Category: Conversion/Salvation

Why you do what you do – Sermon Audio from Romans 7

I began a new mini-series that is covering the issues of walking by the flesh OR walking by the Spirit. This first sermon was called “Why you do what you do.”

You can find the sermon audio below as well as the presentation slides I used.


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Jesus is NOT a therapist

I’m on sabbatical (translation: I’m resting),
so this is a pre-scheduled post for your encouragement, education and enjoyment! 

I really enjoy the teaching ministry of Mark Driscoll.  He’s one of those guys who will simply say it like it is, and let the chips fall…

Anyway… here’s a clip from one of his sermons from the book of Luke – a GREAT point for our day!

Will your kids stay in church when they leave home?

Today I read a very, very, VERY excellent article that all Youth Pastors, Pastors, and PARENTS should read…

It’s addressing the issue of college age kids who abandon the church or their faith when they leave home.  The writer is a Youth Pastor, and is speaking from scripture and from experience.

Here’s a quote from the article…

In general, children who are led in their faith during their growing-up years by parents who love Jesus vibrantly, serve their church actively, and saturate their home with the gospel completely, grow up to love Jesus and the church.

That’s just ONE convicting gem from this short article.

If you are a parent who is concerned that your child truly love Jesus and truly serve Him for a lifetime, you should read this article.  Don’t expect a “guaranteed formula” – but expect a clear and powerful argument about what it really takes to transfer a love of Jesus to your children in a genuine way…

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/07/29/why-youth-stay-in-church-when-they-grow-up/

How to lose the gospel… if you aren’t careful

Hey churches and church leaders!

The gospel message (the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sins and transformation of life) is powerful – and vital!  It is the very cornerstone of every Christian church and the Christian message.

But it can be easily lost.

There are lots of things that can…

  • push it out of the primary place
  • take its place
  • make it seem tame & boring
  • cause it to be seen as “good” but not “the main thing”

What sort of things?

  • social ministries (feeding people, medical missions, community service, etc.)
  • corporate worship style
  • “life” ministries (parenting classes, financial seminars, etc.)
  • organizational structures (are we Elder-ruled, Elder-led, congregationally ruled, episcopal, or what?)
  • non-main things that become the main-thing (how many “7th day” churches are there now?)

Few of these things are unimportant… but none of them are VITALLY important.

NONE OF THEM IS THE GOSPEL!

Dr. D.A. Carson has said,

The first generation has the gospel, the second generation assumes the gospel, and the third generation loses the gospel.

He’s referring to the many, many examples of once-on-fire-for-the-gospel churches or denominations that today are virtually dead (when it comes to gospel proclamation).  They have lost the gospel message.  It is no longer central, no longer primary, no longer the heartbeat of why they do what they do.  Just look around… you see it everywhere.

So what do you have to do if you want to lose the gospel?

NOTHING.

If you are not deliberately protecting and championing it, the gospel-focus of your church will fade into obscurity in time.

Let’s not be guilty of startinging that ball rolling… we can never, ever, ever ASSUME the gospel.  We must be intentional about it!

“Am I Really A Christian?” – new book, looks great!

Mike McKinley is a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary, and Pastor of Guilford Baptist Church in Sterling, Virginia.  He’s author of “Church Planting is for Wimps” and this new book, “Am I Really a Christian?“  It sounds like a really, really, REALLY good idea for a book… so many people think they are Christians for one reason or another but have never really embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ.  McKinley writes the following…

So, in Am I Really a Christian?, I look at five things that the Bible says will always accompany true conversion. If you have these things, you have more firm evidence of God’s regenerating work in your life. If these things are absent, you have reason to be concerned.

  1. Belief in true doctrine. You’re not a Christian just because you like Jesus.
  2. Hatred for sin in your life. You’re not a Christian if you enjoy sin.
  3. Perseverance over time. You’re not a Christian if you don’t persist in the faith.
  4. Love for other people. You’re not a Christian if you don’t have care and concern for other people.
  5. Freedom from love of the world. You’re not a Christian if the things of the world are more valuable to you than God is.

If you know someone for whom this kind of thing would be useful, you can check out a website and some videos at amireallyachristian.com.

Superhero Movies & the Need for Heroes WORTH Following

When I was a kid we inherited a box full of comic books from my sister’s first husband.  Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Thor, the original X-men (if I’d kept THAT one until today I’d have a bit more $$ in the bank).  Often was the night when I lay in bed gazing at the faded colors of those comics, and dreaming about being a hero myself.

As I’ve grown up (I know, that’s debatable to some), I’ve seen a great value in wanting to be a hero.  It gives a youngster a sense that their life is not only about them, but about being something for someone else.  But I’ve also come to see that the heroes of those comic book days were a bit misleading.  You don’t have to be endowed with amazing powers by some fluke of circumstance in order to be a hero.  You have to do two important things… 1) Receive the sacrifice of the ultimate hero (Jesus), on your behalf.  2) Allow Him to make something of your life.  You can find out more about that HERE.

That’s it.  When those things happen, you’ll begin to see Him do some pretty heroic things in your life.  Country singer, songwriter Paul Overstreet says it this way…

Heroes come in every shape and size
makin’ special sacrifices for others in their lives
No one gives ‘em medals, the world don’t know their names
but in someone’s eyes, their heroes just the same.

What put me on this track today was reading a great article by Thabiti Anyabwele, a brother who serves as Pastor of 1st Baptist Church, Grand Cayman.  His approach was an examination of the recent superhero movies.  It’s worth the read…  READ IT HERE!

10 things that happen at salvation! (from the Resurgence)

This is a partial post, taken from the full post “New Birth and Worship” – at www.theresurgence.org

What happens to a regenerated person?

Accompanying the new birth are ten soul-transforming, life-changing, and eternity-altering occurrences (For further reading, see Question 4 of Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions).

  1. A regenerated person has the Trinitarian Creator God of the Bible as their new Lord, thereby displacing all other false and functional lords who had previously ruled over them (1 John 5:18).
  2. A regenerated person is a new creation so that they are transformed at the deepest levels of their existence to begin living a new life. People being renamed at their conversion, so that Saul becomes Paul and Cephas becomes Peter, illustrates that we are new people in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Gal. 6:15).
  3. A regenerated person has a new identity from which to live their new life because their old identity no longer defines them (Ephesians 4:22–24).
  4. A regenerated person has a new mind that enables them to enjoy Scripture and thus to begin to think God’s truthful thoughts after him (Romans 7:22; 1 Corinthians 2:14–16; 1 Peter 2:2).
  5. A regenerated person has new emotions so that they love God, fellow Christians, strangers, and even their enemies (1 John 4:7).
  6. A regenerated person has new desires for holiness and no longer is their deepest appetite for sin and folly (Psalm 37:4; Romans 7:4-6; Galatians 5:16–17).
  7. A regenerated person enjoys a new community and fellowship with other Christians as members of the church (1 John 1:3).
  8. A regenerated person lives by a new power to follow God by the Holy Spirit’s enabling (Romans 8:4–13).
  9. A regenerated person enjoys a new freedom to no longer tolerate, manage, excuse, or accept their sin but rather put it to death and live free from habitually besetting sin (Rom. 6:6; 7:6).
  10. The culmination of the effects of regeneration is a new life of worship that is markedly different from how life would otherwise be (Galatians 5:19–23).

Is Jesus REALLY the Only Way? – Sermon Audio

If you would like to listen to sermon audio for the sermon “Is Jesus REALLY the Only Way?” then you can find it by hovering your mouse HERE