This is a great 2 minute video! It brings a good laugh too! :=)
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Teen pregnancies attributed to sexual content on TV?
According to a leading CNN article, this is apparently the case. Elizabeth Landau writes:
Sexual content on television is strongly associated with teen pregnancy, a new study from the RAND Corporation shows. Researchers at the nonprofit organization found that adolescents with a high level of exposure to television shows with sexual content are twice as likely to get pregnant or impregnate someone as those who saw fewer programs of this kind over a period of three years. It is the first study to demonstrate this association, RAND said.
A central message from the study is that there needs to be more dialogue about sex in the media, particularly among parents and their children, said Anita Chandra, the study's lead author and a behavioral scientist at RAND.
She goes on to note:
"We know that parents are busy, but sitting down and watching shows together with their teen, talking about the character portrayals, talking about what they just witnessed, and really using it as a teachable moment is really, I think, a good recommendation from this research," Chandra said.
It doesn't take very long for one to recognize and concur with Elizabeth that:
"We know that if a child is watching more than an hour of TV a day, we know there's a sexual scene in [the] content every 10 minutes, then they're getting a fair amount of sexual content," Chandra said.
Dr. Wimberly, professor at Moorehouse School of Medicine, writes:
"You cannot expect to have a sexually saturated society with all of your media outlets, but then, at the same time, be surprised when this influences people and their behaviors," she said. "If you're going to do it, then you need to make sure you follow it up with education that people need to make responsible decisions."
It's crucial that parents and guardians talk to their kids about these topics and teach morals and values, but they can do only so much in limiting the amount of sexual content that their teenagers see on television, Wimberly said. Youths will have exposure to these programs outside of the home, such as at friends' houses or on the Internet.
According to these quotes, we find that many young adolescent pregnancies are--in part, at least--attributed to the sexual content they are viewing on television. To be sure, according to a few recent polls, teen boys watch about 13 hours a TV a week whereas teenage girls only watch about 11 1/2 hours per week. Because we know what kind of content we find on TV these days--from sitcoms, to movies, to talk/late night shows, to the news, and to music videos, it is no surprise that sex is a leading theme in many of these shows. It can't be denied that we are, indeed, a sex-driven society. Everyone thinks about it. Everyone hears about it. Everyone sees it in some way, shape or form. And all of the hours and hours and hours that teens spend in front of a TV screen doesn't help--especially when Hollywood is promoting the godless and the unbiblical portrayal of what sex is really about.
This is where it is absolutely crucial for parents to teach, train, nurture, and educate our children regarding these issues. Sheltering them is not the issue. A naive child is a fool--according to Proverbs:
Proverbs 1:22 "How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?
It is the naive one who is easily swayed to the house of the prostitute according to Proverbs 9.
What can be done? Obviously we can eliminate televisions, movies, etc. from our homes so our children don't see these things--or so we think. I'm amazed at how much (sexual) content some young kids know! Friends, billboards, movies, school, media all are throwing these ideologies and worldly wisdom at our children. Removing TV's is not the solution.
The biblical solution is training your children (teaching them!) in the "discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Eph 6:4). That's the answer! We must not--indeed, we cannot--hide all the cultural content from our children (nor should we want to), but we should use every occasion for a teaching opportunity so that our children learn discernment and filter everything through their biblical worldview which has been shaped and formed over time through the reading and study of the Scriptures with mom and dad. That means responsibility. That requires time. That requires a load on your shoulders--but that's precisely how God intended it to be done. Hear what he said through Moses to the Israelites:
Deuteronomy 6:7 7 You shall teach them [these words] diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
That requires teaching children as a way of life--when you sit at home, walk along the way, lie down, and when you rise up. Take every opportunity to teach your kids that sex is good--but it is to find its activity only in the marriage relationship. Everything else dishonors God and is sinful therefore deserving of hell.
Yes television may impact teens today and attribute--in part--to young pregnancies, but we must take the Scriptures and make it our goal to inform and train our children with what God has to say about the matter so that they can discern right from wrong when they're confronted with sexual content in the "real world."
Thursday, October 30, 2008
God Has Formed a Human Being in My Wife
Thursday, October 30, 2008
If there ever was a truism, it is this: human beings cannot create life—only God can. This morning
As I was looking into that monitor watching the heartbeat of our baby (not sure if it’s a boy or a girl yet—a few more months for that!) I found myself wondering how someone could look into that screen and see a heartbeat like that and conclude that the baby is not a human life yet. I am thankful that
I echo what David writes in Psalm 139:
Psalm 139:13-16 13 For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. 14 I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from Thee, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. 16 Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Thy book they were all written, The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.
Indeed it is true that God has formed our little baby! It is God who has fashioned and molded this little life together inside of
God is truly good! We have been, are currently, and will continue to be thankful to the Lord for His gracious provision of this human being into our little “
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Do I enjoy studying about heaven and hell?
Elizabeth and I had lunch with a family after church on Sunday and the wife asked me if I enjoy preaching through Revelation (we're on Rev 20:11-15: the Great White Throne Judgment tonight). I responded with this lengthy answer expressing my gratitude for the opportunity to study about the end times. As most preachers would say, my favorite book of the Bible is the one I'm currently preaching through--and for me, one of those books is Revelation. Over the past year or so, I've been immersed in this final book of the Bible thinking, praying, meditating and musing on the final events that God has ordained in human history.
I find that as I study more--especially recently as I've been drawing closer to the Lake of Fire and the New Heavens and the New Earth--I, consequently, live my life with an awareness that my life could end any moment (Prov 27:1) and that my life is a vapor (James 4:14) which could be taken from me at any moment. The recognition that eternal happiness in the presence of God in heaven or the eternal torment in the presence of God in hell are constant thoughts that race through my mind. Even as I ride the bus to seminary, I find myself praying for the Lord to open conversations to share the gospel. You can only imagine what kind of looks (some good, most bad, a handful bewildered) I get when people on the bus see me reading a book with the title "The Torments of Hell" in large-print on the front cover. I find the all-too-real truth is that many people think they're going to heaven or they believe that this life is it--therefore believing in annihilationism.
Therefore, do I enjoy studying about heaven and hell? Have I enjoyed my labors in preaching and teaching through this book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse? Of course! I am grateful to God for the awesome privilege I've had to be all the more aware of eternity. It is as Jonathan Edwards resolved in his heart, to constantly have one eye on heaven and one eye on hell as he lived life. He stated it similarly in Resolution #55:
Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
a faithful spokesman for God
I find that what God told Jeremiah to do is what God also commands modern-day preachers to do for Him.
Charles Feinberg is right in stating:
Jerusalem's cultural situation at this time was one of idolatry and Godlessness. Sounds similar to our cultural milieu today. Let us as preachers herald forth the harsh--yet needed--message of repentance and divine judgment with all boldness! For after all, if one neglects to preach on such issues and only declare "Peace! Peace!"- this is the one that God calls a false prophet (Jer 6:14).
Jeremiah 6:11 11 But I am full of the wrath of the LORD: I am weary with holding
it in. "Pour it out on the children in the street, And on the gathering of young
men together; For both husband and wife shall be taken, The aged and the very
old.
Charles Feinberg is right in stating:
Regardless of success or failure, Jeremiah's duty was to preach the Lord's
message. Whether the people listened or not, he was divinely compelled to voice
the Lord's indignation. Full of the divine wrath, he is commanded to pour it out
on everybody--children, young men, married couples, the elderly--all are involved
in the city's doom. Even the children and the aged, usually the special objects
of God's care, are to be shown no mercy. The wrath was evoked by the sins now
set forth: greed (v.13), deceitful prophecy (vv.13-14), loathsome deeds and
shamelessness (v.15), obduracy (vv.16-17), rejection of the law (vv.18-19), and
worthless sacrifices (v.20).
Jerusalem's cultural situation at this time was one of idolatry and Godlessness. Sounds similar to our cultural milieu today. Let us as preachers herald forth the harsh--yet needed--message of repentance and divine judgment with all boldness! For after all, if one neglects to preach on such issues and only declare "Peace! Peace!"- this is the one that God calls a false prophet (Jer 6:14).
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Servant Leader
Today in our seminary chapel, I heard a wonderful exposition of Mark 10:35-45 on servant leadership. After his exposition, he left about 20 minutes for specific and and pointed application (reminded me of the old Puritan sermons!). I post them here for your encouragement (and conviction!):
Practical ways in which a pastor can be a servant leader in the local church:
- Don’t listen to people who tell you what a great preacher you are! It’s a lie!
- Studiously avoid the place of honor (or the head table) at church banquets and potlucks
- Regularly perform custodial duties around church property.
- Make it a habit to volunteer yourself to serve in a low-profile ministry (jail, walk for life, evangelize, elementary school chapel, etc).
- Consider adopting another title besides “Senior Pastor”—perhaps “Undershepherd” or “Teaching Pastor”.
Let us all learn from these truths for, after all, our Savior was the greatest servant of all. Finally, hear a quote I also heard from his sermon:
It's hard to wash the feet of people when you're standing on a pedestal.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Do you think about reigning with Christ--physically?
I'm convinced that I--we--all-too-often don't think enough about the reign of our Savior, Jesus Christ, upon the earth during the 1,000 year Millennium--to our own detriment. As I've been studying these last few weeks for my Revelation 20 sermon tonight at church, not only is my conviction in the literal, physical, bodily and righteous reign of Jesus Christ on earth stronger, but my confession is that I don't think enough--much less, get excited about--on this wonderful period.
I believe that Satan will be bound for 1,000 years--as the biblical text clearly states (if you interpret it with any normal, plain, consistent hermeneutic) in Rev 20:1ff and that that time on earth will be a period of:
1) Reigning together with Christ (Rev 20:4, 6; 2 Tim 2:12; 1 Cor 6:2; Rev 5:10; Deut 28:1). It baffles me how many an interpreter can overlook these texts and perform extraordinary hermeneutical gymnastics to come up with some other interpretation.
2) Seeing God face to face (1 John 3:3; Jer 24:7; 31:33; 32:38). This is a period when Jesus will reign from Mt. Zion (Ps 2) and we will reign with Him--personally, physically present with Jesus Christ!
3) Complete (and literal!) fulfillment of all the OT prophecies and promises to Israel's restoration and period of Messianic peace (Isa 9:6; Ps 2; Zech 14; Isa 11:1ff; Isa 2:1ff; Luke 1:32-33). If there is no period of peace from Zion on the earth--as any OT Jew would have interpreted the texts--then, to me, it seems that God has failed in keeping his promises!
4) A Righteous and Just Reign by Jesus Christ (Ps 2; Jer 31:31ff; Ps 110; 2 Sam 7:13-16). He will rule with a "rod of iron" (Ps 2) and will rule over the nations (Ps 110).
5) National and Personal Righteousness (Ps 72:7; Isa 32:15-20; Ezek 39:29; Joel 2:28-32). An abundance of peace will rule during this time period! Justice and righteousness will preside as the norm!
Because of these--among a host of others--I am convinced that we must get excited not only for heaven (which we must think about much more than we do), but also for this period of physical righteousness and peace on the earth when our Savior, Jesus Christ, will reign upon the earth. I'm bewildered at some commentators who neglect to see this as a future time of peace on the earth. I just don't see it in the text (assuming a consistent hermeneutic).
I believe that Satan will be bound for 1,000 years--as the biblical text clearly states (if you interpret it with any normal, plain, consistent hermeneutic) in Rev 20:1ff and that that time on earth will be a period of:
1) Reigning together with Christ (Rev 20:4, 6; 2 Tim 2:12; 1 Cor 6:2; Rev 5:10; Deut 28:1). It baffles me how many an interpreter can overlook these texts and perform extraordinary hermeneutical gymnastics to come up with some other interpretation.
2) Seeing God face to face (1 John 3:3; Jer 24:7; 31:33; 32:38). This is a period when Jesus will reign from Mt. Zion (Ps 2) and we will reign with Him--personally, physically present with Jesus Christ!
3) Complete (and literal!) fulfillment of all the OT prophecies and promises to Israel's restoration and period of Messianic peace (Isa 9:6; Ps 2; Zech 14; Isa 11:1ff; Isa 2:1ff; Luke 1:32-33). If there is no period of peace from Zion on the earth--as any OT Jew would have interpreted the texts--then, to me, it seems that God has failed in keeping his promises!
4) A Righteous and Just Reign by Jesus Christ (Ps 2; Jer 31:31ff; Ps 110; 2 Sam 7:13-16). He will rule with a "rod of iron" (Ps 2) and will rule over the nations (Ps 110).
5) National and Personal Righteousness (Ps 72:7; Isa 32:15-20; Ezek 39:29; Joel 2:28-32). An abundance of peace will rule during this time period! Justice and righteousness will preside as the norm!
Because of these--among a host of others--I am convinced that we must get excited not only for heaven (which we must think about much more than we do), but also for this period of physical righteousness and peace on the earth when our Savior, Jesus Christ, will reign upon the earth. I'm bewildered at some commentators who neglect to see this as a future time of peace on the earth. I just don't see it in the text (assuming a consistent hermeneutic).
Monday, October 20, 2008
Your heart is what makes you who you are.
"The adjectives used in the Bible to describe the heart are an eyeopener. The heart is variously described as adulterous, anguished, arrogant, astray, bitter, blameless, blighted, broken, calloused, circumcised, contrite, crushed, darkened, deadened, deceitful, deluded, devoted, disloyal, envious, evil, faint, faithful, far off, fearful, foolish, grateful, happy, hard, haughty, humble, mad, malicious, obstinate, perverse, proud, pure, rebellious, rejoicing, responsive, righteous, sick, sincere, sinful, steadfast, troubled, unfeeling, uncircumcised, upright, unsearchable, weary, wicked, wise, and wounded. No wonder the Bible says that it is out of the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks" (Tedd and Margy Tripp, Instructing a Child's Heart, 53).
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I'm a sinner and so are you. Jesus came to save sinners
This is a must listen to. This song is absolutely saturated with Scriptural truth.
His Forever
Jesus, friend of sinners
Loved me ’ere I knew Him
Drew me with His cords of love
Tightly bound me to Him
’Round my heart still closely twined
The ties that none can sever
For I am His and He is mine
Forever and forever
Jesus, friend of sinners
A crown of thorns You wore for me
Bruised for my transgressions
Pierced for my iniquities
The wrath of God that I deserved
Was poured out on the Innocent
He took my place, my soul to save
Now I am His forever
Jesus, friend of sinners
I love to tell the story
Redeeming love has been my theme
And will be when in glory
Not death nor life nor anything
Can ever separate me
O love that will not let me go
Yes, I am His forever
His Forever
Jesus, friend of sinners
Loved me ’ere I knew Him
Drew me with His cords of love
Tightly bound me to Him
’Round my heart still closely twined
The ties that none can sever
For I am His and He is mine
Forever and forever
Jesus, friend of sinners
A crown of thorns You wore for me
Bruised for my transgressions
Pierced for my iniquities
The wrath of God that I deserved
Was poured out on the Innocent
He took my place, my soul to save
Now I am His forever
Jesus, friend of sinners
I love to tell the story
Redeeming love has been my theme
And will be when in glory
Not death nor life nor anything
Can ever separate me
O love that will not let me go
Yes, I am His forever
There is a gentle path that leads to hell--be careful!
C.S. Lewis writes:
"The safest road to hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Christ Community Church Sunday Morning Distinctives
Distinctives of Sunday Morning Worship Gatherings
When we corporately gather together on Sunday mornings, it is our endeavor for the service to be marked by the following distinctives:
- Rejoicing in the Salvation of God
It is abundantly clear from the Scriptures that one is to approach God in worship with joyous praise (Ps 33:1-2). To be sure, a genuine believer who has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit will want to gather with other like-minded believers to corporately worship God together (Heb 10:24-25). One of the main purposes of our gathering together is to rejoice together that God has saved us “by his own purpose and grace” (2 Tim 1:9). He has given salvation to us as a free gift (Rom 5:8, 6:23; Eph 2:8-9). This is to produce joy inexpressible (1 Pet 1:8) and sincere gratitude to God for the work He has wrought in our lives (Ps 95:2;
- Reading the Word of God
We take the divine command revealed in God’s Word to “read the Word” very seriously (1 Tim 4:13). This has been a practice all throughout the history of God’s people; Moses took the book of the Law and read it (Ex 24:7), Joshua read from the same book of the Law (Josh 8:34), Shaphan the scribe read the book of the Law before Josiah (2 Kings 22:8, 10, 16), Ezra read from the book of the Law (Neh 8:3, 8, 18), and even Jesus, God Himself, stood to read from the Law in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21). This is a practice which has been mandated of all church leaders in the local church (1 Tim 4:13; 1 Thess 5:27). Moreover, the illiteracy of many churchgoers today requires that the pastor and elders make it a regular practice to read from the Bible publically when all are gathered together (Neh 8:5-6).
- Preaching the Word of God
This is the simple result of the reading of the Word of God. It is the climax of the worship service when God’s people sit under the faithful, fearless, and accurate preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Sadly, the preaching of God’s Word is a lost commodity in contemporary pulpits. However, God is not without a witness. We resolve to be faithful men who study the text (1 Tim 4:15-16), rightly divide the Word (2 Tim 2:15), faithfully apply the meaning (Neh 8:8), and exhort people to live Godly lives in response to the hearing of what God says in His Word (2 Tim 4:2). It is our conviction that the preaching of the Word of God is the highest form of worship humans can attain. Therefore, it is our mandate—that is, we can do no other—to make the primary aspect of our worship services the proclamation of what God has to say through the pages of Scripture (1 Tim 4:14-16; Heb 4:12).
- Praying with Confidence in God
We unhesitatingly believe that prayer is effective (James 5:16) and that God hears our prayers (Neh 1:5-6; Ps 4:1). We also believe that we are to pray with confidence knowing that God will answer our prayers in a way that would bring Him the utmost glory (Matt 6:10; John 17:5). We are to pray for the body of Christ (Eph 1:15-16; Phil 1:7-9;
- Evangelizing with Trust in God
We unswervingly believe that it is God alone who brings lost, dead, wretched sinners to Himself for only God is able to give life to the dead (Eph 2:1-3; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 Pet 1:3-5; Rom 5:8). Therefore, we reckon that our responsibility lies in the faithful proclamation of the gospel and the urging of people to repent for salvation (Acts 2:38; 2 Cor 7:10; 1 Cor 9:16). We know that God will judge us according to our work in proclaiming the gospel to lost sinners (1 Cor 3:7-9). However, we will faithfully evangelize the lost with an utter dependence upon God to take the foolishness of the message preached to save His own whom he has redeemed from before the foundation of the world (1 Cor 1:21; Rev 13:8; 17:8; Eph 1:4; John 17:24). Our commitment to God bringing in His elect does not minimize or halt our evangelistic determination; rather, it spurs us on and encourages us all the more in understanding that God uses us as His instruments to take His message to His people for the bringing them to salvation in Jesus Christ (2 Tim 2:21; Gal 1:1).
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Servants at Church
This week we had the privilege of having seven Master's College students come to our church and minister alongside us as we had many tasks to accomplish. Activities included canvasing local neighborhoods around the church for addresses so we could make a file and send out a church mailing, taking lunch to our high school youth on Friday, a beach soccer night, a game night, a movie night, visiting two nursing homes and singing and sharing the gospel with the elderly, and reroofing part of our gymnasium.It was a busy week--but a profitable one! They also formed a sort-of "mini choir" for church this morning and we did some TMC chapel songs as we led our congregation in worship. It was a great time of fellowship.
Praise God for the Master's College and its commitment to biblical truth in every area of life. Our church was tremendously blessed to have had these college students serve us this week!
Ephesians 1:15-17 15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Biblical counseling in the 17th century
John Owen writes:The business at hand for the sinner must be to consider his seriousSource: John Owen, Mortification of Sin, 44.
condition. He needs to apply himself toward conversion. God stirs our conscience
and disquiets our heart that we might recognize our need of Him. Seeking
mortification of sin just to quiet the soul and find relief from the torment of
the conscience, all the while neglecting to deal with the root cause of sin, is
a result of self-love.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Laughing, Learning, and Listening in the Living Room of my Hero
This week I am in Mobile, Alabama for the Expositor's Conference here at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church. Last night, my dad and I had the privilege of going to Dr. Lawson's home and having dinner with him, talking with him, and asking him questions for about 3 hours. It was a delightful time.Now it's game time. Over the next 48 hours or so, I will hear about 8 sermons on how to preach narrative from the Book of Acts--how appropriate because I'm currently preaching through Acts on Sunday mornings at my beloved church.
Praise God for this conference. I'll try to update when I can!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Our Divine Perspective On Preaching
This is part 2 of our "Ministry Distinctives" series at Christ Community Church:
The Divine Perspective on Preaching
I endeavor to reveal four aspects of the preaching ministry
The preaching of the word of God is:
- Powerful
It is our conviction that when the Word of God is preached it comes forth with power—divine power (1 Thess 2:13). In other words, when the Bible speaks, God speaks (Ex 17:14; Jer 30:2). For this reason it is powerful and never returns void (Isa 55:11). It is our position that the Word of God faithfully taught (2 Tim 2:15) is the only means by which a person can powerfully and irresistibly be convicted of sin (Acts 2:37) and brought to repentance in Jesus Christ. This power, of course, comes through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; 1 Thess 1:5).
- Persuasive
It is our conviction that when the Word of God is preached it must have an element of persuasiveness inherent in the delivery (Acts 17:4; 19:26). The preacher is to devote himself to his sermon preparation so that he speaks with persuasion (Acts 28:24). This results from the fact that the message with which the preacher has been entrusted with is an eternal life and eternal death issue (John 6:68). He must preach with persuasion and implement arguments as to why the listeners should act (Acts 2:38) and repent of known sins and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation (Acts 4:12).
- Practical
It is our conviction that when the Word of God is preached it must be practical so that it takes the meaning of the text and specifically applies it to the life-situation of the hearer so as to produce change (Neh 8:8; Ezra 7:10). This is to enact obedience to James’s command when he says to be a “doer of the Word and not merely a hearer” of the Word (James 1:22). This means that he must give not only specific application but also specific implementation helps. Part of the preacher’s responsibility is to teach and explain the meaning of the text (2 Tim 2:15), apply the text to the current, modern-day situation, and to help the listener understand how this text applies to his/her life and what specific changes need to be made (Acts 2:37-41; Acts 16:31).
- Passionate
It is our conviction that when the Word of God is preached it must be proclaimed with passion and pathos (Jonah 3:4). A boring sermon does not exist. Furthermore, a boring preacher is incomprehensible. An unpassionate preacher is surely not to be entrusted with the divine oracles of God. Rather, the preacher heralding the life-altering message that Jesus Christ is the Savior of sin and that an individual can stand before the Holy and Righteous Judge one day perfectly spotless because of the sacrificial and substitutionary death of Jesus Christ must flow through a man who passionately believes what he is preaching (1 Thess 1:5; Acts 7:51-55). If, the preacher is lacking in passion, then one has reason to wonder if he is void of this salvation (Phil 4:4). The preaching of the Word of God is to be captivating, passionate and full of pathos (1 Tim 4:11-12, 15-16).
Order of Service when Spurgeon Pastored
I never knew this but here is a typical order of service at the Metropolitan Tabernacle:
- Silent Meditation
- Pastoral prayer
- Hymn
- Bible reading with comments
- Long (pastoral) prayer
- Hymn
- Sermon
- Benediction
Simpler than we find in many churches today! There is more prayer and Scripture reading in that service than many of our churches today. What a great example for us to emulate.
Source: Drummond, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1992).
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
We serve a great God!
Our Great God
Todd Agnew and Rebecca St. James
Eternal God, unchanging
Mysterious and unknown
Your boundless love, unfailing
In grace and mercy shown
Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight around Your glorious throne
They raise their voices day and night in praise to You alone
Hallelujah, Glory be to our great God
Lord, we are weak and frail
Helpless in the storm
Surround us with Your angels
Hold us in Your arms
Our cold and ruthless enemy, his pleasure is our harm
Rise up, O Lord, and he will flee before our sovereign God
Let every creature in the sea and every flying bird
Let every mountain, every field and valley of the earth
Let all the moons and all the stars in all the universe
Sing praises to the living God who rules them by His word
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The 5 pillars of our Youth Group
This is what I am presenting not only to our pastor, the elders, and the students themselves, but I'm going to mail this home to every parent of our youth so they know "what we're doing" when we gather together and what the goal of our meeting together is. I trust this will be helpful to those who check out this blog...
_________________________________
I want to make clear some of the foundational truths that we stand on here at
Our youth group is built upon 5 pillars
- Extolling God’s Character
It is our commitment to extol the absolute and utter sovereignty of God (Ps 93:1; Isa 46:10; Rev 19:6). The Bible clearly explains that God is holy (Lev 19:2), just (Deut 32:4), loving (1 John 4:8), merciful (Deut 4:31), gracious (Neh 9:17), angry with sin (Ps 7:11), and able to save (Eph 2:8-10; 2 Tim 1:9). We commit to extolling God’s character as we come together to worship corporately (Heb 10:25), and individually in the privacy of our own lives (1 Cor 10:31). Soli Deo Gloria.
- Explaining God’s Word
It is our commitment to explain God’s Word as we faithfully interpret and accurately apply God’s Word to the hearts and lives of our students (Neh 8:8). First and foremost, this requires the teacher to make certain his heart is right before God as he studies and prepares his own heart in order to be a pure vessel fit for the Master’s service in explaining and teaching the Scriptures to others (1 Tim 4:13-16). We commit to make the teaching of God’s Word the primary focus of our youth meetings—whether we are working through a book of the Bible, going through a topical study, or simply observing a singular text—so that the students know what God has to say. For after all, God has given us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3-4).
- Enthusiastically Worshiping God
It is our commitment to worship God in a way that is true, spirit-based, controlled, and yet enthusiastically joyful (Ps 100:1, 4). We desire to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). We believe that God has revealed that He is, indeed, the God of gods and must solely be worshipped (Ps 96:5). He is to be worshipped with awe and joy (Ps 2:11). However, it is altogether recognized that this enthusiasm in worshipping God only comes from the Holy Spirit (John 3:8) when one has been born-again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3) to walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4; Eph 4:1) growing in sanctification (1 Thess 4:3; Heb 12:14). Therefore, worshipping God is something that is never dull or boring but rather sincere and joyous (Ps 32:11)!
- Encouraging One Another
It is our commitment to habitually encourage one another (1 Thess 5:11). This may take several forms. First, this may evidence itself in a loving rebuke (Prov 27:5). We are confident that a loving confrontation when another brother sins is the loving thing to do (Gal 6:1; Matt 18:15-18; 2 Tim 4:2). Second, this may be evidenced in verbally encouraging and giving glory to God for what another individual has done (1 Thess 5:14; Heb 3:13). Our goal in encouraging one another is to stimulate one another toward love and good deeds (Heb 10:24) and becoming more Christlike in our private walk with Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:17).
- Evangelizing Lost Sinners
It is our commitment to make evangelism a central mark of our ministry. It is clearly stated in the Bible that most people are unbelievers and headed for an eternity in torment in hell (Matt 7:13-14). Therefore, we take it as our responsibility to proclaim the gospel (2 Tim 4:1-2; 2 Cor 3:6) and let God change the heart and draw the sinner to Himself if He deems it best (1 Cor 3:7-8; John 6:44; 1 Pet 1:2-3). Therefore, we make it our ambition to clearly and faithfully proclaim the biblical gospel during each teaching session when we corporately gather together (Acts 17:1-3; 1 Tim 4:13) as well as to personally share the gospel with those we come in contact with day by day (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 8:34-36).
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Blessings.
Pastor Geoff
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