Crosspoint Baptist Church Blog

Pastor's Thoughts

CrossPoint Structure and Ministry Team Concept

by danny on Sep.03, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

Our Core Values

1.) Expositional Preaching

2.) Biblical Theology

3.) A Biblical Understanding of the Good News

4.) A Biblical Understanding of Conversion

5.) A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism

6.) A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership

7.) A Biblical Understanding of Church Discipline

8.) A Biblical Concern for promoting Christian Discipleship and Growth

9.) A Biblical Understanding of Church Leadership[1]

These values help us as we seek to follow the will of God for our church. These values correspond to our beliefs and identity; helping us to accomplish the task God has appointed to us. These core values shape our teaching and leading for this body of believers.

Our Identity:

“CrossPoint Baptist Church is a community of believers who seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world, become more conformed to the image of Christ, and who seek to let our being in Christ lead to our doing for Christ.”

Our identity also involves that of the Baptist Tradition. The Baptist have longed been called people of the word. The following marks are distinctive, though not exclusive, to the Baptist tradition and will help you understand the great history we stand upon:

Mark #1: Biblical Authority

Mark #2: The Lordship of Christ

Mark #3: Regenerate Church Membership

Mark #4: Church Discipline

Mark #5: Congregational Polity

Mark #6: 2 Ordinances: Baptism by Immersion and the Lord’s Supper

Mark#7: Soul Competency/Priesthood of the Believers

Mark #8: Security of the Believer

These marks are not exclusive to Baptist alone but they have been hallmarks of the Baptist tradition for hundreds of years. The Baptists has traditionally stood opposed to infant baptism, sacramental approaches to the ordinances, and weak biblical authority as well as many other beliefs.

At CrossPoint, our core beliefs are stated in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. This statement of Faith details our beliefs concerning God, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, Man, Sin, Salvation, and more. To summarize the non-negotiable beliefs, the 5 solas of the Reformation will be used.

#1: Sola Scripture - Scripture Alone

#2: Sola Fide - Faith Alone

#3: Sola Gratia - Grace Alone

#4: Sola Christe - Christ Alone

#5: Sola Deo Gloria - To the Glory of God Alone

To these, there is no compromise. These are etched in scripture and we hold them up highly. For those negotiable tenets we turn to our Baptist Faith and Message to guide us. To be sure, we desire to hold a high view of God as sovereign over all and our desire is to lift up His name to the nations.

As a church, CrossPoint is first and foremost a local, autonomous community of believers that meet at this location to be a part of building God’s Kingdom.

As a church, we have voluntarily decided to be a part of the Faulkner Baptist Association, the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention.

THE EXPECTATIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE

CROSSPOINT COMMUNITY:

  • Each member should be connected in a Bible Study or equipping group and pursuing growth in Christ (Col. 19-14; Eph. 4:11-16; Heb. 10:24-25).
  • Each member is expected to give cheerfully and sacrificially of the Lord’s resources, gifts, talents, and possessions that He has given them to manage (Matthew 25:14-30; 2 Cor. 9:6-15).
  • Each member is expected to serve both in the church and in local and global missions opportunities (Matt. 28:16-20).
  • Each member is expected to pursue accountability and regular confession with a small group of other believers in order to keep a close watch on their lives and doctrine (Rom. 8:13; 1 Tim. 4:16).

EQUIP

EPHESIANS 4:12

The word “equip” is used in the Bible in Ephesians 4:12 to describe what those in leadership should be doing to accomplish God’s will in the church and the word.  Using the five different letters of the actual word equip, we better understand the biblical process of helping our members grow in spiritual maturity.

The acronym stands for the following:

E-very member is a minister.  You have been gifted by God to serve Him in a ministry.  We will be helping you understand your gifts and assisting you to get involved in using them to do ministry and missions.

Q-uality of character is top priority.  God is interested in making you to be like Jesus and to display His characteristics.  We will be helping you to develop Christ-like qualities.

U-nity of spirit is God’s desire for all believers.  This unity is developed through authentic community found in small groups.  We will be helping you to join a small group and grow in those relationships as God bonds you together with His family.

I-nvesting in others means sharing Christ in word and in deed.  We as believers are called to identify, invest, and invite others to Christ through the great commission.  We will be helping you to do these three I’s through training, and events/activities that will be available in the days ahead.

P-reparation for life begins with Church Attendance, Bible study and prayer.  These Spiritual disciplines are important habits to develop and knowing/communicating with God is a part of preparation for all the other parts of the Christian life.

Our Structure

CrossPoint Baptist Church is a Staff Led, Ministry Team Planned, Deacon Served and Congregationally Implemented Church. This structure allows us to best accomplish the vision of the church and to use and develop leaders from within the congregation.

1.) Staff Led

2.) Ministry Team Planned

3.) Deacon Served

4.) Congregationally Implemented Church

CPBC MINISTRY TEAMS

The Ministry Teams of CrossPoint Baptist Church serve the congregation and pastoral staff through faithful service and devotion to the overall ministry of CrossPoint Baptist Church.

CrossPoint Baptist Church has two types of Ministry Teams. Teams are considered either open or closed and these designations clarify both function and means of the teams.

Open teams are meant to designate a team as being open for volunteer sign ups for those who sense they are called and gifted to serve on a particular team. Each person that signs up for an open team must do so in November in order to serve the following 12 month year (January - December). Training for the teams will be held the first Sunday of each December and the team begins to serve January 1. Each open team will elect a chairman to serve as the leader/facilitator of the team.

Closed Ministry teams shall be elected by the church.  Service will be staggered with one or two members rotating off each year to ensure continuity.  When a person rotates off of a particular ministry team, they cannot be re-elected to that particular team for at least one year.  They may still serve on other teams if so elected by the church body. Each closed team will elect a chairman to serve as the leader/facilitator of the team.

Church Administration Team: Closed

The Church Administration Team shall be selected by the staff and presented to the church for confirmation. The purpose of the team is to put together the closed ministry teams of the church, selecting Sunday School Teachers, and overseeing/recommending church policy changes such as bylaws and ministry team responsibilities. The team shall select members for the closed teams and present the nominees to the church for confirmation. The team will be composed of 5 members in good standing, and will elect a chairperson who will work directly with the staff of the church.

Children’s Ministry Team: Closed

The Children’s Ministry shall be organized by the Church Administration Team and shall consist of 5 members in good standing. This team shall elect a chairperson who will directly work with the pastoral staff to organize, plan, and implement the Children’s ministry of CrossPoint Baptist Church. This team will also engage in recruiting and training all workers for the Children’s Ministry. They will conduct background checks on all workers with the support of the staff and have the responsibility to keep the church up to date on changes in programming and needs. The team will oversee all ministries from birth to 6th grade.

Media Ministry Team: Closed

The Media Team will be organized by the Church Administration Team and will consist of at least 3 members in good standing. This team will work directly with the pastoral staff for the planning, maintenance, and training of all media services used in the church. Members of this team will keep the church up to date on needs and changes in media. By media, this refers to audio and visual arts.

Building and Grounds Team: Closed

The Building and Grounds Team shall be organized by the Church Administration Team and shall consist of members in good standing. The primary function of this team is to keep the church campus and grounds in good working order, to recommend to the congregation repairs and updates to existing properties, to work with the pastoral staff in long range planning, and to be proactive in maintenance.

Budget and Finance Team: Closed

The Budget and Finance Team shall be organized by the Church Administration Team and will consist of 5 members in good standing with the church. Of the 5 team members, the Church treasurer shall be a member. This team will serve alongside the Pastor and Staff to draw up the yearly budget, prepares financial reports for the church, keep the financial records for the church in good standing, and advise the pastoral staff and church in matters of budgeting and long range planning.

Personnel Team

The Personnel Team shall be selected by the pastoral staff and deacons and presented to the church for confirmation. The purpose is to set and review employee guidelines, review personnel issues, and handle the background research for the hiring of pastoral staff and church employees. The Personnel Team and the pastor will handle the hiring of non-staff employees while ALL pastoral staff will be presented for recommendation to hire to the congregation. In the event that the lead/senior pastor leaves and/or is dismissed, the Personnel Team will also serve as the pastor search team.

Community Missions Team: Open

The Community Missions Team shall be organized by volunteer sign up and shall consist 0f members in good standing. This team shall elect a chairperson who will work directly with the Pastor in order to place local mission opportunities in front of the congregation, to plan and implement a community missions fair each spring, and to communicate the needs of the community to the church.

Missions and Evangelism Team: Open

The Missions and Evangelism Team shall be organized by volunteer sign up and shall consist of members in good standing. The primary function of this team is lead in the outreach program of the church. This team will work directly with the pastoral staff to organize, plan, and implement outreach opportunities as well as mission opportunities. This team will differ from the Community Missions Team, as it will focus on the evangelism training and mission efforts of the church in state, national, and global missions projects. This team will keep the church up to date of state, national, and international mission opportunities.

Church Hospitality Team: Open

The Church Hospitality Team shall be organized by volunteer sign sp and shall consist of members in good standing. This team shall work directly with the Pastoral staff for the purpose of fellowship of the congregation and encouragement to those in times of joy and distress. This team will maintain all kitchen supplies and keep the congregation up to date on needs and changes.

Prayer Team: Open

The Prayer Team shall be organized by volunteer sign up and will consist of members in good standing with the church. The team shall work directly with the pastoral staff to cultivate an atmosphere of prayer throughout the life of the church. The team will be responsible for electing a chairman that will help facilitate prayer needs to the church and staff.

SCHEDULE FOR ORGANIZING THE TEAMS

Open Teams: To volunteer for one of the open teams, members in good standing, faithful to the Lord and His Church, and sensing their call and giftedness has led them to partner together with others of the same qualities will be able to sign up during the month of November. A special training session will be provided the first Sunday evening of each December and the term of service will be for 1 year from January through December.

Closed Teams: To serve on one of the closed teams, members are to be in good standing, faithful to the Lord and His Church, and sensing their call and giftedness has led them to partner together with others of these same qualities. Those called upon to serve will be asked during the months of September and October with service to begin in January. The length of service will be a 3 year term. A special training session will be held the third Sunday of each November to equip the teams to fulfill their ministry goals. Once the teams have been filled, the church will be notified in order to show their support and confirmation. This notification will take place the first Sunday in November.

2009 SCHEDULE

September 2009: Presentation and Approval – Sept. 2 and 16

September 2009: Church Administration Team begins

October and November 2009: 2010 Closed Ministry Teams begin to be filled

November 2009: Sign Ups for 2010 Open Ministry Teams begin.

December 2009: Training Session for ALL CPBC Ministry Teams

[1] The Nine Marks of a Healthy Church – Mark Dever

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CrossPoint Baptist Ministry Teams

by danny on Aug.31, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

CrossPoint Baptist Church

Ministry Teams

The Ministry Teams of CrossPoint Baptist Church serve the congregation and Pastoral Staff through faithful service and devotion to the overall ministry of CrossPoint Baptist Church.

CrossPoint Baptist Church has 2 types of Ministry Teams. Teams are considered either open or closed and these designations clarify both function and means of the teams.

Open teams are meant to designate a team as being open for volunteer sign ups for those who sense they are called and gifted to serve on a particular team. Each person that signs up for an open team must do so in November in order to serve the following 12 month year (January - December). Training for the teams will be held the first Sunday of each December and the team begins to serve January 1. Each open team will elect a chairman to serve as the leader/facilitator of the team.

Closed Ministry teams shall consist of five church members elected to serve by the church.  Elections will take place each year in November  with a 3-year term assigned.  Service will be staggered with one or two members rotating off each year to ensure continuity.  When a person rotates off of a particular ministry team, they cannot be re-elected to that particular team for at least one year.  They may still serve on other teams if so elected by the church body. Each closed team will elect a chairman to serve as the leader/facilitator of the team.

Children’s Ministry Team: Closed

The Children’s Ministry shall be organized by the Church Administration Team and shall consist of 5 members in good standing. This team shall elect a chairperson who will directly work with the Pastoral Staff to organize, plan, and implement the Children’s ministry of CrossPoint Baptist Church. This team will also engage in recruiting and training all workers for the Children’s Ministry. They will conduct background checks on all workers and have the responsibility to keep the church up to date on changes in programming and needs. The team will oversee all ministry from birth to 6th grade.

Community Missions Team:Open

The CM Team shall be organized by Volunteer Sign Up and shall consist 0f members in good standing. This team shall elect a chairperson who will work directly with the Pastor in order to place local mission opportunities in front of the congregation, to plan and implement a community missions fair each spring, and to communicate the needs of the community to the church.

Media Ministry Team: Closed

The Media Team will be organized by the Church Administration Team and will consist of at least 3 members in good standing. This team will work directly with the Pastoral Staff for the planning, maintenance, and training of all media services used in the church. Members of this team will keep the church up to date on needs and changes in media. By media, this refers to audio and visual arts.

Building and Grounds Team: Open

The Building and Grounds Team shall be organized by Volunteer Sign Up and shall consist of members in good standing. The primary function of this team is to keep the church campus and grounds in good working order, to recommend to the congregation repairs and updates to existing properties, to work with the Pastoral Staff in long range planning, and to be proactive in maintenance.

Missions and Evangelism Team: Open

The Missions and Evangelism Team shall be organized by Volunteer Sign Up and shall consist of members in good standing. The primary function of this team is lead in the outreach program of the church. This team will work directly with the Pastoral Staff to organize, plan, and implement outreach opportunites as well as mission opportunities. This team will differ from the Community Missions Team as it will focus on the evangelism training and mission efforts of the church in state, national, and global missions projects. This team will keep the church up to date of state, national, and international mission opportunities.

Church Hospitality Team: Open

The Church Hospitality Team shall be organized by Volunteer Sign Up and shall consist of members in good standing. This team shall work directly with the Pastoral Staff for the purpose of fellowship of the congregation and encouragement to those in times of joy and distress. This team will maintain all kitchen supplies and keep the congregation up to date on needs and changes.

Church Administration Team: Closed

The Ca Team shall be organized by the Staff for the purpose of putting together the ministry teams of the church, selecting Bible Fellowship Teachers,  and overseeing church policy changes such as by laws and ministry team responsibilities. This team will be composed of 5 members in good standing. This team of 5 will elect a chairperson who will work directly with the staff of the church.

Personnel Team: Closed

The Personnel Team shall be organized by the Pastoral Staff and Deacons for the purpose setting and reviewing employee guidelines, reviewing personnel issues, and handling the background research for the hiring of Pastoral Staff and Church employees. The Personnel team and the pastor will handle the hiring of non staff employees while ALL Pastoral Staff will be presented for recommendation to hire to the congregation. In the event that the Lead/Senior Pastor leaves and/or dismissed, the Personnel Team will also serve as the Pastor Search Team.

Budget and Finance Team: Closed

The Budget and Finance Team shall be organized by the Admin team and will consist of 5 members in good standing with the church. Of the 5 team members, the Church Treasurer shall be a member. This team will serve alongside the Pastor and Staff to draw up the yearly budget, prepare financial reports for the church, keep the financial records for the church in good standing, and advise the Pastoral Staff and church in matters of budgeting and long range planning.

Prayer Team: Open

The Prayer Team shall be organized by Volunteer Sign Up and will consist of members in good standing with the church. The team shall work directly with the Pastoral Staff to cultivate an atmosphere of prayer throughout the life of the church. The team will be responsible for electing a chairman that will help facilitate prayer needs to the church and staff.

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The Theological Relationship between James and Paul

by danny on Jul.29, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

In our study of James, we have been looking at the need for a faith that is living. A living faith results from God’s soveriegn grace in our lives and it produces fruit for the world to see. Thus James is able to speak of demonstrating his faith by his works rather than merely speaking of faith alone. The following outline is by Daniel Wallace, Dallas Theological Seminary, and it will help bridge the theological relationship between James and Paul.

Daniel Wallace: Introduction, Argument, Outline

 

(i) James does not deny the necessity of faith, only its adequacy.

(ii) James is addressing the fruit of salvation, while Paul is addressing the root of salvation.

(iii) In keeping with other biblical writers, James does not use “works” as a criterion for judging others, but as a criterion for judging oneself.

(iv) For James, the faith which does not save is intellectual assent; for Paul, the faith which does save is a heart-response to God’s call—it is trust in, not just belief that. Thus, they are not talking about the same thing.

(v) For James, “justified” means either “vindicated” or “eschatologically justified”; for Paul, it means “declared righteous.” Thus, they are not talking about the same thing.

(vi) For James, “works” means good deeds—charity, Christian love, etc; for Paul, it means works of the Law which some see as necessary for salvation, rendering the cross-work of Christ as less than adequate. Thus, once again, they are not talking about the same thing.

(vii) James seems to look at how our spiritual status is seen and approved/disapproved by others, while Paul looks at how it is seen and initiated by God.

(viii) Both James and Paul would agree with the statement that genuine, saving faith results in works. Or that sola fide, properly understood, means that we are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is not alone.

In conclusion, as Davids aptly points out, “James uses every significant term pivsti”, e[rga, dikaiosuvnh, with a differing and more ‘primitive’ meaning than Paul.”41 Consequently, “to argue that James directly attacks Paul is to argue that James is a consummate blunderer, for he fails to meet Paul’s arguments at all and instead produces a work with which Paul would have agreed!”42 It is our conclusions, therefore, that James argued against a perverted Paulinism before the canonical Pauline letters had been composed.43 And this of course points to James the Just as the author—and at an early period.

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Something to Pray about?

by danny on Jun.30, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

SBC Messengers Enthusiastically Support Moore’s Resolution on Adoption

from Gender Blog by Jeff Robinson

Messengers at the 2009 annual meeting of The Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a resolution proposed by Russell D. Moore promoting adoption and orphan care.

The resolution encouraged every Southern Baptist family to pray about whether God wants them to adopt or provide foster care for a child or children. It also called on Southern Baptist and other evangelical churches to devote a Sunday each year to emphasize “our adoption in Christ and our common burden for the orphans of the world.”

Moore, who serves as senior vice president for academic administration and dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, knows well of which he proposed; Moore and his wife Maria adopted two of their sons from a Russian orphanage a few years ago.

Moore hopes the resolution will provoke deep thinking that leads to action among Southern Baptists regarding the Gospel significance of adoption and orphan care; all who are saved by God’s grace were once orphans who were adopted into the Kingdom of Christ.

The number of adoptions among evangelicals has steadily increased in recent years, yet the need is profound: in the United States alone, more than 500,000 children were in foster care system in 2005, the last year for which federal statistics were available. About 115,000 were waiting for adoption.

“Something is a foot among Christian families and churches of virtually every kind,” Moore said. “God is calling the people of Christ to see the face of Jesus in the faces of orphans in North America and around the world. Southern Baptists have affirmed our belief in the authority of Scripture, and the Bible tells us pure religion is defined by care for the fatherless.

“We’ve been defined by our commitment to evangelism, and there is no greater field is ‘white unto harvest’ right now as children in orphanages, group homes, and the foster care system, children who don’t know a parent’s love and who don’t know the name of Jesus.  When Satan wars against children, we should be the ones who have compassion on them, even as Jesus did and does.

Moore authored a deeply personal and compellingly theological book on adoption that was published in May by Crossway books, “Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families &Churches.” In it, Moore argues that the church should view the adoption of orphans as a crucial part of its mission precisely because God has adopted helpless sinners to be His sons.

“The resolution by itself isn’t going to spark an orphan care movement among Southern Baptists,” he said.“Neither is my book, and neither are a thousand manifestoes. Only the Holy Spirit can do that as local churches start to embrace a vision for orphan care.

“The resolution though was meant to prompt some questions. If one messenger in the Convention hall is moved to simply pray, ‘Lord, how would you have me minister to orphans?’ then the resolution is a success, in my view. If one pastor is prompted to ponder how he could preach on adoption, or lead a foster care ministry among his folks, then the work is starting.

During the introduction of the resolution, Moore appeared on stage with Timothy and Benjamin, the sons he and his wife adopted seven years ago. More than 8,000 messengers met the resolution and its unanimous passage with lengthy, enthusiastic applause.

“I was overwhelmed with emotion on the platform to see my sons, two little ex-orphans, looking out on a sea of yellow ballots as thousands of Southern Baptists affirmed that we want to be the people who love fatherless children,” he said.

“I realized that, in an alternative story, my boys would still be in an orphanage, not knowing even the name of Christ Jesus. But here they are, at the Southern Baptist Convention, calling by their very presence the world’s largest Protestant denomination to recognize there are hundreds of thousands of children as helpless and alone as they once were.

“My prayer is that twenty years from now there are thousands of Southern Baptist pastors, missionaries, and church leaders who started their lives as orphans, now preaching the gospel of God their Father.”

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Family Worship

by danny on Jun.17, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

As I prepare for our next Lord’s day, I do so with the holiday of Father’s Day on my mind. As a father, I have found that my most vital, yet difficult, responsibility is the teaching of my children. My prayer for them since their conception is that they may be filled with a hunger and thrist for righteousness. Not a righteousness of their own making but the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus through his perfect work at the cross and the glorious ressurection by the Father. I wanted to share an article dealing with the priority of the Family, specifically the Fathers, of being the primary teacher/instruction of Godliness is his children. Please enjoy this articles from the website www.cbmw.org. This is the Center for Biblical Mahood and Womanhood:

Family Worship

Tools: Print E-mail
David Prince

“Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments”

Psalm 78:1-7

How many people do you know who have too much time on their hands? They are simply not busy enough and wish they could find more to do? How many families do you know that are burdened by too much free time?

We live in a busy world. Ours is a microwave, fast-food, sound-bite, instant world. USA Today is a popular newspaper primarily because it contains short sound-bite articles written on a basic level. Many do not possess the concentration level to read an entire book; television is much easier because one does not have think deeply or use one’s imagination. It is not uncommon to work over thirty minutes away from home and to spend much of life in traffic, irritated at all the other busy people rushing somewhere at two miles per hour in a traffic jam.

If this is the reality of the situation for most people, we must ask a question of utmost importance to Christians. In the midst of our busy lives, who is given the responsibility of rearing the next generation in the Christian faith? Who is given the responsibility of calling the next generation to hope in God?

First, let us begin by emphatically declaring it is parents (fathers in particular) and not the church who are given the primary responsibility for calling the next generation to hope in God. The church serves a supplementary role, reinforcing the biblical nurture that is occurring in the home. It is not the job of “professionals” at the church to rear the children of believers in the faith. Far too often, Sunday Schools, children’s ministries, and youth ministries have become substitutes for the home training of children. Christian parents have largely abdicated their God-given responsibility to insure that their children are instructed in the things of God.

Consider the biblical testimony:

  • “And that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done . . . that you may know I am the Lord” (Exodus 10:2).
  • Exodus 12:26-28, speaks of explaining to your children when they ask about the symbols of the faith (the Passover in context).
  • “And teach them [the statutes of the law] to your children and your grandchildren” (Deuteronomy 4:9).
  • “Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, That they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children” (Deuteronomy 4:10).
  • “You shall teach them [God’s words] to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 11:19).
  • “He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children” (Psalm 78:5-6).
  • “The father shall make known Your truth to the children” (Isaiah 38:19).
  • “Fathers . . . bring them up [children] in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
  • 2 Timothy 1:5 speaks of the faith that was passed down to Timothy from his mother “Eunice” and his grandmother “Lois.” (See also 2 Timothy 3:15).

It is parents, and specifically fathers, who are given the primary responsibility to propagate the faith to their children. As Jonathan Edwards stated, “Family education and order are some of the chief means of grace. If these fail, all other means are likely to prove ineffectual.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote:

The more of parental teaching the better; ministers, and Sabbath-school teachers were never meant to be substitutes for mothers’ tears and fathers’ prayers . . . The first lesson for a child should be concerning his mother’s God . . . Around the fire-side fathers should repeat not only the Bible records, but the deeds of the martyrs and reformers, and moreover the dealings of the Lord with themselves both in providence and grace . . . Reader, if you have children, mind you do not fail in this duty . . . As far on as our brief life allows us to arrange, we must industriously provide for the godly nurture of our youth. The narratives, commands, and doctrines of the word of God are not worn out; they are calculated to exert influence as long as our race shall exist. The one object aimed at is transmission; the testimony is only given that it may be passed on to succeeding generations.

The Shema

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach then diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

When God established Israel as His chosen covenant people, He established responsibility for parents to nurture their children in the faith. This is a clear charge given by the Lord God to moms and dads.

The passage cited above is known in Jewish tradition as the Shema (vv. 4-5). It is named after the first word in verse 4; “Hear” which is the Hebrew word “shema.” The word is a command, which denotes the urgency of what is about to be said. Also, in the Hebrew mindset, “to hear” is tantamount “to obey” because to hear God and not to obey Him is to really not hear Him at all. Everything about the context reveals the weightiness of the command.

It is interesting to note that it is Moses who is God’s instrument to convey this command to His people. When God first came to Moses and called him to speak as His messenger Moses said, “I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Exodus 4:10). God quickly reminded him who it was that was giving him the command, “who gave man his mouth” (Exodus 4:11). Many parents need to be reminded that it is God who gives this command for them to teach their children the faith. All of the excuses (“I’m not smart”, “I don’t speak well”, “I am shy”, “others are more qualified”) fade away in light of this reality. God reminds parents, “Who created you? Who gave you those children?” Moses, the one who could not speak, now proclaims the word of God, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” Many parents who are not now speaking the Word of God to their children need to “hear” and obey.

With All Your Heart, Soul and Strength

Every parents’ supreme responsibility is to live out a passionate love for God in their lives. This is the platform that gives credibility to their instruction. Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength”, is quoted by the Lord Jesus Christ three times in the New Testament (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). Notice the intensity of this command with the repeated use of the word “all.”

“All your heart” is not simply a reference to emotional love. The word translated “heart” carries the idea of “inner man”, “mind”, “will”, “soul”, and “understanding.” The clear implication is that it means “all of oneself.” This is genuine love that permeates all of one’s being. John Gill, in his commentary on Deuteronomy, writes: “[All your heart] includes . . . knowledge of God, esteem of Him, delight in Him, faith and trust in Him, fear and worship of Him, and obedience to Him.” “With all your heart, with all your soul [“essential being”], and with all your strength” are different ways of saying essentially the same thing- “with all of you!” Deuteronomy 6:6 again points to the weightiness of these commands: “These words I command you today shall be in your heart [inner man, mind, soul, understanding].”

Teach Them Diligently

Deuteronomy 6:7 makes it clear that the commands of the Lord, that are to be in the heart of the parent (Deuteronomy 6:6), should be passed on to the children. “You shall teach them diligently to your children.” The New International Version translates the phrase, “Impress them on your children.” The word translated “teach” is a word that means, “to pierce.” It carries the idea of being “sharp.” Parents are to teach (pierce) their children diligently (carefully and repeatedly) with the truth of God. Eugene Merrill suggests the image of an “engraver” chiseling with painstaking care into a solid slab.

Some parents take the approach that they are not going to push Christianity onto their children. Their plan is to simply live Christianity out before their children and then let them decide for themselves. First of all, this position is in direct conflict with Deuteronomy 6:7 and many other portions of Scripture. Second, the culture is not neutral and passive. Christian parents must not be passive in the task of passing on the faith and calling their children to hope in God. It is a dangerous position to be in a war and be the only one not fighting. Carefully, Christian parents teach to pierce their childrens hearts with the truth of God.

When should Christian parents do this teaching?

Sitting

Deuteronomy 6:7b continues, “and shall talk of them when you sit in your house.” Sitting suggests inactivity. To put it in the common vernacular, this would be times when the family is simply “hanging out” together. The word translated “talk” in this verse is elsewhere translated speak, declare, command, promise, warn, and even sing. It calls for teaching about the commands, character, and nature of God to occur in those “sitting” times. Mealtime is a wonderful time for parents to talk to their children about the things of God. Parents should discuss the sermon and Sunday school lesson with their children every Sunday afternoon as they rest together as a family. These are wonderful times for transmitting the truths of the faith.

As a point of application and a plea for every Christian parent, set a daily (or at least routine) family worship time. This centers the family’s life around what is most important. Families probably will not talk about the things of God around the house if Bible study is not shown to be a priority by the leadership of the parents. Families should schedule a time to “sit” and talk about the things of God and respond to Him by worship. Parents, we must not dishonor God and forsake our children by failing to provide them vigorous instruction in the faith.

Walking

Deuteronomy 6:7b also admonishes parents to teach their children “when you walk by the way [the routine goings of life].” All of life should serve as teaching opportunities to talk to one’s children about the greatness of the great triune God of the Bible. Mountains can lead to conversations about the immensity of God. The stars in the night sky can cause parents to consider with their children the sovereignty of our creator God. A windy day can help parents direct their children’s thoughts to the Holy Spirit of God. Driving by a courthouse can lead to a discussion of justification. Parents must instill in their children a vision to see all of life from a God-centered perspective. Contemplate and speak of His perfections in all of life. Traveling, playing, and even yard work, can be transformed into wonderful teaching times for the parent who is leading a God-centered life.

In case the argument has not been sufficiently clear; Deuteronomy 6:7 concludes that this diligent teaching of one’s children should occur, “when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Touching and Seeing, Coming and Going

“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand [all you touch] and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes [all you see]” (Deuteronomy 6:8). This verse has been taken literally by some Jewish people who actually wear small containers (phylacteries) containing the “Shema” on their hands and foreheads with straps of leather. While this verse is not meant to be taken in such a literal fashion, it nonetheless provides a graphic illustrative picture of what it does mean. The parent is to never be away from the truth of God. It is to be so much a part of the parent’s life that it should affect everything they touch and all they see. Deuteronomy 6:9 continues this line of thought: “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house [a reminder of your priority as you enter] and on your gates [a reminder of your priority as you return].” In all of life parents are charged with the responsibility to teach and pass on the faith to their children. When a child sees a parent hoping in God in this way, it provides a strong attraction to call him to hope in God.

Conclusion

This writer (pastor and father) is absolutely convinced that the starting point in obeying the command that has been set forth, to “diligently teach our children” the truth of the faith, is a set family worship time that centers around the Word of God and prayer. If this is established as a priority in the home, then perhaps all of family life can be transformed into a pursuit of God.

Family worship could include singing and catechizing as well as studying the Scripture and praying. Catechize is the anglicized form of the Greek word “katecheo” (see 1 Corinthians 14:19; Galatians 6:6; and Acts 18:25) which means, “to instruct.” The Webster’s New World Dictionary defines catechize as “to teach by the method of questions and answers.” This is a method of instruction that arises out of the biblical testimony itself and has stood the test of time throughout the history of the church as a profitable method of transmitting the faith to the next generation.

But far more important than the specific forms that are used in family worship is to actually commit ourselves to consistently doing family worship with an infectious passion. J.I. Packer said of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “He gave more of a sense of God to the text than any other man.” That is exactly what parents must desire to do for their children in family worship- give a sense of God to every text that is taken up. There should be a sense of importance and weightiness to the consideration of the things of God that provide a sense of awe and wonder. The parents’ teaching of the children must flow out of a passion for God in their own lives. Passion cannot be faked if the goal is to be reached. “That [by God’s grace] the generation to come might know them [the things of God]” and “that they may set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:6-7). As a believing parent, is that not what you want for your children?

What kind of message do you send to your children when you do not have family worship? What if you say you are too busy? Do you eat? Then you say that physical food is more important than spiritual food. Do you watch television? Then you declare that entertainment is a higher priority than worship. Do you do extra-circular activities? Then you are saying that recreation is more important than their spiritual well being. Do you sleep? Then you are telling them that comfort has a higher priority than godliness. These are dangerous messages to communicate to children, not only for their temporal well being but for the sake of their soul.

Heed the words of Dr. Tom Ascol:

The primary responsibility for teaching your children about God is yours, dear parent. It is not the Sunday school’s, the Church’s, nor the Pastor’s. God has entrusted this important work to you. If you do not invest your time and effort to teach your children about God, be assured someone else will. The television and the theater will teach them that God, if He exists at all, is an irrelevant, indulgent being that is little more than a nice kindly old man. If you do not teach your children truth and righteousness, be assured that there are a multitude of teachers in this world who would deceive them into thinking that “truth” and morality are relative ideas and can be shaped to fit anyone’s beliefs or standards.

There was a time when this matter of family worship was viewed with utmost seriousness by churches. The Directory for Family Worship of 1647 states:

The Assembly doth further require and appoint ministers and ruling elders to make diligent search and enquiry, in the congregations committed to their charge respectively, whether there be any among them any family or families which use to neglect this necessary duty; and if such family be found, the head of the family is to be first admonished privately to amend his fault; and, in case of his continuing therein, he is to be gravely and sadly reproved by the session; after which reproof, if he be found still to neglect Family-worship, let him be debarred from the Lord’s Supper, as being justly esteemed unworthy to communicate therein, till he amend.

To forsake family worship was such a serious offense that a father would be barred from the Lord’s Supper if he continued with such callous disregard for his family and his Lord. Oh, for a return to these kind of God-centered priorities today!

The Puritans viewed the family and the household as a “little church” (Perkins). Lewis Bayly taught, “what the preacher is in the pulpit, the same the Christian householder is in his house.” Parents, we must not shirk our God given responsibility to teach our children about God. In Matthew 22:21 in response to a question, Jesus says to his disciples, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” We must render our children to God. The only other alternative is to passively sit back and by inaction render them to the world. Caesar’s image was stamped on the coin; God’s image is stamped on our children. May believing parents, by God’s grace, awake from their slumber, and for the sake of the next generation and the glory of God, call their children to hope in God.

 

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Take up your Cross?

by danny on Jun.16, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

I was doing some personal study on the verses that deal with taking up the cross to follow the Lord when I ran across this article. I believe the author does a masterful job detailing the necessity of the cross in the life of the believer. I hope that you will read, study, and meditate upon this important truth.

Take Up Your Cross
Walter Chantry

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” (Luke 9:23, 24)

Only one entrance may be found to the Kingdom of God. There is a narrow gate set at the head of the path of life. “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14). No one with an inflated ego can squeeze through the door. There must be self-effacement, self-repudiation, self-denial even to become a disciple (a student) of Jesus Christ.

Our Saviour made his demand quite clear by explicitly requiring self-denial. He then re-emphasized the point by using a vivid illustration of renouncing one’s self?an illustration he would soon seal with his blood, “Let him deny himself, and take up his cross”. Six times in the Gospels our great Prophet refers to his followers’ taking up a cross. It was one of his favourite illustrations of self-denial. At other times he would speak of selling all, or of losing one’s life.

“Cross” is a word that first brings to our minds the picture of our Lord on Calvary. We think of him bleeding while fastened to an instrument designed to inflict an agonizing death. Then perhaps we expand the idea of taking up a cross by thinking of Stephen who was stoned to death, or of Peter and John, who were beaten and put into prison, and of other martyrs across the ages. In the light of such courageous physical suffering, the Christian at ease may say to himself, “I don’t have any cross to bear”. Perhaps this repeated demand of Christ even brings alarm to your consciences as you read it over and over in Scripture.

Some who call themselves “Christian” in fact have never taken up their crosses. Being ignorant of the experience of self-execution, of self-denial, they are of necessity strangers to Christ. Our Lord himself intended his illustration and his demand to deepen alarm in such individuals. If this is your condition, then there can be no relief to conviction but in taking up your cross and following him.

Others, however, are true servants of Christ but feel a sense of dismay through a misunderstanding of our Lord’s demand. It is quite possible to have taken up your cross and not to know it. Careful examination of our Lord’s meaning will then be an encouragement.

In either case, the subject is vital to you. Your Master’s life was dominated by a cross. He has called you also to a life with a cross. This clear gospel note is so easy to forget in flabby Western society. With a great chorus of custom, advertisement and temptation this world is beckoning you to a life of self-indulgence. Your flesh is drawn to that appeal, and will fall in with the world’s suggestions. But the Lord of glory has called you to a life of self-denial, to a cross.

The demand of bearing a cross is universal. It is made of all who follow Christ, without exception. Our Lord addressed these words “to all”, not to a select few who walked nearer to Christ. Mark 8:34 indicates that this mandate was not issued to the twelve alone. It was spoken ‘when he had called the people unto him with his disciples’. The cross is required for “any man” who will go after him. There are no peculiar cases released from this necessity. Repeatedly our Lord was emphatic that none could be considered his disciple in any sense unless he bore a cross. “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38). Again in Luke 14:27 our Saviour turned to a multitude following him, to insist, “Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple”. It is an absolute impossibility to be a Christian without self-denial. Whether you live in a Christian land or in a culture hostile to God’s Word, you must bear a cross. The only way to avoid the cross is to follow the world to hell. As verse 24 explains, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it”. The “for” indicates a connection with the preceding verse. Religion without self-denial will not endure the judgment.

It is this most obvious aspect of our Lord’s teaching which has been forgotten or ignored by modern evangelism. Anxious to bring sinners to life, peace and Joy in the Lord, evangelists have failed even to mention that Christ insists upon denial of self at the outset. Having failed to pass on our Lord’s requirement, and forgetting it themselves, evangelists have never questioned whether their “converts” with self-centred lives are true followers of Christ. Assuming that it is possible for a man to be self-indulgent and yet heaven-bound, Bible teachers look for some way to bring ego-centric men to a higher spiritual plane. Then self-denial is taught as the requirement for a second work of grace. But our text will show that unless a man lives a life of self-denial, he has not received a first work of grace.

Those who save texts demanding a cross for “the deeper life” have cheated their hearers in evangelism. Without a cross there is no following Christ! And without following Christ there is no life at all! An impression has been given that many enter life through a wide gate of believing on Jesus. Then a few go through the narrow gate of the cross for deeper spiritual service. On the contrary, the broad way without self-denial leads to destruction. All who are saved have entered the fraternity of the cross. Christ’s summons to a cross is perpetual. Self-denial is not an initiation-fee, once paid and for ever forgotten. Old Christians as well as new converts must bear a cross. One’s cross is not a disposable item of Christian experience but a life-long burden in this world.

This conversation apparently took place after Caesarea Philippi. It was near the end of our Lord’s earthly ministry. Almost three years earlier, Jesus had called the disciples. We read a partial account of the call in Luke 5. When they began to follow the Messiah, there was a painful price of a cross to be weighed. For Peter it was leaving a beloved father and abandoning a good fishing business in a quiet village. For Matthew it was turning his back on the lucrative tax bureau he directed. Throughout more than two years there was the painful experience of poverty, tumult and disgrace in following the Master. Now, as they near the completion of their training, our Lord holds before them the expectation of a cross. Whether you have walked with Christ one year or forty, you must deny yourself still.

You will notice that the text uses the word “daily”. For a true believer the cross is ubiquitous, lifelong, a daily weight. There is but one depository of the cross, that is the cemetery. We shall not carry the pain of self-denial into the celestial city. But our Lord holds out no hope that the cross will cease to afflict us in this life. It is “daily”, for “any man”. You must ask yourself, “Am I bearing a cross today?”

As has been suggested, the cross is painful. The term “cross” has lost all significance if the element of dreadful suffering is taken away. Our Lord endured the most cruel pangs ever inflicted upon a man. But we must recognize that the cross represented inward as well as outward pains. To our perfect Lord the inward torture of the cross was far greater than the outward.

Hebrews 12:2 teaches us that Jesus “endured the cross, despising the shame”. The shame was much more painful to his noble dignity than were the nails and the bleeding to his body. Some have failed to estimate what the cross was to him: the confusion of being made sin before the Father, the embarrassment before his enemies of open judgment by a righteous God. The shame of nakedly identifying with filthy transgressions before men, angels and God, cut his sensitive soul to the quick.

Inward suffering must be the focus of our Lord’s teaching in this passage. Our cross is not merely physical suffering. Stephen was not stoned “daily”, yet the Saviour said we must bear a “daily” cross. Even in the worst of times apostles were not imprisoned “daily”. There is a cross to bear on the best of days as well as on the worst. Peter carried a cross during civil peace as well as in times of strife. A failure to comprehend that inward pain is the worst part of the cross has led some believers to misunderstand our Lord’s demand of a daily cross. It is this misunderstanding which may lead to unnecessary alarm and dismay when true saints read our Lord’s demand. You may bear a cross unseen by all but your heavenly Father. How often a pastor is surprised to learn of the cross borne by members of the congregation, through trials never imagined by him. The deepest pains of the cross are not publicly visible.

Furthermore, taking up your cross is an intentional act. In every passage which records our Lord’s mention of a cross for his disciples, he commands them to “take it up”. The Lord does not force a cross upon any man against his will. He does not strap the cross to a man’s back. There are great afflictions for God’s people which are imposed by providence. Irresistible sufferings may be the hand of chastisement or of refining mercy. These are trials but not crosses. A cross must be taken up by the one whose self is to be denied painfully.

It was a voluntary submission on Christ’s part which brought him to Calvary. “No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself” (John 10:18). Armed soldiers could not seize him. The Son of God delivered himself into their custody. just so is the daily cross of his disciples. It is the conscious choice of a painful alternative motivated by love for Christ. It may be preceded by an inward struggle similar to that which our Lord knew in Gethsemane. But it is a voluntary choice.

Lastly, the taking up of a cross is mortal. It is deadly. Death on the cross may be very slow, but a cross has one objective?it ruthlessly intends to bring death to self. Two parallel ideas in verses 23 and 24 show us that our Lord has this in mind. “Let him deny himself”. Put to death self-importance, self-satisfaction, self-absorption, self-advancement, self-dependence. And “whosoever will lose his life for my sake”. That’s it! Death to self-interest because you serve Christ’s honour! Even capitulation of those things which men call legitimate interests, for God’s glory!

It is now apparent that Jesus’ figure of bearing a cross is an elaboration of his demand for self-denial. Bearing a cross is every Christian’s daily, conscious selection of those options which will please Christ, pain self, and aim at putting self to death. It is a teaching for the recruit, not merely for the seasoned warrior. It is a requirement for entering the army of God, not merely a call to an elite corps of super-saints with a deeper life. Yet it does hold the clue as well to deepening maturity in Christ. At each stage of growth, more self-denial is required, more painful blows to self, more reckless decision to serve the Lord Christ with consequent abandonment of one’s own life.

The shadow of the cross falls upon all those vital aspects of Christian experience which perplex true hearts. If only the cross were understood, many complaints would be silenced which murmur against God’s providence. Many a counseling session in the pastor’s study would be cut short by applying the meaning of the cross. It answers so many questions, not easily but profoundly.

If you have struggled to worship the Almighty, you will have learned that there is no satisfying communion with the Most High without a cross. Our Saviour arose a great while before it was day to draw near to his Father. Having no central heating, it is no stretch of the imagination to think that he shivered while his metabolism was still sluggish in early morning hours. Perhaps he felt the pain of prying his eyes open, for he was a true man who had spent long days and nights instructing the ignorant, convincing the gainsayers and healing the sick. He did not have a good night of sleep before his secret hours of worship. Perhaps he had to stand lest he fall asleep. Perhaps these struggles led to his sympathy for his disciples in the Garden. When they slept spirit is instead of praying, he gently said, “The willing but the flesh is weak”. Oh, he had felt the weakness of human flesh!

A cross greets the Christian who is determined to rise early to meet his God. It begins with the alarm clock. Self desires another hour of sleep. It is only reasonable to remain in bed since the baby woke up twice last night. But if the love of Christ burns in your soul, you would rather inflict pain on yourself than plunge into the demands of business at home and office, and end the day with the sad realization that you had not been with him in quiet at all. Furthermore, to rise early in the day you must deny self of pleasant social evenings which tend to last into late hours.

And when you have managed to bring yourself to your devotions, stubborn self intrudes still. Thoughts of your affairs demand attention from your mind so that honest contemplation of the glory of God is crowded out. A thousand selfish interests prevent true prayer from ever beginning. Our Lord taught us that prayer begins when the heart cries “Hallowed be thy Name”. It cannot be uttered until self-interest is ruthlessly yanked from the soul as a tooth is from your jaw. This is painful and pinching.

Preachers meet sad-eyed saints who would like them to recommend a good book on devotions, I something to pick up my drooping spirits’. The place of private retirement has grown dull or unrewarding. Often behind the request is a desire to find a new secret to approaching God’s courts, a little device or an easy step back to the place of joyful fellowship with God and the Lamb. There are no such books or devices. You must bear a cross! Take aim on self. Set your sights on putting self to death. Deny self! Fast! Rise earlier! Cry with a fresh uniting of all your energies for the one purpose of knowing the Lord. And tomorrow? The cross will be there again. And if you do not choose to inflict pain on self, you will relapse once more into coldness. You will withdraw to a distance from the Lord.

Some poor creatures have stopped seeking the joys of God’s presence. Perhaps you have assumed that God will not show you his glory. On the contrary, he delights to make himself known. But there is a cross at the threshold of the secret place of the Most High. To come under the shadow of the Almighty you must put self to a slow, agonizing death.

The long shadow of the cross will follow you from your home to your field of service for the Lord. Faithful witnesses to Christ face dreadful pains. When you arrive at your shop, fellow workers may be gathered in a corner laughing and slapping shoulders. You know you dare not approach to join in. The subject of the good humour is filthy. During the day, as serious opinions are discussed, there is an opportunity to give the biblical view on issues of sin and righteousness or the purpose of life. But each time you speak, you have seen rejection of yourself with your views. Each testimony for truth makes you more unwelcome. Will you be bold for truth today?

Christians are sensitive. We want to be liked and accepted. It is pleasant to be agreeable and peaceful. It is our longing to become more intimate with fellow men. Some brutes witness with an attitude of “I don’t care what anyone thinks of me”. That is to be callous, not gracious. As God’s grace quickens in us love for men, a sense of courtesy is heightened, a longing for gentleness and peace is increased. But with all of this our Lord’s honour is at issue in the discussion. The eternal welfare of men’s souls hangs in the balance with their understanding of truth.

What must the Christian do if he is to witness? He must consciously choose words that pain his own social consciousness and love of peace. He must purposely drive the wedge between self and fellow workers deeper! There are no easy steps to witnessing! No painless, unembarrassing methods! You must bring men to see that they are filthy sinners under the wrath of God who must flee to Christ for mercy. That is offensive. And there is no way to coat it with honey.

When a young woman explains the gospel to her mother, she may almost anticipate the cool reception. Whichever way the truth is presented, implied is the life-long error of mother. It is all a denial of her religion, her views, her life-style from a daughter. It cuts her heart like a knife. Yes, but when the sword of the Word cuts mother’s heart, a sensitive daughter has at the same time chosen to drive spikes into her own flesh. Self has had to be crucified. Two hearts are broken, not merely one.

As the cross casts a shadow over worship arid witnessing, its shades also fall upon all service to God. Questions like, “Will you teach a Sunday School class?” become, “Will you relinquish tranquil and amusing evenings which follow frenzied days in the office? Will you sacrifice relaxation seriously to study God’s Word in preparation for the class? Will you spend scarce time to pray for your students?” Each duty assumed for the good of the Church imposes restrictions elsewhere.

An image of the cross is discernible everywhere in the Christian life. Our Lord was not speaking in hyperbole when he set before us a daily cross. To turn from it is to revert to the broad way which leads to destruction.

 



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Living with Urgency

by danny on Jun.10, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

I have been reminded lately in my times of scripture and prayer that life is too short to be lived without urgency. Yet, urgency in and of itself must be tempered by the right purpose and motive. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, our time on this earth is to be lived for the glory of God. All we do, especially in the intentional spread of the gospel, should be lived with the end in mind. One day it will all be over. The time for meaningful relationships, spiritual formation, and most importantly the building of God’s kingdom will soon be over and eternity will be upon us. The old hymn says “work for the night is coming.” The apostle Paul wrote, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time for the days are evil.” Russell Moore posted the following quote from his blog :

Quote of the Moment

from Moore to the Point by Russell D. Moore

The strip had allowed him an illusion of eternity. Comics never end, no story is ever finished, four more blank white panels await the next installment. When he finally fell ill, the fantasy was irrevocably broken, and he discovered that he was a creature of time, ordinary after all.

?David Michaelis in his (very sad) biography of Peanuts cartoonist Charles Shulz, Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography

May we live with urgency. Christ in me for all eternity!

- Pastor Danny

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What is the Trinity?

by danny on Jun.09, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

This is an article from the website www.carm.org. As we teach through Philippians 2:1-11, it will help us better grasp the Trinitarian view of unity presented in Paul’s letter. I hope you enjoy!

What is the Trinity?

The word “trinity” is a term used to denote the Christian doctrine that God exists as a unity of three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of the persons is distinct from the other, yet identical in essence. In other words, each is fully divine in nature, but each is not the totality of the other persons of the Trinity. Each has a will, loves, and says “I”, and “You” when speaking. The Father is not the same person as the Son who is not the same person as the Holy Spirit who is not the same person as the Father. Each is divine, yet there are not three gods, but one God. There are three individual subsistences, or persons. The word “subsistence” means something that has a real existence. The word “person” denotes individuality and self awareness. The Trinity is three of these, though the latter term has become the dominant one used to describe the individual aspects of God known as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Included in the doctrine of the Trinity is a strict monotheism which is the teaching that there exists in all the universe a single being known as God who is self-existent and unchangeable (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8). Therefore, it is important to note that the doctrine of the trinity is not polytheistic as some of its critics proclaim. Trinitarianism is monotheistic by definition and those who claim it is polytheistic demonstrate a lack of understanding of what it really is.

  • The Trinity
    • God is three persons
    • Each person is divine
    • There is only one God.

Many theologians admit that the term “person” is not a perfect word to describe the three individual aspects/foci found in God. When we normally use the word person, we understand it to mean physical individuals who exist as separate beings from other individuals. But in God there are not three entities, nor three beings. God is a trinity of persons consisting of one substance and one essence. God is numerically one. Yet, within the single divine essence are three individual subsistences that we call persons.

  • Each of the three persons is completely divine in nature though each is not the totality of the Godhead.
  • Each of the three persons is not the other two persons.
  • Each of the three persons is related to the other two, but are distinct from them.

The word “trinity” is not found in the Bible. But this does not mean that the concept is not taught there. The word “bible” is not found in the Bible either, but we use it anyway. Likewise, the words “omniscience,” which means “all knowing,” “omnipotence,” which means “all powerful,” and “omnipresence,” which means “present everywhere,” are not found in the Bible either. But we use these words to describe the attributes of God. So, to say that the Trinity isn’t true because the word isn’t in the Bible is an invalid argument.

Is there subordination in the Trinity?

There is, apparently, a subordination within the Trinity in regard to order but not substance or essence. We can see that the Father is first, the Son is second, and the Holy Spirit is third. The Father is not begotten, but the Son is (John 3:16). The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (John 5:26). The Father sent the Son (1 John 4:10). The Son and the Father send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26). The Father creates (Isaiah 44:24), the Son redeems (Gal. 3:13), and the Holy Spirit sanctifies (Rom. 15:16).

This subordination of order does not mean that each of the members of the Godhead are not equal or divine. For example, we see that the Father sent the Son. But this does not mean that the Son is not equal to the Father in essence and divine nature. The Son is equal to the Father in his divinity, but inferior in his humanity. A wife is to be subject to her husband but this does not negate her humanity, essence, or equality. By further analogy, a king and his servant both share human nature. Yet, the king sends the servant to do his will. Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38). Of course Jesus already is King, but the analogy shows that because someone is sent, it doesn’t mean they are different than the one who sent him.

Critics of the Trinity will see this subordination as proof that the Trinity is false. They reason that if Jesus were truly God, then He would be completely equal to God the Father in all areas and would not, therefore, be subordinate to the Father in any way. But this objection is not logical. If we look at the analogy of the king and in the servant we certainly would not say that the servant was not human because he was sent. Being sent does not negate sameness in essence. Therefore, the fact that the Son is sent does not mean that He is not divine any more than when my wife sends me to get bread, I am not human.

Is this confusing?

Another important point about the Trinity is that it can be a difficult concept to grasp. But this does not necessitate an argument against its validity. On the contrary, the fact that it is difficult is an argument for its truth. The Bible is the self revelation of an infinite God. Therefore, we are bound to encounter concepts which are difficult to understand — especially when dealing with an incomprehensible God who exists in all places at all times. So, when we view descriptions and attributes of God manifested in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we discover that a completely comprehensible and understandable explanation of God’s essence and nature is not possible. What we have done, however, is derive from the Scripture the truths that we can grasp and combine them into the doctrine we call The Trinity. The Trinity is, to a large extent, a mystery. After all, we are dealing with God Himself.

It is the way of the cults to reduce biblical truth to make God comprehensible and understandable by their minds. To this end, they subject God’s word to their own reasoning and end in error. The following verses are often used to demonstrate that the doctrine of the Trinity is indeed biblical.

  • Matt. 28:18, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”
  • 1 Cor. 12:4-6, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.”
  • 2 Cor. 13:14, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
  • Eph. 4:4-7, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”
  • 1 Pet. 1:2, “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.”
  • Jude 20-21, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.”

__________________
Sources:

  1. Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, Everett Harrison, ed. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1960.
  2. Berkhoff’s Systematic Theology, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1988.
  3. Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1994.
  4. Hodge’s Systematic Theology, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981.
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Reminence

by danny on May.28, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

A few days ago, my wife’s grandfather gave her several copies of a magazine called Reminence. It is filled with old photos and stories of life back in the first half of the 20th century. I love old photos and so I have greatly enjoyed scanning the pages and seeing life of yesteryear. Now, since I am the ripe old age of 30, I have come to the realization that much has changed over the years. Morethan simply the technology, much has changed in the way of community. Gone are days of neighbors helping neighbors, family helping family, etc. There are 2 thoughts that I’ve stewed over the last few days and one is the need for community. Not just in the way of business and coop but in the body of Christ. There is missing in many churches the authentic sense of community that brings about unity, accountability, progress, and discipleship. Rather than seeing church as the gathering of God;s people for edification and equipping, church has become a marketplace of ideaology, inward fracture, and lack of vision. Church has to be viewed in the lens of a community of believers centered on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to display God’s glory in a fallen world.

a 2nd thought I had was that despite the warm memories of days gone by, there was a sense of appreciation for living in the here and now. I found that the values of family community never change but the methods of “liivng” have changed. To be clear, let me say that the message of the gospel, correctly understood and apprehended, NEVER changes. True community cannot exists apart from the gospel. Yet, the means we have today cannot stuck in the past simply because “that’s the way geampa did it.” Let me illustrate what I mean. Use to be that neighbors would often help each other harvest the crops because often times there was only 1 tractor in the community and it became a community event. Now, we have specialized machinery that huge farms have to bring in the crops. Old mule plows have been replaced with tractors that have Sirrius satelite radio. One thing that hasn’t changed is the planting of the crop. The seeds still have to be planted. The gospel is always to be proclaimed in every generation. This doesn’t change nor can it be compromimised yet to reach the world with we must use the methods God has given us, though they may be different than yesteryear, to procliam the gospel.

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The Harvest is ready!

by danny on May.21, 2009, under Pastor's Thoughts

Last tuesday night, me and a couple of our men went to make some contact with some people in our community who had visited our church. I was reminded that all around us (literally!) there are so many unchurched people. To designate them as such is not to belittle them or to make ourselves superior, but to help us understand that the fields are white for harvest. I love what Larry White said about true growth in the church. He pointed out that true addition is more than people moving their membership and changing church homes. True growth is when people are being presented with the gospel and through repentence and faith they are converted. True growth, then, is when people are being saved and then as a church we disciple them and see them grow up in the faith and become single minded, whole hearted followers of Christ.

Our goal should be to live out our faith and demonstrate it everyday to a lost world that literally surrounds our church. May we pray specifically for workers to go out into the harvest.  God has placed us here for a purpose and that is to proclaim the gospel, the only true hope for a lost soul. The harvest is ready.

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