Archive for the ‘Faith’ Category

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Wow, what a book!

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

I just returned from vacation.  I attended my high school class reunion in Ohio, and a small family reunion for those who still live in North Central Ohio.  I had a great time at both!

As a rule, when I fly, I read books.  Before I took off, a friend handed to me the new book entitled, Radical, by David Platt, senior pastor of the mega-church, The Church at Brooks Hills, in Birmingham, Alabama.  What a great book!  Platt challenges us to replace our goal of attaining “the American dream” with a goal to live sacrificially  for the Lord Jesus Christ.  His challenge was thoroughly supported by Scripture.  I will not dilute his thesis by sharing it second-hand here.  I highly recommend the book.  You will not be disappointed if you read it.  You can get it at almost any Christian bookstore or order it online.  It was published by Multnomah.

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Short-Term Missions

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

Short-term missions has been sweeping the country for a number of years. It is exciting to visit church websites and see how many evangelical churches are sending out teams of local church members on short-term missions.

For the churches and individual church members who participate in short-term missions, the reward is well worth the time, effort, and cost. First, there is immediate reward in the spiritual good done on the mission field, as believers are built up, churches are strengthened, and the lost hear the gospel. And secondly, the short-term missionary brings back inspiration, enthusiasm, and commitment which he/she in turn shares with the local church back home. There is no downside to short term missions. How better to spend our time and money?

Short-term missions can stretch anywhere from one or two weeks to a couple of years. Some senior citizens are finding short-term missions a fulfilling way to spend part of their retirement years.

Short-term missions is one more way to help fulfill the Great Commission. God’s heart is for the lost. Jesus said, “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” God values the eternal soul of people all over the world — in every ethnicity, culture, race, nationality, etc. (Revelation 5:9)

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Contemporary Criticism

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

I noticed this week a magazine article critical of Southern Baptists. The article accurately reported that while our SBC baptisms for last year were up and new churches were planted, the overall SBC membership is down some. Like the scribes and Pharisees, this critic jumped on the membership decline and blamed it on the increased trend among Southern Baptist churches toward contemporary church music.

Only one problem. The contemporary churches are growing by leaps and bounds. It is the older, more traditional churches which have tended to decline.

At Delaney Street, we embrace the older, traditional music, and we enthusiastically add the newer, more contemporary music — to worship God together. All music was contemporary at one time. And all music will one day be traditional. The key is that the music we use uplifts the name of the Lord Jesus and brings us all closer to God in a spirit of worship.

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The Blood of Christ

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

A pastor friend of mine has had as the theme for his church for many years, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” I could not agree more. That is our goal here at Delaney Street.

This Sunday we observe the Lord’s Supper, with a focus on the Blood of Jesus Christ. Through the years ministry changes. We have new avenues and new models of ministry not available in years past. Certainly style and flavor of ministry change, as life, culture and society change. But our focus on the truth of God’s Word does not change. Our biblical doctrine does not change. Our salvation is only through the Blood of Jesus Christ. We need to “keep the main thing the main thing!”

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July 4

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

My favorite patriot in American history is probably Patrick Henry. Elected governor of Virginia no less than four times, he was offered higher office by President George Washington, but he declined because he did not trust federalism.

Patrick Henry is famous for his words in the Virginia assembly prior to the Revolutionary War, “Give me liberty or give me death!” But he also took a strong stand in other areas. When the state of Virginia tried to require state approval for preaching, it resulted in the arrest of a Baptist preacher named Rev. Jeremiah Moore.  Patrick Henry, a lawyer, defended the Baptist preacher. Said Henry, “Great God, gentlemen, a man in prison for preaching the gospel of the Son of God!”  Jeremiah Moore was acquitted.

In his final will and testament, Patrick Henry wrote, “I have now given everything I own to my children. There is one more thing I wish I could give them, and that is Christ. Because if they have everything I gave them and don’t have Christ, they have nothing.”

Patrick Henry, a dedicated Christian, was a great patriot!

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