In light of recent venomous criticism raised by self-proclaimed Christians against Christian author and apologist James White because of his willingness to dialogue with and debate Muslim apologists and imams with respect and fairness, an important question needs to be asked of the Church. Do we, as followers of Jesus Christ, really want Muslims to come to know the love of God that is in Jesus Christ? Do we want Muslims, any and all of them, to be violently killed or saved by love and grace?
If you actually do, as a Christian, want Muslims to come to know the love of Christ, (like any of the Lost: Atheists, Mormons, Hindus, etc.) what attitude would best help that evangelistic effort? Do expressions of hatred help spread the Gospel? Does calling all Muslims terrorists help them see that they need to come to Jesus by faith? Or do we actually push forward the cause of the Gospel through dialogue, openness, respect, honesty, and charity?
James White has been the lightning rod of this issue, but it is far bigger than him. The Church is being challenged by the violence of terrorism to reject hatred and remain steadfast in the embrace of the peace of Christ. Giving in to hatred it easy, it appeals to our fallen human nature, it appeals to our tribalism and racism, but it is the opposite of the Fruit of the Spirit which we are supposed to be cultivating as disciples of Jesus.
Consider Saul of Tarsus. He was a violent man, full of hatred, responsible for the deaths of Christians. Should the Early Church have killed him in self-defense? Should they have spewed hatred at him in return? What did God do about Saul of Tarsus? He showed him Jesus, and turned him into the Apostle Paul, perhaps the greatest missionary the Gospel has ever seen. If Peter or John had given in to the temptation to respond to Saul with hate, how many souls would have remained Lost instead of hearing the Gospel?
A related question that we, as Christians, need to answer: Is our hatred of Muslims being driven by our politics? When contemplating the criticism directed his way, much of which has only a token connection with the truth, James White recently said, "If your politics destroys your passion for the Lost in your life, dump the politics, stick with what has eternal value."
Are you a Christian? Do you want Muslims, the vast majority of which are non-violent no matter what nonsense you read online or hear from politicians trying to get your vote or businesses trying to get your money, but even the terrorists who have killed Christians, to find forgiveness in Christ? You have been forgiven for your sins, you came to Christ by grace, are you willing to be so ungrateful an adopted child of God that you would push others away from God's love? All have sinned, all need a savior, if you think you have any right to be God's gate-keeper and decide who deserves God's grace and who deserves God's wrath, you are woefully and dangerously mistaken.
If the Gospel you claim to believe isn't for everybody, then you don't really believe it.
If you don't show love to the Lost, you have failed in your responsibility to share the Gospel.
This blog serves as an outreach for Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church of Franklin, PA. Feel free to ask questions or send me an e-mail at pastorpowell@hotmail.com
Friday, June 23, 2017
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Sermon Video: The Best Dad in the Bible - Job 1:1-5
Who is the best dad in the Bible? If you ask that question about mothers, there is some stiff competition, but unfortunately, when considering fathers in the Bible, many of the most famous men struggled in their role as a father. One exception to this trend is Job. Job was not only a father of ten children, but also a man of noble character, exceptional reputation, and a successful businessman. How do we know that Job was a good father? First, Job made sure that his own character and relationship with God were exemplary. To be a good father, one must first be a good man. Too many fathers have destroyed their ability to be a good father by failing morally as a man, Job did not falter as a father by falling to temptations. Beyond this firm foundation, Job also saw the spiritual health of each of his children to be his responsibility. He acted as priest for his family, making sacrifices on behalf of his children to ensure that they maintained their relationship with God. Therefore, Job provided for his family, both physically and spiritually, this same combination of responsibility belongs to all of us who have been given the privilege by God of being called a father.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Friday, June 16, 2017
The future of the Church, why do I keep worrying about it?
We spend a lot of time and a lot of energy worrying about the future of our own local church. We also spend a lot of time and energy worrying about the future of the Church in America, or in the West, perhaps even globally. Is my church heading in the right direction? Is my denomination heading in the right direction? How will the Church respond to the increasingly secularized culture of the West? What about millennials, everybody keeps saying they aren't going to church anymore?...
These worries, or "concerns", if we want to feel better about what we call them and avoid admitting that we're worried, are probably unavoidable, to some extent. We all want to know that our contribution and sacrifices will stand the test of time, that they are "worth it" and not wasted, and we have a natural and appropriate place in our hearts for our own local church, our denomination, and the Church in our nation. If any one of those levels fails, or seems to be failing, it will be emotionally brutal for those for whom much of their identity is defined by being an American Christian, from this particular church, in that denomination.
Our emotional investment is natural, and for the most part a good thing, but it may also be somewhat misguided. The Church, from the local one that you are attached to (hopefully), to the denomination to which it belongs, to the collection of churches throughout this nation (or any nation), doesn't belong to you. The Church is the bride of Christ, the object of the New Covenant, the subject of Jesus' promise to his disciples that, "the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Mt. 16:18) The Church in our generation will have its ups and downs, it will win some and lose some, it may shrink in one area only to grow in another. Through it all, from this generation to the next, and the next after that, the Church will continue to be the instrument of the will of God for declaring the Gospel and making disciples here on Earth. And as an instrument of the will of God, it cannot be defeated, our worst or best effort notwithstanding, for its success or failure is not predicated upon our power, but God's.
Does what we do matter, then, at our local church? Absolutely, for we have been given charge over the sheep of this particular pasture, we have been entrusted with the words of Life, and we have been tasked with making disciples here in our midst. We have, as a local church, much responsibility of the utmost importance. What we don't have, what we can't have, is responsibility for the future of the Church, from the local to the universal level, that power rest, thankfully, solely in the hands of God.
Is the Church shrinking in the West? Statistics seem to say yes, but you and I will not be judged by God according to statistics. What we will answer for is the quality of our prayer, worship, and service in the name of Jesus. It has always been the work of the Holy Spirit to bring salvation to the Lost, to spur revival among the people of God, and to overcome the forces of darkness in this world with the light of Christ. If the Spirit of God sends revival upon our local church, our denomination, or our nation, God will deserve the glory, for the power of God will have been the cause. What then does the future hold for us? As our church here approaches its 150th anniversary in July, we can't help but wonder. God knows, God alone has the power to shape the future. Our task, our responsibility, is the present. Our own lives, our own discipleship, our own community and our role within it as servants of the kingdom of God.
How does the story end?
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7)
God will have the victory, his Church will be victorious, for the uncountable throng of redeemed saints who comprise it are the bride of Christ, and their celebration of his victory in the glory of heaven is already certain.
Am I optimistic about the future of the local church where I serve? Yes. Am I optimistic about the future of our denomination, the American Baptist Churches? Yes. Am I optimistic about the future of the Church in the United States or in the West? Yes. But my optimism or pessimism alone won't determine anything. There will always be reasons for optimism and reasons for pessimism, regardless of them, we have a task to accomplish, a mission given to us by our Lord, and we are responsible for our effort on behalf of that cause, God, and God alone, is responsible for tomorrow.
"at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11)
These worries, or "concerns", if we want to feel better about what we call them and avoid admitting that we're worried, are probably unavoidable, to some extent. We all want to know that our contribution and sacrifices will stand the test of time, that they are "worth it" and not wasted, and we have a natural and appropriate place in our hearts for our own local church, our denomination, and the Church in our nation. If any one of those levels fails, or seems to be failing, it will be emotionally brutal for those for whom much of their identity is defined by being an American Christian, from this particular church, in that denomination.
Our emotional investment is natural, and for the most part a good thing, but it may also be somewhat misguided. The Church, from the local one that you are attached to (hopefully), to the denomination to which it belongs, to the collection of churches throughout this nation (or any nation), doesn't belong to you. The Church is the bride of Christ, the object of the New Covenant, the subject of Jesus' promise to his disciples that, "the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Mt. 16:18) The Church in our generation will have its ups and downs, it will win some and lose some, it may shrink in one area only to grow in another. Through it all, from this generation to the next, and the next after that, the Church will continue to be the instrument of the will of God for declaring the Gospel and making disciples here on Earth. And as an instrument of the will of God, it cannot be defeated, our worst or best effort notwithstanding, for its success or failure is not predicated upon our power, but God's.
Does what we do matter, then, at our local church? Absolutely, for we have been given charge over the sheep of this particular pasture, we have been entrusted with the words of Life, and we have been tasked with making disciples here in our midst. We have, as a local church, much responsibility of the utmost importance. What we don't have, what we can't have, is responsibility for the future of the Church, from the local to the universal level, that power rest, thankfully, solely in the hands of God.
Is the Church shrinking in the West? Statistics seem to say yes, but you and I will not be judged by God according to statistics. What we will answer for is the quality of our prayer, worship, and service in the name of Jesus. It has always been the work of the Holy Spirit to bring salvation to the Lost, to spur revival among the people of God, and to overcome the forces of darkness in this world with the light of Christ. If the Spirit of God sends revival upon our local church, our denomination, or our nation, God will deserve the glory, for the power of God will have been the cause. What then does the future hold for us? As our church here approaches its 150th anniversary in July, we can't help but wonder. God knows, God alone has the power to shape the future. Our task, our responsibility, is the present. Our own lives, our own discipleship, our own community and our role within it as servants of the kingdom of God.
How does the story end?
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7)
God will have the victory, his Church will be victorious, for the uncountable throng of redeemed saints who comprise it are the bride of Christ, and their celebration of his victory in the glory of heaven is already certain.
Am I optimistic about the future of the local church where I serve? Yes. Am I optimistic about the future of our denomination, the American Baptist Churches? Yes. Am I optimistic about the future of the Church in the United States or in the West? Yes. But my optimism or pessimism alone won't determine anything. There will always be reasons for optimism and reasons for pessimism, regardless of them, we have a task to accomplish, a mission given to us by our Lord, and we are responsible for our effort on behalf of that cause, God, and God alone, is responsible for tomorrow.
"at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11)
What you win them with is what you win them to.
If you do a Google search on that quote, "What you win them with is what you win them to", you'll likely find a lot of blogs from pastors and other church leaders talking about what it means in relation to evangelism and outreach by the Church. The quote is a variation of something A.W. Tozer said, "You win them to what you win them with", although figuring out who first turned it around isn't easy. I first heard the new version of the quote listening to James White, Christian author and apologist.
Given the rancor and divisiveness of the 2016 election in the United States, it seems evident that the principle underlying the quote applies to elected officials as well. If a politician runs an honest campaign, you can expect him/her to govern honestly, if a politician runs a sleazy and dirty campaign, you can expect him/her to govern in a sleazy and dirty manner. That ought to be obvious enough to the average voter, but it seems that many voters, on both sides, have been operating under the illusion that the person/party in which they place their trust will govern differently than they ran for office, as if the character that is displayed (or lack thereof) in the attempt to gain power is somehow divorced from the character (or lack thereof) that will be displayed in the exercise of power.
The same principle holds true in the business world. Any company which employs sneaky or underhanded tactics to get customers through the door cannot be expected to treat those same customers with honesty and integrity once they have their money.
I'm also reminded of the various commercials on TV from law firms hoping to recruit people to sue over this issue or that, can one expect a lawyer who would resort to such a blatant appeal to greed to gain a client to subsequently treat that client with anything other than that same greed? Or consider the cash advance and structured settlement commercials, they too make their appeal based on short-term desires pumped up by greed in order to gain customers, would you expect your interaction with such a business to be based on any other principle than their greed?
Regarding the Church, we have a greater reason than what is practical to heed the warning of using tactics which are less than fully upfront and honest. It is of course immoral for the people of God to try to increase our membership/attendance through duplicitous or sneaky means. In addition to our moral imperative to avoid such things, they just don't work. If you "win" a person for the Gospel with anything less than (or greater than) the Gospel's simple message of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, you haven't "won" that person at all. The Gospel's power is not based in our tactics or effort, but in its Truth. If the Church offers the Truth, in love, and fails, so be it. If we offer a diet version of the Truth, even our successes will be failures.
Should the Church be inviting and friendly, a place where those from the outside feel welcome? Of course it should, for we have been commanded to share the Gospel with the Lost, but if in our efforts to be inviting and friendly we dilute the Gospel, minimize the focus on worship, or simply offer up a feel-good experience devoid of the Gospel's emphasis on repentance, we will have "won" the lost to our fellowship, but they'll still be lost. Only the true Gospel, the Gospel of the Apostles as contained in the Scriptures, has the power to save, offering the world anything less is a fool's bargain.
Given the rancor and divisiveness of the 2016 election in the United States, it seems evident that the principle underlying the quote applies to elected officials as well. If a politician runs an honest campaign, you can expect him/her to govern honestly, if a politician runs a sleazy and dirty campaign, you can expect him/her to govern in a sleazy and dirty manner. That ought to be obvious enough to the average voter, but it seems that many voters, on both sides, have been operating under the illusion that the person/party in which they place their trust will govern differently than they ran for office, as if the character that is displayed (or lack thereof) in the attempt to gain power is somehow divorced from the character (or lack thereof) that will be displayed in the exercise of power.
The same principle holds true in the business world. Any company which employs sneaky or underhanded tactics to get customers through the door cannot be expected to treat those same customers with honesty and integrity once they have their money.
I'm also reminded of the various commercials on TV from law firms hoping to recruit people to sue over this issue or that, can one expect a lawyer who would resort to such a blatant appeal to greed to gain a client to subsequently treat that client with anything other than that same greed? Or consider the cash advance and structured settlement commercials, they too make their appeal based on short-term desires pumped up by greed in order to gain customers, would you expect your interaction with such a business to be based on any other principle than their greed?
Regarding the Church, we have a greater reason than what is practical to heed the warning of using tactics which are less than fully upfront and honest. It is of course immoral for the people of God to try to increase our membership/attendance through duplicitous or sneaky means. In addition to our moral imperative to avoid such things, they just don't work. If you "win" a person for the Gospel with anything less than (or greater than) the Gospel's simple message of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, you haven't "won" that person at all. The Gospel's power is not based in our tactics or effort, but in its Truth. If the Church offers the Truth, in love, and fails, so be it. If we offer a diet version of the Truth, even our successes will be failures.
Should the Church be inviting and friendly, a place where those from the outside feel welcome? Of course it should, for we have been commanded to share the Gospel with the Lost, but if in our efforts to be inviting and friendly we dilute the Gospel, minimize the focus on worship, or simply offer up a feel-good experience devoid of the Gospel's emphasis on repentance, we will have "won" the lost to our fellowship, but they'll still be lost. Only the true Gospel, the Gospel of the Apostles as contained in the Scriptures, has the power to save, offering the world anything less is a fool's bargain.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Sermon Video: Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit - 1 Corinthians 6:14-20
Why does God care about what people do with "their own body"? As our creator, God has the right to judge those to whom he has given life itself, but for the people of God, for those who by faith have become disciples of Jesus, the reason for God's concern is even deeper. One of the benefits of being born again in faith is union with Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This union means that sexual immorality (for example) on the part of the people of God ought to be inconceivable, for it would be uniting the unholy (immorality) with the holy (the person whom Christ has redeemed). Likewise, with the presence of the Holy Spirit within each believer, God's people have become the temple of God, thus bringing immorality (sexual or otherwise) into that temple is to profane it. Lastly, if those warning are not sufficient, Paul reminds the people of the church at Corinth that there is no such thing as "their own body", for all those who are in Christ have been purchased by God, a debt that can never be repaid.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
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