Jesus' Resurrection Changes Everything
What does the resurrection of Jesus mean? What makes it so significant for the world?...
Keep ReadingActing with Hope in the Pandemic
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…...
Response to COVID-19
We find ourselves facing a present distress. COVID-19 represents a significant and disruptive event. National and local health officials strongly recommend limiting public gatherings. In response, the elders believe that we ought to follow these recommendations in the best interest of our neighbors, especially the most vulnerable among us. Trusting in the Lord, we are responding with the following measures:...
Does James Contradict Paul on Justification?
James 2 has challenged the church for centuries. Based on Paul’s teaching in Romans 3:28, Reformed Protestants have confessed that justification is by faith alone apart from works. Yet James asserts that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (Jas 2:24). So the question becomes, “Does James contradict Paul?” Since the Holy Spirit inspired both James and Paul, we must answer No. Rather, the following observations demonstrate how the two complement one another....
Jesus' Resurrection Changes Everything
What does the resurrection of Jesus mean? What makes it so significant for the world?...
Filling Your Soul with Scripture
The world has other false stories it wants us living by, as does our flesh and the devil. But only God’s story is true. He sees things about ourselves and the world that we cannot see but desperately need to see; and he has written it down for the sake of our eternal joy in him. Therefore, O how much we should fill our souls with the written word of God! ...
Idols of the Heart
The King and God of time and space, Who chose to grant to me His grace, Holds out His scepter - bids me stand Close to His heart, under His hand. He calls me friend, though well He knows My fickle heart will oft oppose......
Killing Racism & Ethnic Prejudice
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....
Childcare Responsibility & Intentionality
Sunday morning the Houston Chronicle published the first in a series of articles investigating numerous sexual abuse cases in Southern Baptist contexts. The Chronicle’s report serves as a sobering reminder for all of us to ensure the best care for our children. Here are several principles that guide Redeemer Church when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable in our midst....
The God-centered Life Is One of Thanksgiving
Of all the thanksgiving words and concepts in the New Testament, over seventy-five percent appear in Paul’s letters alone. Here are seven observations about thanksgiving from Paul's letters....
Confronting False Notions of Thanksgiving
How does Paul's theology of thanksgiving confront false notions of thanksgiving in our culture?...
The Importance of Church Membership
What is the biblical rationale for church membership? ...
The Only Cure
For Paul, the attitudes and perspectives of “the world” which needed to be crucified were his boasting in his Jewish pedigree and works of law-righteousness. For others, it may be a commitment to one’s career, or even to one’s own family. And for some, like myself, it can be a preoccupation with Christian ministry...
8 Ways to Fight Sexual Temptation (Part 2)
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....
8 Reasons You Must Flee Pornography (Part 1)
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....
Redeemer Church 2018 Anniversary
A poem written by Tyrone Benson for Redeemer Church's 13th Anniversary Together...
A Bit on Family Worship
What is family worship and how does one go about it? Several years ago, a brother in our congregation asked me this question. Here was my response....
Why Plant Churches? Four theological reasons...
Vision in the local church is what the Bible tells us God wants for us, in us, and through us to the praise of his glory in Jesus Christ. Based on the observations below, it is our conviction that an important part of the Bible’s vision for local churches is for them to plant more local churches, where new disciples can manifest God’s kingdom on earth and submit to one another in love and truth....
Spreading God's Glory to the Next Generation
We live in a world that devalues and oppresses children. In the Bible, it was a Pharaoh or a Herod killing babies to protect their throne. It was nations sacrificing their children to false gods...We still see it in things like abortion, abuse, and neglect. The birth-control industry suggests children are a burden more than a blessing. Similar attitudes characterize people who refuse to care for the orphan...But by his grace, God has brought us out of that world into another kingdom. In that kingdom, we offer the world the King’s view of children....
What is the church?
What is the church? While certainly not exhaustive, here's a brief portrait of the church based on numerous texts from Scripture....
The Gospel & Our Giving
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....
Responding to Biblical Eldership (Part 3)
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?...
Introducing Biblical Eldership (Part 1)
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. ...
The Nature of Biblical Eldership (Part 2)
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....
Making Evangelism a Priority
Jesus doesn’t need us, but he chooses to use us in the unstoppable advance of his kingdom across geographical boundaries and ethno-linguistic barriers. The kingdom grows as we announce to all peoples the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name. The following are a few considerations in making evangelism a priority for our own lives....
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Mike's Story | From Despair to Liberty
Mike's story of despair and forgiveness found through the gospel of Jesus Christ....
Glorifying God on Social Media (or Before you post that on Facebook...)
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....
Sanctification: Set Apart & Growing for Christ
I pointed out a distinction the Bible makes between progressive sanctification and positional sanctification. As we learn together, I thought it would be helpful to highlight the distinction for you again and then show you why this distinction matters for your Christian walk....
Responding to News of ISIS
I don’t pretend to have all the answers when circumstances such as the one with ISIS transpire, but the Bible instructs us to respond in at least the following five ways. These are not five additional things to “tack on” to your Christian walk; they are the overflow of who God has already made us to be in Christ....