As of last week, Governor Abbott revised the previous COVID-19 orders and initiated an incremental plan to “re-open Texas.” Included were guidelines for churches to consider. The mayor of Fort Worth has offered similar guidelines. These changes have led the elders to consider restarting in-person Sunday gatherings but only in a very limited way that complies with safety precautions outlined in these guidelines....
So what does preaching the gospel to yourself look like? We learned in Part 1 that amazing news that God changes the heart. Yet we also know that change comes through hearing, treasuring, and heeding his word....
I want to explore how the gospel functions in the life of the church. No matter what the church faced, the apostles wove the gospel into the very fabric of the church’s life, ministries, and mission. The gospel never amounted to a “shelved” message for the church. It has ongoing significance....
Our Lord has purposed to prolong the COVID-19 pandemic, and we believe it is both wise and loving to continue not meeting for Sunday gatherings or in groups of more than 10. We might experience several more weeks of temporary confinement. But God’s word remains unbound, unrestricted. As we observed from Acts, no obstacle is too great for God’s word. His kingdom marches on. The question is whether we have the spiritual eyes to see it and the willingness to participate in it. In that light, here are some ways to act…...
The Lord’s word speaks pointedly to so many issues we face. Some months ago, our church studied Paul’s speech before the Areopagus in Acts 17:16-34. It took two Sundays, but we drew several inferences. One inference spoke directly to an issue that many, for varying reasons, have been thinking about afresh: racism. Acts 17 gives us at least four truths about all people that, when embraced rightly and applied comprehensively, kill racism....
What is the biblical rationale for church membership? ...
Pornography is one expression of sexual immorality inundating our culture.[i] Grievously, it’s far too common in the church as well. Covenant Eyes reports that “64% of Christian men and 15% of Christian women say they watch porn at least once a month.”[ii] Such statistics hardly represent the biblical imperative: “sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (Eph 5:3). Are you among the 64% or the 15%? By God’s grace, you don’t have to be. Are others you know among them? By God’s grace, you can help them not to be. Contrary to popular resolve, Christians can say No to pornography and to any other sexual temptation....
The following reasons remain part of my own arsenal in the fight against lust and sexual immorality. I share them to equip you in the same fight. Part two will come soon, where I develop eight ways to fight sexual temptation. Until then please consider these seriously, especially those of you who may be looking at and thinking about porn. Some of my comments are geared toward men, but much of this post also applies to women....
What is the church? While certainly not exhaustive, here's a brief portrait of the church based on numerous texts from Scripture....
The gospel of Jesus Christ motivates our giving. Giving is motivated not by looking at another ‘law’ for a minimum amount I’m constrained or required to give, but by looking at Jesus’ person and work for the maximum amount I’m freed to give. When we look at the gospel, we find at least four principles that guide our giving....
The Bible implies that every believer knows which elders he/she is accountable to obey under the Lord and that elders know which believers are directly under their pastoral care. Insofar as these appointed men follow Jesus Christ and extend his shepherdly care, members of a local church should submit to the elders God has placed over them in particular. But what does such submission to one’s elders include?...
Part and parcel to God’s design in building the church and equipping her members is providing exemplary leadership through whom he administers his own shepherdly care. The Lord uses these leaders to press the truth and grace of his character into the life of the congregation. Insofar as these appointed men look like Christ and follow him, the congregation will benefit. ...
When we discuss the nature of biblical eldership, we are seeking to answer the question, What should Jesus Christ’s care for the church look like when it comes through the elders? Using terms often associated with shephering in the Scriptures, we could summarize the nature of eldership under four headings: lead, feed, protect, and care....
Social media also for some (and I want to emphasize for some) an avenue to vent frustrations quite apart from lifting high the cross of Christ. In light of this potential for social media as well as its abuses, I want to offer the following counsel. I’m a bit late to the game. But I pastor a local church in Fort Worth. I love them dearly. I think of them often. And I’ve written these things first to equip myself and them....
As of last week, Governor Abbott revised the previous COVID-19 orders and initiated an incremental plan to “re-open Texas.” Included were guidelines for churches to consider. The mayor of Fort Worth has offered similar guidelines. These changes have led the elders to consider restarting in-person Sunday gatherings but only in a very limited way that complies with safet...
Keep ReadingSo what does preaching the gospel to yourself look like? We learned in Part 1 that amazing news that God changes the heart. Yet we also know that change comes through hearing, treasuring, and heeding his word....
Keep ReadingI want to explore how the gospel functions in the life of the church. No matter what the church faced, the apostles wove the gospel into the very fabric of the church’s life, ministries, and mission. The gospel never amounted to a “shelved” message for the church. It has ongoing significance....
Keep ReadingAs a church, why do we give such priority to the gospel message? Answers to that question revolve around the basis for our relationship with God, the nature of the local church, and the only hope for the nations....
Keep ReadingIn The Gospel (Part 1), we looked at why the gospel. We turn now to the question, what is the gospel? At the most basic level, the Scriptures indicate that "the gospel" was employed as a label to summarize the authoritative news of Jesus Christ, which Jesus himself also entrusted to his apostles....
Keep ReadingIn The Gospel (Part 1) we asked why the gospel? In The Gospel (Part 2) we looked at what the gospel is. I now want to sharpen the lens another notch to help us behold the unspeakable riches of the gospel, as well as what all this means in terms of our relationship to God, to each other, and to the world. Stated as a question: how do the apostles unpack the meaning of God a...
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