PERSPECTIVE

Are People Born Asexual?

2011-08-09T08:29:00.002-04:00

If you attend Harvest Bible Chapel, West Olive, you know that this past Sunday, as part of my current series on Hard Questions, I dealt with the subject of sexuality and some of the questions submitted by our congregation relating to that topic. When the service ended and I began to engage various people in conversation, I was reminded just how privileged I am to pastor the church I do. It is joy every week to encounter people who are hungry for God’s Word and who desire to apply it to their lives. That enthusiasm for God’s truth is demonstrated in their follow up questions and the effort they put forth to truly understand the principles presented in God’s Word. My only regret is that time is limited and I can’t answer every question as exhaustively or as comprehensively as I would like.

It is that limited time that prompts my blog entry this week. This week, because of time, I was forced to skip a question I had intended to get to in my message. As you read the question and my answer below, I hope that it will encourage and motivate you to dive into the Scriptures and your Bible study tools to discover the answers to some of the hard questions that you may be wrestling with.

Question: In Matthew 19:11-12 Jesus speaks of those who are born as eunuchs. Is this person asexual? Are there people who from birth have no sexual orientation?

Answer: In Matthew 19:1-10, Jesus instructs His disciples about the permanence of marriage. In response, the disciples basically say (vs. 10), “Wow, if marriage is that permanent and one cannot get out of it, it is better not to marry.” In verses 11 and 12 Jesus gives this reply:

But he (Jesus) said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying (about singleness) but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”

So what is Jesus saying? He is not saying that a person is born asexual or gender neutral. Rather he is describing how some people are able to remain single without an overwhelming sex drive: some are born eunuchs, meaning that they suffer from some genetic deformity that involves diminished or undeveloped sexual capacity. Some are made eunuchs by men, meaning that they were castrated to control sexual desire and some make themselves eunuchs. The idea in this final group is not that they literally castrate themselves, but that they voluntarily choose a life of celibacy so that they can give unhindered devotion to God and God’s work. Over in I Cor. 7:32-34, Paul promotes singleness as a way to be fully devoted to God and unhindered by the cares of a wife and family.

Sadly, in our society, singleness if often viewed as some kind of disease to be cured or curse to escape. The truth is, singleness is freedom to be enjoyed and utilized, not in selfish ways, but in service for God. If you are single follower of Christ, don’t grumble about it; use it to God’s honor and glory. If you are married, don’t pressure your single friends to find a mate, instead, encourage them to have God’s perspective on singleness, and like the self-imposed eunuchs of Matthew 19, to use their freedom to advance the kingdom of heaven.

Answering Hard Questions

2011-08-05T08:41:00.003-04:00

Well, this past Sunday I probably rushed in where angels fear to tread. I began a series entitled, Hard Questions, in which I answer questions submitted by the congregation. These questions cover a host of topics and issues and include questions about specific passages of Scripture, relationships, doctrine, current events, and much more. While I am enjoying the study required to give the most biblical answers possible, I am reminded that when it comes to the hard questions of life, a person can’t simply rely on his or her pastor for the answers. They also need to do their own study and draw their own conclusions and convictions. It is that need for personal study that is the focus of today’s post.

In Acts 17, verses 10 and 11 we read these words, “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Do you see what is being commended and encouraged in this passage? The Bereans engaged in the personal study of God’s Word. They didn’t simply accept all that Paul and Silas had to say. They searched the Scriptures for themselves to confirm that what was being said to them was indeed God’s word and God’s truth. What a great model for every believer to follow.

Thankfully I have some Bereans in my church, people who do their own study and who check out what their pastor has told them. After answering hard questions about election (God’s choosing of those who will be saved) this past Sunday, one of the women of my church asked me to recommend some study tools and materials so that she could engage in her own study of hard questions. Perhaps it is a lack of resources or not knowing where to turn, that has hindered you in your personal study of God’s Word. If so, here are some of the Bible study tools that I find helpful.

1. A reliable translation of God’s Word.

To do good Bible study requires a translation that is a word for word translation of the original languages. Some of the better translations include the English Standard Version (ESV), the New American Standard Version (NASB), the New King James Version (NKJV) and the King James Version (KJV). This is not to say that other versions are bad, but these seek to capture the precise wording of the original text not just the ideas and concepts.

2. An exhaustive Bible concordance

An exhaustive concordance provides a list of all the words in the Bible and the references where they are found. This is a very helpful tool when doing word studies. I own two concordances, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, which is based on the KJV and New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance, which is based on the NASB. There are many others but you will find the most help if you own a concordance based upon the Bible translation you study from.

3. Nave’s Topical Bible

This tool provides Bible passages arranged by topic. For example, if you want to do a study on the love of God, you simply look up, “God – Love of” and there you will find the verses that speak of God’s love.

4. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology

This tool provides a wealth of information on doctrinal issues, theologians and their perspectives, and much, much more. If you wan to explore doctrine and the views of various people this is an invaluable reference book.

5. Bible Dictionary and Bible Encyclopedia

These tools provide meanings for people, places, and things, in the Bible. I would recommend several reference works that fit under this category: The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible.

6. A reliable commentary

Bible commentaries come in many sizes, from one or two volumes that cover the entire Bible, to multi-volume sets that address the books of the Bible in far greater detail. I find that the single volume commentaries provide only general information. For more intensive study you really need to own a multi-volume set. Two I would recommend are The New American Commentary (Old and New Testament) and The MacArthur New Testament Commentary.

There are a host of other books and resources that I draw upon, but these that I have listed are certainly worth owning and will provide a great deal of assistance when studying the Bible. Of course the other great tool for doing Bible study is personal discipline, making the time and effort to do it. If you give that time and effort, not only will you find answers to the hard questions and issues that you are facing, but God will transform your life in the process. So how about it, will you be a Berean? The Bible has the answers, all you have to do is go there and start finding them. I encourage you to dig in and discover the joy and growth that personal Bible study brings.

Your Kingdom Come

2011-07-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

This coming Sunday, July 24th, I’m going to be finishing up a series on the return of Christ by focusing on the millennial reign of Christ, when He returns to this earth to establish His righteous rule for 1000 years. While this kingdom, promised to King David long ago in II Samuel 7:8-12, is both physical and future, there is an aspect of God’s kingdom that is also spiritual and present. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus declares, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (the necessities of life) will be added to you.” Do you see what Jesus is saying? Though we ought to be expecting and longing for the establishment of His future kingdom, we also ought to be building and experiencing His spiritual kingdom now. In fact, so important is this spiritual kingdom that it is to be the priority and focus of our lives. We are to seek it “first” even before we worry about what we will wear, where we will live, and what we will eat. I wonder, is that your priority and focus? Are you striving to experience God’s kingdom in your life now? Perhaps you are struggling with that because you don’t really know how to do it. Let me suggest a few ways you can and should experience God’s kingdom.

First, a kingdom starts with a king. If you are going to “seek first the kingdom of God” you must acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the king and submit your life, that is your will, to Him. The Bible is very clear, in order to make Jesus your King, you must repent of your sin and embrace Jesus as Savior, realizing that He died for your sin and is the only way that your sin can be forgiven. If you’ve never done that, I would invite you to do so today. You will never experience the Kingdom of God, whether the present, spiritual one or the future, physical one, unless you turn from your sin and embrace Jesus as Savior.

Second, you must follow the King. Maybe it goes without saying, but unless Jesus is Lord of your life you will never experience kingdom living. Though Jesus is both King and Lord whether we submit to Him not, to make Him Lord of our lives is to submit our will to His will, which is spelled out for us in His Word, the Bible. Those who seek God’s kingdom must regularly be reading, studying, and applying God’s Word to life. They must also continually refuse to live by their own agenda and follow God’s agenda. It is only when we walk in obedience to the King that we experience the kingdom.

Finally, we experience the kingdom by inviting others to follow the King. In II Corinthians 5:18-21, the apostle Paul tells us that followers of Christ are also ambassadors for Christ. The job of ambassador requires that we seek to establish peace between men and God by inviting them to leave the wicked and sinful kingdom of Satan and self and enter the kingdom of God through repentance and faith. In other words, we are inviting those who have no relationship with Christ to do what we have done, to embrace Jesus as both Savior and Lord. Perhaps there is no better way to experience kingdom living than by sharing the benefits of the kingdom with others.
So how about it, are you experiencing the kingdom of God now? When Jesus taught His disciples to pray (Matt. 6:9-13), He instructed them to pray, “Your kingdom come...” If it isn’t already, let’s make that our prayer today. Let’s pray not just for Jesus to return to establish a future, physical kingdom, but let’s pray for Jesus to reign, as we establish His spiritual kingdom in our hearts and lives today.

Moved To What?

2011-07-11T22:09:00.001-04:00

For those readers that attend Harvest Bible Chapel, West Olive, MI, you know that for the last several weeks now, we have been engaged in a study of the return of Christ and the significant events that accompany that return. To say that God has been at work through this series would be an understatement. Two weeks ago immediately after the service a gentleman, with tears streaming down his face, came up to me and said, “I have just one thing to say, God was here today.” His comments summed up what I heard from many others. This past Sunday, many people were gathered at the steps of the platform to repent of sin and to pray that they and those they love would take sin as seriously as God does.

What I have observed over the past several weeks, both in my own heart and in the church, is this great stirring and moving of the Spirit. But as I observe this convicting work of God, the question I believe we need to ask is, moved to what? So God is moving us, we are being stirred in our hearts and spirits, but to what end? What do we do with this great sensitivity to God and His truth that has been stirred within us? As I’ve given thought to those very questions, I would suggest that we should be moved to at least four things.

1. Moved to pray

First, I believe we should be moved to pray. As God’s works in our hearts, one response to that moving and stirring of the Spirit should be to express our utter and complete dependence upon God in prayer, asking Him to continue the work that He has started, revealing areas that need to be addressed and changed, and to express our submission to His authority in our lives.

2. Moved to Urgency

Second, I believe we should be moved to urgency. It is sad to say the least, but over the years I have observed people who have been convicted by God in some way but the attitude that accompanied that convicting work was, “someday I will have to get after that thing.” Listen, if God is moving in your heart to change in some way, to repent of some sin, to do something, don’t put it off. The time to obey the moving of the Spirit is now!

3. Moved to Boldness

A third way we should be moved is to boldness. When God is moving in our hearts, it ought to result in a greater living out of our faith, a faith that does hide in the shadows, but openly and boldly shouts our love for Christ. That boldness should not be just lifestyle, but words that declare who Christ is and what He has done for us.

4. Moved to Action

Finally, there should be a movement to action. Perhaps that is implied in these other things I have listed, but a stirring of God, an emotional response to God’s truth, should not be an end, but a means to an end. The question we need to ask is, what is God asking me to do? Am I being moved to repent of some specific sin, to serve in some capacity, to speak to someone, to worship? No doubt the possible actions are just about endless, but let’s be sure to ask with each stirring in our hearts, God what do you want from me, what action do you want me to take?

Heaven forbid the moving of the Spirit lasts only as long as our morning service. The next time we sense His convicting and stirring work in our lives, let’s be sure to consider the question, moved to what?

The Big 5-0!

2011-06-14T14:37:00.002-04:00

It seems hard to believe but this Saturday, June 18, I turn 50 years old. Now before you get on my case about that not being all that old or for complaining in some way, let me just say, I know there are a lot of people older than 50, I just can’t believe I’m actually there. It seems like just yesterday I was 20. I guess that is the good news, though I’m turning 50, I don’t really feel like it, at least not most of the time.

So why blog about turning 50? No, it is not to get your well wishes, your sympathy, or anything like that. I’m blogging about turning 50 as a matter of perspective. While 50 is not all that old for many people who long ago celebrated that milestone, for me it is significant because my father, my grandfather, my great-grandfather, and my great-great-grandfather, never lived to see their sixtieth birthdays. Now do you see where I’m going? If genetics have anything to say about it (I know God is in control), I may have less then ten years to live. Now to be honest, while that concerns me at times, what it really does is drive me to a sense of urgency regarding the things of Christ. In Ephesians 5:15-16 the apostle Paul penned these words to the Ephesian church. He wrote, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” What jumps out to me from those verses is the command to make “the best use of the time.” Obviously, regardless of our age or how long we may have left on this earth, it is our obligation to make the best use of time by investing it in the worship and service of our Savior. What Paul is challenging us to do is to make sure that we do not squander our time in frivolous and self-serving endeavors. Since I am keenly aware that my time may be in short supply, I want to make sure that I have lived out my remaining years being both obedient to and effective for Christ.

I wonder, what is your perspective when it comes to time? Over the years I have certainly run into my fair share of believers who are living as if they have all the time in the world to get right with God or to start serving Him. I really hope and pray that that is not your perspective, my friend. In truth, regardless of how much time we think we may have left, time is short. In James 4, James gives this word of warning in verses 13 and 14, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” Do you get the picture? Whether 5, 15, 25, 50, or 100, time is short! That being the case, God calls each of us to make the best use of that limited time by living for Him. I wonder, are you doing that? Don’t wait for your next birthday to start gaining God’s perspective when it comes to time. I urge you make the most of all the time you have, by investing your life for Christ. According to I Corinthians 15:58, a life spent laboring for Christ is “not in vain.”

Joy In The Lord

2011-06-07T15:18:00.002-04:00

"For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence." - Psalm 21:6

Hey everyone! I’m back from my ministry break and excited both for what God has been teaching me during my time away and for what He has for me moving forward. It is that “what God has been teaching me” part that is the focus of this post.

In Psalm 21 David finds himself rejoicing in the Lord. He celebrates all the good things that God is doing in his life and praises Him for His goodness and faithfulness. Toward the end of the Psalm, he finds comfort and confidence in God’s power and the victory the He alone secures.

I have to tell you, my life has been lacking that practice and perspective of late. During my time away, I shared with a ministry friend some of the struggles that I have been having with people and ministry over the last several months and said to him that much of the joy of the ministry was gone in my life because of those struggles. What my friend was quick to point out to me is that my joy is not to come from people or from ministry, but from the Lord. That truth hit me like a ton of bricks. Though I certainly knew it, the reality was that I was not living it. I had gotten so caught up in the circumstances around me that I failed to find my joy in who God is and what He was and is doing in my life. In reality, I was seeking joy where it could not and should not be found.

I wonder, can you relate to that? Perhaps your life has gotten to where mine was. You have become so focused on people and circumstances and the disappointments that they bring, that your joy has been replaced by frustration and despair. Hey, good news! It doesn’t need to be that way. As David so clearly reminds us, joy comes from the Lord and His presence in our lives. When we look up from the problems, we discover that God is there, faithfully, lovingly working on our behalf. Even when life is painful and difficult, He is working in those circumstances to grow us and to mold us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29).

If your joy has been diminished or perhaps nonexistent of late, I invite you, join me in the journey of finding joy in the Lord. As you go through the day, take the time to reflect upon who God is and what He is doing in your life. Study passages like Psalm 21 that extol God’s presence and power in your life. As the hymn writer suggests, “count your blessings, name them one by one.” Write them down and rehearse them often. Make sure that a portion of your prayer time is spent simply thanking God for what He is doing in your life. What I’m discovering as I do those things is that joy is returning, not because my circumstances have changed, but because I’ve changed.

Listen, for the follower of Christ, life shouldn’t be joyless. God gives it in abundant supply as we focus our attention on Him. Let’s make Him our focus today and in the days to come. As you do so, I’d love to hear your comments about how God is changing your perspective and restoring your joy.

He Lives!

2011-04-26T13:39:00.001-04:00

Wow, what a wonderful Passion Week at Harvest Bible Chapel, West Olive. God worked in each of the services throughout the week and then He blew the roof off on Sunday morning. With over 900 in attendance on Sunday morning, the worship was awesome as we celebrated the good news of resurrection Sunday and the fact the Jesus both lives and transforms. If you were with us, I trust you are sharing that life changing message with those around you.

During the month of May I’m going to be doing something I’ve never done in 28 years of ministry. The elders here at Harvest have asked me to “unplug” from ministry for the entire month, no preaching, no counseling, no nothing. The purpose for such a break is to give my wife and I the chance to rest and be refreshed both physically and spiritually. While I love what I do and the people with which I do it, the break is welcome and I look forward to spending time with family and catching up on some of the odd jobs that need to get done around my home. For the last ten days of the month, Renee and I will be out of town enjoying some warmer weather in South Carolina.

With this break, I obviously won’t be blogging for a month, so check back in June for the latest post. Until then, keep living your life from God’s perspective!

Saving Worms

2011-04-18T15:23:00.000-04:00

As we enter into Passion Week, I trust that you are reflecting upon the death of Christ upon the cross and the great sacrifice that He made on your behalf. It is with that loving and gracious sacrifice in mind, that I am reminded of the following story.

Several years ago a friend of mine, who was a school principal at the time, was making his way into the school early one morning. On his way, he noticed a young girl kneeling on the sidewalk. As he approached, he saw that she was carefully removing earthworms from the sidewalk which had gathered there due to heavy rain the night before. When he got next to the girl, my friend asked her what she was doing. As she picked up another worm and placed it in the grass, she replied, “I’m saving worms!”

Every time I think about that story, it reminds me of what Jesus did for me. In many respects I am like that worm, so far separated from a holy God because of my sin and in no way deserving of His love, mercy and grace. Just like the earthworms on the side walk, I would have perished in my sin had Jesus, God Himself, not come along, and by His death and resurrection, lifted me from my sinful condition and granted me forgiveness from my sin. Though I didn’t deserve it, just like that little girl, God entered His creation, reached out in love, and did the unthinkable. He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place upon the cross.

Reflecting upon the death of Christ upon the cross, the hymn writer, Isaac Watts, said it this way in his beloved hymn, At the Cross.

Alas, and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

At the cross, at the cross
Where I fist saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

As you celebrate Passion Week, join me in celebrating the fact that God saves worms!

Church Membership

2011-04-12T00:11:00.002-04:00

This past weekend my wife and I enjoyed a wonderful meal with a couple that is relatively new to our church. Like most of those first time dinners go, we talked about a host of things including family, hobbies, work, and of course church life and ministry. It was a wonderful time and I even violated my self imposed Saturday night curfew just to enjoy a few extra minutes of fellowship. During the course of the conversation, one of the questions that I was asked related to church membership and why I believe it to be important.

Now before I give you my response, let me first anticipate an objection. Over the years it has been pointed out to me on more than one occasion that church membership is not in the Bible. That is true to a degree. While we have no biblical account of someone joining a church as is typically done today, people were connected to a local body of believers. Most of the New Testament is written to believers in specific cities/churches such as Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus. In reality, we have very few instances of unconnected believers.

I would also point out that while the process of being connected with a specific church via membership probably has little resemblance to what the church does today; Christianity in the first century was also vastly different. Back then there simply was little casual Christianity. What I mean by that is that for those who followed Christ there was often a cost. Those who came to Christ often lost their families, their jobs, and their property. With the price of discipleship so high, people did not join the church because it was the socially or culturally acceptable thing to do. In Acts 5, after God brings judgment upon Ananias and Sapphira for lying about their giving, we read these words in verses 12 and 13, “Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.” Did you catch that in verse 13? “None of the rest dared join them.” With a God who was serious about sin and obedience, people weren’t knocking down the doors to join the church. The cost for many was simply too high.

Today, especially in the United States, we live in a different world. Church, and I use that world very broadly, is often the acceptable thing to do. For many people church is a place not only to worship God, but also to make friends, find a mate, and build business contacts. While those things aren’t necessarily bad, the point I’m trying to make is that often the church is filled with people who aren’t that serious or even interested in following Christ. With the possibility of unbelievers in the church, people who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I believe the church has the responsibility to, in some way, identify those who share its beliefs and support its ministry. While the membership process can take many forms, I believe church membership is first and foremost about commitment. It is the way to identify those who want to be committed to and supportive of the church and its ministry. It is a way for people to say, “This is my place of worship. I believe what it teaches. I support what it is striving to do, and the church can count on me to be involved in and committed to what goes on here.”

Sadly, that kind of commitment is quickly fading in the American church, in my opinion. Today, many people practice, what I call, “smorgasbord church.” They go to one church for the sermon, another church for the youth group, and still another for whatever else meets their needs. Rather than supporting a specific body and ministering to the needs of others in and through that church, many seek only to satisfy and meet their own needs. People want the privileges of membership without the responsibilities of membership. This “me first” approach is a practice far different than the one prescribed by Jesus in Luke 9:23. There He described a disciple as one who denies self. Here’s the point: I believe church membership is important because it is a significant way to demonstrate commitment to and support of the work of God and the people of God.

A second reason to become a church member is to invite spiritual accountability. In Matthew 18, Jesus spells out a process in which the church comes along side those who fall into sin in order to lovingly restore them to obedient living. In my experience it is difficult, if not impossible, to bring that loving accountability to those who have not invited it through church membership. While many who are not members of the church say that they want that kind of accountability, their tune almost always changes when they are living in sin. At that point, they typically tell me I have no right to confront them and essentially tell me to get lost. By becoming a church member, you are entering into a spiritual relationship with like minded believers who are committed not simply to the church, but to Christ. You are taking responsibility to watch over your brothers and sisters in Christ and inviting them to do the same for you, even as you worship and serve together.

Do we twist peoples arm to join the church, at Harvest Bible Chapel in West Olive, Michigan? No! But we do encourage it when and where possible, including through this blog. If you are not a church member, I would invite you to prayerfully consider it. If you are a church member, be one that demonstrates your commitment through faithful support, encouragement, and service. If you approach church membership seriously, I believe you will find it a source of joy and fulfillment in your spiritual walk with Christ.

The Church's Mission

2011-04-04T14:27:00.002-04:00

Last week, I and the staff at Harvest Bible Chapel, West Olive, had a unique opportunity. We attended an event called The Elephant Room sponsored by Harvest Bible Chapel in Aurora, IL. The purpose of the day long event was to bring together seven influential pastors, (James MacDonald, Matt Chandler, Mark Driscoll, Steven Furtick, Perry Noble, David Platt, and Greg Laurie) all of whom share a common love for the Gospel but take different approaches to ministry, in order to have candid conversation about a variety of church matters and issues, including money, church planting, culture, compassion ministry, and the like. To say that the day was informative and beneficial would be an understatement. It certainly challenged my thinking and gave me and my staff plenty to talk about during the three and a half hour drive home.

One of the themes that seemed to run through the entire day at The Elephant Room was the church’s mission. While the pastors involved in the discussion had different opinions approaches, virtually everyone one agreed that the mission of the church was to make disciples which includes both the evangelism of the lost and the maturation of the saints. Now I certainly believe that, but the question is, how do we get that done? Some of the pastors at The Elephant Room see the corporate worship services as a primary way to reach the lost. Each message, or at least a significant portion of the message, would be geared toward the lost, in other words it would be evangelistic in nature. Now, I’m not down on sharing the gospel in a message. In fact, in preaching Romans 5:15-21 this past Sunday, I did exactly that. But I do not believe the primary emphasis of the corporate worship service is to reach the lost. Based on Ephesians 5:18-21, Hebrews 10:24-25 and other passages like them, I believe the primary emphasis of the corporate worship service is for followers of Christ to exalt God. We gather to bring our praise, adoration, thanks, service, etc. to God for who He is and what He has accomplished in our lives. If that is so, the question remains, how do the lost get reached? Where is the gospel brought to bear?

I believe the answers to those questions are found in Matthew 28:19. That verse begins by saying, “Go therefore.” The mission of the church is not to invite unbelievers to the church, though that is not a bad thing to do. Rather the mission of the church, as it relates to reaching the lost, is for followers of Christ to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in their daily lives. In the Greek text, the word “go” is not a command but a participle. In other words, the idea is, “in your going” make disciples. At work, at school, across the fence with your neighbor, wherever you go, live out your faith and share what Jesus Christ has done in you and for you. I wonder, how are you doing at that? We need to understand, evangelism is not the pastor’s job. It is every Christian’s job. All of us are commanded by Christ to be His ambassadors (II Cor. 5:18-21). That being the case, let me suggest four things we need to be, in order to get the mission accomplished.

Be prayerful. We need to be praying for the lost people that we know, asking God to prepare their hearts and open their minds to the truth of the gospel.

Be biblical. Make sure you are actually sharing the gospel in the way the Bible declares it. The Gospel is not simply “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” The gospel is that all men are sinners and the only way of escape from the power, penalty, and punishment of sin is through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. While that message certainly needs to be shared in a loving and compassionate way, we must be careful not to water it down or compromise it in any way.

Be personal. As you share the gospel, be sure to relate your story. While the biblical content is critical, it is also helpful to share the circumstances surrounding how you heard and received the gospel and the impact it has had upon your life.

Be bold. I know that many believers do not share the gospel because they are too afraid. They are afraid of the questions they may get asked or the rejection they may receive. Let’s be honest, sharing the gospel is not always easy, but Christ gave us the Holy Spirit so that we could get the job done (Acts 1:8). It is not our knowledge, logical argument, or outgoing personality that makes for an effective presentation of the gospel. Rather, it is the power of the Word and the power of the Spirit coupled with our obedience that brings people to repentance and faith.

When it comes to the church’s mission, I’m convinced time is running out. I urge you to redeem the time you have left by doing your part to reach the lost with the gospel. When we obey the Word of God and rely upon the Spirit, we will see God do great and mighty things!

What Do You Believe?

2011-03-28T15:41:00.001-04:00

Over the last several years I have noticed that the church (I’m using that word very broadly) is moving further and further way from doctrine. What I mean by that is that whether in its preaching, teaching, or just in how it describes and defines itself, the church has become less clear, less dogmatic, and gives less emphasis to what the Bible teaches and where it stands in relationship to that teaching. While I’m sure there are multiple reasons for this trend, I fear that the church is trying desperately to appeal to a broad range of people, including those who do not know Christ as Savior. By watering down or eliminating doctrine the church strives to be more tolerant and more appealing, thinking that by doing so it will have a greater and more effective impact upon the world. To those that would follow such a strategy, I humbly point them to the words of Christ is Matthew 10:34-36. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.” Based upon what Jesus says, the message of Christ is often unappealing and in fact divides. To try to make the Bible more palatable is only to compromise and distort the very message that Christ declared and that He commanded His disciples to proclaim as well.

With pastors and churches trying desperately to avoid getting pinned down on what they believe and why, I find it necessary to declare my beliefs, not out of arrogance, but for the sake of clarity.

I believe the Bible is the inspired and inerrant word of God and because it is, it is only resource we need for life and godliness, II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:.

I believe that there is one living and true God and that He is both unity and plurality. While one is essence, He exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and is sovereign over all things. He is perfect in all His attributes and deserving of my worship and obedience, Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; Matthew 28:19.

I believe that mankind is born in sin and because he is, he stands condemned before a holy and just God, Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:9-18. His only escape from the power and penalty of sin is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, John 14:6. Apart from repentance of sin and faith in Christ, mankind will suffer God’s eternal and just judgment in hell, Revelation 20:11-15.

I believe the church is God’s primary instrument both for the evangelism of the lost and the edification of the saints. It is within and through this institution that believers find encouragement and accountability in their walk with Christ, II Corinthians 5:17-21; Hebrews 10:24-25.

I believe that one day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth to bring judgment upon sin and to establish His promised kingdom. In that day the promises to the nation of Israel will be fully realized, sin and Satan will be destroyed, and Christ will rule and reign forever, Revelation 21:1-8.

My list of beliefs is far from comprehensive, but you get the idea. In a day when the church is watering down or avoiding doctrine in order to be more appealing, I believe it is time to stand up and be counted, to be bold in our faith, and clear in our convictions. So let me ask you, what do you believe? Is your life grounded upon the Word of God and the work of Christ or something else? Remember, the wise man builds his house (life) upon the rock of Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:24-27.

- Ken

All Or Nothing

2011-03-21T18:13:00.001-04:00

Because I’m so new to this blog thing, I’m not really sure how to get started this week, so I’ll just jump in and hope for the best. Over the course of 28 years in ministry, I have occasionally had people express concern over my doctrinal beliefs or my personal practices based upon something I said or did in a sermon. Now please understand, my goal in every sermon I preach is to be clear and honest not just about the text I am expounding but also in the illustrations I am sharing. Of course, being a flawed human being, the thoughts and words don’t always come out the way I intend. On more than one occasion my children have informed me of new words I have created or of ways I twisted my thoughts or words in some way.

Having admitted my shortcomings, here’s the problem. One sermon or one illustration is not the sum total of what I believe or of who I am as a person. As every pastor knows, one cannot possibly say in a single message all that could be, or perhaps even should be, said on any given topic or passage of Scripture. The same thing is true when it comes to a personal story or illustration. For example, a personal story about a failure in parenting does not necessarily mean that failed parenting takes place all the time. Taking one fact or one piece of truth does not necessarily define or describe the whole.

Sadly, and I believe tragically, what happens at the human level can and does happen at the divine level as well.

This past Sunday, my small group was discussing the justice of God as part of a larger study on the attributes of God. As the questions and conversation developed, we identified the fact that people often define or explain the events of life based on one aspect of God’s person. For example, I shared with the group that recently I was sent an email that described the tragic events in Japan as God’s judgment upon that country for various sins and shortcomings. Now don’t misunderstand, God can and does use any means He desires to bring discipline and judgment to bear, but I also know that God’s purposes go way beyond bringing judgment. One could only speculate as to all the things that God is striving to accomplish through pain and hardship in Japan including bringing people to Himself in salvation, growing the influence of His church, and bringing His people to depend upon Him in greater and deeper ways. The point is this, we need to be careful to take one attribute of God and apply it as if God was only that attribute.

I see that exact thing happening in another way (my primary reason for writing). Recently a pastor in our area has come out with a new book entitled, Love Wins. Based upon some of the interviews I have seen (I haven’t read the book yet), he apparently believes that all people, regardless of their relationship to Christ, will end up in heaven. Based upon what I have heard him say, he believes this to be so because he cannot reconcile how a loving God could condemn anyone to hell. Do you see the problem? God isn’t just love! Among other things, He is also holy and just and because He is, not only does He, but He must bring judgment on sin. To do anything less would be to violate His character.

Please understand, I’m not seeking to critique the book as much as I’m really trying to warn God’s people. When it comes to God, it is all or nothing. Just as we can’t know a pastor from a single message, we don’t know God based upon one attribute. And can we remember this as well? God and His ways are far beyond us. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Let’s be careful. Though the voices around us may try to define God and His actions in simple or single terms, in reality He is far beyond our comprehension and I for one am glad He is!

So Much Confusion

2011-03-14T11:21:00.004-04:00

If you attend Harvest Bible Chapel in West Olive, MI, you know that I recently began a new sermon series on Sunday mornings entitled, Ready or Not, which focuses on the certainty of death and what follows it. With my attention on the subject of death, I have been noticing lately just how much confusion exists on this topic. Just the other night I was watching one of my favorite science fiction programs (okay if you must know—Star Trek the Next Generation) and in it two of the characters were discussing varying opinions about death. One saw death as the end of existence, while the other saw death as merely a doorway to what lay beyond. Of course, varying opinions about death and what happens to someone after they die is not unique to fictional television. For centuries now, theologians have likewise debated and disagreed over the nature of death and what follows it. Here in West Michigan one well known pastor is coming out with a book, in which, based on the reviews I have read, he asserts that after death all go to heaven. That view certainly flies in the face of others who staunchly believe that one’s eternal destination is determined by his or her relationship with Christ.

With so much confusion, how can anyone be certain what happens when someone dies? The answer lies in the authority of God’s Word. For many in the world, and sadly in the church as well, the tendency for many people is to latch on to someone who expresses the ideas and opinions that they are comfortable with. If I don’t like the idea of hell and suffering after death, I will follow those that express that belief. On the other hand, if I have definite beliefs about heaven and hell, I follow those that share those beliefs. Perhaps it goes without saying, but truth is not determined by what I think or feel or even by what the majority says. Rather, truth is found in the Word of God and if I am going to discover the truth about death and what follows it, I must lean upon its authority and mine its treasures by diligent study. In II Timothy 2:15, God commands us to be diligent students, who rightly handle the Word of God. Similarly, in Acts 17 we are encouraged to be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures to see if what they had been taught by the apostle Paul was so. I wonder, do you do that? When it comes to hard and difficult topics like death, are you a careful student of God’s Word or do you simply draw your beliefs and conclusions from popular opinion?

In order to be that carful student, I would encourage you to take the following steps any time you study a confusing or difficult subject.

1. Start with the Word of God.

Forget public opinion and the flood of confusing and contrary voices. If you want God’s perspective and God’s truth, go the Word of God for your answers. In John 17:17, Jesus declared God’s Word to be truth.

2. Come to the Scriptures with an open mind.

Obviously, if you approach the Scriptures with your mind made up there won’t be much learning that takes place. Reserve drawing a conclusion, until you have heard from God.

3. Read all the passages on a given subject before drawing a conclusion.

Be careful to come to a conclusion too quickly. One or two verses on a given subject do not necessarily reveal all that God says on a given subject.

4. Consult additional resource material like a bible commentary to compare and evaluate what you have discovered with the insights of others.

While the Holy Spirit will be your teacher, He has also taught others. Taking the time to do additional study will confirm what you have discovered or perhaps reveal that you have additional work to do.

5. Remain teachable.

What I have learned over the years is that positions I once held often need to be modified or tweaked in some way for the sake of clarity and precision. Even after you are convinced as to what God’s Word says, be teachable and open to new ideas.

There is no doubt there is so much confusion when it comes to a long list of topics. That confusion can and should be greatly diminished by the careful study of God’s Word. If you are not already doing it, get into the Word of God on a regular basis and watch confusion melt away as you are confronted by and convinced of God’s truth.

Welcome to Perspective

2011-03-02T12:44:00.003-05:00

Well, here it goes! For some time now the pastoral staff has been encouraging me to blog, and to be totally honest, I’ve been dragging my feet, not because blogging or technology scare me, (okay they do a little) but more because I really can’t fathom anyone caring all that much about what I think or say. In fact, at times it even seems a bit arrogant to put my thoughts “out there” for others to read and consider.

With those struggles on the table, let me take just a moment to introduce and explain the goal of this blog. In entitling my blog Perspective, I really have a singular aim. It is not so much to give my perspective, though that may be the case from time to time. Rather, the goal is to share and present God’s perspective as it is spelled out for us in the Word of God. As a follower of Christ, it is my duty and desire to live my life from God’s perspective and encourage others to do the same. That being the case, I want the readers of this blog to interact with the Word of God and from that interaction come away with what God thinks and wants, and in that process gain a greater perspective on who He is. To accomplish that goal, I am primarily going to expand upon the study I do each week for the messages I preach at Harvest Bible Chapel, West Olive, Michigan. I will share some of the personal insights and challenges that study brings to me (beyond what I share on Sundays) and present them for your consideration and hopefully your edification. It is my prayer that the end result will be that we all gain a clearer perspective of biblical truth and how it applies to life.

Are you ready for a little perspective? I look forward to passing on what God is teaching me and trust that you will find encouragement, hope, help, and maybe even some correction in the days and weeks that follow. See you soon with the first installment of Perspective.