Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

DCC Family,

To keep my column in line with the purposes of our church, I decided to dedicate it to sharing with you great books I’ve read and think you’d like as well. Each month, I’ll choose a book I believe would encourage, challenge, or build you up spiritually then write a short review summarizing the high points. Followers of Jesus never stop trying to grow more into His likeness, and I’m excited to share with you some of the tools I use to seek Christ.

For the first book, I’ve chosen one you’ve heard me mention often lately. We will be offering a study of this book as part of our Wednesday evening lineup starting in January.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
Dr. David Platt

(Currently $6.46 on Amazon.com)

“Jesus commands us to go. He has created each of us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth…anything less than radical devotion to this purpose is unbiblical Christianity.” (p. 64)

In Radical, the author (Dr. David Platt, a senior minister from Birmingham) shows us the “blind spots” in American Christianity that keep so many of us from following the real Jesus of the Bible. The entire book is blunt and challenging, so I don’t recommend reading it if you’re not serious about growing in your Faith. He writes with a no nonsense approach to Scripture, making it a hard book to ignore.

The first half of the book exposes the subtle yet terrifyingly effective traps Satan weaves into the American Dream to keep Westerners from fully believing and doing all that Jesus died for. Clearly stating the difference between the two, he writes: “While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God.” (p. 47)

Platt also shines the spotlight on the way we pick and choose among Jesus’ commands. For

instance, we treat ministry and mission work as something to which He only “calls” a select few, but then we’re quick to claim and obey the command to “Come to me, all you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” We pretend the Great Commission is only for varsity believers, while promises of abundant life were intended for everybody.

To maintain urgency, the second half of the book gives alarming statistics about the thousands of people who die every day, launching off into a Christless eternity while many of us are content to do nothing. “We leave worship to spend thousands of dollars on lunch…meanwhile the poor man is outside our gate. And he is hungry.” (p. 114)

The challenge then becomes clear: are we willing to forsake everything for the advancement of the gospel (Mark 10.28), or would we rather build our own Kingdom here on earth (Matt 6.19)? This book seeks to keep us all away from the lukewarm faith Jesus attacked in Laodicea (Rev 3.14-19). The author does so by simply reminding us of the Great Commission:

“A community of Christians each multiplying the gospel by going, baptizing, and teaching in the contexts where they live every day. Is anything else, according to the Bible, even considered a church?” (p. 106)

At Your Side,

-bill

Other Books Like It:

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience (I have not personally read this book)

I’m Not Very Spiritual

I’m not a very spiritual person.  To people who know me, that’s not a surprise.  When others say things like, “I’m spiritual but not religious,” or “I’m sorry I can’t be there, but I’ll be with you in spirit,” I don’t know what they mean. 

Don’t get me wrong: I’m completely crazy about Jesus and do everything within the Power of Grayskull to live for Him.  But, I still feel like a regular joe experiencing life one day at a time, working to find contentment in everything God sends my way.  Looking back over this year, it stands out to me that I’ve said and/or thought something along the lines of, “I’m loving life right now” more times than in any other year since we lost my sister in 2005.  Maybe the Realty of a reunion in Heaven is becoming that much more…realistic to me.  I don’t think that makes me spiritual, but it does make me happy.

So, in the spirit of holiday thankfulness, I thought I’d compile a random, probably-half-completed, no-specific-order kinda list of the (mostly) unspiritual things that have brought me the greatest amount of happiness during 2010.  Here they are:

My wife.  Pepsi Max.  Watching the Colts win.  Watching the Colts lose (anything with a Blue horseshoe makes me happy).  Wrestling with my son.  Bacon.  Wearing my uniform.  Books on the culture’s rejection of irrelevance.  The Office.  Tickling my baby boy.  Madden and LOTRO.  Reading Dan Brown books.  Calling Dan Brown a heretic.  Tuesday mornings with a good friend.  Friday nights with a hot wife.  Little Debbie.  Going deeper in God’s Word.  Droid, ping.fm, and Google.  Jesus-lovers who want what I want.  The Smokey Mountains.  Medical insurance.  3 Musketeers (lots of them).  Fires.  Seeing new Believers come on fire for Jesus.  Criminal Minds.  Podcasts.  Spending money on my wife.  Spending money on my niece. Third Day, Brad Paisley, & Bob Seger. Lemon cake.  Mom & Dad.  CS Lewis.  1st Timothy.  Groundhog Day.

Make a list of your own.  It doesn’t have to be “spiritual.”  Most of us don’t even know what that means anyway.  Just graciously give credit where credit’s due. (see James 1.17)

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.” –1 Tim 6.6 (NLT)

What is the “Sabbath”

 

The concept of a Sabbath, or a day or rest, comes from the Bible’s teaching on and use of the word “yisbot” (יִּשְׁבֹּת), which literally means “cease”, “rest” or “desist.” In Jewish tradition, it came to be defined as the period of time beginning at sundown on Friday and ending with sundown on Saturday.

 

 

 

Brief History of the Sabbath

The first time we see a biblical Sabbath/rest is in Gen 2.2-3[1]. These opening verses show us God’s expectation that we use this day to celebrate His two greatest acts: Creation and Redemption. Celebrating these two divine accomplishments provide the purpose and meaning for the Sabbath.

Genesis 2:3 (NLT)
³ And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy [Redemption], because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation [Creation].

Celebrating Creation (Ex 20.11) and Redemption (Deut 5.12-15, esp. 15) continue as the two “twin themes” of the Sabbath throughout the Old Testament. It is important to note: the first purpose (Ex 20) is communicated through Israel, while the second purpose (Deut 5) is communicated strictly to Israel. All of the world reaps the benefits of God’s grand and beautiful creative work, but only those responding to him in faith are able to receive the benefits of his redemptive work. (See also Ezek 20.12)
Later, the establishment of a sabbatical year extends the “time-out mandate” to the land as well (Ex 23.10-11). Israelites were only able to farm six out of every seven years—a demanding limitation for an agrarian society of nomads. This would have surely stretched the faith of the entire country and forced them to remember that the Lord who created them was more than capable of redeeming them (see also Lev 25.4; cf. Lev 26.34).
Given God’s intent that his people simply rest and refrain from regular, everyday work (Ex 16.29), the people felt a need to define “work” with the most exacting details. God made the Sabbath by setting it aside (making it different/holy; Ex 20.11), so treating it just like any other day would be an extreme insult to God. Therefore, knowing exactly what constituted “work” became extremely important.[2] Unfortunately, many quickly forfeited the forest by trying to recreate the tree (Isa 58.13-14). In other words, their stringent details aimed at defining work caused them to lose sight of why God created the Sabbath in the first place. Celebrating the Sabbath became an end in itself for the sole sake of pleasing God rather than a simple time of rest and recovery.

Galatians 4:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years.

Mark 2:27 (NLT)
²⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.

 

Jesus and the Sabbath

To this end, Jesus frequently confronted and corrected heretical teachings concerning the Sabbath.

· He was familiar with the Law’s teaching, and operated comfortably within its guidelines (Lk 4.16; Mk 1.21; Lk 13.10).
· The arguments, therefore, always sprung from the Pharisees’ enforcement of a tradition that didn’t stem from biblical mandate. If the Bible didn’t demand it, Jesus wouldn’t allow the Pharisees to do so either. (Mt 12.5-7)
· In particular, Jesus addressed the way in which religious leaders of the day neglected the benevolent nature inherent to the Sabbath so as to elevate their man-made regulations (Mk 3.4-5; Lk 13.16).

 

The Sabbath After the Cross

Neither of the occasions for Sabbath celebration (creation and redemption) ceased to hold value after the Resurrection, so the principle of intentional rest and remembrance still holds true. However, like so many other aspects of the Old Testament/Mosaic Law, the theological mandate toward prescribed behavior was fulfilled in the work of Christ (Mt 5.17; see also Heb 4.1-11).
Therefore, the Christian’s responsibility lies not in specific adherence to a written code, but in a wholesale embrace of all that God created and Jesus redeemed. If one feels most comfortable doing so in accordance with Jewish tradition, he has that freedom (Acts 13.14-16; cf. Gal 2.4). If another accomplishes frequent rest and Christian joy through some other format, she is perfectly within her rights (Rom 14.5-6). The danger we all face is in packaging our personal opinion as a Biblical priority—demanding that others adhere to our preferences (Rom 14.13; Gal 4.8-11).
Let us never forget:

Colossians 2:17 (NLT)
¹⁷ For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.

---

[1] After this initial appearance, we have only one additional pre-Sinai (the event/place of God’s giving of the Ten Commandments) mention of the Sabbath (Ex 16.22-30).
[2] For example: Special elevators (called Shabbat Elevators) exist in Israel that allow one to simply walk inside and wait for the lift to automatically stop at her/his floor. No one pushes a button (this would be considered work), so the elevator is programmed to stop at each floor every time someone boards. This feature is only turned on during “Shabbat” (or Sabbath).

What Dishwashing Taught Me About Being a Christian

December 2010 Newsletter

I’ve worked a lot of part-time, entry level jobs in my day. Many of them, you won’t find on my resume simply because they don’t represent the type of employment we tend to lead off with when trying to get that next promotion. Nor do we consciously draw on them when preparing for a great task or intensive project. However, as I think about them, I’m reminded of all they taught me about life, success, and people. Here are just a few of them and their respective lessons on applying Colossians 3.17 (look it up!) to daily living.
 

 

 

Paperboy—My First Job

I got this job at age 12 because my dad “suggested” I do so. Two decades later, and I’ve never been without a job since that cold morning he and I got up to roll our first papers and hit the neighborhood delivering goodness in the form of local headlines. That job taught me:

· If you want to buy stuff, you gotta work. Nothing comes free.
· There’s just something about getting started early in the morning that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment.
 

 

Lawn care and Snow-shoveling

I used my paperboy notoriety to secure year-round employment by advertising my grass-cutting, leaf-raking, and snow-shoveling services (another one of Dad’s great ideas). Those years taught me:

· Earning a good reputation and then leveraging that reputation to your advantage is a priceless skill.
· If you do something well enough, people will tell their friends about you, and then their friends will want you to do it for them too.
 

 

Dishwasher at a Family Diner

I hated this job! But, it taught me good stuff:

· The small, menial jobs that nobody wants to do really do matter. Dishwashing isn’t fun, but restaurants can’t sell food—even good food—on dirty dishes. You can be excellent at the main thing, but cutting corners in the details will undo all your hard work.
· Some people have too much on their plate.

 

 

Waiter at a Steakhouse

I probably made more on-the-hour money doing this job than any other, but I also worked harder at this job than most all my other ones. Doing it taught me:

· Giving people what they need before they ask for it (or even before they realize they need it) makes a great impression.
· Some people, no matter how hard you try, are just never going to give you a tip.
· Everybody likes to be smiled at.


So, don’t forget where you came from! Learn from all of life’s experiences, and then throw your whole self (1 Tim 4.15) into building God’s Kingdom, one relationship at a time.
At Your Side,
-bill

1 Timothy 4

1 Timothy 4 is an extremely exciting chapter of this letter.  Paul has been building toward giving Timothy these words of encouragement and exhortation.  He warns the church about lurking, demon-controlled wolves, and he gives their pastor advice on how to train and prepare his people to not only overcome the wolves, but to shine in such a way as to bring many to Christ!

 

 

 

Scripture Used

1 Timothy 4 (NLT)
Acts 20: 28-30 (NLT)
1 Cor 9.24-27 (NLT)

Quotes and Statements

“Our differences, at most, are about the things in which the kingdom of God does not consist, that is about matters of private opinion or human invention.” –Thomas Campbell

I’m going to serve Him until I see Him.

“The opposite of the Gospel is idolatry.” –Mark Driscoll

Questions that Expose Idolatry[1] in your life:

· What do I worry about most?
· What, if I failed or lost it, would cause me to feel that I did not even want to live?
· What do I use to comfort myself when things go bad or get difficult?
· What do I do to cope? What are my release valves? What do I do to feel better?
· What preoccupies me? What do I daydream about?
· What makes me feel the most self-worth? Of what am I the proudest? For what do I want to be known?
· What do I lead with in conversations?
· Early on, what do I want to make sure people know about me?
· What prayer, unanswered, would make me seriously think about turning away from God?
· What is my hope for the future?
The limitations you are willing to accept establish the boundaries of your existence.

---

[1] (Patrick 2010)

References

Patrick, Darrin. Church Planter. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010.
Wiersbe, W. W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996.

John Wesley’s 12 Rules for a Preacher

John Wesley (1703-1791) was a key leader in “waking up” the lost spirituality of Britain during the late 18th Century.  He is also credited as the driving force in the establishment of the Methodist denomination. 

One of the requirements for a Methodist minister, still practiced today to some extent, was that he travel “on a circuit.”  To maintain credibility and to be as productive for the Gospel as possible, Wesley laid out these guidelines:

 

1. Be diligent. Never be unemployed. Never be triflingly employed. Never while away time, nor spend more time at any place than is strictly necessary.

2. Be serious. Let your motto be, ‘Holiness to the Lord.’ Avoid all lightness, jesting, and foolish talking.

3. Converse sparingly and cautiously with women, particularly with young women.

4. Take no step towards marriage without solemn prayer to God and consulting with your brethren.

5. Believe evil of no one unless fully proved; take heed how you credit it. Put the best construction you can on everything. You know the judge is always sup­posed to be on the prisoner’s side.

6. Speak evil of no one, else your word, especially, would eat as doth a canker; keep your thoughts within your own breast till you come to the person concerned.

7. Tell every one what you think wrong in him, lovingly and plainly, and as soon as may be, else it will fester in your own heart. Make all haste to cast the fire out of your bosom.

8. Do not affect the gentleman. A preacher of the Gospel is the servant of alL

9. Be ashamed of nothing but sin; no, not of clean­ing your own shoes when necessary.

10. Be punctual. Do everything exactly at the time. And do not mend our rules, but keep them, and that for conscience’ sake.

11. You have nothing to do but to save souls. There­fore spend and be spent in this work. And go always, not only to those who want you, but to those who want you most.

12. Act in all things, not according to your own will, but as a son in the Gospel, and in union with your brethren. As such, it is your part to employ your time as our rules direct: partly in preaching and visiting from i house to house, partly in reading, meditation, and prayer. Above all, if you labour with us in our Lord’s vineyard, it is needful you should do that part of the work which the Conference shall advise, at those times and places which they shall judge most for His glory.

5 Reasons why the Mesaeh Family is Committed to DCC

 

In my absence, I thought it’d be a good idea to write you all a brief reminder of my commitment to DCC and the ministry God has called us all to do.

Even though we are separated by many miles, I think of you often and long to return home and get back to building the Kingdom with you! 

Here are five reasons why:

 

1. We still have work to do

Habakkuk 1:5 (NLT)
⁵The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.

I do not think we have even scratched the surface of what God has brought us here to do.

Small groups, a Bible institute, an organic and professional leadership training program, a permanent face as THE community-serving church in the area, and a Christian school preparing our children both academically and spiritually are just some of the many plans God has on the horizon for DCC.

 

2. Our friends are here

Philippians 1:3 (NLT)
³Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Over the past year and a half, Hannah and I and our boys have made some truly wonderful friendships. Hannah and I sincerely feel God caused our paths to cross with these friends for two very important reasons: (1) to build us up, encourage us, and hold us accountable in our walk with Christ, and (2) to serve as complementary partners in Kingdom work.

 

3. The people have untapped potential

Romans 12:6–8 (NLT)
⁶ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷ If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

The more time I spend getting to know the people being drawn to DCC, the more I am amazed at all we can do together. The men, women, boys, and girls sitting in our pews all bring unique backgrounds, passions, and skillsets to Jesus’ church. I firmly believe the majority of those abilities are currently sitting dormant. As your pastor, I am committed to finding out what those are and helping you draw them out in service to the Kingdom.

 

4. Defiance needs more Jesus

Jeremiah 29:7 (NLT)
⁷ And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you... Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Many people in Defiance do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. A quick survey of churches in the area reveals very few models able to withstand the constantly evolving world around us. DCC can be that church on the forefront of ministry—successfully adapting our methods to ensure the timeless Message is preached, from this very congregation, by our children and our children’s children until Jesus returns.

A relevant and modern church firmly committed to using contemporary methods, technologies and language to teach and model the timeless Gospel will thrive in Defiance. I have a vision for DCC to grow and expand so fruitfully that we would be able to take advantage of the new Hwy 24 as people as far as Ft. Wayne or Toledo come to Connect, Grow, and Glow with us.

 

5. We’re devoted

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Coming to Defiance wasn’t a decision we entered into lightly. It was one I prayed over, sought much council over, and finally reached after a period of study and fasting. Many factors went into our decision, and I ultimately made that decision with the full conviction that it was completely within God’s will.

While frustrations in ministry come and go, to leave before we’re finished would be to say God made a mistake in bringing us here. He obviously didn’t. So, we’re here for the long haul. I plan to sweat, laugh, cry, rejoice, and worship with the fine people of DCC for years to come.

To God be the glory for the things he hath done,

-bill

1 Tim 3.8-15

Satanic Gossips & Female Deacons

This week’s sermon was on the role of Deacons in the church. Two topics I taught on may have generated some interesting discussion. Allow me to quickly comment on them both:

 

Women as Deacons

The prototype for a Deacon first emerges in Acts 6, where they help the Apostles solve a very pressing problem. Many are hesitant to state the men named here are officially deacons, mainly because the word used to describe their work (diakoneo: διακονέω) varies slightly from the word used elsewhere to refer to the position within church government (see below for the discussion on διάκονος). At the end of the day, that argument lends little to the church’s understanding of what a deacon is and what she/he does. The result in Jerusalem (Acts 6) as well as Ephesus (1 Tim 3) continues to be the result today: the church grows when everyone serves according to their assignments and abilities (Acts 6.7).

The word for and responsibilities of the “Deacon” is based on the Greek word diakonos (διάκονος), which literally means “servant.” It is used throughout the New Testament to refer to various individuals: Jesus (1 Cor 3.5), men & women serving with the title (1 Tim 3; Phil 1.1; Rom 16.1), & Paul (Rom 15.8), to name a few.

A quick look at what those prototypical deacons did, when combined with the meaning of the word used to describe their place in church government, yields a biblically comprehensive view of who these people are and what they are to continue doing today: they are servants who serve. And, they are expected to do so with defined restrictions on their moral behavior.

So, why do some traditions only extend this title to females today? Two reasons: a distorted view of the text, and the resulting distortion that view has had on church tradition.

 

The Text

Many proponents of all-male deaconship would point to 1 Tim 3.8 and argue that the word “deacon” is in the male form, which is correct and also what would be expected as Paul moves from discussing men in the role of Elder to men in the role of Deacon. However, we cannot overlook the women addressed in v. 11. Many English translations unfortunately translate this word (γυνή) as “wives” or “their wives” (such as NIV, NLT, KJV, etc.). This translation has colored the church’s view of how these women are addressed, and consequently who exactly can fill the role of Deacon.

The word used to refer to women in 1 Tim 3.11 is simply the Greek word for “women” (see the NASB translation for its proper rendering). Therefore, we actually see Paul addressing two groups of individuals during the section on Deacon qualifications: men and women. Followed up with the direct reference to Phoebe as a female Deacon in another letter (Rom 16.1), and we now have multiple 1^st Century Biblical examples of gender neutrality in the role of Deacon.

The NIV seems to have a particular agenda with “their wives” translation of 1 Tim 3.11 and “servant” translation of “deacon” in Rom 16.1. The inconsistency in a translation’s rendering of the original text makes it difficult for non-Greek-reading believers to gain an accurate feel for the writer’s original intent.

 

The Tradition

Problems arise today when we stretch the role of Deacon to mean something it was never intended to mean. An emphasis on an all-male deaconship guides contemporary leaders to extend the responsibilities of doctrine teaching and the authoritative enforcement of church policies (both Elder-specific responsibilities; cf. 1 Tim 2.12; 3.2) to the Deacons. Once this is done, we are bound to limit the deaconship to only men. However, we bind ourselves unnecessarily because we do so without biblical authority or necessity. Consequently, we (as Elders) abdicate responsibility when we relegate to the Deacons what God expects us to do.

The solution: select and equip Deacons in accordance with the biblical guidelines and then expect of them only what the Bible expects—service set apart by the highest of moral character.

 

Satanic Gossips

That’s exactly what the text says. Paul’s word here for slander/malicious talkers/gossipers (a female rendering of diabolos / διάβολος) is the same word used for devil elsewhere in Scripture.

This same adversary:

• · tempted Jesus (Mt 4.1),
• · produced Christ’s opponents (Jn 8.44),
• · prompted Judas (Jn 13.2),
• · oppressed God’s people (Acts 10.38),
• · actively conducts spiritual attacks against believers (Eph 6.11),
• · tries to trap church leaders (1 Tim 3.6),
• · looks for church members to devour (1 Pet 5.8), and
• · has worked to deceive the entire world (Rev 12.12)

That is the agent you go into league with if you decide to slander and/or gossip about others. God takes that sin serious enough to identify it in such a way. It’s a complete shame so many people today freely accept this as a “minor sin.” God takes your gossip seriously, so please don’t do it.

I’m a Sinner, but at least I’m annoying

non-Biblical Christianity

Wow! It’s exciting and refreshing to experience God pulling together so many people, resources, and ideas all at one time. The church I’m privileged to pastor has seen some considerable growth in the past year, and it has endured a couple challenges along the way. One of those challenges, to be sure, is being led by a sinner. Regardless of how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get out of God’s way fast enough to avoid making a mistake from time to time. Thankfully, I am pastored and led by Jesus-loving men of God capable of sharpening my iron with theirs. May they never shrink from speaking truth into my life, and may I never stop listening.

Other challenges come from those simply not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to reach a Christ-less generation with the life-changing gospel. Efforts made at trumping truth with tradition lead to frustration for any mission-minded congregation, and ours has been no different. Some stay, and some go; both decisions present challenges for a body of leaders who need to be both missional and pastoral. My deepest desire in life is to model Jesus as much as I’m able (1 Cor 11.1). The Jesus of the Bible[1] constantly reminded us of this often-ignored nugget of golden common sense: If we’re not being missional before everything else, there will soon be no one to pastor. Staying in the corral and spoon-feeding those who are under orders to sacrifice everything (including their spoons) so that others may know Jesus isn’t just bad leadership (though it is), it’s a blatant disregard of our King’s Command (Mt 28.19-20)[2].

I was encouraged recently through some stuff I read. While my heart breaks for pastors who struggle to keep their flocks from flipping Jesus off with the continual, “but I want…,” it’s somewhat soothing to know we’re not alone. One of the corny-yet-true-and-applicable clichés hits close to home: If you’re going to make an omelet, you have to break an egg or two. In the church world, I suppose that equates to seeing a few Jesus-loving eggs jumping ship when things don’t go the way they want. OK. That’s going to happen, and you do your best to take it in stride. But, the frustrating part comes when those who stay expect you (the paid Jesus representative) to go after them. Where is that in the Bible? (cf. John 6.66)

Perhaps we should be clear here: it’s not. And, quite frankly, it’s a downright insult to the Suffering Servant to even suggest it. Francis Chan touched on this in an article recently:

“Continuing, the popular Christian speaker challenged those in the audience to compare their lives to the Bible and see if it also fits. He said it is more weird that some Christians change churches because of the service time, the music style, or the fight they got into with someone. Think biblically ’What is weird?' 'Who is weird?‘ based on the scripture and whether we fit in it,” Chan stressed. “So many things don’t make sense. I got to look at scripture and go ‘Does my life make sense?’ I want my life to fit in this book one day.””

Brad Powell, another highly respected and successful pastor, recently wrote on the frustration and tension that exists when we’re “asked” by parishioners to chase down grumpy Christians or honor antiquated relics of the American Gospel at the cost of saving souls from the eternal reality of Hell (cf. 1 Cor 9.22 for starters).

“Sometimes the best thing that can happen for the health of a church is for the right people to leave. By the right people, I don’t necessarily mean bad or ungodly people. Though to be honest, this is sometimes the case. Rather, I mean those people who, for whatever reason, will never be part of the church moving forward. I strongly believe that you should let them go. But be prepared. These people don’t generally leave quietly or respectfully. I’ll never forget the very public words one disgruntled lady directed my way as she was leaving for the last time:  “You have the face of an angel, but the heart of a thief.” Ouch. When people leave this way, they seldom are content to leave alone. Just remember:  the negative splash won’t last long, but the health and peace that follows will have long-term positive impact.”

However, DCC must realize even larger challenges are (always) looming over the horizon. While growth is great, we kid ourselves if we don’t recognize the current superficiality supporting our numbers. Our goal now must be to convert, keep, and disciple those who have come to know, experience, and serve Jesus Christ. That task is daunting, and it requires continual realignment and constantly refusing to accept “good enough” when it comes to building the Kingdom. May we never stop going deeper, pushing harder, and asking for more from our flock. And, may we realize that starts with us (James 3.1)

Why do I get so passionate (or annoying, depending on your view point) about this? First of all, because I still remember my life without Jesus. It wasn’t good. And, it’s even scarier as I now realize that I didn’t then realize it wasn’t good. Now that I’m a pastor, I live haunted with the constant fear that some people sit in my pew with the false confidence that comes with believing in a Jesus they’ve conformed to themselves. When did we stop trying to look more like Him and start trying to mold Him into our image? Probably when we let Joel Osteen tell us Jesus came to give us Our Best Life Now rather than a cross to carry until He comes back. We have, “Blindly and unknowingly embraced values and ideas that are common in our culture but are antithetical to the gospel He taught.” (Platt, David. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Gospel)

I’ll give Jesus the last word, as long as you realize he was preaching to a very “religious” crowd when He said this:

Matthew 7:21–23 (NLT)
²¹ “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. ²² On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ ²³ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me…

---

[1] No, there exists no other Jesus; but, we too often hear people theorizing, ‘Well, I think Jesus would say/do this’ without opening their Bible to realize he never elevated anything above Evangelism—hymns included.

[2] Yep, the Great Commission. That part’s still in the Bible.

The Restoration Movement: What’s That?

 

November 2010 Newsletter

“Remember where you came from!” is something my parents told me when I was growing up. Regardless of where I went in life, they wanted me to remember my heritage, our work ethic, and the values most important to our family.

That’s good advice, and it carries over to matters of faith. With an influx of guests visiting DCC, now’s a good time to briefly answer a few questions about what kind of church this is.

 

What kind of Church is DCC?

DCC is part of the Restoration Movement, which is a non-denominational effort to restore Jesus’ Church to its original New Testament form. We do not believe we are the only Christians, but we do elect to call ourselves ‘Christians’ only (Acts 11.26). We do so out of a firm commitment to teach, do, and insist upon nothing except which is found in the Bible. We have no creed but Christ and no book but the Bible.

We believe this is the best way to [1] maintain unity in the Body of Christ (John 17.11, 23), and [2] avoid altering God’s commands with man-made creeds, denominational divisions, or extra-biblical requirements. This is summed up well by one of our founding leaders: “In the great leading principles, or facts of the New Testament, we agree, and cheerfully let each other have his opinions as private property.” -BW Stone

 

What kind of history does the Restoration Movement have?

Restoration Movement churches aim to simply replicate New Testament Christianity as closely as possible. Therefore, the Bible’s book of Acts is the starting place for our historical origins. Throughout Christian history, there have been many genuine movements to return to “no creed but Christ, no book but the Bible.” We gladly fellowship with any body of believers sincerely calling Jesus ‘Lord’ and obeying His commands.

As early as the 1700s, many independent groups throughout the US began to realize they were all separately coming to a strikingly similar pair of conclusions:

1. Complete New Testament authority as the sole guide for church matters

2. Absolute Christian Unity (one Church, many congregations)

One of those early leaders, Thomas Campbell, succinctly states “Our differences, at most, are about the things in which the kingdom of God does not consist, that is about matters of private opinion or human invention.” Our goal at DCC is to always differentiate between these matters of human invention and the necessary Kingdom of God. If you desire to follow Christ as Lord and Savior—growing deeper in knowledge of and service to Him, DCC should be your home!

Your Brother in Christ,

-bill

For more detailed information on the history of the Restoration Movement, see my article: http://pbilly289.blogspot.com/2010/10/brief-history-of-restoration-movement.html

Brief History of the Restoration Movement in the US

 

The Restoration Movement (RM) began not as another denomination, but as an effort to restore New Testament Christianity.
· It operates on a very simple premise: The Bible is the sufficient blueprint for organizing, governing, and “doing” church.
· “Our differences, at most, are about the things in which the kingdom of God does not consist, that is about matters of private opinion or human invention.”–T. Campbell on the division in Christendom
Today’s Restoration Movement churches aim to simply replicate New Testament Christianity as closely as possible. Therefore, the Bible’s book of Acts would be the starting place in terms of our historical origins. Throughout Christian history, there have been many sincere movements to return to “no creed but Christ, no book but the Bible.” We gladly fellowship with any body of believers sincerely calling Christ “Lord” and eagerly awaiting His return.
In the United States, most (though not all) churches with the simple designation “Christian Church” or “Church of Christ” flow out of one historically flowing river of church mergers based on a common set of beliefs. A few of the most notable leaders and mergers include:

 

O’Kelly & Guirey

· 1793-1794: James O’Kelly (VA) follows his personal convictions and leads a considerable group out of the Episcopal Methodist organization and into congregational church government

• They felt the episcopal form of church government then practiced by their denomination was non-biblical, so they decided to “…lay aside every manuscript except the Scriptures and take the Word of God alone as their guide.”[1]
  
• They also agreed to call themselves simply, “Christians.”

· C. 1808: William Guirey (PA, NC, then VA) separated from Methodism and formed a bond with O’Kelly over their simplistic devotion to the NT.

• In spite of his proclaimed devotion to following nothing but the NT, in c. 1810 O’Kelly broke from Guirey over Guirey’s biblical convictions on baptism by immersion.

 

Smith & Jones

While O’Kelly & Guirey were leaving Methodism in VA & NC to bind over simple NT devotion, a very similar partnership between two Baptists with near identical RM positions was forming in New England.
· 1790s: Elias Smith, a Baptist preacher (VT, CT), through his own study of the Scriptures, “became convinced that orthodox Calvinism was in error and that all standardized bodies of doctrine and creeds were wrong.”[2]
· 1801: He met Abner Jones (MA, VT), a Baptist who introduced him to the Christian Church movement of New England.

• Jones had increasing doubts about being a Baptist. His doubts centered on three areas[3]:
  • No scriptural warrant for the name “Baptist Church”
    
  • Calvinism, particularly predestination
    
  • The organization and polity of Baptist churches
• Jones & Smith formed a partnership, with Smith eventually taking the lead

· 1805: Smith published The Christian’s Magazine, Reviewer, and Religious Intelligencer

• Religious journalism has been a wonderful tool of the Restoration Movement, and continues to serve our brotherhood greatly through periodicals such as the Christian Standard
  
• 1808: Smith published The Herald of Gospel Liberty, what some have called the world’s first religious newspaper
  
• These publications helped spread the word about this Restoration Movement and eventually served to join the northern O-Kelly/Guirey with the southern Smith/Jones movements.

· 1809: Guirey & Smith exchange letters and find they agree on:

• Baptism, episcopacy, and Calvinism

· 1811: at an annual meeting of the Virginia Christians, the Guirey portion of the O’Kelly movement and the Smith-Jones movement formed a union solely based on the New Testament.

• O’Kelly worked to oppose and dissolve because of his stance on baptism, but his efforts were ignored.

 

Stone-Campbell

· 1790s-1800s: Barton W. Stone (KY), a Presbyterian minister, struggled with the Westminster Confession, a man-made system of biblical doctrine necessary for clerical service in the Presbyterian Church. His particular problems dealt with the doctrines of Calvinism and its belief of Total Depravity.

• 1801: Stone preached at a revival near Cane Ridge, KY. There (and at many other such revivals) he emphasized the individual’s personal responsibility to believe as a necessary component of salvation (vs. Total Depravity).
  
• 1804: Stone regretfully separates further from the Presbyterian synod with The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery—a jovial document detailing the combined decision of several ministers. Their largest grievances: a lack of Christian unity, the need for exclusive biblical authority, and the biblical example of local congregational autonomy.[4]

· 1809: Thomas Campbell (Alexander’s father) writes Declaration and Address, a document laying out the principles by which the church can restore primitive, NT Xnty. A brief summary of the propositions[5]:

• I-II: The Church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one. There are not many bodies of Christ, only one. Local congregations exist, but only one church.
  
• III: Nothing ought to be inculcated upon Christians as articles of faith; nor required of them as terms of communion, but what is expressly taught and enjoined upon them in the word of God.
  
• IV: While the OT guided during the period of the Old Covenant, the NT guides us today. We should not, therefore, use the OT as a proof text for NT doctrine or practice (Sabbath, tithe, etc.)
  
• V: Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where it is silent, we are silent.
  
• VI: We must separate our conclusions about Scripture from Scripture itself.
  
• VII: Creeds may be used for the sake of expediency, but not as a test of fellowship or to cause division with the Church.
  
• VIII: The only things necessary for one to become a member of the Church are:
  • 1. Know you’re lost
    
  • 2. Profess faith in Christ
    
  • 3. Obey Him in all things according to His Word
• IX: Christians should consider each other precious saints and act accordingly.
  
• X: Divisions are a “horrid evil,” which are anti-Christian, anti-Scriptural, and anti-natural.
  
• XI: All corruptions and divisions in the Church are a result of (1) partial neglect of the revealed will of God, and/or (2) making human opinions a term of communion.
  
• XII: Only those described in VIII ought to become members, and their conduct ought to reflect the reality of their profession.
  
• XIII: Churches may speak “where the Bible is silent” (i.e.: what time to have church or what kind of music) insofar as they do not elevate their opinion to one of fellowship or communion.

· 1813: Alexander Campbell (formerly Presbyterian by familial association) joins the Redstone Baptist Association and preaches throughout PA, OH, and VA. He appreciated the Baptists because they cared “little for anything else in religion than conversion and Bible doctrine.”

• Primarily through a study of Mark 16.16 (though obviously affected by various other parts of the NT), Campbell becomes convinced that baptism is not an “unimportant matter” which we may allow to “slip” per individual convictions. He teaches baptism for the remission of sins.
  
• 1823: Campbell begins a periodical: the Christian Baptist, through which he often receives attention for his attacks on extra-biblical church organizations, infant baptism, and other matters commonly enforced throughout Christian circles without biblical authority to do so.
  
• Campbell’s absolute insistence on the Bible as the only basis for church teaching and practice eventually distanced himself and his followers from other believers.
  • Baptist insistence to rely on Calvinistic tenets as a test of fellowship led them to label him a “heterodox.”

· 1830-1831: Campbell and Stone, through an agreement to focus solely on biblically essential matters for fellowship, merge their movements. This was most successful in Kentucky.

 

Commonly reemerging themes:

· Complete and absolute NT authority
· Christian Unity (one Church, many congregations)
· Believer’s baptism

 

Brief summary of the development of the Restoration Movement in the US

· During the late 1700s, James O’Kelly, a Methodist preacher from Virginia, and William Guirey, a Methodist preacher from North Carolina both caught wind that the other man was preaching the need to (in O’Kelly’s words): “…lay aside every manuscript except the Scriptures and take the Word of God alone as their guide.” The met and quickly formed a union.
· In the early 1800s, two Baptist pastors: Elias Smith from Connecticut and Abner Jones from Vermont, heard of each other’s desire to leave his denomination due to (1) a lack of scriptural warrant for such a division within the body of Christ, (2) a non-biblical form of church government, and (3) the existence of man-made theological systems for “humanly devised tests of orthodoxy.” They bonded together in 1809 and then joined forces with William Guirey in 1811.
· During the late 1700s and early 1800s, two men, Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell, struggled with the Westminster Confession, a man-made system of biblical doctrine necessary for membership and clerical service in many churches. They broke from the Presbyterian and Baptist churches, respectively, and finally merged in 1830-1831.
 
For more, see: North, Jim. Union in Truth: An Interpretive History of the Restoration Movement

---

[1] (North 1994, 17)
[2] (North 1994, 25)
[3] See: (North 1994, 25)
[4] (North 1994, 55)
[5] (North 1994, 89f)

1 Tim 3.1-7

What is an Elder?

We’re tackling a very important question this week because we’re addressing who can and cannot lead the church.  Frankly, that decision isn’t up to us.  God gave us guidelines about how He wants those leaders chosen, so we must study closely and honestly to be sure we’re letting the right people drive the car.

 

1 Tim 3.1-7 tells us how an Elder relates to God, His Wife, His Kids, and to Others.

 

Scripture Used

1 Tim 3.1-7 (NLT, ESV)
1 Tim 5.17 (NLT)
Hebrews 11.16 (NLT)
1  Peter 5.8 (ESV)

References & Statements

Everything rises or falls with leadership, whether it be a family or a local church.

If you become a pastor,your name/life is transferred to the Varsity Demon Shop so Hell's resources can be used most efficiently.

Knowing how to stand in front of a crowd and communicate a lesson is important, but that lesson won’t stick if the students don’t believe the teacher believes it.

Various scriptures depicting the role of a pastor/elder:

to lead (Acts 20:28); equip (Eph. 4:12); rule (1 Tim. 3:4–5); teach (1 Tim. 3:2; 2 Tim. 2:15); shepherd (1 Pet. 5:1–4); and to set an example for others (1 Pet. 5:3)

"I confess myself unspeakably ashamed to see men pleading for reformation and the ancient gospel, yet going in direct opposition to the very first principles of them, by making opinions the cause of disunion, and non-fellowship. Such men I cannot but view as sectarians in disguise."
--Barton Stone (1840, in the Millennial Harbinger)

Mesaeh, Bill: Layman’s Commentary on The 1st Epistle to Timothy

DCC Elder/Deacon Selection Process

North, Jim. Union in Truth: An Interpretive History of the Restoration Movement

1 Timothy Commentary

Just a reminder that I write a running, often-updated commentary on any book I’m currently preaching or teaching on.  The one for 1 Timothy can always be found at this link. 

>> 1 Timothy Commentary <<

I update it periodically, so check back from time to time for the latest version.

Unity

"I confess myself unspeakably ashamed to see men pleading for reformation and the ancient gospel, yet going in direct opposition to the very first principles of them, by making opinions the cause of disunion, and non-fellowship. Such men I cannot but view as sectarians in disguise." -Barton Stone (1840)

Every Member a Minister

"No church can be prospered in which all the ministration comes from the pulpit." -- Henry Ward Beecher, Proverbs from a Plymouth Pulpit

Grow up, DCC! "DCC 201: Grow with DCC" is a class to give us the tools necessary to continue maturing spiritually. RSVP: http://ping.fm/qTBKX

Baptism by the Book

October 2010 Newsletter

I often receive questions about salvation, faith, baptism, ministry, and how they’re all connected.  This past month has seen an even greater number of people asking questions about the Bible’s stance on baptism. Praise God! So, I thought I’d use this month’s newsletter to write on the Bible’s teaching in this area.

Christian Baptism was established as the entrance into God’s New Testament (NT) Christian Church. That New Testament church was built on the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Until those events occurred in their entirety, the world was living under the Old Covenant; aka: the Old Testament/Old agreement/Old “will” (see Heb 9.16-17). In other words, baptism is completely Christian in nature. We should not attempt to force it through an Old Testament event or counterpart. When God started something entirely new in His Church, He also created a new way for us to respond to Him spiritually.

Here is DCC’s doctrinal statement concerning baptism and salvation:

“We believe salvation from sin comes from a right relationship with Jesus Christ.  That relationship comes by grace through faith, produces repentance, and begins with the immersion of Christian baptism.”

Let’s quickly look at four important questions about baptism:

Q. Why?

A. For Forgiveness & Sanctification

The Bible shows baptism as the time (Rom 6.3-4) one responds to God in faith and then receives His “double cure” of salvation (hence the words from the great hymn “Rock of Ages”). At baptism, we receive forgiveness for all of our sins; theologians call this is “justification” (Acts 2.37-38). At this time, God also begins the great work of “cleaning us up” and empowering us to live lives that progressively become more holy. This is called sanctification (Col 2.11-12; cf. Gal 3.27).

Q. Who?

A. Conscious Believers

Everyone we see accepting baptism in the NT is a conscious, faith-professing believer. In other words, people are only pictured as being a candidate for baptism if they were able to make a mindful declaration of belief in Jesus Christ. Peter’s teaching is especially helpful here:

1 Peter 3:21 (NLT)
²¹ And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This verse teaches the extreme importance of baptism, but it tells us baptism only “works” because of the resurrection of Christ. If we don’t believe in that, there is nothing magic (or even spiritual) about baptism that will save us. Faith only; only faith.

It also teaches us that baptism is our response to God because we know He cleanses us from our sin. Infants and the mentally underdeveloped can’t respond (and consequently would not be held responsible for doing so) because they don’t have the rational abilities to (1) comprehend, and (2) believe what God has done. You can only respond “from a clean conscience” if you understand what it is you’re responding to, what sin is, what God did, etc. See also: Acts 2.41; 18.8; Mark 16.16; John 1.12-13.

Q. How?

A. Immersion in Water

The word ‘baptize’ means “immerse/put under water.” It was simply a Greek word with a very narrow meaning. The Bible writers didn’t pick an already spiritual word and use it for their purposes. They used a common, regular word and gave it a spiritual meaning. In other words, a 1^st Century Greek-speaking person would have used “baptize” in their everyday conversations anytime they wanted to communicate dunking something. It never meant sprinkle or pour; there are entirely different words for that.

This also makes sense given the act baptism symbolizes. In baptism, the candidate is taking part in a spiritual drama where she/he identifies with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Col 2.12). Martin Luther weighs in here:

“I would have those who are to be baptized completely immersed in the water, as the word says and as the mystery indicates …[Nothing expect immersion can] bring out the full significance of baptism, [because it is] a symbol of death and resurrection” –Martin Luther, Captivity p.191

Q. When?

A. Immediately upon Belief

While I prefer to have as many people present as possible to witness the grand event, we should not delay one’s baptism any more than is necessary. There is no biblical precedent for requiring a long series of classes and tests before people are baptized. As soon as someone professes genuine faith in Jesus Christ, we should adopt Nike’s slogan and “Just do it” (see Acts 8.12, 36-38).

In Closing

While there are many within Christianity who would take to an alternative view of baptism, we should certainly not let that be cause to shy away from the Bible’s clear teaching on this subject. It is my prayer that we would all lovingly and confidently “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” (Jude 3)

At your side,

-bill

1 Tim 2.1-15

Prayer has to reign supreme in our relationship with God.  Paul reminds Timothy of that by telling him to keep it first in his Ephesian Church.  He also reminds all of us to maintain good order and discipline in everything we do—especially in our services. 

 

 

 

This sermon walks through:

1. The Importance of Prayer
2. The Objects of Prayer
3. The Basis for Prayer
4. The Barriers to Prayer

 

Scripture Used

1 Cor 14.40 (NLT)

1 Tim 2.1-15 (NLT)

Acts 6.4 (NLT)

Hebrews 13.17 (NLT)

Galatians 2.5 (NLT)

Job 9.33 (NLT)

Psalm 24.4 (NLT)

Matthew 5.23-24 (NLT)

Matthew 7.16 (NLT)

 

Quotes & References

When a church stops praying, God stops blessing it.

With the one God comes your only chance.

Rank has to do with maintaining order and authority, but it has nothing to do with value or ability.

Actually, there are many prayer postures found in the Bible: standing with outstretched hands (1 Kings 8:22); kneeling (Dan. 6:10); standing (Luke 18:11); sitting (2 Sam. 7:18); bowing the head (Gen. 24:26); lifting the eyes (John 17:1); falling on the ground (Gen. 17:3). The important thing is not the posture of the body but the posture of the heart.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (1 Ti 1:18). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

I'm closing this account & switching over to a Facebook fan page ASAP. Please click to like: http://ping.fm/5C1V7

1 Timothy 1.12-20

Paul gives his personal testimony to Timothy as a charge and reminder to take the job of soul-saving seriously.  Paul confesses and names his own sin for two reasons: 1) It’s biblical, and 2) to offer himself up as the poster boy for hope.  Paul was a jerk—the worst of all sinners.  If God is willing to forgive, save, redeem, and use somebody like Paul, you’ve got no basis to say, “God wouldn’t want me; the walls would fall down if I came to church.”

Not true.  That’s just an excuse to keep from admitting you’re just like everybody else: a sinner who wants to be better.  Come to Jesus and let him make that happen for you.  Come to his church and let us do it together. 

 

In this sermon, Paul tells us:

1. What he was
2. How he was saved
3. What he is now

 

Scripture Used

1 Timothy 1.12-20 (NLT & ESV)

Acts 19.18 (NLT)

1 John 1.9 (ESV)

Luke 23.34

Quotes & References

Casual Believers are professing believers but practicing atheists.
Convenient Believers reach the limit of what they’re willing to do for Jesus.
Committed Believers understand life ceases to be about us.  It’s about Jesus and then Others.

Break molds, change barriers, adapt to needs, relate to people, speak Truth, and save sinners.

Paul’s salvation was a fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer from the cross (Luke 23.34).

Break molds, change barriers, adapt to meet needs, relate to people, and save sinners.

"The irony of masks is that, although we wear them to make other people think well of us, they are drawn to us only when we take them off."

Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours? (2 Ch 1:10)

Heart

"Heart is what separates the good from the great." Michael Jordon

1 Timothy 1.1-11

Today we start walking through the text of 1 Timothy.  Paul writes to the young pastor about how to handle problems within his church:

1. Stop Heretics

2. Spread Love

3. Stick to the Book

1 Timothy is a real letter written to a real  pastor of a real church about real problems.  Hopefully, this series will give some of you a first-time look at the church from leader’s macro perspective.  Study through 1 Timothy with us with a heart and head pondering your future role in the leadership of your local church.

 

Scripture Used

1 Timothy 1.1-11

Acts 20.29-30

Romans 1.16-17

Quotes & References

The book of 1^st Timothy centers on two things: Belief & Behavior

He’s supposed to stop the heretics from teaching false doctrine and making something other than the main thing the main thing: Saving People & Changing Hearts

“Hey! You’re arguing over heretical stuff. Meanwhile back on the ranch, nobody’s getting saved, nobody’s changing. You’re not doing church!”

Loving God: Worship
Loving People: Fellowship, Ministry, Evangelism

The law without the Gospel is a diagnosis without a remedy.
The Gospel without law is useless good news for people who don’t believe they’re sick.

Gospel & the Law

Law w/o Gospel is diagnosis w/o remedy. Gospel w/o Law is useless good news to people who don't believe they're sick.

Truth

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? (Gal 4.16)

1 Timothy Intro

  Today we start to dig through the text of 1 Timothy.  This is one of Paul’s “pastoral letters” he wrote as a pastor to encourage those he trained, mentored, challenged, and then empowered to lead in the church.  This is a great book on some of the inner workings of the early church and one of our best resources toward understanding the requirements and roles of Elders and Deacons.

To get started, we’ll work through Acts 14, 16, and 20 to learn something about the lives of the book’s two main players: Paul & Timothy.

 

 

Scripture Used:

Acts 14.8-23 (NLT)

Acts 16.1-3 (NLT)

Acts 20.22-27 (NLT)

 

Quotes & References:

“We’re not gods, we’re just guys.”

“Our world is very spiritual but very ignorant.”

“Elders are also known as pastors and bishops.”

“Timothy had built a good reputation.”

“In the New Testament, Jesus and the Apostles trained the called.”

Why, God? - Hell

Can a loving God allow people to go to hell forever?  Doesn’t that contradict belief in an all-loving and just God?  Isn’t eternal hell a bit much?  Maybe an overreaction?

The problem we most often have when questioning God is our almost irresistible urge to make everything make sense in our minds during this life; if something doesn’t make complete sense to us, we assume it must not be.  The central truth of Christianity, however, is not that Jesus came to be your friend, copilot, or fuzzy Zen teacher.  It is that he came to be your savior and to correct your eternal problem.

When we die, we don’t cease to exist.  Eternity—whether in heaven or hell—is simply the trajectory of our soul and the person created by our beliefs and behaviors on this side of eternity.

 

Scripture Used

Luke 16.19-31 (NLT)

Luke 6.20-23a (NLT)

Luke 3.8 (ESV)

Quotations & References

Repentance is what you do.  Forgiveness is what God does.

“Hell is the greatest monument to human freedom.” –CS Lewis

“There are only two kinds of people: Those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done.’ And those to whom God says in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell choose it. Without that self-choice it wouldn’t be Hell.” – CS Lewis

Tim Keller: The Reason for God

Wisdom

"Everything I say I stole from God and your grandma." -Dave Ramsey

Contentment

Contentment is wanting what you have. Greed is trying to have what you want.

"You think I'm wrong about these religious questions, and I think you are wrong. Why doesn't that make you as narrow as me?" -T.Keller

Summer Pics (Portraits)

Why, God? - Pain & Suffering

Can God still be good when people get cancer?  Why do bad things happen to good people?  How can we reconcile all the bad things in the world with a loving God?  Should we even try?

I attempt to discuss the death of my sister at age 22 of angiosarcoma and how that event has completely affected my view of God and His sovereignty.

 

Scripture Used

Rom 8.28 (NLT)
2 Cor 1.9 (NIV)
Psalm 13.1-2a (NLT)
Jeremiah 20.7a (ESV)
Job 40.8 (ESV)
Exod 6.3a (NLT)
Jeremiah 32.2 (NLT)
Jeremiah 10.12 (NLT)
Psalm 119.68 (NLT)
Psalm 103.19 (NLT)
Isaiah 65.17-20 (NLT)

Quotations & References

CS Lewis: A Grief Observed (pp 42-43)

“But oh God, tenderly, tenderly. Already, month by month and week by week you broke her body on the wheel whilst she still wore it. Is it not yet enough?
The terrible thing is that a perfectly good God is in this matter hardly less formidable than a Cosmic Sadist. The more we believe that God hurts only to heal, the less we can believe that there is any use in begging for tenderness. A cruel man might be bribed—might grow tired of his vile sport—might have a temporary fit of mercy, as alcoholics have fits of sobriety. But suppose what you are up against is a surgeon whose intentions are wholly good. The kinder and more conscientious he is, the more inexorably he will go on cutting. If he yielded to your entreaties, if he stopped before the operation was complete, all the pain up to that point would have been useless. But is it credible that such extremities of torture should be necessary for us? Well, take you choice. The tortures occur. If they are unnecessary, then there is no God or a bad one. If there is a good God, then these tortures are necessary. For no even moderately good being could possibly inflict or permit them if they weren’t.
Either way, we’re for it.
What do people mean when they say, “I am not afraid of God because I know He is good?” Have they never been to a dentist?”

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one."

In my father's house, there will be social liberals. If it were not so, I would have told you.

"What if when we die, we don't end, but spiritually our life extends on into eternity." -T.Keller

"Why do people say, 'I am not afraid of God b/c I know he is good?' Have they never been to a dentist?" -CS Lewis

You Were Made for This: The Cross

Peter made the same mistake we often do: trying to avoid the cross.  Satan tried to move Jesus away from the cross, and he continues to attempt the same with us.  However, the truth of God's message remains the same: No Cross, No Crown.

Jesus explains it was necessary for Him to go to the cross, and so it is also necessary for us to pick up and carry our own crosses if we're to follow him.

Crosses aren't optional.



Scripture Used

Mark 8.27-35 (NLT)
Mark 4.41 (NLT)
Ephesians 4.11-12 (NLT)


Quotes

No Cross, No Crown.

The idea of “coming to church” instead of “doing church” makes us water down what it means to “be the church."

If you want to keep reading: http://relevantbeliefs.blogspot.com/2010/01/point.html 

DCC--Please pray for Virginia Gutierrez. Her daughter Lydia was murdered in TN today. She just received word; she had 3 sons. -Repost!-

No cross, no crown.

If it's "People vs. Pulpit," tension always shows up: http://ping.fm/na9OA

Summer (pt. 2)

Listen to this week's sermon: Look like Jesus (1 of 2) http://ping.fm/XVHgf

Great article on the limits of radioactive dating and its inability to disprove creationism: http://ping.fm/16hJr

You Were Made for This: Discipleship

Ultimately, we were made to become like God.  God made us in his image in the garden, but through sin and willful disobedience, we tarnished that image and drifted away from him.  Our lives on earth are a journey back to Him.  That beings with faith in Jesus Christ as God, and it continues as we strive to again reflect his image.  That process is called discipleship.

 

Scripture Used

Gen 1.26 (NLT)
Col 1.15 (NLT)
Matt 28.20 (NLT)
Eph 4.24 (NLT)
1 Cor 10.13 (ESV)
Rom 12.2 (NLT)
Prov 23.7 (NASB)
Acts 4.24 (NLT)
1 Tim 4.15 (NLT)

Quotes & Statements

We get consumed by our comfort and forget our character.

Many want to show up, hear a sermon, sing some songs, then go back home.

When you meet God, your behavior and your beliefs change.

Temptations are just as much an opportunity to do right as they are to do wrong.

The battle for sin is fought and won in your mind.

Religion: Doing stuff without the right motivation
Hypocrisy: Saying stuff without the right actions
Christianity: Creeds & Convictions, but also Conduct & Character

Your character is the sum of your habits.

A Bible on the shelf is worthless.

“What has God already told me to do in his Word that I haven’t started doing yet?”

 

References

Warren, Rick: The Purpose-driven Life

Temptation provides just as much an occasion to do the right thing as it does to do the wrong thing. Temptation is simply the choice.

Be Smart

"It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt." M.Twain

Family summer so far

Members of the Body

August 2010 Newsletter

I’d like to take a few minutes to remind each of you how extremely important you are to this church. As you contemplate your membership in Christ’s church (which I would like you to do with me for a moment), please do so from God’s point of view. When God adds members to his church, he does so one person at a time. Each piece of the body is an individual, different, very particular piece.

In other words, there is simply no replacing you in this church. If you’re gone or simply not an active, functioning part of our community, the rest of us miss out. We don’t get the unique “you” God created and gave to his church. As Christians, we belong together. Read what the apostle Paul tells us about the bond we share:

¹⁹ …. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. (Eph 2.19b, NLT)

In his book The Weight of Glory, CS Lewis writes on exactly what Paul meant by membership for the Christian. His words are worth reading here:

The very word membership is of Christian origin, but it has been taken over by the world and emptied of all meaning…almost the reverse of what St. Paul meant by members. By members he meant what we should call organs, things essentially different from, and complementary to, one another… A row of identically dressed soldiers set side by side, or a number of citizens listed as voters in a constituency are not members of anything in the Pauline sense. I am afraid that when we describe a man as “a member of the church” we usually mean nothing Pauline; we mean only that he is a unit — that he is one more specimen of some kind of things as X and Y and Z. How true membership in a body differs from inclusion in a collective may be seen in the structure of a family. The grandfather, the parents, the grown-up son, the child, the dog, and the cat are true members (in the organic sense), precisely because they are not members or units of a homogeneous class. They are not interchangeable. Each person is almost a species in himself… . If you subtract any one member, you have not simply reduced the family in number; you have inflicted an injury on its structure.

My prayer for you is that you take up residence here. Plant your roots deeply in the ground at DCC and love this place like your home—because it is! Whether you’ve been here 10 years or 10 days, look anew at this local brotherhood as your dear family. Get to know someone better. Repair a lost friendship. Serve the body in the unique way only you are able. Because in Paul’s words:

²⁵ This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. ²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. (1 Cor 12.25-27, NLT)

Your Brother in Christ,

-bill

Search through Old Sermons Much Easier!

Overhaul to the Podcast pages: Lots of pretty pics & downloads! www.2010.billmesaeh.com (Now possum-free!)

Pain

Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free-wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself. - CS Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Made for This: Fellowship

Your relationship to Christ is personal, but God never intended for it to be private.  We were made to live in unity with each other.  The church—our Christian brotherhood—is especially called to show love within its ranks.  Christian love focused outside the church is evangelism; when it is focused inside, fellowship occurs.

 

 

Scripture Used

1 Peter 2.17
Phil 1.3-11 (NLT)
1 Cor 13.13
Phil 1.2 (the Message)
Rom 12.5 (NLT)
James 3.18 (the Message)
Eph 4.15 (NLT)
Gal 6.2 (NLT)
1 John 3.18 (NLT)
Gal 6.10 (NLT)
Eph 4.3 (NLT)
2 Tim 2.33 (NLT)
1 Cor 1.10 (NLT)
Rom 14.19 (Ph)
Eph 4.2 (NLT)
Rom 14.13 (NLT)
Prov 17.4 (NLT)
Matt 18.15-17 (NLT) [referenced but not quoted)
Phil 4.2-3 (NLT)
Heb 13.17 (NLT)

Quotes & Statements

You were called to belong, not just believe.

Your relationship to Christ is personal, but God never intends for it to be private.

Referenced CS Lewis: The Weight of Glory

1. Less is more
a. Move beyond potato salad
b. You can worship in a crowd, but you can’t fellowship in one.

2. Be honest
a. Accept the tunnel of chaos.

3. Love with your hands
a. Stop saying “I’ll pray for you.”
b. Let Nike take over your spiritual life; just do it.

4. Prioritize the brotherhood
a. Be available.

5. Take the initiative
a. Be a friend to have a friend.

 

· Longing for the ideal while criticizing the real is immaturity.

 

1. Focus on what we have in common, not our differences
a. Look: we all believe we worship the same God, share the same salvation, love the same Jesus, read the same Bible, and have the same destiny.
b. So, forget about everything else.

2. Be realistic
a. God wants you to love real people, not ideal people.

3. Encourage rather than criticize
a. Criticism is satanic. (Rev 12.10)

4. Refuse to gossip
a. People who will gossip with you will also gossip about you.

5. Resolve conflict God’s way

6. Support your pastor and leaders
a. They’re not perfect, but they’re God-chosen.

 

God made the church to meet your five deepest needs:

§ Purpose to live for
§ People to live with
§ Principles to live by
§ Profession to live out
§ Power to live on

(Taken from: Warren, Rick: The Purpose-driven Life)