Living With Passion

Paul wrote Galatians to a group of churches in the area of Galatia to help them understand the freedom they have in Christ. There were false teachers who were coming into these churches telling them they needed something more than Jesus to be right with God. Paul shows clearly through this letter that all we need has been provided to us by the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

As you are finding Galatians 4, I want to talk a little about passion.

‌What is passion?

‌Passion is one of those words that we know when we see it, but it may be a little harder to give a clear definition for it. Back in the old days, when you wanted to know what a word meant, you would go to the dictionary. When you look to the dictionary to find the clear meaning of passion, you find they have a hard time summing it up as well. One of the best definitions that I came across was “an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.”

Passion is the word that has often been used to define the sufferings that Jesus went through from the Last Supper with His disciples to His death on the cross. I can’t think of a better word to describe those events. It was Jesus’ passion for God’s plan of salvation that carried Him through everything He endured. He knew that as difficult as it was, the end result (the only path back to God) was completely worth it.

Passion is not a bad thing necessarily. Passion is a drive the Lord has placed within each human being which draws them to something.

In our world, we see people all around us living out of a passion for something or someone. It doesn’t take long to find out what a person is passionate about. It will come up in almost every conversation you have with them. If you were to see a copy of their bank statements, you would be able to see what they are passionate about. If you were to examine a person’s free time, you would quickly find out what they are passionate about.

Jesus said in the middle of His famous Sermon on the Mount:​ “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21 CSB).

What are you passionate about?

‌If someone were writing your biography, what would they write about is your passion in life? It could be a number of things:

• ‌Your family
• A hobby
• Your job
• Your reputation

As I ask that question, you may be thinking, “I really am not sure as to what I am passionate about.” You may enjoy a lot of things, but you have trouble nailing down one particular thing that you would say you are passionate about.

I would share with you something that I’ve learned over my short years: If you don’t choose a passion for yourself, someone will choose one for you.

The culture that we live in today is filled with people and things that want to grab your passion. Billions of dollars are spent every year trying to grab someone’s devotion to them or their products. We are the ones who ultimately determine what our passions will be. We will either actively choose something to be passionate about, or we will hand that power to someone else.

In Galatians 4, Paul writes to the churches in Galatia about this very thing. He writes about how these false teachers were coming in and trying to move the churches’ passion away from where it should be.

¹⁷ They court you eagerly, but not for good. They want to exclude you from me, so that you would pursue them. ¹⁸ But it is always good to be pursued in a good manner—and not just when I am with you. ¹⁹ My children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you. ²⁰ I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.

Galatians 4:17–20 (CSB)

As Paul writes these words, he speaks about passion. In verses 17-18, he uses the word “pursue.” This word carries the same meaning as passion. In the first century, this word meant “to have a deep concern for or devotion to someone or something.” Do you see how it is tied to the idea of passion?

Paul writes about these false teachers who were coming into their churches and trying to move the people’s passion away from Jesus to other things. These false teachers would not leave Jesus out. They just wanted the people to put other things on the same level as Jesus — primarily the Law of Moses. That doesn’t go over well. Jesus is called the Holy One because there is no one or nothing like Him. He stands apart and above all other things.

As Paul writes to these Galatian churches that he cares about so much, I see two clear things that Paul points out for these Christians (and us, too) to be passionate about.

‌Be passionate about conforming to the image of Christ

‌In verse 19, Paul writes about suffering labor pains for them until Christ is formed in them. Paul is talking about a process that is called sanctification. A person experiences three stages in salvation.

• ‌Justification = When a person trusts in Jesus as Savior and Lord, they are made fully right with God. Their sins are forgiven, and they are brought into the family of God.

• Sanctification = The work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life to conform them to the image of Christ. This process is the changing of desires to align with what God wants and not our sinful flesh. This process takes the rest of our time here on earth.

• Glorification = When Christians take their last breath, they are ushered into the presence of Jesus in heaven. At that point, there is no more struggle with sin, sickness, or anything else that was an effect of the Fall in the Garden of Eden.

When Paul talks about being conformed to the image of Christ, he speaks about the process the Holy Spirit is working in the life of every Christian to make them more like Jesus. Paul writes about this topic on many occasions.

²⁸ We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 8:28–30 (CSB)

² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2 (CSB)

What is the message that God is trying to get to us through His word? Here’s one key point about the Bible: if something is repeated, you should pay special attention to it.

What Paul is saying to the Galatian Christians (and us) is we need to be passionate about seeing more of Christ in us than ourselves.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 (CSB)

With each passing day, we should look less and less like we used to before we trusted Christ and more like Jesus. A Christian is a disciple of Jesus. A disciple’s primary passion should be to look as much like their master as possible.

⁴⁰ A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

Luke 6:40 (CSB)

How to be passionate about conforming to the image of Christ

While it would be awesome to have a little checklist that we could mark off and be assured that we would be conformed to the image of Christ, the only checklist that we have been given is not so easy nor does it look exactly the same for all people.

²³ Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 9:23 (CSB)

Being conformed to the image of Christ is about denying what our sinful selves want to do and doing what the Lord wants us to do. Any person who is doing this will tell you that it is not easy work. It takes complete dependence on the Holy Spirit who lives within us now for this to happen.

We learn what the Lord wants us to do by studying His Word, through prayer, and through obeying what He says.

Through the study of the Bible (both privately in devotions and together in the gathering with others), the Lord reveals His heart and plans to us. Nothing the Lord wants to do will ever contradict His Word.

Through the communication of prayer, we speak to God and hear from Him. Prayer is not a time for us to bring our wishlist to God and dump it on Him. It is the sweet time of fellowship where we get to spend time with the living God of the universe.

Through obedience, the Lord teaches and molds us into the image of Christ. There will be times when the full answer of what God wants to do in and through your life will come on the other side of obedience — just ask Abraham.

Paul desired for the Galatian Christians to be passionate about conforming to the image of Christ. I would ask this question of you and myself: is conforming to the image of Christ a passion in our lives, or is it just a side project? Can it be said of us that we long above all other things to be more like Christ, or do others see it as nothing more than a hobby in our lives that has no real impact?

If we do have a passion to be more Christlike, it will awaken within us another passion as well, and Paul shares this also in verse 19.

‌Be passionate about others knowing Christ

In verse 19, Paul talks about suffering for the Galatians to know Christ. He used the imagery of a woman going through labor pains. I’ve been told that may be the greatest pain a person can go through in this life. While I’ve never done it, I have seen it firsthand, and I don’t desire to experience that.

If we are becoming more like Christ, we will see a growing passion arise in our lives for others to come to know Him as well. Many people have used the saying before, “Evangelism is one beggar showing another beggar where the bread is.” This is true. The more our passion grows to be like our Savior, the more a passion for others to experience Him grows in our hearts.

One way that you can know that you are conforming to the image of Christ is by the passion you have to see others come to know Jesus. Does people’s state before a holy God bother you? You may feel bad or troubled by it, but that is not passion.

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”

Charles Spurgeon

Can that be said of us? Is there a burning passion within our hearts to see others come to know Jesus as He truly is? When was the last time that you prayed for someone to come to faith in Christ? When was the last time you took the time to share with someone the good news of Jesus? We may be tempted to offer excuses such as “I didn’t have time…” or “I didn’t want to come across as pushy.” What our silence communicates oftentimes is that we do not think it is that important.

‌Conclusion

Human beings are God’s greatest creations. There is no other creation that God has loved so much. It was for us that He gave His one and only Son as the atoning sacrifice so that we could be brought back to Him. Within each of us, God has placed a passion. We get to choose what that passion will be directed to. As I said before, if we do not do it, someone else will do it for us.

Today, my prayer is that each one of us would crave a passion to be more like Jesus. That starts by placing our faith and trust in Him. If you haven’t done that, I would encourage you to do that today. There is no other way for your sins to be forgiven and receive the abundant life He has for you. After that is done, we spend time with Him through Bible study, prayer, and obeying what He tells us to do. As we do that, we will begin to see a passion for His will in our lives above all else. Part of God’s will for every Christian is to share with others how they can experience this wonderful gift that you have.

May God give us one pure and holy passion for Him.

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Youth Evangelism Conference

This past weekend, middle school and high school students from our church joined together with others from across our state for a Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC) in a nearby city. It was exciting to hear about what took place as over 460 people from 45 different churches gathered together for worship, encouragement, and training. This was the first year that two of my own sons would be a part of this.

As I thought about this weekend, I was taken back to the days when the Lord had me in student ministry. Those were some exciting times. You were always on your toes as changes came quickly. Trying to help teens grasp their faith and be used by the Lord for His glory… good times.

I can remember taking groups to Youth Evangelism Conferences as well. It was a good time to gather students together and have them hear the gospel clearly outside of the usual avenues that one usually had. I do remember feeling that there was always something missing to the YEC’s that we were involved with. The preaching was typically good. The musical worship was good. Yet there was still something that seemed to be missing from the whole deal.

I must commend the student ministry leadership at the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC). I think they have found the missing piece I have been looking for all those years.

While the students and leaders that attended YEC in Jefferson City this year had the opportunity to hear some good preaching and musical worship, it didn’t stop there. They had breakout sessions and training where students learned more about sharing their faith with those they encounter on a daily basis. One of the things that had me most excited was that on Monday, those who had experienced all this goodness at YEC were given the opportunity to break into groups and put it into action. They would go out in the neighborhoods of the area they were in and do what they had been talking about.

Where is the time and place to train and
deploy the upcoming missionaries?

While I always seemed to have a good time taking students and other leaders to YEC in the past, the missing piece was that we never had the opportunity to put what we heard to work immediately. Those conferences were more like “Youth Evangelistic Crusades,” where the gospel was shared very clearly, and you brought as many people who did not follow Jesus to hear what was said from the stage. Don’t get me wrong, I believe there is a time and place for that, but where is the time and place to train and deploy the upcoming missionaries? I know that our student ministries within local churches should be doing that, but where is it written that we cannot do that on a bigger scale?

This past weekend, the MBC showed it could be done. I’m already hearing about conversations of students involved this weekend, pondering ways they can put into practice what they were doing at this event. PRAISE THE LORD!!! I am thankful for our Pastor of Student Ministries (Ben Clay) and the other adults who supported and walked alongside these students this past weekend. I am excited to see what spark just might have been lit within our students.

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Whatever It Takes

We have been looking at the importance of unity within the fellowship of the local church recently. The church has been given the responsibility of taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to every people group. For this to happen, there has to be a unity within the church. We have been looking in 1 Corinthians where the apostle Paul has been sharing with a group of Christians in Corinth in the first century about how to strive for unity so that the gospel work that she has been called to do can be carried out effectively. Today, we are going to continue looking at 1 Corinthians 9.

There is great debate about who the greatest basketball player of all time is. There are some that would say Michael Jordan… others would say LeBron James… To be honest, I am not an avid fan of basketball. I can enjoy a good game, but I don’t get all excited about it as I do other sports like college football or baseball.

When the discussion about greats in basketball come up, the name Kobe Bryant has to mentioned in the conversation. Here was a young guy that took the NBA by storm. He lived by what has come to be known as “Mamba Mentality.” The “Mamba Mentality” was said to be the best version of yourself as possible. It was about being singularly focused on the objective. Kobe Bryant was extremely focused and determined to be the best at whatever he set his mind to – both on the court and off.

When we see people excel at what they are in, we take notice. You have to admire someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to be the best that they can be in their field. I don’t know of many people who would strive just for a participation trophy.

Even when you look to the Bible, you see that in our faith journey with Christ there is this encouragement to “win the race.”

Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.

​1 Corinthians 9:24 CSB

When we look at the life of the apostle Paul, it is easy to notice that he had a “Mamba Mentality” when it came to seeing others come to Christ. He had run a good and determined race in the sphere of Judaism. He had studied under one of the most prominent rabbis of the day (Gamaliel). When he came to faith in Christ on the Road to Damascus, he channeled every ounce of his energy into one thing: getting the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people.

What do you have a burden for?

As we look at the importance of unity within the local church, we should recognize that unity is about being centered around a common focus. It is not about having everything uniform. The focus that Jesus has given to each of His churches is to be centered around the work of the gospel – the message that God became a man in order to redeem sinful mankind.

We can see this played out in the life of Paul throughout the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Paul shows the local church some steps that need to be taken in order for there to be unity among the fellowship and effectiveness in the gospel work that each church is called to do.

1. Waive my rights in order to win the lost

In the beginning verses of chapter 9, Paul had shared about how he had laid aside his right as an apostle to receive compensation for sharing the gospel from the church in Corinth so that the message could go out unhindered. In verse 19, Paul reiterates the fact that he is completely free in Christ. He is not a slave to any person. Even though this is true, Paul states that he has waived many of his rights so that he might be able to reach more people with the gospel.

In our society today, our rights are something that we cherish. We should be thankful for the rights that we have in this land. But if those rights stand in the way of us sharing the gospel with the lost, then there are times when we should waive those rights so that we might see those who are far from Christ brought close.

Paul was willing to sacrifice anything in his life if it meant that he could share the gospel with more people. He didn’t do this to receive special recognition or to be rewarded by people. He did it solely so that others might be able to experience the abundant life that comes only through Jesus Christ and the gospel.

“We are not free to live however we want and let the world go to hell.”

Bob Ingle

Paul was what has been called a “soul-winner” in the past. In these five verses, he uses the word “win” five times in speaking about winning people to Christ. As Christians, we are called to be “soul-winners.” That doesn’t mean that we save anyone. The work of salvation in a person’s life is the work of the Holy Spirit. Our part in the equation is that we have the message that brings salvation to anyone who believes and a responsibility to share it with others. ​

How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

Romans 10:14–15 CSB

Paul is quick to remind the church that if there is going to be unity around the mission of the gospel, it will call for us at times to waive our rights in order to win the lost. Sometimes the greatest barrier to another person hearing the gospel is our unwillingness to waive our rights when needed.

2. Contextualize without compromise

In verses 20-22a, Paul shared about times that he had to contextualize to the situation so that he could clearly share the gospel of Jesus with others. This was not about setting aside clear biblical principles. It was more about setting aside personal preferences to advance the gospel.

• To the Jews, I became like a Jew (v 20)
• To ones under the law, like one under the law (v 20)
• To those without the law, like one without the law (v 21)
• To the weak, I became like one weak (v 22)

We need to be clear that this does not mean that we act like unbelievers to win unbelievers. We do not become alcoholics to win alcoholics. We do not become adulterers to win adulterers. We are never called to compromise the truth. Some have asked about why do we not keep all of the laws in the Old Testament. The reason for that is that there are different types of laws found in the Old Testament – moral laws and ceremonial laws. Moral laws are truths that are to be kept for all time in all places. This would be things like the Ten Commandments. Ceremonial laws applied to the nation of Israel as God was calling out a people to be separate and unique in their culture. These laws (dietary, sacrifices, etc) are not binding on all peoples at all times.

We see this concept of contextualize without compromise carried out when people are sent to different countries to share the gospel. If you have ever gone on a foreign mission trip, there were some things that you had to change in order to gain an audience with the people you were going to. Missionaries are trained in both the language and culture of the people that God is sending them so that there will not be any hindrance to the gospel getting to the people they are sent to share with.

When I went to Thailand in 1995, I had to learn that stepping or standing on the threshold of a doorway is highly offense in that culture. I had to learn that showing the bottom of my feet to others was highly offensive in that culture. Touching the top of someone’s head is highly offensive in that culture. There is nothing inherently sinful about any of these actions, but they can create great barriers to the people I was trying to reach hearing the truth of the gospel needlessly.

How do we know what should be contextualized and not? The same principle is applied that is applied to the laws of the Old Testament. How do you know an Old Testament law is moral (true for all people at all times) or ceremonial (for the nation of Israel at that time)? The principle is this: is it reinforced in the New Testament?

Paul shows us in 1 Corinthians 9 that when it came to matters that were not ethically or theologically essential or implied by Scripture, he believed in flexibility. For us to be able to do this well, we have to know what the Bible says ourselves and not just the word of someone else. We must use the wisdom that God grants to us to know how do we best contextualize without compromising the message of the gospel.

3. Modify methods without changing the message

In verses 22-23, Paul reminds the church that when it comes to sharing the gospel with others, there is not necessarily a “one size fits all” approach. There is one message that we have (the gospel of Jesus Christ), but God has given us different ways of sharing that message so that it will be understood by those who hear it.

If we as a church are going to be faithful in sharing the gospel message with people, we will come to realize that there will be times when we may have to change our methods but never change our message.

Change is a hard thing for most people. We are creatures of habit. We like things to be the same way many times because there is a comfort in “being in the know”. Too many times, we live our lives in a lazy fashion because we accept the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

The truth is that change is a part of this life. Things do not stay the same as much as we want them to. Just as a baby naturally develops into a toddler then an adolescent then into an adult, so cultures change – some for the better and some for the worse. Ways of taking the gospel to people that were effective in the past and in certain areas become difficult and unwelcome. That doesn’t mean that we are to stop sharing the gospel. We are to look to how can we modify the method so that the unchanging message of the gospel gets to where it needs to go.

This is what Paul was speaking about when he said, “I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some” (v 22b). It is not about trying to do every program under the sun. It is about using the wisdom that God gives us to present the message clearly to those who God sends us. When the group shares the gospel in Juarez, the methods may look very different from how we would do it at the Street Fair in town in a couple of weeks.

Conclusion

As we see Paul sharing his heart with the church at Corinth, we can see that he most definitely had a “Mamba Mentality” when it came to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was willing to do whatever it took to get the gospel to those who need it. We would do well to follow suit.

It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that has given us new life. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the single most important message that is in our world. It has been entrusted to us to share with a lost and dying world. This world is not going to hear the gospel through news media or political debates. It will be the church unifying together, living in the freedom that it brings, and sharing it with those who need to hear.

My prayer is that we will unite around the unchanging message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. May we have at the forefront of our minds not our rights and freedoms but the urgency to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who need to hear it.

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In Debt

Those words are some that scare me to death. Debt is one thing that causes great stress in many people’s lives today. It is proving more difficult each year to come out of college without having a mound of debt from student loans. I do not know many people who can buy a car or house without going into debt, but these are some needed things by many to function in this life.

The Bible speaks a great deal about debt. Many times there is the idea or thought of how to reduce or even eliminate debt in our lives. Proverbs 22:7 reminds us that the borrower is slave to the lender. As followers of Jesus, we are to be slave to no one except our Savior.

Today, I read something about another viewpoint of debt. It came from Reading Romans with John Stott. In this particular devotion, Stott was looking at Romans 1:14-15. He writes this…

Paul’s words “I am obligated” should properly be translated “I am a debtor.” There are two possible ways of getting into debt. The first is to borrow money from someone; the second is to be given money for someone by a third party. If a friend of yours had given me money to give to you, I would be in your debt until I handed it over. Your friend had put me in your debt.

It is in this second sense that Paul is in debt. He has not borrowed anything from the Romans which he must repay. Rather, Jesus Christ has entrusted him with the gospel for them. It is Jesus Christ who has made Paul a debtor by committing the gospel to his trust.

Paul was in debt to the Romans. As apostle to the Gentiles he was particularly in debt to the Gentile world. It was because of his sense of debt to them that he could write: “That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.”

I had always been told that debt is bad and something that we should work to get out of at all costs. Debt is something that we should work to be free from. Not all debt is a bad thing though. Not all debt comes to us because we have made bad choices. It might be because we’ve made the best choice.

I love this example of debt as being one that holds and delivers for a third party. Just as Paul had been indebted to share the gospel with Gentiles, so we have been indebted to share the gospel with those around us. The only way to get out of this debt is to share the gospel with those around us. It is in these moments that both those we share with and we ourselves can find freedom from debt.

Let’s be faithful to remove debt in our lives!

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Encouragement from an Older Preacher

I have been accused of being a Bible collector at times. I have about 6 or 7 different English translations in print and many more via Logos and the Bible app. What can I say, I like God’s word and want to see it from different angles.

One of my favorite print Bible at this time is my CSB Pastor’s Bible. I really like the translation, the single column layout, but one of the best tools are the articles found at the end of the Bible. These are articles from various people to help encourage pastors in their duties.

One of those articles is from Charles Spurgeon. The article was titled “Glorifying God in Your Ministry.” This article spoke to my heart greatly today. Here’s some of what it said:

Whether souls are converted or not, if Jesus Christ be faithfully preached, the minister has not labored in vain because he is a sweet aroma to God as well in them that perish as in them that are saved…

It is ours to sow even in stony places, where no fruit rewards our toil, but still we are bound to look for a harvest and mourn if it does not appear in due time…

In too many cases awe-inspiring truths are avoided under the false belief that they are not practical, while the very fact that they are revealed proves that the Lord thinks them to be of value…

The ambassadors of peace should not cease to weep bitterly until sinners weep for their sins.

Whoa…I

There is a task that we have been given: share the gospel. It is just that simple. It is not always easy, but it is that simple. We are not that it will always be fruitful. There may be seasons (even prolonged ones) of drought.

The main question is: are we being faithful to the task?

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The Tragedy of Forgetfulness

I am one that does not like to forget things. Sadly, I feel my hand on my head many times as I suddenly remember something that was to happen earlier. It is embarrassing at times. It is frustrating most of the time. 

I can remember when my wife and I got married, there was a moment that I forgot something. No, I didn’t forget the rings or to say “I do!”

No, what I forgot was so much different. I remember that I was so nervous that day.  I wanted to make sure that everything went off exactly like it should. I was looking out a window from the worship center of the church that overlooked the parking lot. I was trying to see if there was anything I had forgotten. 

As I looked out the window, I noticed that something was wrong: my truck was missing! 

I knew that I had parked it in an exact spot, but my little 2000 Chevy S-10 was nowhere to be found. I quickly felt my pockets and searched through my things, and my keys were nowhere to be found. Suddenly, I realized that I had left my keys in my truck. It didn’t take long to realize that two of my groomsmen weren’t to be found (truck thieves).  They had taken my truck and filled it with packing peanuts. 

While we laugh about that now, it reminds me that there are some things that are forgotten so easily and are not so funny. 

I just celebrated my 38th birthday on March 28th. I have been a follower of Jesus since I was about 12 years old. If my math is working right, I’m about 26 years into following Jesus. That would be twice as long as not being a follower of Jesus. 

I think that the tragedy of forgetfulness comes when a follower of Jesus forgets what it was like to not have Jesus. 

How quickly do we forget what it was like to not have any real hope? How quickly do we forget what it was like to not have peace?

I have crossed paths with many people who have been following Jesus much longer than not. There is a great temptation to forget the past and move forward. I believe keeping that past that we were delivered from in close remembrance can go a long way in helping us be faithful in the new life we’ve been given. 

How?…

When we remember what it was like to have no hope, no peace, no life, then it will drive us to share the “good news” with as many people as possible. We should want to share this wonderful gift that is far better than any sports team or grandchild (and we all loving sharing about those, don’t we?).

Let us not forget what D.T. Niles shared: “Christianity is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread.” 

How quickly do we forget who we were when we were rescued by God’s grace? Remember where you were… who you were… and what God did. This might just help you see others as God does. 

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More Isn't Always Better

The Southern Baptists of Mississippi are pushing a campaign to get their members more involved in evangelism. This campaign is called “Tell Me, Tell Someone.” It is a good campaign in my opinion. It is one that any Christian can get on board with not just Southern Baptists. 

Along with this campaign, the leaders of the Mississippi Baptist Convention are hitting every county and prison in the state spreading the message of the campaign. This past Monday, the county that I live in hosted this rally. 

Dr. Jim Futral shared with the crowd that gathered at the Bruce town square about the importance of sharing our faith with others. In his message, Dr. Futral also shared some interesting stats with the crowd.

• Mississippi has the most churches per capita of all the United States. 
• Calhoun County has the most churches per capita of all counties in Mississippi. 

Honestly, I was not surprised at these stats. The state in which I have lived for some time now has churches scattered all over. The county in which I live has a population of around 14,000 (+\-), and there are 44 Southern Baptist churches along with many other denominations. The editor of our county paper shared that there are almost 100 active churches in our county. The joke of “a church on every corner” about rings true where I live. 

Dr. Futral also shared another stat with the crowd. I wish that I could say that this stat shocked me, but it didn’t. What was the stat?

• No county in the state of Mississippi (including Calhoun County) has more than 1/3 of the population reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The reason that this stat didn’t shock me was that I shared a similar stat with the Southern Baptists in our county a couple of years ago. I shared that a demographic study showed that 65% of our county’s population is considered “unreached with the Gospel.” 

While there may be a church on just about every corner, it doesn’t always mean that things are well. Our county has the most churches per capita over any county in the state, yet we also have over half of the population that is not being reached with the Gospel. We are really doing no better than those counties that have the fewest churches in the county. 

Just because there are groups that meet in a building and have a sign that shows their name has “church” in it doesn’t mean that things are happening. There should be an impact made on the community because of the presence of the church. I have often posed the question to our church that if our church was gone tomorrow would the community care or just go on about life as usual?

I pray that the numerous churches in our area will recognize the important task that we have to share the Gospel with those around us. A county that has close to 100 active churches should not have an unreached population of 65%. 

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Book Review: "Tell Someone: You Can Share the Good News"

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  (Matthew 28:18-20 NASB)

The Great Commission has been said to be the mission statement of the Church.  These verses show what Christians are to be about in their daily lives.  When one reads Mark’s version of the Great Commission, a few words come come up that sadly scare many followers of Jesus.  These words are “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15 NASB).

For some reason, people are all about becoming a follower of Jesus, but to go and tell others how they can become a Christian seems to be a scary thing because there are not many doing it.

In Tell Someone, Greg Laurie shares a format of sharing the gospel with people that anyone who has trusted Christ themselves can do.  In this very short book (134 pages), Laurie shares how a Christian simply needs to share what Christ has done in their lives with others.

There seems to be many various approaches to sharing one’s faith, but I truly believe that what Laurie shares in Tell Someone (sharing your story along with clear Scripture) is the best approach across the board.  People do not want to hear another practiced “sales pitch.”  They are wanting to know what actually works.

What really stands out in this book is the emphasis that is placed not just on sharing the gospel but with following it up with discipleship.  While evangelism (leading someone to faith in Christ) is a part of discipleship, it is not the entirety of discipleship. Laurie does a great job in reminding readers of this concept.

So, let’s say God has graciously allowed you to lead a person to Christ.  Is that the end of it?  No, actually that is the beginning!  Now it is your privilege to disciple them (p. 109).

To finish the book out, Laurie includes a section that is geared towards pastors, teachers, Bible study leaders.  This “postscript” contains five steps to help keep an evangelistic culture in the area you oversee.  I found this very helpful.

Recommendation

Tell Someone is a small, easy read for anyone who is interested in seeing evangelism grow in their lives. It will not take long to read through this book, but it is still packed with some great principles and illustrations to encourage the reader to be more active in sharing their faith in Jesus Christ.

I believe that this book is a great tool that should be read and applied to a Christian’s life.  Laurie has a way of talking with you through this book and not at you.  Check out Tell Someone, and more importantly share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone today.

Giveaway

I have the privilege of giving away one copy of Tell Someone to one lucky reader.  In order to qualify for this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment in the comment section.  I will choose one winner and that person will be notified on Friday, February 26th.  I look forward to hearing from you.

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Storytelling

Who doesn't like a good story?  I don't know of many people who do not like to hear one tell a good gripping story.  I have had the privilege of sitting at the feet of some good storytelling people.  Some were relatives that just brighten up the times together with a good story.  Some were friends who would tell about past adventures.

A good story is priceless.

For some people, storytelling is indeed priceless.  For some people in our world, storytelling might be the only way that they get to encounter the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Last night, my wife did a great job of sharing with our church family about mission work done in the Ivory Coast through some of our IMB missionaries.  One of the major ways that the Gospel is shared in the Ivory Coast is through storytelling the Bible.  This is done primarily because the literacy rate is sadly very low.  A great video that tells a little about the work in the Ivory Coast can be seen here.

This got me to thinking...

If we had to share the truths of the Bible with another person in the form of storying, could we?

In our country, it is not uncommon for there to be a copy of the Bible in the home, workplace, hotel rooms, library, or other places we find ourselves frequently.  You can even find the Bible at Walmart!  Even though we have an abundance of Bibles at our fingertips, I am concerned that we don't know what the story of the Bible really is.

I would encourage you to take that number one best-seller that may be on a shelf close by and take time to learn the story of the Bible.  Don't just read and listen to the many stories, but take time to see the overall story that goes throughout Scripture.  Then let's take the time to share that story with others around us.

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One Great Day

As a parent, there are some days that you look forward to with great expectation. There is the seeing the child for the first time. There is hearing them say your name for the first time. As they take those first steps, you are there with the camera (or smartphone) going.

As a parent who is a Christian, there are a whole other set of things that we look forward to seeing in our children. At the top of the list has to be when your child places their faith into Jesus for themselves. This is a point that you pray for from their first day.

This past week was a great week for our family. Our oldest son, Drew, came to us and said that he was ready to trust Jesus. He had been asking questions for a while. This past week, he nailed that decision down. Yesterday, he shared with our church family the great news.

I took a couple of things away from this experience:

1. Be praying for your children. This may seem like one of those "needless to say" statements, but the truth is that the best thing that we can do for our children and grandchildren is to pray for them. Pray for their salvation. Pray for their future spouse. Pray for them to be used for God's glory.

2. Remember that salvation is a personal decision. One of the hardest things with my oldest son was allowing him the room, freedom, and time to make the ultimate decision to follow Jesus. I wanted so bad to see him saved from the moment he was born. I realized quickly that it wasn't my decision. Give your children that room to make a decision on their own.

3. Rejoice when one is saved. It doesn't have to be a family member coming to Christ for us to get all excited. We should rejoice anytime that one comes to Christ. If it is our children, celebrate all the more. Watching my son accept Christ reminded me just how amazing that moment is in a person's life.

Are you awaiting the day when your child or loved one comes to Christ? Keep praying for them. Keep an open door to them for questions. Let Jesus show them the difference He can make in their life.

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Deal Hunting

Looking for deals seems to be a hot thing these days. I hear about those who will search for coupons and the best deals in order to save a few dollars. I can remember my grandmother and her "deal hunting." She would go to three different stores in her town depending on who had what on sale that week. It might be picking milk up at one and eggs at another while peanut butter is on sale at a completely different store.

The Bible is clear on its teaching about stewardship. There is truly nothing that we own in and of ourselves. We are stewards of the things that we have - money, talents, time, children, jobs, etc. We are to care for them and use them in the best way that will accomplish their God-given purposes.

As I was looking at my devotion this morning, I came across the deal hunter's verse. But I do not think it would fit all situations for those coupon-cutters.

"Act wisely towards outsiders, making the most of the time." Colossians 4:5 HCSB

The verb that is translated "making the most" (ἐξαγοραζόμενοι) literally means "to purchase or buy up." It's like that deal hunter finding the deal of the year. What do the deal hunters do when they find "the big deal"? They stock up. They jump on it. They "make the most of it."

God is giving us some big opportunities or deals to be jumped on with those who do not know Jesus. These bargains are all around us and meant to be taken. We are to see the opportunities to show Jesus to those around us as they present themselves. They are everywhere.

My prayer is that God might open my eyes today to see the deals that are to be capitalized on - those times to show Jesus to the world - all around me. But not just see them, but to make the most of them.

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False Witness

I am taking a Biblical Ethics class at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary this semester.  We are in the middle of a discussion on the 10 Commandments.  I was a part of a group that dealt with what is commonly known as the 9th Commandment: "Do not give false testimony against your neighbor" (Deuteronomy 5:20 HCSB).

This has commonly been brought across as the commandment that says: "Don't lie."  While the thought is definitely there, the original context was dealing with how one speaks about another person especially in the context of legal matters.  The issue of telling the truth can be found at the heart of this commandment.  For Christians, truth-telling is important because we are those that are followers of the Truth.

In preparing for class discussion on this commandment, I read Doing Right: Practicing Ethical Principles by David Gill.  When Gill addressed this commandment, he grouped some modern-day areas together that seem to break this commandment. These areas are advertising, politics and evangelism. While advertising and politics are easy to see where people "stretch the truth" if not outright lie about things, the area of evangelism took me by surprise.

How do we as Christians do evangelism?  Do we "stretch the truth"?  Do we share the whole story?  Are we as willing to tell people about the cost of coming to Christ (Luke 14:25-27) or just the "good parts" (forgiveness of sin, heaven, etc)?

Something to think about... What's your thoughts?

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Radio Interview

Recently, I was contacted by Moody Radio South and asked to do an interview. They are going to run a series on "the ripple effect" that people can have in our world today. I was honored by the opportunity to share thoughts and answer questions on this topic.

The interview is going to air on Wednesday, August 22 around 7am. You can click on the link below to see if there is a broadcast in your area or just listen online.

Moody Radio South

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The Sin of Isolationism

I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.

1 Corinthians 5:9 HCSB

As the apostle Paul is writing to this church in Corinth about some things that are going on, some churches today are taking it to heart.  Paul had written the Corinthian church previously about some of the relationships that they had.  Paul had warned them not to associate with people who were living in blatant unrepentant sin.

Before becoming a pastor, I had the privilege of serving in student ministry for many years.  During my time in student ministry and working with teenagers and their families, the issue of isolating students from "the world" came up many times.  Parents wanted to see their children not tainted by "the world".  There was even times when this verse was used to justify it.

I never wanted to see anyone get caught up in the traps of "this world".  I know that a person's environment can be a strong factor in how they will act themselves.  If a person has come to Christ and is trying to change their habits, then sometimes the best thing that they can do is put some separation between them and their former environments and friends.

A problem that I see is that when Christians isolate themselves from "the world", they lose their opportunity to accomplish the Great Commission.  Can you see a Christian come to saving faith in Christ?  They are already there!  The Gospel was given to Christians to go and share with "the world" who does not know Christ.

If you continue to read on as to what Paul was writing to the Corinthian church, you see that he was talking about not having association with those who call themselves followers of Jesus and then live in blatant unrepentant sin (1 Corinthians 5:11). Now, this is a different ballgame altogether.  For those within the church, those who name the Name of Christ and live in a way that you would never know it, then there needs to be a couple of things going on.

First, there needs to be some confrontation.  How many of our parents told us when we went out, "Remember who you belong to and the name you carry?"  We are in no place to judge a person's eternal destiny, but we can call what we see.  I heard one preacher say it like this: "God didn't make me a judge of your soul, but He did call me to be a fruit inspector!"  Christians should love one another enough to get in their face when they are clearly out of line.  I believe that many of the problems that we see in churches today would not be there if more brothers and sisters in Christ would hold their spiritual siblings to the commitment they made when they decided to become a Christian.

Second, there needs to be some room for the Holy Spirit to work.  When we do not confront our brother or sister in Christ on the blatant sin in their lives, we send the message that we approve of it.  God has called us to reflect Him and be holy (Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:16).  When sin is present in the life of a Christian and they are not willing to repent of it, then (after confronting in love) we should allow room for God to do a discipline work in their lives (1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Timothy 1:20).

We cannot put a barrier between the Gospel - the message of hope placed in the hearts of Christians - and "the world" - those who do not know Christ.  Should we expect an non-Christian to act any other way than a non-Christian?  If we do not intentionally go to them with the Gospel, how will they hear?  May it not be said of Christians that we are just living in our "holy huddle".  May we intentionally build relationships with non-Christians and share with them the amazing love that Jesus has given to us.

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Rock the Block Recap

It is times like these that I realize that while I'm not old, I'm definitely not as young as I used to be.  I am in recoup mode from our church's "Rock the Block" this past weekend.  It was amazing time as our fellowship partnered with another one to reach out to this community with the Gospel of Jesus.  This was the first time our fellowship had done an event like this (similar to VBS or a backyard Bible club).  I believe that things went really well and many children (and their parents) heard the Gospel.

We had around 25 children of various ages on our campus Friday - Sunday.  We had music, Bible stories, crafts, games, and more.  The theme of the weekend was "Our Great B.I.G. God" based off of Ephesians 5:1.  Four main points were covered...

• A great big God who created a great big universe.


• There was a great big problem.


• In spite of our great big problem, God showed a great big love.


• God has a great big plan for our lives.

I was so encouraged as our people from New Life Fellowship, though they had not done an event like this, stepped up to serve and love on the families that God sent our way.  I can honestly say that I am honored to be the pastor at such a loving and serving fellowship.  We closed the weekend with our worship services on Sunday morning letting the children help in leading worship.  You can hear the message from that service by clicking here.

A big thanks to the crew from The Church at Brook Hills who gave up a weekend to serve alongside of us.  Three families came down and helped us pull this event off.

Now comes the hard part of the event: the follow-up.  We all are tired. We all are dragging.  God has sent these children and families our way to love on them and continue the process of sharing Jesus and discipling them.  I ask for your prayers as we continue to do the good work that God has called us to do in our community.

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Why All The Rules?

I am willing to bet that every adult can remember a time where this question was at the front of their mind.

"What's the deal with all these rules?

There may even be some teens reading this who are asking this same question. I know that for me there were many times when I was confronted with "the rules" in a situation and didn't like them. They didn't make sense. They seemed stupid. What was the point of all these rules?

I can imagine that the Israelites in the Old Testament thought the same thing about God. They were in slavery for many years before God sent Moses in for the rescue. Now that they were free, God was giving them all of these rules in Exodus - Deuteronomy. It seemed like the list would never end. There was a law for every little thing.

As I stand here in life as an adult and parent, I find myself laying out a lot of rules. I have learned a great lesson about the rules: there is a good reason for most rules. The rules aren't just there for no reason. There is always something behind the rules that have led to that rule.

Many people do not follow after Christ because they see Christianity as nothing more than a list of "do's & don'ts" (with a lot more don'ts than do's). The little child in all of us rises up and asks, "why all the rules?" God gives a hint in Leviticus 19:9-18 where He says five times that these things are given because He is the Lord. The purpose behind all the rules are the protection ultimately of the glory of God.

There is nothing that God is more concerned with than His glory. He has given laws for His people to live by not to keep all the fun out but so that they will bring the most glory to Him. The ways in which Christians live their lives is a reflection on God. If a person claims that Christ has come into their life and changed them, then the way they live reflects who Jesus is and what He is capable of dong in a person's life.

Just as we mature as a person and begin to realize the purpose behind the rules, may we mature as followers of Jesus and see that our obedience to His commands brings Him much glory especially in the eyes of those who are searching for truth and hope.

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Earn An Audience

It seems strange to me how often people think that they "automatically" have an audience because of who they are or what they have to say.  Just because you may have a title beside your name or a list of degrees that trail your name or does not necessarily give you an automatic audience with people.

As a Christian, I feel that too many times I fall in to this category of thinking I have an automatic audience.  I mean, there is a huge epidemic that is effecting every single person on the face of the earth (sin - Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23), and I have the remedy (the Gospel of Jesus Christ).  Why wouldn't I have an audience?  Not only am I a Christian, but I'm a pastor!

I was listening to a radio program on the way to my office this morning.  I caught the program about halfway in so I'm not quite sure who it was that was talking about what I heard.  That didn't matter really because what was important was what I was hearing not who was speaking.  I believe it was a church leader in Oregon who was talking about different ways in which they have reached out to their community (cleaning up of local public schools, mentoring, foster care for homeless students and more). The guy on the other end of the radio was quick to say that they do not barge into the schools preaching, but rather share the Gospel one-on-one as a relationship is built with whomever God allows them to serve.

This got me to thinking some more... How often do we as Christians actually take the time and make the investment to earn an audience?  The Gospels of the New Testament are accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ while He was here on the earth.  When one reads through them, it is interesting to see the times where Jesus would actually meet someone's physical needs before talking to them about their spiritual needs (Matthew 8:1-17; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 17:11-19; John 9).

The old cliché rings true: "People don't care what you know until they know you care."  Sadly, many people are turned off to hearing the Gospel simply because the people who have come to "share it" with them in the past were only worried about getting another star on the "conversion chart".  People need the Gospel of Jesus.  They need to hear it (Romans 10:8-15).  Without hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, people cannot be redeemed from the sin that has left them spiritually dead.  The question becomes then, "Are we making it easy for them to hear and receive the Gospel?"

I believe that when we take the time to actually build a relationship with a person and use the gifts that God has blessed us with to meet their needs, they will be more receptive to hearing what you have to say.  As Christians, we have the most important message in the history of mankind: Salvation is here and available in Jesus Christ!  May we not stand in the way of that message by thinking we are above serving those to whom we share this message with.  Remember the words of Jesus...

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them.  It must not be like that among you.  On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life - a ransom for many.
(Matthew 20:25-28 HCSB)

What are some ways in which you are "earning an audience" with people to share the Gospel?

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A Tragic Truth

Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord!" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, "Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?" Then I will announce to them, "I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!
~ Jesus from Matthew 7:21-23 HCSB

This has to be one of the saddest passages of Scripture ever penned. For many to think that they had been following Jesus because they had been doing all these mighty works in His name, but only to find out that they had missed the one essential thing: a relationship with God though faith in Christ.

This past week, I attended the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans. Prior to the actual convention was the Pastors Conference. There were many great preachers who delivered some great messages. One of those preachers was David Platt, lead pastor of The Church at Brook Hills. He brought up the point that we need to examine what we are calling people to when we share the Gospel with them.

The points that Platt pointed out were:

• Spiritual Deception. Platt shared that we have to be thorough in explaining the Gospel to people. Too many times people have been called to "easy believism" saying that as long as they say a prayer then everything's okay between them and God. The Gospel calls each person who receives it to fully die to self and demonstrate their faith by repenting of sin. While praying is good, it must be backed up by the life that we live.


• Biblical Conversion. Platt was quick to share that there is a mystery to a person's conversion (John 3:5-8). What we need is not superficial works; we need supernatural regeneration.


• Global Mission. Platt shared that when we share the Gospel with people it should lead to a global mission - taken the Gospel to all people around the world. Many times, we want to sit around and debate how the Gospel is shared. We don't need to debate the Gospel; we need to be sharing it! Romans 10:13-15 tells us that people will not respond to the Gospel if they have not heard it. We (Christians) have this Gospel and the responsibility to share it.

To view a copy of the manuscript of this sermon, click here.

This message spoke to my heart as a Christian and pastor greatly. What are we teaching and sharing as the Gospel in our churches and in our evangelism? Are we calling people to pray a prayer like some magical incantation or are we sharing the whole Gospel that comes with a lifetime of discipleship? I pray that we might be more concerned with making disciples and not converts. After all, that is what we (all Christians) were commissioned with, right?

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Mistaken Identity

I had spent a great deal of time trying to upload an assignment for one of my classes at a local library. I was feeling very frustrated because the assignment would not upload correctly. I was sitting in my car trying to "cool off" before going back to the house when it happened.

A sweet, little, old lady approached my car and reached for the door handle. I lowered my window and asked if I could help her. I believe she was close to a heart attack. She stumbled back and said, "Well, this ain't my car."

All I could do was smile (to keep from laughing). I motioned to the car next to mine that looked similar to mine in color and all. (Side note: do I drive a granny car? Anyways...) This sweet lady walked to her car embarrassed as I begin to think about the many times I had done the same thing.

It was at that moment that the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, "How often do people mistake you for Jesus?"

The term "Christian" carries the meaning of "little Christ." If we are said to be "little Christs" in this world, how often are we mistaken for Jesus? Our lives should be lived in a way that this could be a common occurrence. I'll be the first to admit that it doesn't happen near as much in my life as it should. It is my prayer though that as I am being molded into the image of Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit that this occurrence will be more frequent.

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A Different View

This week I plan to blog a little about my experiences with a recent assignment that I had in my Worship Leadership class for seminary. We were told to go and visit three worship experiences. There were only a few stipulations:

Each experience has to be a different denomination than you are a part of.

There has to be one that is more aesthetic in nature. This means that it is more liturgical and dealing more with reverence and awe.

There has to be one that is more kinesthetic or moving in nature.

I must say that I was looking forward to this assignment because I enjoy seeing people and how they worship the Lord. I will be sharing about my experiences with a Roman Catholic church, charismatic church, an a Wesleyan church.

Stay tuned...

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