10 Ways to Show Christian Love to Guests on Easter Sunday

"It will likely be one of the highest attended days of the year for your church...There will be some people you don’t know. Some of them are guests. Others are members who attend infrequently.

You have an opportunity to make a loving Christian impression on these people with a few simple acts. Indeed, you have an opportunity to make an eternal difference.

Here are ten servant actions for you to consider.

1) Pray as you enter the property. Pray for the guests. Pray for the services. Pray for the pastor and the sermon.

2) Park at the most distant spot available. Save the closer parking places for guests.

3) Greet people. They may be guests. They may be members. It’s okay to introduce yourself to either.

4) Look for people to help. You know the place well. Many others will not. Be a guide. Help someone who looks like he or she needs help.

5) Sit as close as possible to the front of the worship center. Save the back rows for guests and late entrants, so they don’t have to walk past so many people.

6) Sit in the middle. Don’t claim that aisle seat where people have to walk over you or past you.

Lead Me to Calvary- Good Friday Meditation

Tonight we will remember the perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Upon the cross of Calvary Jesus bore the righteous wrath of God.  He provided a substitutionary sacrifice (see Isaiah 53; 2 Cor. 5:20-21; Genesis 22).

Lake Country Bible Church's 6:30 pm Good Friday, Communion service flows out of the heartbeat of this wonderful song:

King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.

Refrain:
Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

"Everything is Racist...or is it?"

Evangelicals who seem to speak most about race today are often the most racially charged people involved in any conflict.  I have personally witnessed places where no racial tension existed become divided over accusations of white privilege, demands of generational confessions, etc.  The follow story by Rhett Burns highlights yet another example of the current mission drift of the Church. 

"A few weeks ago, I reviewed Andrew Peterson’s beautiful new EP, Resurrection Letters: Prologue. His new full-length album will release on Good Friday, and in advance of that, The Gospel Coalition premiered the video for Peterson’s Revelation 5-inspired song, “Is He Worthy?” Soon thereafter, Peterson found himself treading the stormy waters of woke Christianity. His crime? He ran afoul the Diversity Codes by featuring an all-white cast. In a plot twist that will shock no one, people on Twitter got mad, pointing out the irony of a bunch of white people singing about every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Peterson followed up with a heartfelt apology, and the controversy abated. What are we to make of this episode? Is the video just more evidence of the latent racism of white evangelicalism? Is Peterson’s apology an example of the much-lauded racial reconciliation everyone has been talking about? Did we make progress? I don’t think so.

Andrew Peterson is a good guy, and no one is charging him with outright racism. Even his critics acknowledge his good intentions with the video. I want to acknowledge the same good intentions with his apology. He believes he hurt people—people he cares about—and he genuinely feels bad about it. Fair enough, but he should have refrained from apologizing. Apologies of this sort are weapons, forged to silence dissenters from the new orthodoxy. How can you spot a weaponized apology? First, there is mob outrage. Thankfully, in our dystopian times the mob has moved from the streets to social media, allowing the self-disciplined among us to tune it out, turn it off, and enjoy the fresh air. Second, the mob makes demands. Demands for apologies, demands to make amends, demands for silence. Demands for restitution.  But, third, no actual sin is ever charged. Feelings were hurt and triggered, the tone was bad, or one’s experiences were not adequately taken into due consideration. But a sin, as defined by the Bible, isn’t within three zip codes of the alleged offense. Fourth, a new orthodoxy is established. In this case, all Christian artists have been put on notice: comply with the Diversity Codes or else. Fifth, all dissenters are silenced. The apologizer is often enlisted in this effort as evidenced by the part of Peterson’s apology that calls for his would-be defenders to just be quiet. This essay is my willful disobedience to the decree to remain silent.

Assistant Pastor Candidate Weekend

Saturday, April 7:

8:00 - 9:00 AM: Deacons meet with Assistant Pastor candidate and wife (conference room).

9:00 - 11:00 AM: Elders meet with Assistant Pastor candidate.

9:00 - 11:00 AM: Candidate's spouse will join the Excellent Wife study with LCBC ladies/Andrea/Jody.

11:00-12:30 PM: Assistant Pastor candidate and wife meet with LCBC staff and their spouses.

3:00 - 4:30 PM: LCBC attenders are invited to interact with Assistant Pastor candidate and his wife (room 101)- Informal open house/meet and greet fellowship

The Word-less “Church”

The Wordless Church

Many American churches are in a mess. Theologically they are indifferent, confused, or dangerously wrong. Liturgically they are the captives of superficial fads. Morally they live lives indistinguishable from the world. They often have a lot of people, money, and activities. But are they really churches, or have they degenerated into peculiar clubs?

What has gone wrong? At the heart of the mess is a simple phenomenon: the churches seem to have lost a love for and confidence in the Word of God. They still carry Bibles and declare the authority of the Scriptures. They still have sermons based on Bible verses and still have Bible study classes. But not much of the Bible is actually read in their services. Their sermons and studies usually do not examine the Bible to see what it thinks is important for the people of God. Increasingly they treat the Bible as tidbits of poetic inspiration, of pop psychology, and of self-help advice. Congregations where the Bible is ignored or abused are in the gravest peril. Churches that depart from the Word will soon find that God has departed from them.

What solution does the Bible teach for this sad situation? The short but profound answer is given by Paul in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” We need the Word to dwell in us richly so that we will know the truths that God thinks are most important and so that we will know His purposes and priorities. We need to be concerned less about “felt-needs” and more about the real needs of lost sinners as taught in the Bible.

Paul not only calls us here to have the Word dwell in us richly, but shows us what that rich experience of the Word looks like. He shows us that in three points. (Paul was a preacher, after all.)

First, he calls us to be educated by the Word, which will lead us on to ever-richer wisdom by “teaching and admonishing one another.”

The Second Coming of Christ our King! (Revelation 19:11-16)

Expository Series of Revelation at LCBC

The Return of the King (Rev. 19:11-16) (pt 2)

When will this take place? 

Where will these events initially take place? 

Who are the major players of this climatic final battle? 

Why is King Jesus coming again? 

Ask a friend/classmate/co-worker/neighbor this week if they can answer these 4 questions. 

Try and help someone understand the practical and spiritual significance of this sure promise (see also 1 Thess. 5:1-3; Rev. 16:15; Psalm 73:18-19; Acts 17:31). 

Your Testimony Is Not the Gospel

So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:24–25).

This statement, “Give God the glory!” seems positive until we read the remainder of the sentence, in which the Pharisees revealed that they had concluded that Jesus was a sinner and therefore could not have performed the miracle. They were saying that the man should give glory to God, not to Jesus. The man was straightforward with them, saying: “I don’t know whether He’s a sinner. I don’t even know Him. All I know is this: once I was blind and now I see.”

With these simple words, the man bore witness to Christ. He testified about the redemptive work of Christ. However, he did not preach the gospel. What am I getting at? In the evangelical Christian community, we sometimes employ language that is not always sound or biblical. You’ve heard the lingo. It goes something like this: “I plan to become an evangelist so I can bear witness to Christ.” Or sometimes we say, “I had a chance to witness the other day,” meaning, “I shared the gospel with someone.” We tend to use the terms evangelism and witnessing interchangeably, but they are not synonymous. Any time I call attention to the person and work of Christ, I am bearing witness to Christ. But that is not the same thing as preaching the gospel.

More than thirty years ago, I learned the evangelism technique taught by Evangelism Explosion, and I trained more than 250 people in that program and led them through evangelism efforts in Ohio. One of the finest aspects of that program is that everyone who goes through it must write out and memorize his or her testimony. Your testimony is your story of how you became a Christian. I think it’s very important that Christians are able to articulate to other people how and why they became believers. We all should have a prepared testimony, and we should be willing to share it at the drop of a hat.

Read the Bible First and Beware of Bad Blogs

This wonderful J.C. Ryle quote needs one tweak for the modern age.  "Whatever you read, read the Bible first.  Beware of bad books and bad blog posts: there are plenty in this day.  TAKE HEED what you read."

The Gospel Coalition often posts articles that leave me wondering if it is trying to be known as the MSNBC of evangelical blogging.  From integrating left leaning social justice thought into the mandate of the Church, to very selective and inconsistent demonizing, to the promotion of evangelical feminism, to unwise teaching concerning SSA.

In this age where no one has time for the Bible but everyone has time for social media we would do well to consider the wisdom of Ryle.  Whatever you read, read the Bible first.  Beware of bad books and bad blog posts; there are plenty in this day.  TAKE HEED what you read.

Ephesians 4:11-16, And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

10 Things We Should Know About Charles Spurgeon (the Prince of Preachers)

My Favorite Spurgeon Bio

"1. His ministry began in the year of his conversion as a young man.

Spurgeon was raised in a Christian home, but was converted in 1850 at fifteen years old. Caught in a snowstorm, he took refuge in a small Primitive Methodist chapel in Colchester. After about ten minutes, with only twelve to fifteen people present, the preacher fixed his eyes on Spurgeon and spoke to him directly:

“Young man, you look very miserable.” Then, lifting up his hands, he shouted, “Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin’ to do but to look and live.” Spurgeon later wrote, ‘Oh! I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away.’ 1

The ‘Prince of Preachers’ was tricked into preaching his first sermon that same year. An older man had asked Spurgeon to go to the little village of Teversham the next evening, “for a young man was to preach there who was not much used to services, and very likely would be glad of company.” It was only the next day that he realized the ‘young man’ was himself.2

2. He was a man of hard work and huge influence. (Col. 1:29; 1 Cor. 15:10)

He went on to preach in person up to thirteen times per week, gathered the largest church of his day, and could make himself heard in a crowd of twenty-three thousand people (without amplification). In print he published some eighteen million words, selling over fifty-six million copies of his sermons in nearly forty languages in his own lifetime.

3. He was self-consciously a theological and doctrinal preacher.

While Spurgeon is not known as a theologian as such, he was nevertheless a deeply theological thinker and his sermons were rich in doctrine, and dripping with knowledge of historical theology – especially the Puritans.  Some preachers seem to be afraid lest their sermons should be too rich in doctrine, and so injure the spiritual digestions of their hearers. The fear is superfluous. . . . This is not a theological age, and therefore it rails at sound doctrinal teaching, on the principle that ignorance despises wisdom. The glorious giants of the Puritan age fed on something better than the whipped creams and pastries which are now so much in vogue.3

4. He was pre-eminently a theologian and preacher of the cross.

Spurgeon’s was a cross-centered and cross-shaped theology, for the cross was “the hour” of Christ’s glorification (John 12:23–24), the place where Christ was and is exalted, the only message able to overturn the hearts of men and women otherwise enslaved to sin. Along with Isaiah 45:22, one of Spurgeon’s favorite Bible verses was John 12:32: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  For this reason He insisted on celebrating the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. He believed his preaching of the crucified Christ was the only reason why such great crowds were drawn to his church for so many years.

Who can resist his charms? One look of his eyes overpowers us. See with your heart those eyes when they are full of tears for perishing sinners, and you are a willing subject. One look at his blessed person subjected to scourging and spitting for our sakes will give us more idea of his crown rights than anything besides. Look into his pierced heart as it pours out its life-flood for us, and all disputes about his sovereignty are ended in our hearts. We own him Lord because we see how he loved.4  Regeneration, he saw, is a work of pure grace—and those the Lord regenerates, he will indwell.

5. He aimed his ministry and preaching at new birth (as did George Whitefield).

Hail the Conquering Hero! Revelation 19:11-16

 Revelation 19:11-16

Hail the Conquering Hero!

 (pt. 1)

INTRO- Popular portraits of Christ: (click here to listen to to Sunday's exposition)

A) The tame and mild babe of Bethlehem.   A very safe Jesus. 

B) The humanitarian "peace to all" Christ.  An all-inclusive Jesus.

Overarching questions to ponder: Is the Person I worship, live for, and tell people about the COMPLETE JESUS?  

“Are we presenting a user-friendly Christ and a truncated gospel-in hopes of saving face with a lost and hostile world?”  If we're being honest, many portraits of Jesus do not mesh with the (biblical) Christ of Revelation 5 or Revelation 19:11-21.  

The entire Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16-4:5) are given to us for a reason (including passages like Rev. 19-20).  The Holy Spirit wastes no ink in the Holy Scriptures.  Do we really believe what we say we believe about the Bible?  Does our preaching, worship, and evangelism give evidence of this?

The future earthly reign of the Messiah was prophesied in the O.T.; anticipated in the Gospels and Acts, and finally comes to fruition in John’s inspired Revelation of greater things yet to come!

This new inspired vision of future things presents three interconnected scenes:

Protecting Your Church from Sexual Predators

Protecting Your Church from Sexual Predators.  Article by Jim Newheiser

We are blessed to have a very vigilant "security team" and a very intentional security process in place at Lake Country Bible Church.  I very much appreciate Mike Umland's intentional leadership in this area of ministry. One can never be too careful when addressing sexual abuse issues with precious children.  Having said that, we walk by faith and not by fear so biblical balance is needed in parenting and when implementing safety checks in the life of the church.

I. Lessons learned from unthinkable Sexual abuse. 2 Sam. 13:1-22

A. Sexual predators are incredibly deceitful. 2 Sam. 13:1-6 Jude 1:4

1. Sexual predators are self-deceived – they call it “love”. 2 Sam. 13:1,15 1 Co. 13:4-7

2. Sexual offenders abuse trust. 2 Sam. 13:1-6 Jude 1:4

3. Predators invest significant time and effort into manipulating others. 2 Sa. 13:3-5

4. Those in spiritual authority who become sexually involved with people under their care
are guilty of abusing their power, even if a crime has not been committed. Ezek. 34:4ff

B. Potential victims need to be taught to cry out. 2 Sam. 13:7-14 Deut. 22:23-24

1. Because sexual predators are masters of manipulation, boys and girls need to be
prepared to know exactly what to do if someone tries to take advantage of them.

2. Tamar, to her credit, did not hide what had happened to her. 13:19

C. We need to protect and help victims. 2 Sam. 13:15-22

1. One of the saddest parts of Tamar’s tragic story is the failure of others to protect her
both before and after she was raped. 13:7,19-21 Prov. 31:8-9 Ps. 82

2. If you suspect that abuse has taken place, ask. 2 Sam. 13:20a

How to Handle the Hard Passages of the Bible (pt. 3)

Dr. Chou is helping us understand why dealing with difficult areas of scripture matters. Today I want to take the time to look at some specific hard passages to show not only how to think through difficult questions but also why the answers to these questions are beautiful. We could look at a plethora of different issues, but we only have space for three. Picking up where we left off yesterday.

The Conquest of Canaan

Moving from the law, we encounter the Conquest. Often people will ask, “How could a loving God demand the mass slaughter of men, women and children and the seizure of land?”

Is this really historical?

This is an issue that not only bothers unbelievers but also believers. Some people argue that this really never happened and so God really never ordained such killing. Before answering the question above, we need to make sure we understand what the Bible teaches.

The writers of Scripture consistently view that what happened in the Bible is historical and the basis for theology. Jesus’s historical resurrection is the basis for a theology of hope (1 Cor 15:13-14). His death on the cross is a proof of God’s love (Rom 5:8). The Flood is a demonstration of God’s judgment (2 Pet 3:6). In all these examples, the reality of history anchors the truthfulness of theology. Thus, one would expect that the book of Joshua, written in the same type of language as all these other events, would also be real history that grounds theology. This is how other biblical writers read that passage (1 Kgs 16:34; Heb 11:30-31).

In fact, counter to what some people claim, archaeological evidence exists that supports the biblical account. At the site of Jericho, people have observed a pot amidst a layer of destruction. Archaeologists discovered that this burned pot was filled with grain. This implies that Jericho was destroyed at a point of time, without much of a siege, and soon after the harvest (for the pot was full of grain). That is exactly what the Scripture says (Josh 5:11). So archaeology doesn’t contradict the scriptural record. The biblical account records real events that have left traces to this day.

Aren’t conquests acts of hatred?

Hail the Conquering Hero! Revelation 19:11-16

Hail the Conquering Hero! Revelation 19:11-16 (part 1) will the title/text of the morning message at Lake Country Bible Church.

This neglected portion of Scripture has left me wondering, "Are we (American Christians) presenting a user-friendly Christ and a truncated gospel in hopes of saving face with a lost and hostile world?" If not, then why do we act as if we're embarrassed over what Revelation 19:11-21 communicates? When is the last time you heard this passage read, let alone taught, during a congregational service?  Again, why is this (note 2 Timothy 3:16)? Food for thought. 

As always this weeks songs are listed below as you prepare your heart for corporate worship. We are singing one new song with lyrics/images from Revelation. Hail the Day!

Be Thou My Vision-

Holy is the Lord-

His Robes For Mine-

Eternal Praise-

How to Handle the Hard Passages of the Bible (pt. 2)

In Handling the Hard Passages, Part 1, Dr. Chou helped us look at why dealing with difficult areas of scripture matters. If you didn’t get a chance to read that post yet, it would be beneficial for you to check it out as a foundation to understanding today’s topic. This week I want to take the time to look at some specific hard passages to show not only how to think through difficult questions but also why the answers to these questions are beautiful. We could look at a plethora of different issues, but we only have space for three. We’ll take a look at them in Biblical order.

Creation in Genesis 1

One question is how should we understand the creation account in Genesis 1, especially in light of modern scientific discovers.

Creation isn’t an issue we should just tolerate or be embarrassed by. For us as Christians, scriptural truth hangs upon this doctrine.

Before discussing this issue, we need to make sure we know what the Bible says. I believe in 6 (24 hour) day creation, but how did I come to that conclusion? The world might think this view is crazy but we need to show we have not crazily handled God’s word.

Was it a miscommunication, myth, or myth-busting?

We can begin to think through this issue using the C. S. Lewis’s logic of “liar, lunatic, or lord.” Either what Jesus said is not real, He didn’t mean what he said, or He spoke the truth. In the same way, either Genesis is not historical (myth), there were ambiguities that allow for evolution (miscommunication), or it is history that bust myth (myth-busting).

In evaluating these views, we can first ask whether Genesis 1 is a myth. Scholars point out similarities between the Bible and other myths. For instance, both the Bible and those myths mention a firmament. But the myths talk about how a god slices a goddess in half and puts half of her body in the sky and the other half below. With that, the similarities are not that similar. The Israelites would see how different Genesis 1 is from any myth.

The next option is miscommunication. People argue that Genesis is not entirely clear on what a “day” means in the text. However, Genesis 1:5 says,“And there was evening and there was morning, one day.” The term “one” is important. As opposed to “first,” which shows order, “one” tells you what counts as a day: evening and morning (not millions of years). The Bible defines itself. Similarly, people use what’s called the gap theory which says there’s this big gap in the first verses of Genesis 1. But, if you go through all the instances of parallel grammatical constructions in Hebrew, you’ll find out that there are no gaps in any of them. So Genesis doesn’t have the ambiguities people suggest. It is clear.

The Marriage of the Lamb

Revelation 19:1-10 

The Marriage of the Lamb! 

(pt. 4)

INTRO-   “Marriage, that blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream...”

“From heaven He (Christ) came and sought her (the Church)/ to be His Holy Bride and with his own blood He bought her/and for her life He died!” Eph. 5:25-33

In order to better understand and celebrate “the Marriage of the Lamb” we will use 4 Marriage Headings (click to listen to sermon):

1) The timing of this marriage celebration; (think "save the date").

2) The location of this marriage celebration; (think "venue").

3)  The  bridal party of this marriage celebration.

4)  The blessings and benefits of this marriage celebration.

For Further Reflection/Application:

In your own words, what features contribute to the “perfect marriage?

Why do you think the Godhead chose the metaphor of marriage to describe the spiritual relationship between Christ and the Church? (see Eph. 5:22-33; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2; John 3:29)

In layman’s terms, briefly explain what “the Marriage Supper of the Lamb” is?

Why is this such a big deal (see Rev. 19:6-10)?

Where are we at in big picture of redemptive/history? (see chart)

What are some of the reasons why Christ delays His return to earth (see 2 Peter 3)?

Handling the Hard Passages of the Bible (pt. 1)

When it comes to interpreting the Bible accurately there is no one that I trust more than Dr. Abner Chou.  Abner Chou is first and foremost a devoted follower of Christ and a committed churchman.  He is also a first-rate scholar who has been uniquely gifted by God.  When it comes to the Biblical languages (Hebrew/Greek), hermeneutics, and exegesis Dr. Chou is the man.

Abner's latest book, The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers: Learning to Interpret Scripture from the Prophets and Apostles, is a must read.  Pastor John MacArthur told me a while ago that I needed to purchase another book Dr. Chou edited, because "Abner's chapter alone is worth the price of the book."  That resource is titled, What Happened in the Garden?: The Reality and Ramifications of the Creation and Fall of Man.

Dr. Chou has agreed to serve as my academic adviser for my forthcoming doctoral dissertation on "Proclaiming John's Gospel For All It's Worth."  But today at PTL I want to post an article Chou wrote on "handling the hard passages of Scripture."  This is part one of two.  Tolle Lege

We all get embarrassed sometimes. Whether it be by a messy house, a family member, or a quirky habit. To try and diffuse our embarrassment, we do things like stuffing our messes in a closet when company is on the way, or cropping the offending family member out of our profile pictures. We want to hide these embarrassing things because we believe they would make us seem to be less than we are.

We can have the same mentality about handling the hard passages or doctrines in Scripture. People like to argue about six-day creation, election, or certain laws in the Old Testament. They say they are contradictory or morally objectionable. How could God do that?

Unfortunately, we treat these hard passages just like the things that embarrass us. We often want to diffuse the situation and do some so-called “damage control.” Just like with a quirky habit or a messy house, the reason we do this is because we believe those questions are beneath us.

However, that should not be. All of God’s Word is profitable and it is authoritative truth. It stands above us and convicts us, not the other way around (Heb 4:13). We need a better way to think through these “difficult” issues.

Before thinking through various examples, we need to think through some fundamental issues about these texts. That will give us some important perspective in handling these texts well.

HARD PASSAGES ARE GOOD

First, we need to have the right goal in dealing with these “hard” passages. We do not want to merely show that a doctrine is not that bad. We can’t have an attitude like, “eat your vegetables because they’re healthy for you even though they’re disgusting.” We don’t want to say, “Well, this doctrine is good for you even though I think it’s terrible.” We want to say with all confidence, “this is a good doctrine.” We want to demonstrate that, like all of Scripture, these “hard” passages are beautiful and necessary. We have nothing to be ashamed about in the Scripture.

What is "Biblical Counseling?" What is it not? (pt. 2)

By the grace of God, Lake Country Bible Church has well trained, ACBC certified biblical counselors and we are in the process of raising up more. These believers seek to use their spiritual gifts to help those in need for the edification of the church and the glory of Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:14; Col. 1:28; Eph. 4:11-16; Jude 22-23). Our leadership team is also committed to being "shepherd-leaders" and not just decision makers (1 Peter 5:1-4; 1 Thess. 2:8).

What exactly is true Biblical Counseling? What is it not? 

III. Counseling Practice

In light of these realities, ACBC endorses the following standards of belief and practice for its certified counselors and counseling centers that would care for people diagnosed with the complicated problems identified as mental disorders.

1. Biblical Counselors must acknowledge that human beings struggle with physical and spiritual problems.

2. Biblical counselors shall encourage the use of physical examinations and testing by physicians for diagnosis of medical problems, the treatment of these problems, and the relief of symptoms, which might cause, contribute to, or complicate counseling issues.

3. Biblical counselors shall help their counselees respond biblically to physical problems, but deny that spiritual interventions are the only proper response to problems with a medical element. They reject any teaching, which excludes the importance of the body and the goodness of God, which leads to the blessing of medical care.

4. Biblical counselors reject the notion that medical interventions solve spiritual problems. They embrace the use of medicine for cure and symptom relief, but deny that medical care is sufficient for spiritual problems, which require Christ and his gospel for ultimate relief and lasting change.

What is "Biblical Counseling?" What is it not? (pt. 1)

By the grace of God, Lake Country Bible Church has well trained, ACBC certified biblical counselors and we are in the process of raising up more.  These believers seek to use their spiritual gifts to help those in need for the edification of the church and the glory of Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:14; Col. 1:28; Eph. 4:11-16; Jude 22-23).  Our leadership team is also committed to being "shepherd-leaders" and not just decision makers (1 Peter 5:1-4; 1 Thess. 2:8).

What exactly is true Biblical Counseling? What is it not?  

I. Mental Disorders and Biblical Counseling

We live in a broken world full of people suffering with profound trouble and intense pain. One manifestation of that brokenness is the problem that our culture recognizes as mental disorder. Increasing numbers of people are diagnosed with these complex difficulties, which require wisdom and multi-faceted care. We confess that, too often, the church of Jesus Christ has not been recognized as a source for profound hope and meaningful help for such difficult problems. We further acknowledge that many Christians have contributed to a negative stigma attached to such diagnoses through simplistic understandings of these problems, and have offered solutions grounded in ignorance.

As an organization committed to pursuing excellence in biblical counseling the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors has, for decades, been calling upon faithful Christians to grow in the twin tasks of understanding complex problems and learning skills to address them in the context of counseling. As an organization committed to the sufficiency of Scripture for counseling we believe that the Bible provides profound wisdom to guide us in caring for people diagnosed with mental disorders.

One example of this wisdom is the biblical teaching on dichotomy. The Bible is clear that God created human beings to consist of both a body and soul. To be a human being is to exist in these two constituent parts, which are separable only at death. Even after death, Christians confess that the bodies and souls of human beings will be restored at the Last Day. This biblical truth points to the high honor and regard that God gives to both the physical and spiritual realities of humanity.[1]

A theological reality like this one requires Christians to honor both body and soul as crucial to human existence. Christians, therefore, should respect medical interventions as a fully legitimate form of care for those struggling in this fallen world. Examinations by medical professionals are crucial adjuncts to a biblical counseling ministry as they discover and treat, or rule out physical problems, which lead many to seek counseling help.

Another example of this biblical wisdom is the teaching in Scripture on the dynamic nature of problems that we experience in a fallen world. Human beings have difficulties, which always carry physical and spiritual implications. Both aspects need to be addressed in an appropriate fashion. Human beings experience problems with spiritual implications for which they are morally culpable and must repent. Human beings experience other physical and spiritual problems, which are not a consequence of their sins, are not their fault, but which are painful realities that attend life in a fallen world.[2]

This theological reality requires Christians to approach problems in a complex way, rather than a simplistic one. Christians understand that some spiritual realities will require a rebuke, but others will require encouragement in the midst of pain. Still others will require help in the midst of weakness.

II. Mental Disorders in Contemporary Culture

MacArthur on "Christ and Culture"

Do We Truly Love and Long For Christ's Appearing?

One might assume that a faithful pastor who preaches to thousands of people on Sunday mornings would never feel discouraged by "low attendance."  Yet in this clip you find the source of John MacArthur's spiritual sadness over his flock's lack of passion concerning the very best part of the gospel story (the end). 

This admonishment caused me to consider my own religious affections concerning eternity future.

The heart of a Christ-centered, heaven-focused shepherd comes through in this sermon clip.

"I was thinking to myself today, I'm sure our attendance will be low tonight for our evening service, but it's so difficult for me to understand how anybody could be indifferent to the greatest event in all of redemptive history. The very reason why God chose you before the world began in the first place was to bring this event to pass. What kind of a spiritual commentary is it on us that we're indifferent to this? It's highly unlikely that if we were living in dire circumstances, if we were living in oppression, if we were living under some kind of tyranny, if we were grasping for every morsel of food and every hope for another breath that we wouldn't be ecstatic to hear of this kind of joy in the future, really. We have become satiated, glutted and satisfied with the world's fare and those things which are far beyond that, believe it or not, have little interest to us. That's sad. Can we say with the Apostle Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I've kept the faith. In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me but also to all those who have...what?...loved His appearing."

8 Advantages of Heart-Changing, Expository Preaching

A friend recently posted this helpful list that highlights 8 Advantages of Heart-Changing, Expository Preaching:

1.        Expository preaching does justice to the biblical material which makes it clear that God works through his word to change people’s lives.

2.       Expository preaching acknowledges that it is God alone, through the Spirit, who works in people’s lives. It is not our job to change people.

3.       Expository preaching minimizes the danger of manipulating people. The biblical text controls what we say and how we say it.

4.       Expository preaching minimizes the danger of abusive power. A sermon driven by the text creates an instant safeguard against using the Bible to bludgeon or caress.

The Wedding of the Ages (Revelation 19:7-10)

 Revelation 19:1-10

The Wedding of the Ages!

 (pt. 3)

INTRO- Recall the “Wedding of the Century” between the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana.

4Reasons Why Every Believer

Should Add Their Voice to Heaven’s “Hallelujah” Chorus!

1) Because His judgment of the wicked is both deserved and fair

(Revelation 19:1-2)

2)  Because His judgments are permanent and unalterable

(Revelation 19:3-4)

3) Because the All-Powerful King Shall Soon Return (to Reign and to Rule)

       (Revelation 19:5-6)

4) Because Christ's Precious Church Will Soon Participate in the "Wedding of the Ages" 

      (Revelation 19:7-9)

For Further Reflection/Application: 

In what ways will the future “Marriage of the Lamb” far surpass the so called  “Wedding of the Century” between Prince Harry and Lady Diana? (Some will recall that Harry and Diana tragically divorced in 1996). Think back on our exposition of Hosea 3 (Hosea/Gomer).

A Reformation of the Pulpit: The Greatest Need in America Today

"If a Reformation is to come to the (American) Church, it must be preceded by a reformation of the pulpit."

To which John Piper adds, "George Whitefield believed in preaching and gave his life to it. By this preaching God did a mighty work of salvation on both sides of the Atlantic. His biographer, Arnold Dallimore, chronicled the astonishing effect that Whitefield’s preaching had in Britain and America in the eighteenth century. It came like rain on the parched land and made the desert spring forth with the flowers of righteousness. Dallimore lifted his eyes from the transformed wasteland of Whitefield’s time and expressed his longing that God would do this again. He cries out for a new generation of preachers like Whitefield. His words help me express what I long for in the coming generations of preachers in America and around the world. He said,

Yea . . . that we shall see the great Head of the Church once more . . . raise up unto Himself certain young men whom He may use in this glorious employ. And what manner of men will they be? Men mighty in the Scriptures, their lives dominated by a sense of the greatness, the majesty and holiness of God, and their minds and hearts aglow with the great truths of the doctrines of grace. They will be men who have learned what it is to die to self, to human aims and personal ambitions; men who are willing to be ‘fools for Christ’s sake’, who will bear reproach and falsehood, who will labor and suffer, and whose supreme desire will be, not to gain earth’s accolades, but to win the Master’s approbation when they appear before His awesome judgment seat. They will be men who will preach with broken hearts and tear-filled eyes, and upon whose ministries God will grant an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit, and who will witness ‘signs and wonders following’ in the transformation of multitudes of human lives. (George Whitefield, Vol. 1, 16)  Mighty in the Scriptures, aglow with the great truths of the doctrines of grace, dead to self, willing to labor and suffer, indifferent to the accolades of man, broken for sin, and dominated by a sense of the greatness, the majesty, and holiness of God. 

Dallimore, like Whitefield, believed that preaching is the heralding of God’s word from that kind of religious affection. Preaching is not conversation. Preaching is not discussion. Preaching is not casual talk about religious things. Preaching is not simply teaching. Preaching is the heralding of a message permeated by the sense of God’s greatness and majesty and holiness. The topic may be anything under the sun, but it is always brought into the blazing light of God’s greatness and majesty in his word. That was the way Whitefield preached.

Biblical Worship Helps Us Keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing

It's the Lord's Day.  We need to be in the Lord's House with the Lord's People listening to the Lord's Book.  Why?  In part, because God-centered worship helps us to keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing.  Spirit-filled saints also encourage us to prioritize what truly matters and to live in light of eternity.  The best is yet to come.

"None of us want to come to the end of our lives having made the secondary things primary."

The Importance of Re-Learning the Same Truths Over and Over Again

The longer you are in Christ and the more you take advantage of the means of grace the more you will grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This also means that if you attend a church where the Word of God is preached without compromise and if your pastors are teaching "the whole counsel of God" that you will likely hear many messages where you already know the major points of the passage/sermon/study.  From God's amazing grace, to man's radical depravity, to the perfect atonement of the Savior's cross.

The following quote reminds us that this is part of the biblically ordained process.  "We need to learn and re-learn the same truths again and again, taking them in through a variety of means until they become the very fabric of our thinking and the lens through which we view the world."  This is what it means to have "the mind of Christ" and to develop a robustly biblical Christian worldview.

In 2 Peter 1:13 the apostle Peter writes, I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body... Or as one translation puts it, I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder.

Pride says, "I already know this.  I don't need to go to adult bible study or come to Church this morning to listen to the following exposition of Scripture."  Humility says, "We need to learn and re-learn the same truths again and again, taking them in through the variety of means until they become the very fabric of our thinking and the lens through which we view the world."  May God grant us grace to apply this wisdom principle to our lives.

Holiness and the Pursuit of Godliness: resource recommendations

The following resources are biblically sound helps as we seek to wage war against indwelling sin and pursue holiness.

1) J. C. Ryle-  Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots 

2) Jerry Wragg-  Free to Be Holy

3) Kris Lundgaard- The Enemy Within: Straight Talk About the Power and Defeat of Sin.

4) John Owen- The Mortification of Sin.

5) Joshua Harris- Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is): Sexual Purity in a Lust-Saturated World

Colossians 3:5-11, Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Hebrews 12:14, Pursue peace and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

The Marriage of the Ages: Revelation 19:6-10 & All Things India

"The Marriage of the Ages" in Revelation 19:6-10 moves heaven (both angels and the redeemed) to the heights of wonder, love, and praise. This Sunday we will continue to study this blessed prophesy and consider how the future "marriage supper of the Lamb" impacts our lives here below.

During the 9 am SS/equipping hour the adults and teens will watch a most excellent video on what God is doing in India.  Please join us in the sanctuary to watch a Dispatches From the Front video on INDIA: Souls of the Brave where, "beyond its storied past, brilliant colors, and puzzling diversity, are the sorrows of caste and the shadows of prison walls where millions live in chains to gods of their own making. Join us as we go inside India’s Temple of Doom, and take a boat on the Ganges to the holiest city of Hinduism, where pilgrims in vain wash away their sins in its muddy waters. Travel to a secret baptismal service and gather with believers by lamplight as they rejoice over Jesus and the fellowship of His sufferings. Come hear this global missions story of extraordinary love and extraordinary sacrifice as believers take up their cross, follow Christ, and never look back."

After the worship service we will enjoy an all-church luncheon and will hear first hand accounts from those who went on short-term mission trips to S. India.  Over the years LCBC has enjoyed a growing partnership with many faithful servants of Christ who live and serve in India.  You will not want to miss these moving testimonies of God's amazing grace.

By His grace it should be a most edifying Lord's Day at Lake Country Bible Church.

The 4-Fold Heavenly Hallelujahs! Revelation 19:1-10

The tendency to treat God like a ball of clay “who can be reshaped according to human tastes is nothing new;” (though it’s quite problematic).  I'm afraid many crowd-pleasing, evangelical preachers today have become plastic surgeons giving God a modern "face-lift."

Contemporary example 1- Westboro Baptist.  A god of holy wrath and justice but one who lacks perfect love and mercy.

Contemporary example 2- Liberal “Christianity.”  A god of love, patience, and grace but one who is not perfectly righteous and just.

Why do so many preachers/churches today skip passages like Revelation 6-19 and/or avoid teaching on the righteous wrath, perfect justice, and blazing holiness of Almighty God? 

What does God think of this 21^st century “sculpting?” (James 3:1; Exodus 32).

What’s the relationship between silence and “denial?”

What can we do to ensure that God (in all of His glory) is not subtly “reshaped” during our congregational gatherings? (think preaching, Scripture reading, singing, etc).

Our expository outline of Revelation 19:1-10 flows out of  Hebrews 12:28-29,

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved,

let us show gratitude and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe

for our God is a consuming fire!