of sin. Or we admonish the fainthearted, and we crush his spirit. I’ve made these mistakes, and you probably have also. Thankfully, all of us can improve our ministry by building good instincts for spiritual care. By this I mean we can become increasingly adept at reading people and situations and at responding appropriately to them. 

Building your instincts must begin with focused Bible study because God knows the heart better than any of us. You will never develop strong instincts without a firm grasp of biblical anchors such as depravity, human deceitfulness, the prevalence of pride, or the power of lust. These realities must radically shape how you understand people. You can also grow your instincts by studying Proverbs and by absorbing it’s incredible insight into the human heart. You may not remember every detail, but studying Proverbs will shape your understanding of people and your instinctual responses to them. As well, many biblical stories serve as inspired case studies in human behavior. Yes, we must not to read more into these stories than the author intended. The Bible was not written to be a psychology manual. However, God knows the heart, and he cares about the heart; therefore, biblical stories are a treasure trove of wisdom about human patterns of thinking, affection, and behavior. If you read them through a grid of biblical theology, they will serve your instincts well.

You can also build your instincts by closely watching your own heart through a sound theological grid. Many Christians rarely take time to evaluate what is happening in their hearts and why they do what they do. They are missing a valuable opportunity because you can observe your heart more closely than you can anyone else’s. Pay attention to your affections and values and to how your mind thinks. Work to understand why you are tempted with certain sins, and why they deceive you. Monitor how outside influences affect you. Watch how God’s Spirit uses guilt to grow you and how Satan turns it against you. Give thought to how God’s character and promises, the gospel, and other biblical truths transform your heart. These observations are invaluable for developing your instincts. Yes, you must not assume that everyone is exactly like you, but understanding yourself will teach you a lot about the human heart.

Finally, you can build your instincts for spiritual care by getting to know people and paying attention to situations. One of the blessings of pastoral ministry is that I am constantly engaged in deep conversations about people’s spiritual life. I’m learning how other people think and why they do what they do. Along the way I am adding perspective and nuance to my instincts. You can do the same. Build strong relationships where you discuss heart matters. Learn to recognize windows into the heart manifested in passion, pain, disappointment, etc. Beyond that listen well to stories of spiritual triumph and failure whether in your church, in a book, or in the broader culture.  The opportunities are endless if you simply maintain a keen eye.

I could go on, but hopefully you get the point. People are complicated, and you will struggle to apply 1 Thessalonians 5:14 if you don’t understand them. Unfortunately, real life situations don’t always leave much time for careful, deliberate reflection about how to respond. In the heat of an emotional conversation, you need strong instincts that will enable you to quickly direct the conversation, discern the heart, and respond with appropriate care. How you respond in these moments can profoundly bless or damage a brother or sister. Therefore, let’s prepare to love one another well by building strong instincts for spiritual care. Then be proactive about using them. It’s not enough to recognize who is “unruly,” “fainthearted,” and “weak”; we must lovingly act on our instincts to give the care our brothers and sisters desperately need.

]]>
My sermon text a couple weeks ago was, “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thess 5:14). It’s a highly practical verse for local church ministry, and it teaches that appropriate spiritual care varies from situation to situation. Some people need direct, strong confrontation while others need gentle compassion. We must evaluate people, and we must tailor ministry to the need of the moment. Otherwise, we may do more harm than good.

The concept is easy to grasp, but actually applying it in real life situations is oftentimes incredibly difficult. Sometimes we jump to conclusions, or we don’t take the time to understand the unique complexities of each person and situation. We must learn to slow down, ask questions, listen, and deliberately evaluate. At other times, we don’t have much time to evaluate, or we lack the tools to accurately diagnosis the problem and to offer the best prescription. We try to comfort the unruly, and he wrongly interprets it as approval of sin. Or we admonish the fainthearted, and we crush his spirit. I’ve made these mistakes, and you probably have also. Thankfully, all of us can improve our ministry by building good instincts for spiritual care. By this I mean we can become increasingly adept at reading people and situations and at responding appropriately to them. 

Building your instincts must begin with focused Bible study because God knows the heart better than any of us. You will never develop strong instincts without a firm grasp of biblical anchors such as depravity, human deceitfulness, the prevalence of pride, or the power of lust. These realities must radically shape how you understand people. You can also grow your instincts by studying Proverbs and by absorbing it’s incredible insight into the human heart. You may not remember every detail, but studying Proverbs will shape your understanding of people and your instinctual responses to them. As well, many biblical stories serve as inspired case studies in human behavior. Yes, we must not to read more into these stories than the author intended. The Bible was not written to be a psychology manual. However, God knows the heart, and he cares about the heart; therefore, biblical stories are a treasure trove of wisdom about human patterns of thinking, affection, and behavior. If you read them through a grid of biblical theology, they will serve your instincts well.

You can also build your instincts by closely watching your own heart through a sound theological grid. Many Christians rarely take time to evaluate what is happening in their hearts and why they do what they do. They are missing a valuable opportunity because you can observe your heart more closely than you can anyone else’s. Pay attention to your affections and values and to how your mind thinks. Work to understand why you are tempted with certain sins, and why they deceive you. Monitor how outside influences affect you. Watch how God’s Spirit uses guilt to grow you and how Satan turns it against you. Give thought to how God’s character and promises, the gospel, and other biblical truths transform your heart. These observations are invaluable for developing your instincts. Yes, you must not assume that everyone is exactly like you, but understanding yourself will teach you a lot about the human heart.

Finally, you can build your instincts for spiritual care by getting to know people and paying attention to situations. One of the blessings of pastoral ministry is that I am constantly engaged in deep conversations about people’s spiritual life. I’m learning how other people think and why they do what they do. Along the way I am adding perspective and nuance to my instincts. You can do the same. Build strong relationships where you discuss heart matters. Learn to recognize windows into the heart manifested in passion, pain, disappointment, etc. Beyond that listen well to stories of spiritual triumph and failure whether in your church, in a book, or in the broader culture.  The opportunities are endless if you simply maintain a keen eye.

I could go on, but hopefully you get the point. People are complicated, and you will struggle to apply 1 Thessalonians 5:14 if you don’t understand them. Unfortunately, real life situations don’t always leave much time for careful, deliberate reflection about how to respond. In the heat of an emotional conversation, you need strong instincts that will enable you to quickly direct the conversation, discern the heart, and respond with appropriate care. How you respond in these moments can profoundly bless or damage a brother or sister. Therefore, let’s prepare to love one another well by building strong instincts for spiritual care. Then be proactive about using them. It’s not enough to recognize who is “unruly,” “fainthearted,” and “weak”; we must lovingly act on our instincts to give the care our brothers and sisters desperately need.

]]>
You're Not the Only One https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/-youre-not-a https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/-youre-not-a#comments Thu, 24 Feb 2022 13:00:00 -0800 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/-youre-not-a I am currently preaching through Ezra, and my text last Sunday was Ezra 4. It’s the most challenging section of Ezra to follow because the story begins in 536 B.C., jumps to ca. 480 B.C., then to ca. 450 B.C., and finally returns to 536 B.C. It’s such a unique chapter that liberal scholars dismiss it as evidence that the narrator was confused and did a poor job compiling the book. However, the narrator clearly marks each chronological jump, and if you pay attention to the timestamps, the chapter is fairly easy to follow.

But this post is not an argument for inerrancy. Rather, I want to consider an important human tendency that the author anticipated and answered in Ezra 4. Specifically, when we endure trials and temptations, we often despair because we believe things like, “I’m the only one who has ever faced this,” “This is the worst thing ever,” or “My trial will never end.” Satan wants to isolate us in our hardship and overwhelm our perspective. If he succeeds, we spiral into despair, apathy, and bitterness.

The author was concerned that Israel would have these responses to the opposition their ancestors faced. Therefore, he answers with a brilliant strategy. He steps back from the opposition in 536 B.C., and he compares it to other periods of opposition to demonstrate that evil always resists God’s work. Therefore, our pain is not unique, and we are not alone.

Hebrews 11–12 make a similar argument. The original audience was enduring great hardship for following Christ, and some were tempted to quit. Therefore, Hebrews 11 references godly saints of the past who faced great trials and temptations but who endured by faith. Hebrews 12:1 applies the illustrations by stating, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb 12:1). In other words, plenty of godly people have been where you are. You are not alone. And God’s grace sustained them; therefore, you can be certain that his grace will sustain you and carry you to the finish line.

Remember the example of Ezra 4 and Hebrews 11–12 the next time you face a difficult trial or temptation. Satan wants to isolate you, cause you to panic, and deceive you into believing there is no way forward. Step back and remember that many godly people have walked your path before you. It’s possible that you have walked this path yourself. Then remember that God has repeatedly sustained his people through similar hardships; therefore, you can be sure that he will sustain you through whatever is ahead.

In particular, remember that those who have gone before you may be nearer than you realize—sitting next to you in church. Yet sadly, Christians often feel isolated within the church. I’ve heard them say, “I feel like the only sinner here,” “Everyone around me is so perfect,” or “I’m the only one with problems.” These claims are never true, but Satan uses them to isolate Christians from the grace available in the community of God’s people. Do not be fooled, and do not let fear or pride keep you from running to your brothers and sisters. In your darkest moments move toward the church and cry out for help. Yes, making yourself vulnerable can be scary, and people will not always offer a perfect word of encouragement. They may even say something really stupid. But as a rule, you will find that you are not alone. Some are fighting the same battle, and you can lean on each other through it. Others have gone before you and can offer hope, wisdom, and perspective for the fight. Still others are eager to love you and pray for you even if their struggles are different.

Resist the narrow, isolated perspective of your trials and temptations that Satan wants you to believe. Many have gone before you, and others are right beside you. You are not alone.

]]>
I am currently preaching through Ezra, and my text last Sunday was Ezra 4. It’s the most challenging section of Ezra to follow because the story begins in 536 B.C., jumps to ca. 480 B.C., then to ca. 450 B.C., and finally returns to 536 B.C. It’s such a unique chapter that liberal scholars dismiss it as evidence that the narrator was confused and did a poor job compiling the book. However, the narrator clearly marks each chronological jump, and if you pay attention to the timestamps, the chapter is fairly easy to follow.

But this post is not an argument for inerrancy. Rather, I want to consider an important human tendency that the author anticipated and answered in Ezra 4. Specifically, when we endure trials and temptations, we often despair because we believe things like, “I’m the only one who has ever faced this,” “This is the worst thing ever,” or “My trial will never end.” Satan wants to isolate us in our hardship and overwhelm our perspective. If he succeeds, we spiral into despair, apathy, and bitterness.

The author was concerned that Israel would have these responses to the opposition their ancestors faced. Therefore, he answers with a brilliant strategy. He steps back from the opposition in 536 B.C., and he compares it to other periods of opposition to demonstrate that evil always resists God’s work. Therefore, our pain is not unique, and we are not alone.

Hebrews 11–12 make a similar argument. The original audience was enduring great hardship for following Christ, and some were tempted to quit. Therefore, Hebrews 11 references godly saints of the past who faced great trials and temptations but who endured by faith. Hebrews 12:1 applies the illustrations by stating, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb 12:1). In other words, plenty of godly people have been where you are. You are not alone. And God’s grace sustained them; therefore, you can be certain that his grace will sustain you and carry you to the finish line.

Remember the example of Ezra 4 and Hebrews 11–12 the next time you face a difficult trial or temptation. Satan wants to isolate you, cause you to panic, and deceive you into believing there is no way forward. Step back and remember that many godly people have walked your path before you. It’s possible that you have walked this path yourself. Then remember that God has repeatedly sustained his people through similar hardships; therefore, you can be sure that he will sustain you through whatever is ahead.

In particular, remember that those who have gone before you may be nearer than you realize—sitting next to you in church. Yet sadly, Christians often feel isolated within the church. I’ve heard them say, “I feel like the only sinner here,” “Everyone around me is so perfect,” or “I’m the only one with problems.” These claims are never true, but Satan uses them to isolate Christians from the grace available in the community of God’s people. Do not be fooled, and do not let fear or pride keep you from running to your brothers and sisters. In your darkest moments move toward the church and cry out for help. Yes, making yourself vulnerable can be scary, and people will not always offer a perfect word of encouragement. They may even say something really stupid. But as a rule, you will find that you are not alone. Some are fighting the same battle, and you can lean on each other through it. Others have gone before you and can offer hope, wisdom, and perspective for the fight. Still others are eager to love you and pray for you even if their struggles are different.

Resist the narrow, isolated perspective of your trials and temptations that Satan wants you to believe. Many have gone before you, and others are right beside you. You are not alone.

]]>
A New Pulpit Bible https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/a-new-pulpit-bible https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/a-new-pulpit-bible#comments Thu, 07 Oct 2021 19:00:00 -0700 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/a-new-pulpit-bible The first time I visited Life Point and met with the pulpit committee, someone asked me what Bible translation I would use if I were called to be Life Point’s senior pastor. I answered that at least initially I would continue to use the current pulpit version—the New King James. I assumed the church had chosen this version carefully, believing it was best for Life Point’s context; therefore, it would be presumptuous to make a change with no understanding of the church. However, I also clearly stated that at some point, I may want to make a change.

As a result, I have been preaching from the NKJV for the past 6 years. I have been mostly pleased with the translation. It’s faithful to the original languages, and it’s fairly readable. My only significant complaint is that the NKJV is based off the Textus Receptus (The same Greek text used for the KJV). The TR was based off a mere handful of ancient Greek manuscripts, and it has remained unchanged since 1678. Since that time, archaeologists and Bible scholars have discovered thousands of additional ancient manuscripts that have refined our understanding of the original New Testament text. These discoveries do not affect the overall message of the New Testament or any major doctrines, but they do occasionally affect the finer nuances of the text, and they slightly affect the meaning of some of them.

When you preach expositionally as we do, it’s hard to ignore these nuances, and I have become increasingly frustrated by the need to spend precious time on Sundays talking about textual variants. Therefore, last fall I taught a Sunday evening series, “How We Got Our Bible” in part to prepare us for a change. We walked through the incredible story of how God inspired the Scriptures and has faithfully and accurately preserved them during the Millennia since. We should have great confidence that our English Bibles are faithful to the original autographs and are truly God’s Word.

The final lesson was entitled, “Choosing a Translation.” We saw that the two greatest priorities for Bible translators are accuracy and readability. We also saw that it’s not always easy to balance these concerns while translating across a 2,000-year gap of language and culture. Since translations weight these concerns differently, they can all be placed on a spectrum with those that weigh precision more highly on one end and those that weigh readability on the other. Therefore, some translations are more literal, while others are more readable. Both issues are important; therefore, rather than bickering about which translation is the best translation, we should ask which translation best suits each context. For example, we shouldn’t expect a Ph.D. student who is doing detailed exegetical work to use the same translation as someone reading the Bible for the first time or a child learning to read. The Ph.D. student needs a more precise, literal translation; whereas, a new believer or a child will benefit from a more readable translation, what is called functional equivalency.

However, as the individual matures, he or she will increasingly benefit from a more literal translation. This is because the further a translation moves toward functional equivalence, the more the translators’ theological and exegetical assumptions will necessarily influence the translation. Therefore, we are always safer with a more literal translation that is closer to the actual words and phrases that God inspired (Matt 5:17–18).

What does this mean for a pulpit translation? Our method of expositional preaching means that we often work phrase by phrase through paragraphs of Scripture. We want to expose and develop the finer details of the text; therefore, a literal translation will best serve our context. As I studied our options, I quickly narrowed them to the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the English Standard Version (ESV). My preference has always been the NASB because it is the more literal translation of the two. It is at times a bit awkward because of its literalness, but I have used it for a long time, and I have benefitted from it greatly. However, I was willing to use the ESV if it would clearly better serve Life Point. Therefore, we conducted a survey earlier this year to gauge what translations our people use and what Bibles they bring to church. The results were inconclusive. There was no single version that dominated the feedback.

Therefore, Pastor Tim and I will transition to preaching and teaching from the NASB, because we believe it best serves our context. However, as we have done in the past, we will not require Scripture readers and other teachers to use the same translation. This is because, we are not claiming that the NASB is the best translation; rather, we simply believe it is the best translation for our context. Therefore, other teachers will be free to use the KJV, NKJV, ESV, CSB, or NIV depending on what they are most comfortable using and on what will best serve their context.

One potential challenge of not declaring a ministry-wide translation is Bible memorization. We will work toward standardizing a memorization version depending on the options available in our children’s curriculum. Beyond that we will not pressure people to buy a NASB or any other Bible. Use what works best for you. If you missed the series last fall, and you have questions about this subject, the handouts are available below. If you still have questions after reading the notes, I would love to chat about this important issue.

Lesson #1: Why Does It Matter How We Got Our Bible

Lesson #2: Canonicity

Lesson #3: Preservation

Lesson #4: History of English Bible Translations

Lesson #5: Choosing a Translation

 

 

]]>
The first time I visited Life Point and met with the pulpit committee, someone asked me what Bible translation I would use if I were called to be Life Point’s senior pastor. I answered that at least initially I would continue to use the current pulpit version—the New King James. I assumed the church had chosen this version carefully, believing it was best for Life Point’s context; therefore, it would be presumptuous to make a change with no understanding of the church. However, I also clearly stated that at some point, I may want to make a change.

As a result, I have been preaching from the NKJV for the past 6 years. I have been mostly pleased with the translation. It’s faithful to the original languages, and it’s fairly readable. My only significant complaint is that the NKJV is based off the Textus Receptus (The same Greek text used for the KJV). The TR was based off a mere handful of ancient Greek manuscripts, and it has remained unchanged since 1678. Since that time, archaeologists and Bible scholars have discovered thousands of additional ancient manuscripts that have refined our understanding of the original New Testament text. These discoveries do not affect the overall message of the New Testament or any major doctrines, but they do occasionally affect the finer nuances of the text, and they slightly affect the meaning of some of them.

When you preach expositionally as we do, it’s hard to ignore these nuances, and I have become increasingly frustrated by the need to spend precious time on Sundays talking about textual variants. Therefore, last fall I taught a Sunday evening series, “How We Got Our Bible” in part to prepare us for a change. We walked through the incredible story of how God inspired the Scriptures and has faithfully and accurately preserved them during the Millennia since. We should have great confidence that our English Bibles are faithful to the original autographs and are truly God’s Word.

The final lesson was entitled, “Choosing a Translation.” We saw that the two greatest priorities for Bible translators are accuracy and readability. We also saw that it’s not always easy to balance these concerns while translating across a 2,000-year gap of language and culture. Since translations weight these concerns differently, they can all be placed on a spectrum with those that weigh precision more highly on one end and those that weigh readability on the other. Therefore, some translations are more literal, while others are more readable. Both issues are important; therefore, rather than bickering about which translation is the best translation, we should ask which translation best suits each context. For example, we shouldn’t expect a Ph.D. student who is doing detailed exegetical work to use the same translation as someone reading the Bible for the first time or a child learning to read. The Ph.D. student needs a more precise, literal translation; whereas, a new believer or a child will benefit from a more readable translation, what is called functional equivalency.

However, as the individual matures, he or she will increasingly benefit from a more literal translation. This is because the further a translation moves toward functional equivalence, the more the translators’ theological and exegetical assumptions will necessarily influence the translation. Therefore, we are always safer with a more literal translation that is closer to the actual words and phrases that God inspired (Matt 5:17–18).

What does this mean for a pulpit translation? Our method of expositional preaching means that we often work phrase by phrase through paragraphs of Scripture. We want to expose and develop the finer details of the text; therefore, a literal translation will best serve our context. As I studied our options, I quickly narrowed them to the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the English Standard Version (ESV). My preference has always been the NASB because it is the more literal translation of the two. It is at times a bit awkward because of its literalness, but I have used it for a long time, and I have benefitted from it greatly. However, I was willing to use the ESV if it would clearly better serve Life Point. Therefore, we conducted a survey earlier this year to gauge what translations our people use and what Bibles they bring to church. The results were inconclusive. There was no single version that dominated the feedback.

Therefore, Pastor Tim and I will transition to preaching and teaching from the NASB, because we believe it best serves our context. However, as we have done in the past, we will not require Scripture readers and other teachers to use the same translation. This is because, we are not claiming that the NASB is the best translation; rather, we simply believe it is the best translation for our context. Therefore, other teachers will be free to use the KJV, NKJV, ESV, CSB, or NIV depending on what they are most comfortable using and on what will best serve their context.

One potential challenge of not declaring a ministry-wide translation is Bible memorization. We will work toward standardizing a memorization version depending on the options available in our children’s curriculum. Beyond that we will not pressure people to buy a NASB or any other Bible. Use what works best for you. If you missed the series last fall, and you have questions about this subject, the handouts are available below. If you still have questions after reading the notes, I would love to chat about this important issue.

Lesson #1: Why Does It Matter How We Got Our Bible

Lesson #2: Canonicity

Lesson #3: Preservation

Lesson #4: History of English Bible Translations

Lesson #5: Choosing a Translation

 

 

]]>
A Heritage from the Lord https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/how-should-christians-think- https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/how-should-christians-think-#comments Fri, 07 May 2021 14:00:00 -0700 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/how-should-christians-think- This week, I came across a fascinating article entitled, “The U.S. Birthrate Has Dropped Again. The Pandemic May Be Accelerating the Decline.” There are a variety of reasons why it’s significant that the birth rate continues to drop. Practically speaking, it will have drastic economic and sociological effects in years to come. But as a pastor, I am especially interested in what this article says about the changing values of our society and about how Christians should respond to these changes. Since Mother’s Day is this weekend, it’s an especially appropriate time to consider these issues.

I must say up front that my intent is not to make sweeping judgments about the makeup of individual families. There may be a variety of reasons why families choose when to have kids and how many to have. As well, medical factors, etc., often make our choices for us, regardless of our desires. Therefore, be cautious about making unfounded assumptions regarding why a particular family is large or small.

That being said, this article discusses several shifts in how Americans think and what they value that merit biblical critique. For example, many families delay having children or choose not to have them at all for economic reasons. Others prioritize career ambitions over having a family. I found it particularly interesting that many people in their 20s don’t feel mature enough to raise children. It all points back to the basic conclusion that having children is not a central priority for many people. At best, they may get around to having a family if everything else falls into place.

There are a variety of practical reasons why this shift is shortsighted and will have negative consequences both for individuals and society as a whole, but the biggest problem is that it disregards God’s design for human flourishing and the priorities that he established in Scripture. Consider the fact that the 1st commandment God gave Adam and Eve was, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28). God doesn’t view childbearing as a nice option if it doesn’t interfere with my other goals; rather, family should be a central ambition of life. As well, Scripture doesn’t view family as a drag on my joy or as a necessary evil. Psalm 127:3–5 state, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” When we embrace God’s design, family brings great joy. Not only that, it is one God's means of spiritual protection. 1 Timothy 5:14–15 states, “Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some have already turned aside after Satan." Paul’s point is that when a young lady (and all of us for that matter) abandons godly pursuits, she is more vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. We don’t have to look far to see that this is so. Family is a powerful, stabilizing force that encourages maturity, responsibility, and discipline, all of which are vital to spiritual growth and the contentment that it brings.

The Bible is clear that the cultural changes articulated in this article are moves away from biblical priorities. Christians must not be swept up in the shifting tides of our culture; instead, they must trust that God’s design is best. Here are a couple practical ways that Christian young people in particular should resist the culture’s pull. First, when you are choosing a career path, don’t follow the culture’s lead by simply going after what you think will make you happy. Pursue a future that will be conducive to a healthy family life. Second, resist the world’s counsel to delay childbearing until you you’ve had all your fun, feel like a grown up, and have your finances perfectly in order. Yes, it may be wise to establish your marriage and home before having children, but trust the Lord to equip you for the task and to meet your needs. As well, seek your joy in God’s design, not in the passing pleasures of this world. Yes, children are expensive and exhausting, but in the long run, the joy they bring far outweighs the cost.

As we observe Mother’s Day this weekend, let’s give thanks for mothers who made us a central ambition of their lives. We are better for it. Then, let’s commit to making family a central ambition in the days that God gives us.

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This week, I came across a fascinating article entitled, “The U.S. Birthrate Has Dropped Again. The Pandemic May Be Accelerating the Decline.” There are a variety of reasons why it’s significant that the birth rate continues to drop. Practically speaking, it will have drastic economic and sociological effects in years to come. But as a pastor, I am especially interested in what this article says about the changing values of our society and about how Christians should respond to these changes. Since Mother’s Day is this weekend, it’s an especially appropriate time to consider these issues.

I must say up front that my intent is not to make sweeping judgments about the makeup of individual families. There may be a variety of reasons why families choose when to have kids and how many to have. As well, medical factors, etc., often make our choices for us, regardless of our desires. Therefore, be cautious about making unfounded assumptions regarding why a particular family is large or small.

That being said, this article discusses several shifts in how Americans think and what they value that merit biblical critique. For example, many families delay having children or choose not to have them at all for economic reasons. Others prioritize career ambitions over having a family. I found it particularly interesting that many people in their 20s don’t feel mature enough to raise children. It all points back to the basic conclusion that having children is not a central priority for many people. At best, they may get around to having a family if everything else falls into place.

There are a variety of practical reasons why this shift is shortsighted and will have negative consequences both for individuals and society as a whole, but the biggest problem is that it disregards God’s design for human flourishing and the priorities that he established in Scripture. Consider the fact that the 1st commandment God gave Adam and Eve was, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28). God doesn’t view childbearing as a nice option if it doesn’t interfere with my other goals; rather, family should be a central ambition of life. As well, Scripture doesn’t view family as a drag on my joy or as a necessary evil. Psalm 127:3–5 state, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” When we embrace God’s design, family brings great joy. Not only that, it is one God's means of spiritual protection. 1 Timothy 5:14–15 states, “Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some have already turned aside after Satan." Paul’s point is that when a young lady (and all of us for that matter) abandons godly pursuits, she is more vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. We don’t have to look far to see that this is so. Family is a powerful, stabilizing force that encourages maturity, responsibility, and discipline, all of which are vital to spiritual growth and the contentment that it brings.

The Bible is clear that the cultural changes articulated in this article are moves away from biblical priorities. Christians must not be swept up in the shifting tides of our culture; instead, they must trust that God’s design is best. Here are a couple practical ways that Christian young people in particular should resist the culture’s pull. First, when you are choosing a career path, don’t follow the culture’s lead by simply going after what you think will make you happy. Pursue a future that will be conducive to a healthy family life. Second, resist the world’s counsel to delay childbearing until you you’ve had all your fun, feel like a grown up, and have your finances perfectly in order. Yes, it may be wise to establish your marriage and home before having children, but trust the Lord to equip you for the task and to meet your needs. As well, seek your joy in God’s design, not in the passing pleasures of this world. Yes, children are expensive and exhausting, but in the long run, the joy they bring far outweighs the cost.

As we observe Mother’s Day this weekend, let’s give thanks for mothers who made us a central ambition of their lives. We are better for it. Then, let’s commit to making family a central ambition in the days that God gives us.

]]>
Lovers of Truth in an Age of Nonsense https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/lovers-of-truth-in-an-age-of-nonsense https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/lovers-of-truth-in-an-age-of-nonsense#comments Fri, 22 Jan 2021 10:00:00 -0800 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/lovers-of-truth-in-an-age-of-nonsense I am increasingly concerned that Christians are following the culture’s lead as it spirals toward emotionalism and nonsense. Tabloids and gossip columns have long influenced the fringes of culture, but nonsense has become mainstream on both the Right and the Left. Americans feast on conspiracy theories and hyper-sensationalized blogs, YouTube channels, etc. Oftentimes, traditional news sources aren’t far behind. We are addicted to the sensational, and we are more interested in what we want to hear than we are in the truth. Sadly, Christians are often swept into the nonsense. They are not marked by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23), they are distracted from biblical priorities, they cause division within Christ’s church, and Christ’s name is blasphemed. Therefore, we must remember that Christianity is a religion of truth, and we need to think about how to be lovers of truth in an age of nonsense.

Our world increasingly believes that everyone can have their own truth and that the highest virtue is to cling to whatever “truth” arises from your heart. In contrast, Christianity is founded on absolute truth, and this truth resides outside of me. I’m not free to create my own reality. Specifically, truth begins with the character and revelation of God (Prov 1:7). Therefore, the fundamental goal of Scripture is not to express the authors’ feelings or dreams but what is true, what actually happened, and what this means for how I think and live today and for eternity (Luke 1:1–3; John 17:17). As a result, Christianity is not fundamentally a religion of feelings or self-expression; it is a religion of truth. Liberals claim to have a corner on science, but no one should be more committed to truth, logic, and rational thinking than Christians.

The Bible teaches that loving the truth is essential to godliness. “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly” (Prov 13:16). Godly people do not make rash, impulsive judgments or decisions; they “act with knowledge.” “The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps” (Prov 14:15). Christians should be marked by thoughtfulness and intentionality, not by the reactionary impulses of our day.

This includes how we consume media and participate in conversation whether private or public. Christians should despise lies, gossip, and unfounded speculation. “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness” (Prov 15:14). Do you “feed on foolishness,” or do you “seek knowledge”? Or how about the emphasis of this proverb, “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Prov 18:13). Our society is quick to make assumptions and spout opinions, but God says, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). Christians must passionately pursue the truth and speak the truth. We should be slow to speculate or share unfounded opinions, because gossip and slander are serious sins that are contrary to truth and love. No matter how undignified our culture may become, we must remain a people of truth. How can we do this?

#1 Keep your mind anchored to God’s nature and the gospel.

Much of the nonsense in our culture feeds on pride. We want to know something that no one else knows. We want to believe, “I am smarter than the simpletons around me.” This is one reason why conspiracy theories are so popular. The desire for higher knowledge is nothing new. Paul confronted it in Colossians and urged his readers to, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” What’s the solution? Don’t worry about being smarter than everyone else; rather stay anchored to the basics, “For in Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Col 2:9–10).

Fear also feeds a lot of nonsense. People speculate about horrible events that may happen, and they scare people. We stew and fret, and then we speculate and gossip. However, Christians are not people of fear but of confidence, because we know God is in control and his purposes are always good. If you walk in the fear of the Lord with a clear vision of eternity, you won’t obsess over the future but leave it with Jesus (Matt 6:25–34). 

#2 Replace fear-mongering with biblical love and realism.

I must preface this by saying that Scripture teaches the doctrine of depravity; therefore, it commends a certain level of skepticism about the tendency of sinners to lie and deceive. However, I’m concerned that many Christians have blasted past rightful skepticism into nonsensical fear-mongering. They assume the worst of others, and they see conspiracies and evil under every bush. While it’s true that sinners are depraved and selfish, the Bible also teaches that God’s common grace and conscience are active among all people. Therefore, biblical love does not assume the worst; it assumes the best, unless there are objective reasons for thinking otherwise (1 Cor 13:7; Gal 5:13–15). As well, if we are committed to truth and rationality, we will lean toward the simplest explanation (Occam’s Razor) of people’s actions, not the most complex one.

For example, to assume there is a widespread conspiracy within our health care system to destroy people’s health is not rational or consistent with common grace. As well, you may have legitimate disagreements with your political opponents, but be cautious about assuming the worst, most complicated intentions for every decision they make. Therefore, as an example, you may have valid concerns about a mask mandate, but you shouldn’t immediately assume evil intentions drive the policy. Rather, we should at least begin with the simplest and most loving conclusion—health officials and government leaders are trying to preserve life.

#3 Eliminate influences that feast on speculation and gossip.

Speculation, gossip, etc., appeal to our pride, curiosity, fears, and prior assumptions, but they should turn our stomachs. God commands us to think on truth and all that is virtuous and to eliminate everything to the contrary (Phil 4:8). You may think gossip and speculation about conspiracies, etc., are innocent forms of entertainment, but God says they are contrary to love, “(Love) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (1 Cor 13:6). They also distract from godliness and divide God’s people. Paul warns, “Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith” (1 Tim 1:4). “Reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness” (1 Tim 4:7). The applications are obvious. You need to eliminate all media, social media interactions, supposed Bible preachers and teaches, etc., from your life that feast on speculation and gossip. Instead, think on truth and pursue edification. Be a lover of truth.

#4 Exercise discernment.

Discernment begins with comparing everything with Scripture. It’s worth emphasizing that this extends beyond simply evaluating factual claims; it also includes evaluating the values and affections that undergird what is said. Ask yourself, “Does this encourage or discourage the fruit of the Spirit?” From there, be serious about the truth. When you read the news or do research, demand things like strong credentials, good sourcing, quality editing, and thorough peer reviews. These things have long been required of trustworthy academic research and sound journalism, because they hold truth claims and opinions accountable. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that much of academia and the media are openly opposed to biblical Christianity and morals. Again, we need to read with discernment, but it’s also foolish to dismiss traditional sources, while hanging on every word by some blogger who has no accountability.

Discernment also requires that I guard against confirmation bias. In other words, we are all sympathetic toward those who tell us what we want to hear or believe or that feed our prior fears. We like sitting in an echo chamber; however, confirmation bias kills discernment. Resist it by listening to opposing viewpoints, at least where Scripture is not explicit.

#5 Speak cautiously.     

It bothers me how often our conversations, social media posts, etc., tilt toward unhelpful speculation instead of truth. We’re more interested in expressing how we feel or what we want to believe than in the truth. Don’t be that person. Speak truthfully, and be cautious about speculation and hearsay. Draw clear lines in your own mind between truth and opinion, and be clear when you are sharing opinions.

In conclusion, no one should be more committed to truth and charity than Christians. Let’s commit to pursuing and speaking the truth, and let’s demonstrate love in how we listen and in how we speak. And let’s do all things for the glory of God and the edification of his people.

]]>
I am increasingly concerned that Christians are following the culture’s lead as it spirals toward emotionalism and nonsense. Tabloids and gossip columns have long influenced the fringes of culture, but nonsense has become mainstream on both the Right and the Left. Americans feast on conspiracy theories and hyper-sensationalized blogs, YouTube channels, etc. Oftentimes, traditional news sources aren’t far behind. We are addicted to the sensational, and we are more interested in what we want to hear than we are in the truth. Sadly, Christians are often swept into the nonsense. They are not marked by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23), they are distracted from biblical priorities, they cause division within Christ’s church, and Christ’s name is blasphemed. Therefore, we must remember that Christianity is a religion of truth, and we need to think about how to be lovers of truth in an age of nonsense.

Our world increasingly believes that everyone can have their own truth and that the highest virtue is to cling to whatever “truth” arises from your heart. In contrast, Christianity is founded on absolute truth, and this truth resides outside of me. I’m not free to create my own reality. Specifically, truth begins with the character and revelation of God (Prov 1:7). Therefore, the fundamental goal of Scripture is not to express the authors’ feelings or dreams but what is true, what actually happened, and what this means for how I think and live today and for eternity (Luke 1:1–3; John 17:17). As a result, Christianity is not fundamentally a religion of feelings or self-expression; it is a religion of truth. Liberals claim to have a corner on science, but no one should be more committed to truth, logic, and rational thinking than Christians.

The Bible teaches that loving the truth is essential to godliness. “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly” (Prov 13:16). Godly people do not make rash, impulsive judgments or decisions; they “act with knowledge.” “The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps” (Prov 14:15). Christians should be marked by thoughtfulness and intentionality, not by the reactionary impulses of our day.

This includes how we consume media and participate in conversation whether private or public. Christians should despise lies, gossip, and unfounded speculation. “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness” (Prov 15:14). Do you “feed on foolishness,” or do you “seek knowledge”? Or how about the emphasis of this proverb, “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Prov 18:13). Our society is quick to make assumptions and spout opinions, but God says, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). Christians must passionately pursue the truth and speak the truth. We should be slow to speculate or share unfounded opinions, because gossip and slander are serious sins that are contrary to truth and love. No matter how undignified our culture may become, we must remain a people of truth. How can we do this?

#1 Keep your mind anchored to God’s nature and the gospel.

Much of the nonsense in our culture feeds on pride. We want to know something that no one else knows. We want to believe, “I am smarter than the simpletons around me.” This is one reason why conspiracy theories are so popular. The desire for higher knowledge is nothing new. Paul confronted it in Colossians and urged his readers to, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” What’s the solution? Don’t worry about being smarter than everyone else; rather stay anchored to the basics, “For in Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Col 2:9–10).

Fear also feeds a lot of nonsense. People speculate about horrible events that may happen, and they scare people. We stew and fret, and then we speculate and gossip. However, Christians are not people of fear but of confidence, because we know God is in control and his purposes are always good. If you walk in the fear of the Lord with a clear vision of eternity, you won’t obsess over the future but leave it with Jesus (Matt 6:25–34). 

#2 Replace fear-mongering with biblical love and realism.

I must preface this by saying that Scripture teaches the doctrine of depravity; therefore, it commends a certain level of skepticism about the tendency of sinners to lie and deceive. However, I’m concerned that many Christians have blasted past rightful skepticism into nonsensical fear-mongering. They assume the worst of others, and they see conspiracies and evil under every bush. While it’s true that sinners are depraved and selfish, the Bible also teaches that God’s common grace and conscience are active among all people. Therefore, biblical love does not assume the worst; it assumes the best, unless there are objective reasons for thinking otherwise (1 Cor 13:7; Gal 5:13–15). As well, if we are committed to truth and rationality, we will lean toward the simplest explanation (Occam’s Razor) of people’s actions, not the most complex one.

For example, to assume there is a widespread conspiracy within our health care system to destroy people’s health is not rational or consistent with common grace. As well, you may have legitimate disagreements with your political opponents, but be cautious about assuming the worst, most complicated intentions for every decision they make. Therefore, as an example, you may have valid concerns about a mask mandate, but you shouldn’t immediately assume evil intentions drive the policy. Rather, we should at least begin with the simplest and most loving conclusion—health officials and government leaders are trying to preserve life.

#3 Eliminate influences that feast on speculation and gossip.

Speculation, gossip, etc., appeal to our pride, curiosity, fears, and prior assumptions, but they should turn our stomachs. God commands us to think on truth and all that is virtuous and to eliminate everything to the contrary (Phil 4:8). You may think gossip and speculation about conspiracies, etc., are innocent forms of entertainment, but God says they are contrary to love, “(Love) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (1 Cor 13:6). They also distract from godliness and divide God’s people. Paul warns, “Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith” (1 Tim 1:4). “Reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness” (1 Tim 4:7). The applications are obvious. You need to eliminate all media, social media interactions, supposed Bible preachers and teaches, etc., from your life that feast on speculation and gossip. Instead, think on truth and pursue edification. Be a lover of truth.

#4 Exercise discernment.

Discernment begins with comparing everything with Scripture. It’s worth emphasizing that this extends beyond simply evaluating factual claims; it also includes evaluating the values and affections that undergird what is said. Ask yourself, “Does this encourage or discourage the fruit of the Spirit?” From there, be serious about the truth. When you read the news or do research, demand things like strong credentials, good sourcing, quality editing, and thorough peer reviews. These things have long been required of trustworthy academic research and sound journalism, because they hold truth claims and opinions accountable. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that much of academia and the media are openly opposed to biblical Christianity and morals. Again, we need to read with discernment, but it’s also foolish to dismiss traditional sources, while hanging on every word by some blogger who has no accountability.

Discernment also requires that I guard against confirmation bias. In other words, we are all sympathetic toward those who tell us what we want to hear or believe or that feed our prior fears. We like sitting in an echo chamber; however, confirmation bias kills discernment. Resist it by listening to opposing viewpoints, at least where Scripture is not explicit.

#5 Speak cautiously.     

It bothers me how often our conversations, social media posts, etc., tilt toward unhelpful speculation instead of truth. We’re more interested in expressing how we feel or what we want to believe than in the truth. Don’t be that person. Speak truthfully, and be cautious about speculation and hearsay. Draw clear lines in your own mind between truth and opinion, and be clear when you are sharing opinions.

In conclusion, no one should be more committed to truth and charity than Christians. Let’s commit to pursuing and speaking the truth, and let’s demonstrate love in how we listen and in how we speak. And let’s do all things for the glory of God and the edification of his people.

]]>
Seeing Souls with a Gospel Lens https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/looking-t https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/looking-t#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0700 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/looking-t 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 sets an important example for effective evangelism and discipleship.

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”

I must begin with the fact that this is one of the most abused passages in Scripture. It has been used to justify all sorts of pragmatic and ungodly ministry methods. For example, “become(ing) all things to all men,” means we should bring worldly practices (e.g., foul language, immodest dress, irreverent behavior) into the church in order to make unbelievers feel at home. The problem with this kind of application is that Paul draws an absolute line in the sand, when he clarifies that he is always “under the law of Christ” (v. 21). Therefore, Paul did not tolerate ministry methods that compromise the nature of God or the commands of Scripture, and neither should we.

But within the framework of the law of Christ, this passage provides a needed push for conservative churches. Specifically, we don’t always appreciate how much culture and tradition shape our individual lives and our life as a church. Furthermore, we don’t appreciate how foreign our culture and traditions feel to most unbelievers. For example, a couple of years ago, a young man started attending Life Point who had recently been released from prison. He had a broken childhood and got into trouble as a teen. God miraculously saved him in prison, and he was passionate to know the Lord. He loved what he was learning at Life Point, but he always felt uncomfortable. The way we dress, the way we talk, and even the stable families felt foreign to him. He thought he stuck out like a sore thumb, and he struggled to make relationships. Ultimately, he decided to look for another church.

Similarly, when an African-American walks into Life Point, he likely feels out of place, simply because he looks different. Someone who grew up in an urban context may feel odd being surrounded by conservative fashion. Someone who has always been in contemporary churches may feel odd singing hymns in a traditional auditorium. Frankly, I’ve felt out of place at times as a Midwesterner trying to relate to people who’ve lived their whole lives in the desert. We have subtle differences in our interests, how we think, and in what we value. All of these things create relationship hurdles even if the majority group doesn’t notice them. 

Now, these things are ultimately insignificant compared to what unites us—our new life in the gospel and our common passion to the know the Savior and to make him known. Therefore, a mature believer who feels out of place should push through the occasional awkwardness, because the gospel matters more.

But this reality does not mean the majority can simply ignore these concerns. We should also be passionate about reaching unbelievers with the gospel, discipling them into maturity, and incorporating them into the life of the church. And we can’t just be passionate about pursuing people like us. Ephesians 2:11–3:13 teach that one way the church glorifies the Lord and the power of the gospel is by building a unity that transcends issues that normally divide like race, culture, or socio-economic background (cf., Gal 3:26 –28; Col 3:10–11). We should be zealous to reach everyone in our community and to see them incorporated into the church.

How do we pursue this God-honoring, Great Commission-advancing unity? 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, teaches that we must sacrificially step out of our comfort zone to remove unnecessary ministry hindrances. Consider the fact that Paul surely had a strong cultural comfort zone. He grew up in an elite Jewish home, and he lived a rigid Pharisaical life into adulthood. But Paul wasn’t content just being himself, preaching the gospel, and expecting people to listen. Rather, he states, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (v. 22). In other words, Paul adapted to his setting (while staying faithful to the law of Christ), and he gladly restricted his freedom if it created a greater opportunity for the gospel. “Restricted” is key, because Paul wasn’t looking to excuse worldliness; rather, he was looking for ways that he could get out of his own comfort zone for the sake of the gospel. For example, when Paul was with “a Jew” or “those who are under the law,” he didn’t flaunt his freedom from the Law; instead, he restricted his freedom and followed Jewish custom in order to remove gospel hindrances. He stepped outside his comfort zone so that others wouldn’t have to step outside theirs.

This is so important, because very often we just do our thing without any thought of others. We implicitly ask unbelievers or immature Christians to step outside their comfort zone, while we never move out of ours. We are oblivious to how many unnecessary hindrances to evangelism and discipleship we cause. Therefore, what are some practical steps we can take to mimic Paul’s example?

  1. Listen

Very often the only voices we ever hear are ones just like our own. We live in an echo chamber. Therefore, we don’t understand people outside our niche, and we struggle to relate to them. We must find ways to listen to people, cultures, political groups, etc., with a heart to understand them Afterall, we expect cross-cultural missionaries to do this. If the Eads are going to reach Tanzanians, they can’t just show up, act like Americans, and plant American churches. Instead, they must work to understand Tanzanian culture and the concerns of Tanzanians so that they don’t create unnecessary burdens and hindrances to the gospel. We must do the same. For example, if I love African-Americans, and I want to reach them for Christ, I should care about reasons they feel uncomfortable in my culture. Don’t let yourself get so caught up in the political noise of our day that you fail to hear these sorts of things. We need to be quick to listen and hungry to understand people, their passions, their fears, and their concerns.

  1. Love

There will always be aspects of the gospel that are offensive, and there will always be essentials of godliness that seem strange to unbelievers. Afterall, we are “sojourners (i.e., aliens) and pilgrims” on the earth (1 Pet 2:11). As our culture moves further from a biblical ethic and worldview, the biblical family, modest dress, etc., will seem strange to more people. We can’t compromise these things to make people feel comfortable. But genuine love goes a long way toward breaking down barriers. We can overcome a lot of obstacles with aggressive love and a strong focus on what unites us—the gospel.

  1. Adapt Discerningly

There are innumerable ways we can lovingly adapt to people in order to remove unnecessary ministry hindrances. Maybe you have a coworker who loves NASCAR. Even though you hate NASCAR, you watch the weekend race so that you can talk about it with him on Monday. It might be that you were an English major and you are passionate about grammar, but you learn to use different lingo to make a coworker feel comfortable. Maybe you do a fist bump rather than a handshake to help someone relax. We could go on, but hopefully you get the point. Work to understand people and be willing to get out of your comfort zone to build a relationship.

We live in troubling days where our society is undergoing dramatic cultural shifts, many of which are uncomfortable and ungodly. We easily can begin to view people purely through the lens of culture wars. We see people fundamentally for their religion, political affiliation, or even their disgusting sin practices, and it kills our witness. We must discipline ourselves to see everyone primarily through a gospel lens. See each person as God’s imager bearer, and in need of Christ. Then work to understand them, love them, and sacrificially go after them “for the gospel’s sake.”

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1 Corinthians 9:19–23 sets an important example for effective evangelism and discipleship.

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”

I must begin with the fact that this is one of the most abused passages in Scripture. It has been used to justify all sorts of pragmatic and ungodly ministry methods. For example, “become(ing) all things to all men,” means we should bring worldly practices (e.g., foul language, immodest dress, irreverent behavior) into the church in order to make unbelievers feel at home. The problem with this kind of application is that Paul draws an absolute line in the sand, when he clarifies that he is always “under the law of Christ” (v. 21). Therefore, Paul did not tolerate ministry methods that compromise the nature of God or the commands of Scripture, and neither should we.

But within the framework of the law of Christ, this passage provides a needed push for conservative churches. Specifically, we don’t always appreciate how much culture and tradition shape our individual lives and our life as a church. Furthermore, we don’t appreciate how foreign our culture and traditions feel to most unbelievers. For example, a couple of years ago, a young man started attending Life Point who had recently been released from prison. He had a broken childhood and got into trouble as a teen. God miraculously saved him in prison, and he was passionate to know the Lord. He loved what he was learning at Life Point, but he always felt uncomfortable. The way we dress, the way we talk, and even the stable families felt foreign to him. He thought he stuck out like a sore thumb, and he struggled to make relationships. Ultimately, he decided to look for another church.

Similarly, when an African-American walks into Life Point, he likely feels out of place, simply because he looks different. Someone who grew up in an urban context may feel odd being surrounded by conservative fashion. Someone who has always been in contemporary churches may feel odd singing hymns in a traditional auditorium. Frankly, I’ve felt out of place at times as a Midwesterner trying to relate to people who’ve lived their whole lives in the desert. We have subtle differences in our interests, how we think, and in what we value. All of these things create relationship hurdles even if the majority group doesn’t notice them. 

Now, these things are ultimately insignificant compared to what unites us—our new life in the gospel and our common passion to the know the Savior and to make him known. Therefore, a mature believer who feels out of place should push through the occasional awkwardness, because the gospel matters more.

But this reality does not mean the majority can simply ignore these concerns. We should also be passionate about reaching unbelievers with the gospel, discipling them into maturity, and incorporating them into the life of the church. And we can’t just be passionate about pursuing people like us. Ephesians 2:11–3:13 teach that one way the church glorifies the Lord and the power of the gospel is by building a unity that transcends issues that normally divide like race, culture, or socio-economic background (cf., Gal 3:26 –28; Col 3:10–11). We should be zealous to reach everyone in our community and to see them incorporated into the church.

How do we pursue this God-honoring, Great Commission-advancing unity? 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, teaches that we must sacrificially step out of our comfort zone to remove unnecessary ministry hindrances. Consider the fact that Paul surely had a strong cultural comfort zone. He grew up in an elite Jewish home, and he lived a rigid Pharisaical life into adulthood. But Paul wasn’t content just being himself, preaching the gospel, and expecting people to listen. Rather, he states, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (v. 22). In other words, Paul adapted to his setting (while staying faithful to the law of Christ), and he gladly restricted his freedom if it created a greater opportunity for the gospel. “Restricted” is key, because Paul wasn’t looking to excuse worldliness; rather, he was looking for ways that he could get out of his own comfort zone for the sake of the gospel. For example, when Paul was with “a Jew” or “those who are under the law,” he didn’t flaunt his freedom from the Law; instead, he restricted his freedom and followed Jewish custom in order to remove gospel hindrances. He stepped outside his comfort zone so that others wouldn’t have to step outside theirs.

This is so important, because very often we just do our thing without any thought of others. We implicitly ask unbelievers or immature Christians to step outside their comfort zone, while we never move out of ours. We are oblivious to how many unnecessary hindrances to evangelism and discipleship we cause. Therefore, what are some practical steps we can take to mimic Paul’s example?

  1. Listen

Very often the only voices we ever hear are ones just like our own. We live in an echo chamber. Therefore, we don’t understand people outside our niche, and we struggle to relate to them. We must find ways to listen to people, cultures, political groups, etc., with a heart to understand them Afterall, we expect cross-cultural missionaries to do this. If the Eads are going to reach Tanzanians, they can’t just show up, act like Americans, and plant American churches. Instead, they must work to understand Tanzanian culture and the concerns of Tanzanians so that they don’t create unnecessary burdens and hindrances to the gospel. We must do the same. For example, if I love African-Americans, and I want to reach them for Christ, I should care about reasons they feel uncomfortable in my culture. Don’t let yourself get so caught up in the political noise of our day that you fail to hear these sorts of things. We need to be quick to listen and hungry to understand people, their passions, their fears, and their concerns.

  1. Love

There will always be aspects of the gospel that are offensive, and there will always be essentials of godliness that seem strange to unbelievers. Afterall, we are “sojourners (i.e., aliens) and pilgrims” on the earth (1 Pet 2:11). As our culture moves further from a biblical ethic and worldview, the biblical family, modest dress, etc., will seem strange to more people. We can’t compromise these things to make people feel comfortable. But genuine love goes a long way toward breaking down barriers. We can overcome a lot of obstacles with aggressive love and a strong focus on what unites us—the gospel.

  1. Adapt Discerningly

There are innumerable ways we can lovingly adapt to people in order to remove unnecessary ministry hindrances. Maybe you have a coworker who loves NASCAR. Even though you hate NASCAR, you watch the weekend race so that you can talk about it with him on Monday. It might be that you were an English major and you are passionate about grammar, but you learn to use different lingo to make a coworker feel comfortable. Maybe you do a fist bump rather than a handshake to help someone relax. We could go on, but hopefully you get the point. Work to understand people and be willing to get out of your comfort zone to build a relationship.

We live in troubling days where our society is undergoing dramatic cultural shifts, many of which are uncomfortable and ungodly. We easily can begin to view people purely through the lens of culture wars. We see people fundamentally for their religion, political affiliation, or even their disgusting sin practices, and it kills our witness. We must discipline ourselves to see everyone primarily through a gospel lens. See each person as God’s imager bearer, and in need of Christ. Then work to understand them, love them, and sacrificially go after them “for the gospel’s sake.”

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What Did God Teach Me in Quarantine https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/what-did-god-teach-me-in-quarantine https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/what-did-god-teach-me-in-quarantine#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2020 21:00:00 -0700 https://www.lifepointbaptist.org/blog/post/what-did-god-teach-me-in-quarantine I will never forget Wednesday, March 11, 2020. I assumed that COVID-19 was going to affect society, but I never imagined what was coming. But that Wednesday, our country began aggressively shutting down. The next day, Governor Newsome issued his first executive order, and we all realized that life was about to change drastically. The next 11 weeks were probably the most draining season of ministry I have ever experienced. By Wednesday, May 27, when we published our plans for restarting services, I felt as worn down as I have in a long time. The world is far from being “back to normal,” but now that I’ve had some time to reflect, I’d like to give thanks to the Lord for some important lessons/reminders that he taught me during quarantine. 

  1. My family is too busy.

Under normal circumstances, my family is all over the place. We go to lots of fellowship events, church services, and homes. There are school events, meetings, etc. We love all of it, we really do. But during the first couple of weeks of quarantine, it was sure nice to take a break and spend more time together as a family. Our family devotional time improved immensely, and my children thrived. We’re all excited to go do things again and to see people, but I hope we don’t forget how healthy it was to spend more time together, and that we strike a better balance moving forward.

  1. God answers prayer.

Life Point’s theme for 2020 is “Devoted to Prayer,” and I’m thankful for how the Lord began growing my prayer life in January. Then he moved that process into overdrive during quarantine. I probably prayed more during quarantine than I have since college, and I hope my prayer life never recovers. I’m also abundantly thankful for how God answered many specific prayers during those 11 weeks. For example, I needed wisdom to make a lot of decisions, and I believe the Lord answered those prayers. I prayed that the Lord would provide for the church’s financial needs, and he answered far beyond what I could have imagined. I prayed that the Lord would keep our church unified despite widely divergent opinions, and he kept us together. I prayed that our state would treat churches fairly in its reopening plans, and they mostly have done so. And I prayed for a smooth process of restarting services, and they have gone incredibly well. Of course, many other people in our church have joined me in these prayers, and God answered all of us. I hope we never forget how we saw God answer prayer.

  1. Christ will keep his people and his church.

Until quarantine, I had never considered how many spiritual cues we give when we gather for worship. On a regular Sunday, I get to watch who’s there, their body language, the way they engage in worship, how they pay attention to the sermon, and how they interact with others. None of these cues offers a complete picture of someone’s spiritual condition (some people are great actors on Sunday), but the more you get to know someone, the more valuable these cues become. When I lost the opportunity to watch these cues week after week, it was easy to worry about people’s spiritual health. I know that some people struggled in isolation, but it’s encouraging to look back and see that Christ faithfully kept his people and his church. Satan will not prevail against the church (Matt 16:18) or against God’s children (Phil 1:6), during quarantine or any other time that is ahead. 

  1. We need deeper conversation among believers.

Until quarantine, I had also never considered how much care takes place on Sundays. I suddenly realized how significant this care is, when we were faced with trying to stay connected while we weren’t gathering. Trying to compensate with phone calls, emails, etc., took a lot of time, but it was extremely rewarding. I realized that there were many people in our church that I greet every Sunday but with whom I rarely enjoy uninterrupted, deep conversation. I really enjoyed getting to know these people in a way that I didn’t know them before. I need to continue prioritizing this kind of conversation.

  1. Spirit-filled Christians drive worship.

Regathering has reaffirmed the biblical truth that Spirit-filled Christians energize true worship. No recording can replace the joy of worshipping with other Spirit-filled believers. Being back together has also reminded me of how much grace God provides through fellowship with Spirit-filled believers. We receive so much love, encouragement, and motivation by being together and even by listening to preaching together. Programs, technology, presentations, and song arrangements are not what ministers grace in the church; Spirit-filled believers do, and I am more thankful than ever for the ministry they have to me, to my family, and to one another.

I hope that I never have to endure something like quarantine again, but I also hope that I never forget what God did in my life. I’d encourage you to look back and remember what God did in your life and to make sure that you never forget God’s sanctifying work.

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I will never forget Wednesday, March 11, 2020. I assumed that COVID-19 was going to affect society, but I never imagined what was coming. But that Wednesday, our country began aggressively shutting down. The next day, Governor Newsome issued his first executive order, and we all realized that life was about to change drastically. The next 11 weeks were probably the most draining season of ministry I have ever experienced. By Wednesday, May 27, when we published our plans for restarting services, I felt as worn down as I have in a long time. The world is far from being “back to normal,” but now that I’ve had some time to reflect, I’d like to give thanks to the Lord for some important lessons/reminders that he taught me during quarantine. 

  1. My family is too busy.

Under normal circumstances, my family is all over the place. We go to lots of fellowship events, church services, and homes. There are school events, meetings, etc. We love all of it, we really do. But during the first couple of weeks of quarantine, it was sure nice to take a break and spend more time together as a family. Our family devotional time improved immensely, and my children thrived. We’re all excited to go do things again and to see people, but I hope we don’t forget how healthy it was to spend more time together, and that we strike a better balance moving forward.

  1. God answers prayer.

Life Point’s theme for 2020 is “Devoted to Prayer,” and I’m thankful for how the Lord began growing my prayer life in January. Then he moved that process into overdrive during quarantine. I probably prayed more during quarantine than I have since college, and I hope my prayer life never recovers. I’m also abundantly thankful for how God answered many specific prayers during those 11 weeks. For example, I needed wisdom to make a lot of decisions, and I believe the Lord answered those prayers. I prayed that the Lord would provide for the church’s financial needs, and he answered far beyond what I could have imagined. I prayed that the Lord would keep our church unified despite widely divergent opinions, and he kept us together. I prayed that our state would treat churches fairly in its reopening plans, and they mostly have done so. And I prayed for a smooth process of restarting services, and they have gone incredibly well. Of course, many other people in our church have joined me in these prayers, and God answered all of us. I hope we never forget how we saw God answer prayer.

  1. Christ will keep his people and his church.

Until quarantine, I had never considered how many spiritual cues we give when we gather for worship. On a regular Sunday, I get to watch who’s there, their body language, the way they engage in worship, how they pay attention to the sermon, and how they interact with others. None of these cues offers a complete picture of someone’s spiritual condition (some people are great actors on Sunday), but the more you get to know someone, the more valuable these cues become. When I lost the opportunity to watch these cues week after week, it was easy to worry about people’s spiritual health. I know that some people struggled in isolation, but it’s encouraging to look back and see that Christ faithfully kept his people and his church. Satan will not prevail against the church (Matt 16:18) or against God’s children (Phil 1:6), during quarantine or any other time that is ahead. 

  1. We need deeper conversation among believers.

Until quarantine, I had also never considered how much care takes place on Sundays. I suddenly realized how significant this care is, when we were faced with trying to stay connected while we weren’t gathering. Trying to compensate with phone calls, emails, etc., took a lot of time, but it was extremely rewarding. I realized that there were many people in our church that I greet every Sunday but with whom I rarely enjoy uninterrupted, deep conversation. I really enjoyed getting to know these people in a way that I didn’t know them before. I need to continue prioritizing this kind of conversation.

  1. Spirit-filled Christians drive worship.

Regathering has reaffirmed the biblical truth that Spirit-filled Christians energize true worship. No recording can replace the joy of worshipping with other Spirit-filled believers. Being back together has also reminded me of how much grace God provides through fellowship with Spirit-filled believers. We receive so much love, encouragement, and motivation by being together and even by listening to preaching together. Programs, technology, presentations, and song arrangements are not what ministers grace in the church; Spirit-filled believers do, and I am more thankful than ever for the ministry they have to me, to my family, and to one another.

I hope that I never have to endure something like quarantine again, but I also hope that I never forget what God did in my life. I’d encourage you to look back and remember what God did in your life and to make sure that you never forget God’s sanctifying work.

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