Flesh fruit?

Christian, do you want to take the fruit of the Spirit while leaving the Spirit at the door?

Exhortation for preachers and teachers

When the Bible teacher stands up we should be speaking the Word of God. We should be speaking what we have heard from God in His Word. The people of God don't need to hear the latest fad sermons or the latest book you have read but they need to hear from God through His Word. You and I must have heard from God in order to give His word for the hour. We must have been in the secret place alone with Him hearing His heart (Matthew 6:6). Quotes are fine. Illustrations are fine. But hear from God first and foremost before filling your teachings with the words of men.

- Roy Ingle

Not ashamed

J.D. Hatfield examines Paul's words in Rom. 1:16 and considers ways that preachers today may in fact be ashamed of the gospel:

It is when we don’t preach it – sugar coating the offense of the gospel – take off the hard edges and it won’t penetrate the heart. When we don’t believe it, we present the good news as self-improvement rather than self-denying. We change things or add a thing because we don’t believe what God did is enough for today. When we don’t live it – when we aren’t lights in the world, having the dimmer switch on.

Too true. I recommend J.D.'s whole article.

Protecting our hearts

These thoughts are worth considering the next time we're tempted to look down on public officials who fall into sin.

Power over sin

As he is prone to do, Jeff Weddle hits hard in this assessment of salvation and sin:

The Old Testament account of Israel’s redemption out of Egyptian bondage is a great allegory for salvation. Romans 6 says we were bought out of slavery to sin so that we may now bind ourselves to God as servants of righteousness.

What a great example and illustration to understand our freedom in Christ!

Unfortunately, the modern gospel has changed the facts. The modern gospel tells us that Christ merely changed our judicial standing; He didn’t really give us power over sin.

Ouch.

On honoring the United States

This is a little late for U.S. Independence Day, but it's worth reading any time: Ray Ortlund on "I honor my country." Although regular readers of this weblog may be familiar with my objections to the idolatry of nationalism, Mr. Ortlund gives no indication that his sentiments fall into that category.

Being like Christ, not the world

The Seeking Disciple has posted some powerful thoughts about relevance and reaching the world for Christ. Here's a sample (with a few commas added for clarity):

What we don't need is to try to win the world using the world, but we need to be Christ to the world and allow His glory to shine through us (Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Peter 2:11-12). When I come to hear the man of God, I don't need to hear about what the latest television program has to do with life, but I need to hear a word from God! Only the Bible being preached in truth through the power of the Spirit will bring true change (John 17:17; 1 Peter 2:1-3). Let me listen to a man or a woman of God who has been shut in with God, seeking His face, and has heard from heaven through the Scriptures (Acts 13:1-4 for a case in point of where the disciples sought God and He revealed His will to them). I don't need to hear the latest numbers from the watch group of culture, but let me hear from Jesus (John 10:27). Let me know that the man of God stands upon the final authority of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and they are not going to bow to this world but to Christ alone (2 Timothy 4:1-6).

The most effective evangelist in the world are those who are like Christ. Jesus was counter-culture, and the way that we impact our modern culture is not by running out to see the latest ungodly film or listening to the latest ungodly music but by shutting ourselves in the secret place with Christ (Matthew 6:6) and coming out with the glory of this new covenant shining through us (2 Corinthians 3:10-11). If we truly believe Acts 1:8 then let us stand on God and His Word and go forth making an impact that exalts His honour far above our own. The world needs to see Jesus living inside of me, and that will draw them to the Saviour.

Amen.

To blog or to do?

Dan Kimball contemplates the tension between blogging and doing in the life of discipleship.

Don't be a deadbeat

This one's a keeper: 'Honor Thy Father' for Grownups. Here's how the article begins:

Why is it that we heap scorn on "deadbeat" parents who fail to take care of underage children, but excuse adult children who don't take care of their feeble parents?

Perhaps it's because caring for children—no matter how many diapers and scrapes must be tended to—is a joyful experience, while aging involves untold sadness and indignity.

True. I recommend reading the whole thing. And thanks to Between Two Worlds for the link.

Link issue

Today while going over some of the sidebar links I found that one of them that has been on the sidebar for years came up as a threat link by my antivirus. I've deleted the link and will check the others to make sure none of them have gone bad. I hope none of you had trouble with the link; if you ever find a threat here, please let me know and I'll remove it immediately. Thanks much.

Update: It looks like Blogdigger groups are no more, so I've removed the links. The preaching and Churches of Christ weblog groups were helpful and informative while they lasted.

Avoiding Jesuslessness

Jared Wilson reminds preachers that "inspiration sells. But only Jesus transforms."

Nostalgia and evangelism

David Fitch pretty well sums up the situation that has severely cut into many tried-and-tested methods of evangelism: The time of Christendom evangelism has largely passed.

Dead or alive?

J.D. Hatfield considers the difference between adrenaline and anointing. Here's how his essay begins:

There has always been a lot of talk by people about leaving, visiting, or experiencing a so-called “dead” church. To most, I suppose what they mean by “dead church” would be that it was cold and formal. When people say it’s a dead church they mean that it feels dead. This could be true, and as the venerable Jonathan Edwards said, you have to have both heat and light.

However, let's consider the other side, because I have seen just as many churches that are just as dead and yet have a whole lot of buzz about them. You know, they even have a buzz conference these days. They may have a lot of hype but no holiness, a lot of passion, but no power. So to me a dead church can look like a really lively one, for sure.

That's the beginning; J.D.'s whole essay is worth reading to the end.

McKnight on staying married

This is my kind of thing: reasons, from both a biblical and storytelling perspective, for staying married.

Surprise conpsiracy

NT scholar Daniel Wallace believes there is a conspiracy in modern Bible translations, but it's probably not what you're thinking.

Taking, too

At Wilderness Fandango Bob shares some helpful thoughts on God's sovereignty:

"The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away." It was Job who said that, I think. Dude was having a hard go of it, what with all his kids dying and all. And he says, The Lord did this!

No attitude can be farther from modern evangelicalism in America than this. We're all about the Lord giveth, but it is not possible, apparently for the Lord to taketh away, at least he wouldn't do that to good, praying Christians.

We just don't go there. It seems to indicate a lack of faith.

I highly recommend Bob's whole post.

Discipleship and persecution

Are you ready to die for Jesus?

On pulpitists & removalists

Colin Adams asks some good questions on vanishing pulpits.

No longer

With full knowledge of adding to the Michael Jackson blogging deluge, I want to share these trenchant thoughts on what the death of Mr. Jackson really tells us about the people of the United States:

The news media, smelling the money in the water, is full guns devoted to telling the public everything it wants to know about Michael Jackson, and even some things I’m sure we’d rather forget (or maybe they’ll overlook those). But he was just a rock star. He was a singer, dancer, entertainer – and quite extraordinary, to be sure. Yes, he made lots of money, and many young people cried to see his flashing feet. But he was just a pop culture icon, the King of Making Us Feel Good.

How can a man who made his living for 45 years singing and dancing on the stage command so many hours of media coverage? Beats me. Except for this: Michael Jackson’s death shows us something about ourselves which, it seems to me, we ought to consider rather carefully. It’s clear that what matters to Americans is being entertained, feelin’ groovy, havin’ fun, and gettin’ it on.

Let’s face it: we have ceased to be a serious people.

Ouch.

Two types of sermon illustrators

Beware of illustration saturation.

Media and ecclesia

Here are some helpful thoughts on the value of being involved in a local congregation:

One reason we have to go to church is that we cannot do self-evaluation properly. When you pray like David in Psalm 19:12-14 or Psalm 139:23-24 for the Lord to reveal sins to you, God often answers you through other people. For David it was the prophets like Gad or Nathan. For us it will be through the loving, caring, covenant community of the local church.

We can complain all we want about that certain local church not being a “loving, caring community”, but consider this. In Matthew 7:3-5, Jesus talks about having a beam in our eye. Now consider how having a beam makes us see everything as having a beam in it. Sometimes we don’t notice a certain type of car all over the road until you own one yourself. You see a problem because you ARE a problem, we all are, but God uses the means of each other to help us all out. If you think that you don’t need church you are wrong, but even if you didn’t, even if you did have it all together well then you should come help the rest of us.

That's J.D. Hatfield, and his whole article (and his weblog in general) is worth your time.

Mapping vice

I don't know how significant this is, but it is kind of interesting: a geographical description of the Seven Deadly Sins in the United States. Seems like there ought to be a sermon illustration or two in there somewhere.

Paramount blogging

Gospel-Driven Blog has a new home.

Programs in perspective

Brandon O'Brien shares some helpful thoughts on the place of programming in the church. Here's a sample:

In some circles, the term "church programs" has become an epithet for all that is wrong with the institutional church. For a generation hungry for authenticity and community, "programs" feel staged, impersonal, and cold. For a generation increasingly skeptical of government, big business, and corporate machinery in general, "programs" reek of institutionalism, bureaucracy, and insensitivity to human need. Programs may not be the problem, but they are certainly a symptom. They give us something to throw stones at.

To a certain extent, these feelings are justified.

Brandon goes on, however, to show how the book of Acts casts a good light on programs in the local church--if done along certain biblical lines. His article (and the book of Acts, of course) is worth reading.

And J.D. Hatfield, by the way, shares further insights from the same passage in Acts.

Away message

I won't be posting here today or tomorrow, because my oldest son will be married Friday evening. I'm officiating at the service tomorrow, and my wife, Carolyn, is hosting the rehearsal dinner today. There are a million tasks to complete between now and Friday evening, but we're overjoyed that our son has found his life mate and that we'll soon have a daughter-in-law. If you would, please say a prayer for Milton Jr. and Shelly, and for all friends and family members scurrying to finish all the preparations. Hope to be back with you Monday.