World Population Growth & Missions Startegy

May 9, 2011

One of the significant improvements in the ministry of the Local Church in the past two decades has been the issues of Strategy & Focus. We have been more intentional. That is good.

The link that follows provides graphic evidence for the growth of populations around the Globe. We should be shaping our endeavors to take the gospel to the areas that project the greatest growth. We should invest the greatest resources in areas that provide the greatest challenge and potential kingdom results.

What say you?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/05/world_population_forecasts?fsrc=rss

Genuine Humility

Monday - May 2, 2011

I was once asked by an Elder, "Tom, do you have a problem with pride?" I think my response SHOCKED him. I simply said, "Don't we all?"

In light of the focus of the May 1 News Letter on Shepherding & Scholarship, I thought it appropriate to remind myself and others about the importance of humility. Should God grant us the high privilege of achieving some measure of excellence in these two critical areas, we should be profoundly humble.

The following material appeared in Kevin De Young's BLOG on April 27, 2011 and is acknowledged here with much gratitude. Kevin's posts supply me and others with rich material for personal and corporate ministry on a daily basis. THANKS Kevin!

Jonathan Edwards:
An eminent saint is not apt to think himself eminent in any thing; all his graces and experiences are ready to appear to him to be comparatively small; but especially his humility. There is nothing that appertains to Christian experience, and true piety, that is so much out of his sight as his humility. He is a thousand times more quick-sighted to discern his pride, than his humility: that he easily discerns, and is apt to take much notice of, but hardly discerns his humility. (Religious Affections, 334-35)

Are you often aware of your own humility? Then you’re probably not humble.

Have you noticed your pride? Then you may be more humble than you realize.

Here are two signs of Christian maturity: a keen eye to discern your sins and blessed self-forgetfulness.

Father, make me humble. Make me love the Lord with all my heart and love my neighbor as myself. Give me that glorious paradox: the ability to see my sin and at the same time look away from myself. And when I am tempted to posture and position as the world does, remind me that the meek will inherit the earth.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you. (1 Peter 5:6). ESV

Introducing Jesus Christ

March 7,2011 #10

Steve Harvey shares how he would introduce Jesus Christ were he to be given that distinguished opportunity.

How would you engage that glorious honor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvCd_ANIKys&feature=related

King of Kings - LORD of LORDS

Coming King!

Methodology or Theology?

February 28, 2011 #9

This past week I listened to a 30 minute Conference Call. The topic focused on bringing change in church when change is needed but not wanted. By the way, this is almost ALWAYS true.

There were many salient and accurate observations related to the issue of changes and how to implement same without doing more damage than good. There could be no doubt that those participating in that call were faced with the challenges that process brings. They genuinely wanted to benefit the people they serve. They appeared to desire good and not harm for the church.

BUT - - in that entire span of time I cannot recall one single reference to the text of Scripture, not ONE. The church is a theological entity. All TRUTH is God’s Truth. That being true, and it is, the observations proffered had merit. However, it only takes on generation of departure from sound doctrine to completely lose centuries of orthodoxy. Compare the recent declaration by a certain pseudo-leader abandoning marriage being constituted as the union of one man to one woman.

Unless there is a clear and irrefutable theological foundation for the policies and actions of the church, she becomes just another social agency. That by the way is already a visible phenomenon. TRUTH is absolute and transcendent. The Authority for Church is outside of and beyond the postulates of 'theologians' who aren't. if you do not apply the text you aren't. There are those who promote the raking of leaves on Sunday morning as a substitute for Worship. WHAT? Yep, that is what some of the ‘Missional” folks are declaring. Should we help the elderly? You bet. Is it a good thing when faith is expressed outside the four walls of a building called a church? You bet. But, not when the fundamental constructs of historic Christian Theism are abandoned on a nearly wholesale basis. We are already there in case you have not noticed.

I am not speaking of some mindless “proof texting” exercise. I am speaking of sound, accurate and compassionate exegesis in which the text in context is always our foundation for faith and practice. I invite your thoughts and observations on these few thoughts concerning “Church”. THANKS!

Saving Them From Ignorance

February 21, 2011 #8

Dr. Al Mohler recently spoke to a Pastor's Conference in Jacksonville FL. The following is an excerpt from that message as reported by the Associated Baptist Press on February 15, 2011. These are words well worth pondering and heeding.

Preaching through several chapters from the New Testament book of Romans, Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, posed "a serious question" to 1,300 pastors attending a recent five-day annual Bible conference at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla.

"How many of your people know much of anything about what we have been talking about in the first 11 chapters of Romans?" he asked. "How many people are there who have been sitting in pews for decades who know next to nothing about this, because they've never been taught?"

In a message webcast on the First Baptist Church website, Mohler reminded the audience that the Apostle Paul "was not writing these things to a Ph.D. seminar in some theological seminary" but rather was imparting basic knowledge to "baby Christians" in the first-century church at Rome.

Mohler said "one of the central problems in the church" today is that many people "simply don't know enough to be faithful Christians."

"The nominalism that marks their lives can be traced to a nominalism in terms of their knowledge," he said.

Whose fault is that?

"If we were to absolutely be honest with ourselves, how much time do we actually spend -- even in the lives and programming of many of our churches -- in teaching anyone … anything substantial about and from the Word of God?" Mohler queried.

"The main means by which God saves his people from ignorance is the preaching and teaching of the Word of God," Mohler said. "That's why a conference like this is so important. It's not because we think of the pastorate as a profession set alongside other professions, so we can gather together for a little professional encouragement to go out and be a little better at what we do. No, we believe that those to teach and preach the Word of God are the God-appointed agents to save God's people from ignorance."

The stakes, Mohler said, are high.

"Life and death, heaven and hell, hang in the balance," he proclaimed. "If you do not teach and preach the Word of God, if you do not faithfully teach the Word of God so that your people hear it and understand it and grow upon it, then they are consigned to unfaithfulness, and many will be consigned to hell."

Follow this link and reflect on the combination of these two messages; Mohler & MacArthur.


"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx3ColYGNMM"

Intercession as Obedience

Monday, February 14, 2011 # 7

The message began with the words "I don't know if you remember who I am".

The sender was a member of the Christian School Faculty where I pastored 27 years ago. She had found me on Face Book. She was writing to inform me of two specific issues.

1. She was blessed by a sermon series I had done on the book of Hosea. She had read Francine Rivers title Redeeming Love and found both to be riveting in helping here see the Truth of God's redeeming love. It is a special joy as a pastor to hear a member say that the proclamation of the Truth is still fresh in the life of a beleiver 27 years after they heard it.

2. She informed me that she was awaken in the middle of the night to, in her words, "do some interceeding and heavy praying for me". At that very time, and unkown to her, I was making a major decision on a ministry opportunity that would shape the rest of my pastoral and ministry life.

Intercessory prayer is one of God's primary means to accomplish His purpose in our lives.

I count myself thankful and immensely blessed as I write to have been informed of this most significant fact concerning how God is intensely and personally involved in our walk with Him.

So, whenever you are prompted to pray, even in the middle of the night - PRAY! You never know how God may be using you as His chosen means to shape life and ministry for others. (Luke 18:1-8)

Till The Sky Falls

Monday February 7, 2011 #6

The title of this post is the often quoted wisdom of a Leader from another generation and time. He is now deceased. My friend Bill Hull refers to such people as "Evangelical Luminaries."

The entire quote is "Do right until the sky falls!"

That sounds simple. But, for stubborn self-centered sinners it is always a major challenge. I can rationalize and find 1,000 reasons why it was not my fault. 'Those people' (the ones that differ with me - oh the audacity) are just plain wrong. After all, I have a wall full of degrees. I have served the LORD for 40+ years in a Leadership role. I have been to 27 countries around the world training National Leaders. Don't these peons know who they are dealing with?

Bottom line. When you need to do right - DO IT! Do it until the sky falls. God is always honored and we are always blessed (perhaps not in this lifetime) when we do right.

So, the next time you find yourself up against an opportunity which offers a fork in the road, a choice; be an arrogant bone-head doofus, or, do right, humble yourself and do right. Do it until the sky falls. Do it today, tomorrow and the next day and the next and the next . . .

Your reward awaits you and you will have crowns to cast at His feet. Now that is right!