Tag Archives: gospel

books, christian life, recommend, resources

“You Can Change”

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If you have ever struggled with sinful habits or negative patterns of living, then this book is for you. This is the best book I have read in regard to overcoming sin.

This book is not some sort of self-help manual but a reminder of how the gospel can change us:

I want to be like Jesus. I can observe him in action as I read the Gospels. I can study the life he lived and the love he showed. I could try very hard to imitate him. But at best that would lead only to a small, short-lived improvement, and indeed even that small improvement would probably only make me proud.

I need more than an example. I need help. I need someone to change me. Trying to imitate Jesus on its own only leaves me feeling like a failure. I can’t be like him. I can’t match up. I need sorting out. I need rescuing. I need forgiveness.

The great news is that Jesus is not only my example but also my Redeemer.

I could tell that Chester was on to something, particularly in Chapter 2, when he described three wrong reasons to change: 1) to prove myself to God, 2) to prove myself to other people, or 3) to prove myself to myself.

At the heart of any advice that Chester gives is the theological reality of God and the gospel. For example, he talks about some “reminder phrases” that he uses to help others stay focused on the gospel in the midst of fear:

God is greater than your thought.

Not what if? but what is, and what is, is that God is in control.

The reality of the gospel is that behavior does not justify us before God and, therefore, only changing behavior will always be short-lived and misguided. At the heart of behavior are the affections that motivate those behaviors. To overcome sin I not only have to purge it from my life, I have to replace it with an affection for Jesus alone.

christian life, gospel, great commission, relationships

Christianity, Proselytization, and Ginsu Knives

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Pastor Tim Piland shared an excellent message from Matthew 28:19-20 this past Sunday at Nansemond River Baptist Church. I love to listen to Pastor Tim share; he is biblical, passionate, and relevant. I like to tell people that he’s 65 going on 20. He has the energy and passion of a young man with the wisdom and wit of a seasoned veteran. I think he has a faint hint of Jimmy Stewart in his voice as well .

In any case, Tim made a comment (I think I’ve heard similar comments before) about sharing the gospel:

The gospel is not a commodity to be sold; it is a relationship to be shared.

I grew up learning all the methods of evangelism (E.E., Romans Road, 4 Spiritual Laws, Steps to Peace with God, F.A.I.T.H., etc.). As I’ve grown (a little) older I’ve found methods to be helpful but often inadequate. Each person is different and, therefore, every time I share my faith it sounds a little different. The content must always be biblical but the method of organization and communication is often ad hoc.

More important than the method, however, is the relationship. We must build relationships with people that can bear the weight of the gospel. The message of sin and salvation is heavy stuff and casual conversations rarely offer the opportunity for a meaningful dialogue. Talking about football and the weather is hardly a natural segue to the magnitude of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Too often fervent evangelists see people as converts to be won. I am reminded of Kevin Roose’s experience at Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University chronicled in the book Unlikely Disciple:

When I told the Liberty students at Thomas Road that I hadn’t accepted Christ as my savior, the entire dynamic of the conversation changed. It began to feel distant and rehearsed, like a pitch for Ginsu knives.

People are unique and interesting and the gospel is not formulaic. Different people have different objections and hangups to the gospel. I know that I value authenticity and honesty much more than a polished presentation.

bible, church, gospel, great commission

Disciples that make disciples…

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Recently my friend Bryan Barley came to our church here in Suffolk, VA.  He was sharing with our elders on Tuesday night and with the larger congregation on Wednesday.  Bryan and I have been friends for a few years now and I have always enjoyed the way he can challenge me in a Biblical and gentle way.  I genuinely feel that he is a friend that sharpens me and nudges me toward faithfulness.

It was fun to hang out with Bryan as we talked about the gospel, theology, ministry, and life.  We mixed in a some sports, comedy, and ridiculous religious broadcasting to top it off.

If you are unaware of the journey that Bryan and his family are undertaking you should check out their church.  They are moving to Denver, CO in January of 2011 to plant a gospel-centered community right in the middle of the city.  Rarely have I found a church planter as gifted, thoughtful, teachable, and faithful as Bryan.

It was refreshing to be around Bryan because he thinks the way all Christians should be thinking — like a missionary.  Nothing is off limits.  Every strategy, relationship, and plan is tested against the Scriptures for the purpose of sharing the gospel with the nations.

Bryan shared many insightful things about missions, urban ministry, church planting, community, and mission.  One thing he mentioned has continued to haunt me: as Christians we do a lot of different things when are really called to do only one thing and do it well — we are to be disciples that make disciples.

As Christians it is easy to get distracted by buildings, staff, programs, strategies, fads, events, budgets, and more.  The will of God, however, is simple — go and make disciples.  Go to the nations.  Go to the neighborhoods.  Go to the cities.  Go to the companies.  Go to the schools.  GO!

Among all the things (some of them good and some of them bad) that I am doing, am I doing the one thing I am called by God to do?

bible, christian life, gospel, great commission

Beware: The Gospel Will Ruin Your Life

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David Platt recently spoke at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Beware, if you listen to this message you will likely experience the “holy destruction” that the Spirit of God can bring.  Be prepared for conviction.

Platt presents a clear and compelling message of “What the Gospel Does to Our Hearts.”  The truth of the matter, the gospel, when rightly understood, will ruin your worldly way of life.

Are you ready to have your life ruined?

Here are a few memorable quotes.  Please watch or listen to the entire thing.

Until the gospel invades our hearts, any efforts to help the poor will be shallow and short-lived; but when the gospel of a Savior who became poor that we might become rich radically invades our hearts, it will radically affect the way we live for the sake of His glory amidst urgent spiritual and physical needs around the world.

The gospel demands radical sacrifice.

Hate your mom and dad, wife and kids; pick up an instrument of torture and give up everything you have.  That’s a lot different than admit, believe, confess, and pray a prayer.

Could it be that somewhere along the way we have taken the gospel, the very lifeblood of Christianity out, and put Kool-Aid in its place.  What it means to follow Jesus is to give up everything you’ve got.

Jesus is not a good teacher to be respected; He is a sovereign Lord to be obeyed.

‘That Jesus did not command all His followers to sell all their possessions gives comfort only to the kind of people to whom He would issue that command.’

If we take Jesus and twist Him into our image, then even when we gather together in our churches and lift our hands to sing songs to Jesus… we are not worshiping the Jesus of the Bible — we are worshiping ourselves.

The gospel, not guilt, is motivation for giving to those who are in need.

‘God always gives what He commands.’

We have found someone worth losing everything for… Do we believe [Christ] is worth it.

Materialism is not just wrong — it’s dumb.

The cost of discipleship is great… but the cost of non-discipleship is far, far greater.  It will cost us to give our resources, money, possessions, and lives in this world.  But what if we don’t?  The cost will be great for a billion plus people who will go on without  knowledge of the gospel while we spend our millions on our buildings, and our programs, and our stuff.  The cost will be great for our brothers and sisters in the world who will continue starving while our dogs and cats eat better than them.  But the cost will not just be great for them, the cost will be great for us.  For we will miss out… in this age and the life to come.

conferences, culture, gospel, great commission

What is the Proper Response to the Gospel? Danny Akin on Romans 12:1-2

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As a recent graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary I cannot express how thankful and proud I am for the godly leadership of Danny Akin.  He is one of the main reasons I decided to attend S.E.B.T.S.  He has been one of the leading proponents of a “Great Commission Resurgence” in the Southern Baptist Convention.

In the following video you will see Dr. Akin preach from Romans 12:1-2.  While watching this video I was again challenged to give God everything.  I don’t mean to use that word “everything” lightly.  I want to live for God as a “living sacrifice.”  I want to be a dead man walking.

Also, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Dr. Akin preach without notes or a manuscript!  Must be a message particularly close to his heart.  As you’ll notice, it doesn’t take Dr. Akin but a few moments to teach the gospel and how it calls us to proclaim the gospel to the nations.

He explains Romans 12:1-2 using three words:  consecration, transformation, and satisfaction.  However, to get to Paul’s point in Romans 12:1-2 one has to understand Romans 1-11.  That is the beauty of this message!  Dr. Akin walks through Romans 1-11 in a beautiful, succinct, clear manner that does complete justice to the intended meaning of the text.

Here are a few poignant quotes from Dr. Akin’s message:

Why do we need a gospel?  Why do we need the power of God?  Why do we need to be justified?  Why do we need to be saved?  The answer is — we have a massive sin problem.

Revelation brings responsibility.

Your salvation was not an accident.  Your salvation was not an afterthought.  Your salvation was not ‘Plan B.’

God wants your eyes.  God wants your ears.  God wants your mouth.  God wants your mind… God wants your hands and your feet.  In fact, God wants all of your body — every single part of it.  He’s not interested in most of it.  He’s not willing to negotiate and bargain… You can’t give God part of you.

The mind is a very delicate thing that must be brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

The Bible says if you’re not careful, both as a Christian and as a church, we can begin to look a whole lot more like the world than like Jesus.

I find that there are a bunch of stupid Christians… They love Jesus with their heart but they don’t have a prayer of a chance of explaining to somebody what they believe or why they believe it.

[Read a book] that will stretch your mind so that you can think more Christianly day-in and day-out rather than being a surface, sloppy, silly, stupid, Saint – we don’t need any more.

Any system of theology that lessens your passion for the Great Commission and evangelism is a theology not worth having.

In the day and age we live, you can’t be a stupid Christian.  You have to be able to think well about the gospel and the implications of the gospel.  You have to be able to explain and understand both what you and believe and why you believe.  If you don’t read, that’s not going to happen.

For the audio-only version of this message see my previous post on the 20/20 Conference at SEBTS.

conferences, gospel, great commission, resources

20/20 Conference at SEBTS

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Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the “20/20 Conference” at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.  However, the audio and video from each session is now available online.  I would highly recommend everyone checking out the messages that were presented.

Matt Chandler spoke via video on Colossians 1 about “Defining the Gospel Clearly.”

Danny Akin described the “Proper Response to the Gospel” based on Romans 12:1-2.

David Platt explained what a “Gospel-Centered Community of Faith” looks like by teaching from Acts 3:1-10.

J. D. Greear clarified some “Cultural Assumptions That Make the Gospel Offensive” based on Acts 4:1-21.

Clayton King demonstrated “Paul’s Witness for the Gospel” in Acts 17:16-31.

church, community, culture, gospel, ministry

Cake or Icing?

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Many of our North American churches seem to have everything — culturally relevant outreach, attractive facilities, and a broad range of programs to match any and every lifestyle.  Add to this the experience of dynamic speakers, professional-quality music, and inviting small groups.  How could those who are most active in these churches be stagnant and dissatisfied?

There’s nothing wrong with top-quality facilities, creative programs, and a genuine sense of community.  But the fundamental question is, “What message are we sharing in our community and within our walls through our programs?”  I believe its our substance, not our structure, that is leaving so many stagnant and dissatisfied.  A church may have polished programs, well-trained staff, and dynamic speakers.

But content is what people walk away with.

(Andrew Farley, The Naked Gospel)

As you may or may not know, my wife loves weddings.  She loves making someone’s wedding day beautiful and memorable.  Recently she told me about a trick some people use to save money on the wedding cake.  For those particularly concerned with a beautiful and ornate cake sometimes decorate Styrofoam or cardboard with fondant and decorative sugar flowers.  This is all well and good because during the serving of the cake the wait staff takes the cake in the kitchen and swaps it with a pre-cut bargain priced cake.  No one ever has to know.

Not a big deal when it comes to wedding cake but a very big deal when it comes to a church!  My concern is that many Christians and churches have become more concerned with the look of the church rather than the substance. When someone goes to cut into our proverbial cake, all they find is a piece of cardboard.

christian life, church, culture

Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism

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In Christian Smith’s national study on the religious beliefs of young adults he found that most young Americans subscribe to a form of “moralistic, therapeutic deism” or (as I like to call it) “be good, feel good, believe-in-God-as-a-concept” religion.  While no one has an excuse before God, the self-help and behavior-focused teaching in most churches leaves little room for revelation-based, gospel-centered, sacrificial relationship with Jesus.

Most people have as their central goal to be happy and feel good.  Many pastors cater to their audience rather than oppose this self-centered form of idolatry.  The gospel cannot be stripped of a call to “come and die.”

books, christian life, community

Without Vision the Community Flourishes?

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I have been reading through Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s short treatise on the subject of Christan community entitled “Life Together.”  His words are clear and convicting.  I often hear pastors talking about the necessity of “vision” in leading a church.  This passage from Bonhoeffer may cause some to question the idolatry of their own “vision.”

God hates visionary dreaming; it makes the dreamer proud and pretentious.  The man who fashions a visionary ideal of community demands that it be realized by God, by others, and by himself.  He enters the community of Christians with his demands, sets up his own law, and judges the brethren and God Himself accordingly.  He stands adamant, a living reproach to all others in the circle of brethren.  He acts as if he is the creator of the Christian community, as if his dream binds men together.  When things do not go his way, he calls the effort a failure.  When his ideal picture is destroyed, he sees the community going to smash.  So he becomes,  first an accuser of his brethren, then an accuser of God, and finally the despairing accuser of himself.