Newsletter : November 2009

This article finds me thinking about the revival meetings I am preaching at Selma Baptist Church. Perhaps, the article finds you thinking of revival as well. Even if that is not the case for you, take just a few minutes to think about revival with me. In our Wednesday Night Bible Study the question was asked, “when was a time that the Spirit moved greatly in our church?” One person answered that the last time they felt the Spirit in last year’s Fall Revival. In thinking on that revival, the Spirit was evident, but why? Perhaps above all other considerations would be the idea that we all as a church longed to see God move. We were unified, prayerful, and willing to do whatever it took to see God move. A revival if nothing else is longing to see God move and making the sure there is nothing in the way of his moving.

Psalm 69:29-33 gives a good summary of revival. Beginning in verse 29 David says that he is both afflicted which describes an emotional turmoil as well as being in pain describing a physical pain. Even so, David asserts that it is the salvation of God that changes his difficulties in delight. Revival begins when we desire nothing to remedy our problems but the Word of Christ and the good news of his saving power. This pleases God because we come humbly not selfishly, or arrogantly demanding something of the Lord. Verse 32 makes clear that those who are humbly seek God will be revived. Even more, in verse 33 the Lord hear those who know their need and realize they are in prison to sin, death, and hell apart from Christ. In other words we want to see change in our lives and humbly beg the Lord Jesus to be the one who changes us.

This attitude does not apply only to lost people. No in fact, such a desire and attitude must be the continuing cry of the saved. We will not be perfected until we reach heaven, but all of our time here on Earth should show progress in righteousness. This demands that we day by day, week by week, month, by month, and year by year seek the Lord Jesus’ transforming power continue to change our lives. Luther says it like this, “the old creature in us with all sins and evil desires is to be drowned and to die through daily contrition and repentance, and on the other hand that daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.” Revival quite simply is dying to self and rising up to live for Christ!

A Little Luther Anyone?

A Review of Luther for Armchair Theologians by Steven Paulson.

I had a seminary professor tell us how important it was to keep reading theology books once we graduated. His suggestion, which I think came from a John Piper book was to pick a few theologians and read all that we could find on that theologian. During Church History I read a work by Martin Luther and added him to the list of theologians I wanted to read.

When I bought this book I thought it was a biography of Luther’s life. Though it did not turn out to be such a work, in some ways this work was more useful. Paulson takes Luther’s theology and masterfully weaves it into the details of his life. An additional bonus is the comical illustrations that helped add humor and levity to the weightiest parts of the work.

As I read, the work transformed my opinion of Luther’s life and theology. I thought I had a handle on Luther as author of the 95 Theses and leader of the Protestant Reformation. Though I knew the gist of Luther’s theology as Faith Alone, by Grace Alone, through Christ Alone; I found that his theology depended on a view of the Bible that few share today. For instance, “For Luther, everything in this life and the next depends on how faith is made in the act of a preacher declaring, ‘Your sins are forgiven on account of Christ.’ Those are the simple clear words of Scripture finally ‘interpreting’ you, the sinner. Whether you are Abraham (who came before Christ) or Luther (who came after), when God gives you a promise, it alone makes you righteous. Your whole life is then

Newsletter for October 2009

As announced the results are in! I want to thank all who participated in our church health survey and am so thankful for the results we received. The church health indicators listed are ones mentioned throughout the New Testament, but especially in Acts 2:42-47. The survey measures how we feel about the health of these areas in the life of the church. The results are not a prescription of how we can solve all our problems, but they help us to know where we are as a church right now.

So let’s get to the results. As you can see in the chart we have a real strength at FBC Enoree in worship and prayer. The category of questions that relate to worship asks questions about our facility, our music, and the messages people receive when they attend. Prayer questions were ones that emphasized both the importance of prayer in the life of a believer as well as the belief that prayer works. In the middle we find ministry and discipleship. Ministry questions asked the willingness of people to serve and who actually does the work of the church. On the other hand, Discipleship questions seek to discover if people grow as Christians in this church as well as if the church keeps its members. Finally as you look at the results, you will also notice that the least healthy areas of our church right now is in evangelism and fellowship. Evangelism questions were ones that asked people about sharing the gospel and reaching out through missions. Fellowship questions were ones that asked about the sense of unity and love among our members. In addition I listed on the graph the next health level for each indicator as a goal for us to keep in mind.

In reality these results are no surprise to us; however as Luke 14:25-33 encourages us, these results serve to allow us to see where we are in following Christ and what it will cost us to serve him better. As believers we all want to follow Christ. We all want to be a part of a church that is unified and faithful serving him. We all want to the people in our community come to know Christ through the ministry of our Church. This survey aides us in two ways. First we know our strengths. As we seek to see our church become healthier certainly we will do so by emphasizing worshipful and prayerful ways to resolve conflicts and share the gospel. Secondly we also know our weaknesses. In all areas of our church life we must be diligent to see conflicts resolved biblically and emphasize both evangelistic and community building opportunities. Perhaps the greatest news for us is that there is tremendous hope for us in knowing where we are as a church family. To follow Christ we must make hard decisions, take difficult stands, give up personal preference, and even suffer for the gospel’s sake. The great news is that just as Christ had an eternal impact; as church family who follows Him, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to have an eternal impact for Him!

Making Sure the Foundation Has not Cracked…

1^st Peter 5:1-5

Let me take just a moment to present to you the message of 1^st Peter. Throughout the book the message is that we have a firm foundation for our faith and living. That firm foundation is a crucified Christ. When we are looking to him, there is no suffering, no trouble, or no hardship we are not willing to endure because we know that this world is temporary, our sufferings are worthwhile if they uplift him, and our trials even in the fellowship with other believers can be God honoring because they serve to make us more like Christ.

Thus this title may seem to contradict that message since there is no way that Christ and him crucified can be defeated, destroyed or “cracked”. Even so this question is not about Christ this question is about us. If you have cracks in the foundation of your faith and living Christ is not your foundation. Think with me. Do you have any sin that you love to do more than Christ? Do you look at doing what you know is right as a burden instead of a joy? Do you find yourself unwilling to share your faith? Do you think if you pay enough to the church that someone will do the ministry? Do you think that since you lead a Sunday School class, a ministry, a program, or are a deacon that people should just do what you say? Do you think that just avoiding people you have conflict with or quitting church is the right way to handle things? All these are cracks in the foundation of you faith and your living. All of these are places in your life that you have not trusted that Christ as sufficient to meet your needs.

10 Choices That Challenges Convention Churches

As I listened to this presentation I was amazed at how many of these choices are ones with which FBC Enoree needs to struggle.
1. Will we have a Missiological or Bueracratic way of thinking?
2. Will we have a Tribal or Theological identity?
3. Will we have a Convictional or Confused cooperative ministry?
4. Will we be Secular or Sectarian in our approach to the world?
5. Will we be a Younger or Dead/Dying people?
6. Will we be a Diverse or Diminished people?
7. Will we be Missional or Methodological in our ministry?
8.  Will we be Strategic or Anemic in our evangelistic efforts?
9. Will we be Bold or Boring in the life of our churches?
10. Will we be Happy/Joyful or Bitter in the Life of our churches?

Listen to the message for yourself and think about the these choices.

New at Conventional Thinking — “The Future of the Southern Baptist Convention”

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