Christian Fellowship in the Local Church is NOT Optional

One of the foundational truths of the church is the understanding that the church isn’t the campus, brick and mortar, stained glass and steeple. The church is the body of people who meet together on a specific campus/location, united together through Jesus Christ, and meet together for the right worship of the true God.  God gives spiritual gifts to each believer to use within the context of the local church (1 Cor. 12-14; 1 Peter 4:10-11).  One of the necessities of an authentic church is true fellowship. Genuine fellowship is not an optional thing for the church. There are many reasons why true Christian fellowship is necessary in the life of the local church, but I want to focus on the following three reasons.

The Priority of Fellowship in the Early Church

In Acts 2:42, we see the early church described as a devoted church. In one verse, four key elements are mentioned regarding the church’s worship. They were devoted to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship – κοινωνία, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. It’s vitally important that we see the level of priority placed upon fellowship by the early church.

The first time we see the Greek term κοινωνία (translated fellowship in Acts 2:42) used in the New Testament is in Acts 2 as Luke describes the early church immediately after the 3,000 people were born again and baptized as followers of Christ. This word means, “close association involving mutual interests and sharing, association, communion, fellowship, close relationship, marked by intimacy.” True Christian fellowship transcends “hello” in the hallway or a slap on the back on Sunday.

The early church spent time together in worship, in the temple meeting people, over meals in their homes, and out in the community through evangelistic efforts. They prioritized Christian fellowship highly. They were living in hostile times where threats were common and death was promised for the sake of the gospel. They valued the close fellowship of their Christian community in ways that we often don’t see in the church today. They didn’t avoid one another. They didn’t minimize true fellowship. They exemplified Christian care and their intimate community was possible through their bond in Jesus Christ.

The Need for Vibrant Relationships

If you read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, you see that Christian is constantly in need of a true friend to journey with him. When he was in the dungeon of Doubting Castle, Hopeful was there by his side. If you read Tolkien, you will see him reference the Fellowship all through his writings. C.S. Lewis also put a spotlight on the importance of fellowship all throughout The Chronicles of Narnia. Most importantly, if you read the Bible, you will see from beginning to end, the people of God are pictured as a togetherpeople.

God has designed us with the need for intimate relationships. It’s a very common thing to see people referencing their “work family” or their “ball team family” on social media. The point they’re driving home is that they’ve worked diligently to build an intimate group of people who are committed to one another and have a common bond that unites them. Sadly, it’s becoming a normal thing to see many Christians speak that way about their circle of friends outside of the church while their understanding of church has been reduced to a building and a seat to occupy on Sunday. Why are so many people willing to forsake the fellowship of the church?

Biblical Discipleship and Counseling Requires Wisdom

"Not every person in every situation should be ministered to in the exact same fashion, and not every sermon preached in every place should emphasize the exact same truths. Take, for instance, Paul’s instruction in 1 Thessalonians 5:14: “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” These instructions provide an invaluable manual for ministry in the Body of Christ. Paul provides three different categories of people that need the truth of God’s Word applied to their life in distinct ways.

First, Paul says to “admonish the idle.” The idle are those who know the truth but refuse to respond to it. Much like a car that is stuck in idle, these individuals remain unresponsive to the truth of God in their spiritual lives. How do we minister to such people? We admonish them. These individuals have spurned the comfort of gospel truth and now need the conviction of reproach in their life. In fact, to comfort such a person in their disobedience would be a detriment to their growth. To put it bluntly, they need a brotherly “kick in the pants” to get them started.

On the other hand, Paul says to “encourage the fainthearted.” The fainthearted is someone who knows the truth and is struggling to respond. They are discouraged by the battle for spiritual growth, but they are still engaged with God’s truth. Whether because of their weakness, immaturities, trials, persecution, or afflictions, they are deflated in their spiritual life. This person does not need admonishment, he needs encouragement. He does not need to be held accountable to God’s requirements; he is well aware of his obligation before God. What he needs is a reminder of the grace God has supplied for him as he seeks to move forward in imperfect obedience. He needs someone to walk with him as he pursues the means of grace and strives for obedience when he doesn’t feel like obeying. He is neither ignorant nor indifferent to God’s truth—he is struggling to live by God’s truth and needs a brotherly embrace.

A Word to the Older Men in the Church

"In Titus 2:2-6, Paul unpacks practically what it means for men and women to live in accordance with sound doctrine. And he starts with the older men of the congregation.  “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.” Titus 2:2

“Sober-minded” translates a term that describes moderation in the drinking of an alcoholic beverage. Its figurative extension in this verse means to be free from every form of mental and spiritual drunkenness—to be free from excess, passion, rashness, or confusion. It’s a call to be “restrained in conduct, self-controlled, level-headed” (BDAG).

“Dignified” describes a person who is worthy of respect and honor. It is a person who is noble, dignified, and serious (BDAG). The dignified person is so self-possessed and in control of his temper and fears that he elicits admiration from those who know him.

“Self-controlled” indicates someone who is thoughtful and in control of their passions. In Aristotle’s ethics, the term describes someone who avoids extremes and who gives careful consideration for responsible action (Aristot., EN 3, 15; BDAG). For Aristotle, the “self-controlled” person “is intent on the what, the how, and the when of doing what should be done.”

“Sound” literally means to be “healthy” or free from sickness. The extension of that meaning here means to be free from error. So “sound” in faith, love, and endurance means that older men have to believe in the right way, love in the right way, and endure in the right way.

Disciple and Counsel with Biblical Confidence

1.        "The gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation of biblical change (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 5:1; 6:16-18; 8:13). The gospel brings spiritual new birth, and it orients, guides, empowers, and dominates all of the Christian life following regeneration (Col. 2:6).

2.       Change is always possible for believers in Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6; Rom. 6:17-18). No Christian is so entrenched in sin, so dominated by his past or anything else, that he cannot be changed by the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit.

3.       The Word of God applied by the Spirit of God is the primary tool for change (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Ps. 119:1, 24, 133). Living and active, inerrant, God-revealed, Christ-commended, Spirit-empowered—when it comes to changing people, there is nothing like the Bible.

4.       The heart is the place where real, long-lasting change takes place (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:5; Prov. 4:23; Mark 7:21-23; Matt. 12:34). The heart is where a person thinks, considers, analyzes, evaluates, feels, decides, and chooses—the mission control center of life, the real person on the inside, the inner man. Counseling is about changing a person’s heart or moment-by-moment thinking.

5.       God’s plan for practical daily change is: put off / be renewed / put on (Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:8-14). That plan includes the following components: put off, be renewed in your mind, put on true thoughts and righteous acts.

Discipling Men in the Local Church

Brothers in Christ,

Let me begin with the testimony of an older saint named Michael Hyatt.  Mike recently posted on Facebook the following word of encouragement/perspective- “I’m not exaggerating when I say reading changed my life. What started as a childhood hobby became a lifetime obsession. Not only did my insatiable reading habit eventually lead me to become CEO of Thomas Nelson, one of the largest publishing houses in the world, but it allowed me to learn early on how important it was to become a lifetime learner. I can honestly tell you that reading is one of THE MOST effective ways to achieve personal and professional growth. Now, I won’t lie. It’s not always easy to know which books are actually worth your time. And unless you’re in publishing (or a full time pastor), you probably don’t have hours to spend pouring over pages to find the best resources…..”

The goal of men’s leadership training and development is to pick some of the very best Christian resources related to important BIBLICAL subjects, and to come together once a month as men, and encourage one another to think, speak, and live biblically. Every New Testament passage that talks about biblical growth drips with sanctified sweat. It’s why we’re called “to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness” and “to work out our salvation with fear and trembling” and to “take EVERY thought captive to the obedience of Christ” and “contend earnestly for the faith” “and to passionately guard the deposit of sound doctrine.” These are God’s Words to his Church (not the opinion of man). By Divine design, men are uniquely called to be spiritual leaders. The Sr. Pastor should be heavily invested in this process "until Christ is formed in you."

A number of good thoughts, observations, and questions have come in during and after our first nine sessions of Men’s Leadership Track 1. Let me try and highlight a few of them:

1) Leaders are readers. But not all men gravitate towards reading. Some men are exceptionally gifted when it comes to working with their hands! PTL for that. We all don’t have the same skill set.

Just a little history- the men’s leadership ministry that I implemented last year was originally put together by a veteran pastor in another state. His discipleship efforts yielded wonderful fruit in the life of his local church. I’ve tweaked what this godly man does (and what many other like-minded pastors have done in different places) to try and meet the pressing needs of THIS particular congregation.

Unlike LCBC, in a previous church context most of the men I led were blue collar guys. Hunters and farmers and factory workers…. Manly men who (in general) did not read much beyond the newspaper… I told them that I know with God’s help and a little accountability/encouragement you guys will be able to read 4-5 sanctifying books over the course of 10 months. Seven years later the vast majority of blue collar men had read 30+ books… 

Now I can hear someone say- “Pastor, knowledge alone PUFFETH UP.” That’s so true… But the Lord who created our amazing brains uses biblical instruction/doctrine/truth to move our religious affections, to deepen our core convictions, and to help us become better Christ-glorifying churchmen, husbands, fathers, deacons, elders, members, etc. That’s the heartbeat of this ministry. Read through 1-2 Timothy this week and you’ll see what a heavy premium the Holy Spirit places on sound doctrine and biblical instruction. The early church in Acts 2:42 is said to have “DEVOTED THEMSELVES to the apostles doctrine…..” as should we.

2) I don’t think God is ever going to call me to be an elder or deacon, isn’t that the primary target of this ministry? If so, is it worth my time to be part of “Iron Men?” Those are great questions. Three things: 1) Yes, one of the goals of this ministry is to develop future leaders and to help current leaders become even more useful to the Lord (1 Tim. 4:15; 2 Tim. 2:2). Biblical and faithful lay leaders are the backbone of the local church. 2) Some of you men are so humble that you have no idea the great things God would like to do in and through you. When you study the 4 Gospels, who would have ever thought that 12 ordinary men (most of whom were “uneducated” fishermen) would be used to “turn the world upside down” for Christ!!! When I look into a room full of (FAT) F.aithful, A.vailable and T.eachable LCBC men I see loads of POTENTIAL. The father of modern missions Willam Carey said, “Except great things from God; attempt great things for God.” Amen and amen! 3) The class is broad enough to help any man become a more useful/biblical church member and to hopefully become an even better spiritual leader at home. However, this is not the only ministry under the banner of men’s ministries. Kim Benson leads a small group Bible Study. Tim Buege leads a monthly prayer meeting and is helping to coordinate QTRLY men’s breakfast gatherings (the next one is taking place this Saturday). Denny VanCleve put together a summer Bible study. And Mike Umlands leads a time of relationship building called “Geezers.” For a 200 person church we offer so many different ministries- in large part, because we have so many faithful lay people actively serving (1 Pet. 4:10-11; 1 Cor. 12-14).

Mentoring Men and Discipling Leaders

Men's Leadership and Discipleship 2018-19 @ LCBC

Fellow brothers in Christ,

One of the most exciting things I get to be a part of at LCBC is our men’s leadership training and discipleship ministry.  Few things energize me more than talking about the Christian life, doctrine, the local church, and things that matter most with like-minded believers…especially faithful men like you! 

As the Sr. Pastor of this wonderful fellowship this is one of the most important things that God calls me to do. This ministry flows directly out 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also;” and out of Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  One of the biblical roles of a pastor-shepherd is to help train, disciple, and equip leaders and future leaders.  Since biblical, male leadership in the home/local church is God’s design, this is a vital ministry at LCBC.

Based on many helpful comments and ideas from those who participated in Track 1 beginning September 15^th we are going to offer a Track 2A and a Track 2B.  Track 2A will be more in depth/intense with a special focus on elders/future elders.  Track 2B will be more deacon focused with less reading.  BOTH TRACKS will be biblical, theological, and practical.   After reading this note, praying, talking with your wife, please reach out to me if you’re not sure which Track to sign up for.

Leadership and I cannot emphasize enough just how important these once a month sessions are as we seek to implement a robustly biblical philosophy of ministry.  This ministry and everything we do at LCBC is based off of key texts such as Colossians 1:28-29; Eph. 4:11-16; Hebrews 5:12-14; 2 Timothy 2:2; and Proverbs 27:17.  As you pray about whether or not God would have you sign up for Track 2 please consult these passages of Scripture. 

God made us (Gen. 1).  He brought us into this world and chose our specific gender.  He created men and women equal in dignity, value, personhood, and worth but He also created us with different roles.  As such, the LORD calls each of us to be examples in word and deed.  He calls men in particular to provide spiritual leadership in the home and in the church (Eph 5-6; 1 Tim 2:9-3:10).  Many of you have, or at some point will, serve in official deacon and/or elder capacities.  Others, will continue to serve and lead without ever functioning in one of these N.T. offices.  Either way, this discipleship ministry is foundational to the mission of LCBC.

To help you better understand the particulars of this year's super sessions allow me to briefly address 7 commonly asked questions:

1. How often do we meet?  Only once a month.  Generally on the third Saturday of the month from 7:00-10:30am.  Men are expected to read in preparation of each supper session (note 2018-19 calendar attachment- I’ll email you these attachments separately).

2. What will the sessions look like?  Our entire group will meet to discuss the 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding Theology resource.  We will break up into small groups to talk about practical applying R Kent Hughes’ classic, Disciplines of a Godly Man.  We will also break up one time into Track 2A and 2B to discuss group specific resources.  Pastor Caleb will lead the 2A guided discussion time and Pastor Kent will lead the Track 2b guided discussion time.

3. Why are you utilizing biblical resources?  Shouldn’t we just study the Bible?  The value of any Christian resource is determined in so much that the author is rightly interpreting and applying the Word of God.  These are supplemental resources written by faithful believers/teachers.  The Apostle Paul himself utilized such resources as is seen in 2 Timothy 4:13.  The meat and potatoes of LCBC is our expository pulpit.  This ministry is not intended to replace one’s personal bible time, rather, it should supplement it.  We will compare everything we read and study against the perfect Revelation of Scripture “to see if these things be so.”  The teaching in these books flows out of the doctrine and application that is in Scripture.

4. Tell me more about the resources that we will be using this year?  Both Track 2A and Track 2b will study-  Disciplines of a Godly Man and 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding Theology.  The first resource flows out of Paul’s command in 1 Timothy 4:7-8a and highlights the discipline of purity, marriage, friendships, prayer, worship, integrity, prayer, and ministry (to name but a few things).  The second resource flows out of 1 Timothy 3:15, Jude 3, and 1 Peter 3:15.  The local church is called to the pillar and buttress of Divine truth.  Each one of us is called to be defend the faith (Jude 3; 1 Peter 3:15).  As such, it’s important that we know what we believe and why we believe it.

Am I Rightly Dividing the Word of God? (pt. 2)

So the Scripture is the beginning, middle, and end of the church. For that reason, we hold to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Sola Scriptura means Scripture alone is authoritative for faith and practice. Scripture alone determines if your ministry is effective or not.  

DO YOUR HERMENEUTICS HOLD TO SOLA SCRIPTURA?  Are you rightly dividing the Word of truth in your personal bible study or when you share your convictions at a men's or ladies' bible study?  When you quote the Bible on social media are you accurately reflecting what God's Word has to say about such and such an issue?

One needs to consider three questions before arriving at a personal verdict (2 Tim. 2:15; James 3).  1) Have I done the hard work?  2) Am I trying to use biblical interpretation fine print?  3) Do I have a hermeneutic of surrender?

"Our commitment to Sola Scriptura leads to a commitment to hermeneutics—how we study the Bible. Hermeneutics matters because it determines whether we truly hold to Sola Scriptura or not. Here are three questions to help you determine if your hermeneutics hold to Sola Scriptura:

Do I have a hermeneutic of surrender?

God’s Word is His communication to us (cf. 2 Tim 3:16). God has made it clear and accessible via human language (Josh 23:14; Deut 30:11-14; Rom 10:5-10). He has also made it authoritative. We as readers do not have the right to argue with it or change it. It cannot be broken (John 10:35). Rather, we are empowered (Eph 1:17; Jer 31:33) and accountable (2 Pet 3:16) to understand and live out the Scriptures (Jas 1:22).We need to learn to stop struggling against the text and surrender

With that, we don’t have interpretative options when it comes to God’s Word. The Bible is not some platform from which we can pontificate our own theology and advice. Its assertions are also not that which we can shrug off and ignore. It doesn’t have to live up to our reason or sensibilities. Rather, we need to learn to stop struggling against the text and surrender. Its statements become our statements, its reasons our reasons, its categories our categories, and its implications/applications our own worldview and life. Anything else adds to or subtracts from Scripture. Anything else compromises Sola Scriptura.

So as we read Scripture we need to make sure we are surrendered to Scripture. Have I learned what the author has said for the reason he said it and with the range of applications he has ordained? Do I have Scripture’s intent alone? These are critical questions in making sure our hermeneutic upholds Sola Scriptura.

Am I trying to use hermeneutical fine print?

We know what fine print is. It allows you to say one thing and undermine it through a loophole. That’s exactly what some have done with God’s Word. The excuse is pretty standard. They may claim they have a high view of Scripture, but at the same time, claim we can never know what it means. And because we do not know what it means, we cannot be held accountable to an errant view. At that point, people have subverted the authority of God’s Word through the hermeneutical fine print.

To be sure, Scripture has tough passages and doctrines (2 Pet 3:16). Knowing what it means takes hard work (cf. 2 Tim 2:15). Nevertheless, such difficulties in Scripture do not provide an excuse or fine print to hold to any view one desires. Let’s be clear. The moment you do that, you don’t have God’s Word, but your word and you’ve abandoned Sola Scriptura.

Convictions that Shape the Local Church and Biblical Counseling.

"With regards to biblical soul care well taught Biblical Counselors share 3 beliefs:

1) It is the church’s responsibility to counsel people through their struggles, rather than relying upon those outside the church.  

This does not mean one never goes outside the church for help or that some problems aren't both/and body AND soul issues.  Medical doctors have been trained with the physical body and biblical counselors have been taught how to care for the spiritual matters of the heart, soul, and mind.

2) Lasting life change is the goal of counseling, and the greatest change people need is to trust Christ enough to follow his ways. This decision of faith impacts all other decisions in life and helps them best deal with the struggles of life. Faith is never a secondary concern in counseling.

3) Christ models for us reliance upon the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures, and counselors should seek to increase that reliance as they help individuals grow in Christlikeness. We do not have the power or wisdom to change on our own. We need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of the scriptures to change.

Within the church, these 3 beliefs are usually met with agreement. However, within many Christian counseling offices, these beliefs are often met with skepticism and resistance leaving them outside the counseling process.

Sadly, the gospel, the church, and the Holy Spirit are rarely discussed in many “Christian” counseling practices.  We talk to many pastors and churches who are troubled by this. They thought when they sought counseling at a “Christian Counseling” center that their faith would be part of the process and that their counselor would know how to direct them to the Scriptures for guidance.

So what do you do if you are troubled by this too?

Many churches are and have begun to respond. Rather than making a list of outside places where people can receive counseling/care, they have decided to equip individuals within their congregation to walk with the hurting. In order to consider this approach, you need to embrace four key convictions about Biblical Counseling that shape a ministry like this.

Key Conviction # 1 – Holistic Discipleship: Fulfilling the whole Great Commission

Men’s Leadership Training and Discipleship

A year ago a large percentage of men from our beloved congregation at Lake Country Bible Church prayerfully decided to make a commitment to Track 1 of a new Men’s Leadership Training and Discipleship ministry.  The basis of this ministry flows out of many passages of Scripture.  Such as 2 Timothy 2:2, And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.  Matthew 28:18-20, ...teach them to observe all that I commanded you; and Colossians 1:28, .... that we may present every man mature in Christ- to name but a few texts.

The specific goal(s) of this ministry was to encourage each brother to be God's kind of man.  A man of the Word and of prayer.  A doctrinally sound member.  A courageous churchman. And for many of us, more exemplary husbands.  Faithful lay leaders are the backbone of any local church.

We have now come to the final stretch of this mini-Marathon. Saturday is our final session before “summer break.” I am asking the Holy Spirit to help these dear brothers to finish strong and to not take a seat on the final lap.

Recommended Resources for Future Church Leaders and Pastors in Training

Photo Credit: Christianity Today

A young man in our local church ministry recently asked for a list of recommended resources for future church leaders and/or pastors in training.  Here are the books/helps I recommended: 

I would begin with Hermeneutics as it is the foundation of everything.  Abner Chou’s newest book is a must read.   The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers: Learning to Interpret Scripture from the Prophets and Apostles.  Read Roy B. Zuck’s Basic Bible Interpretation book and then end with DA Carson’s “Exegetical Fallacies.”  If you eventually add any Greek or Hebrew you will want to then read Kaiser’s Towards an Exegetical Driven Theology.  All of Abner Chou’s lectures on the textual flaws of the “Christocentric hermeneutic” or of “the Redemptive-Historical” hermeneutic are invaluable.

OT Survey-  Eugune Merrill’s Kingdom of Priests; Walt Kaiser’s The Promise Plan of God, and Merrill’s The World and the Word are foundational resources.  For extra credit read Gleason Archer’s A Survey of the Old Testament: An Introduction.

NT Survey- Donald Guthrie’s NT Introduction;  F.F. Bruces NT History; and Tom Schreiner’s Magnifying God in Christ: A Summary of NT Theology.

Systematic Theology- Wayne Grudem- Systematic Theology (you know where we differ); MacArthur/Mayhue- Biblical Doctrine; Michael Vlach- Has the Church Replaced Israel?  Matt Waymeyer- Amillennialism and the Age to Come.

Greek/Hebrew- This should be done via Mounce or with someone who is a likeminded linguist and who offers on line videos/classroom lectures, etc.

Are you a "Fanatic and a Bigot?!?"

discipling relationships are important (but how do they actually work)?

The following is adopted from a 9 Marks post on Christian Discipleship.

QUESTION:

I get that discipling relationships are important, but how do they actually work?

ANSWER(S):

— Join a church.  Don't just attend.  The Holy Spirit wants you to be actively involved in the life of the congregation (1 Cor. 12-14; 1 Peter 4:10-11).
— Arrive early at church gatherings and stay late.
— Practice hospitality with members of your church (with old and young, new members and founding members).
— Ask God for strategic friendships.  Gospel-centered relationships are critically important.

— If possible, include a line-item in your family or pastoral budget for weekly time with fellow Christians. Discuss this matter with your spouse. If possible, provide such a budget line for your spouse as well.

— Schedule regular breakfasts, lunches, or some other culturally-acceptable social engagement with teachable individuals (of the same sex). Depending on the person, you may decide to meet once, indefinitely, or for a set number of times (say, five). If you and the individual share a pastime, look for ways to share that pastime together.

— Ask lots and lots of questions.  Ask them about themselves. Ask them about their parents, spouse, children, testimony, job, walk with Christ, and so on. In asking questions, however, do so in a manner that’s appropriate for your cultural context (don’t scare them!).  Try not and ask questions that require only a simple "yes" or "no" response.  For example, rather than asking do you enjoy sports?  Ask, "what do you enjoy to do when you have free time?"

Share about yourself.  Honesty and transparency begets vulnerability and openness.  See 2 Cor. 6:11-12

— Look for ways to have spiritual conversations. Maybe decide to read the Bible or some other Christian literature together.  Every meeting does not need to be a Bible study.  However, Christian fellowship is centered around Christ and the Word of God.

— Consider their physical or material needs. Would they benefit from your help or from the help of fellow church members.

— Pray together.  Pray for them when you are apart. 

— Depending on your home situation, invite the person to drop by your house or spend time with your family. Let them watch you live life.  Informal is sometimes more valuable then formal.

Iron Men resumes this Saturday at LCBC

Men,

I hope you enjoy some quality time with your ‘Valentine’ last night (or sometime this week) in the spirit of striving to be an “Exemplary Husband.” As we talked about during Sunday School may we encourage our wife and kids with at least one thing each and every day.

After two months off from men’s leadership class it is time to get back to work. God allowing, I hope to see you this Saturday at 7 am.

You have now had a few months to read and to get all caught up on any missed chapters. For those wondering why you should keep up with your reading assignments as well as completing your "Exemplary Husband" notebook, let me offer up the following list:

1) Because you signed up knowing what you were getting into and are all men of very high character.

 The Bible says, “let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no.” As Christians our word is our bond.  You said "yes, sign me up for this."  Enough said.

2) Because the reading will reinforce important biblical principles which will deepen your personal convictions. 

 A man once said, If you have courage, you will influence people based on your convictions. If you lack courage, you will influence people based on your comfort zones. Courage will take you anywhere God is leading you. Without courage, you will only do/go what you are comfortable doing. Joshua 1:8-9.

3) Because effective leaders are disciplined readers. 

 It as simple as this: We cannot offer what we don’t have/know. We can’t provide sound biblical counsel if our spiritual wells are shallow or dry. Come therefore let us reason together.

4) Because these books have been handpicked to help us better understand what Christ wants from His Church and His people. 

 Special attention is given to what God’s kind of man looks like in his own home and within His own local church setting.

Men's Leadership Training and Discipleship

2017-18 LCBC Men's Leadership 

Once a month a band of brothers gathers together for fellowship, biblical instruction, and small group time.

This Saturday we hope to come together for super session #4.

Our men will have read chapters 6-7 in Steve Lawson's "Made In Our Image: What Shall we do with a 'User-Friendly' god?"  Chapters 5-6 of MacArthur's, "the Master's Plan for the Church."  Chapters 7-8 in Stuart Scott's, "The Exemplary Husband (plus the workbook)."  And chapter 6 of Timothy Witmare's "The Shepherd-Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church."

Please pray that God would use this ministry to make us more Christ-like leaders and more faithful men of God.  Ephesians 3:21

"As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Man Sharpens Another"

Iron Men Begins September 23rd

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

The role of a biblical pastor is compromised of three essential tasks:

1) Preaching/teaching/feeding;

2) Leadership/biblical oversight;

3)Shepherding/discipleship/counseling.

In many ways the backbone of the church is compromised of mature, Word-centered, Spirit-filled, lay leaders.  Churches that go astray almost always have immature men at the helm.

By Divine design men are called to be spiritual leaders at home and within society at large. God also calls us to be Christ-like churchmen.

For as long as I have been a Senior Pastor men's leadership training and development has been top priority of mine. Please pray for us we seek to grow in our personal walk with the Lord, understand more clearly the Master's plan for His church, and grow in our discernment of what is the right and wrong direction to lead the Lord's people.  Our first super session will begin on September 23.  Please contact me for more detailed information.

A Pastor's Job Description: What Do You Do All Week Long?

Photo Credit: mintools.com

"What do you do as a Senior Pastor all week long?"  I have also been jokingly asked, "What is it like to only work one day a week?"  Since no two pastorates are exactly alike every minister of the gospel will answer this question slightly different; (my weekly schedule has itself changed over the years based on a number of variables).   A pastor's official job description is set forth in the following Scriptural texts: Acts 6:1-4; Eph. 4:11-16; Col. 1:28-29; 2 Tim. 2:15; 4:1-4; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; Heb. 13:17.

Here is a basic breakdown of my roles and responsibilities as I seek to faithfully serve the people of God: 

1) Preaching and teaching (2 Tim. 2:15; 4:1-5; 1 Tim. 5:17-18).  Weekly I prepare the Sunday morning sermon exposition and the Sunday School hour (teaching time).  Our church has embraced the priority of PREACHING and values verse-by-verse exposition as the main spiritual diet (John 21:27).   In my early years I also taught a weekly bible study during our Sunday evening service.   I currently teach a combined adult SS class and deliver a weekly sermon exposition during our worship service.  I also teach the T & T students during the AWANA year and provide a short devotional during prayer meeting when Awana is not in session.  For many years I spent a lot of time preparing teaching material for our men's leadership training and development ministry; (see #6).  The congregation and lay leaders have always given me ample time (see Acts 6) for expository study (Tuesday-Saturday) and for in-depth expository preaching during the morning worship service!  For this I rejoice!

2) “Leader among leader” responsibilities (1 Pet. 5; Heb. 13:17; 1 Cor. 11:1).  The week before our monthly leadership meeting I put together the monthly agenda.   I have always had a great relationship with our chairmen.  The chairman and I talk on the phone or meet in person as much as is needed.   As I have stated many times before faithful lay leaders are the backbone of the church.

3) Worship planning.  I put together the order of worship for the upcoming month.  I generally do this the last week of the month.  I often correspond with our lay praise leaders and with our secretary as I complete this task.  Our liturgy planning includes Scripture texts, praise songs, special offertories, Scripture reading/readers, etc.  Thankfully, our congregation has not engaged in any fruitless worship wars during the time I have been here.  Our service includes Worship through adoration, worship through prayer and offering, worship through hearing God's Word read, and worship through the exposition of Scripture, and worship through the ordinances (communion and baptism).

Organic Discipleship: How To Foster Discipleship In Your Local Church

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Organic Discipleship: How To Foster Discipleship In Your Local Church. This was the topic of discussion at a recent pastors' round-table event led by a mature shepherd.  A number of questions were posed at the onset of this meeting.  Like:  How do you create a disciple-making culture in the life of the church?  What are some of the most common challenges?  What are some of the things you have done in your ministry context to work through those difficulties?  What are some of the best ways to mentor others towards spiritual maturity? 

The heartbeat of discipleship is found in principle as one surveys all the New Testament one anothers (examples include encourage one another; pray for one another, teach one another; serve one another; bear with one another; confess your sins to one another; regard one another, etc).  The model and mandate for discipleship are found in biblical texts like 2 Timothy 2:2 and Titus 2:1-5.

Common challenges to formal and informal life on life discipleship include:
A) Busyness
B) Laziness
C) Confusion as to what to say/do
D) Not understanding the proper motivations behind intentional relationships.
E) A shortage of older Titus 2 men and women (who are willing and able to disciple others)
F) The proliferation of dual income households (which can contribute to excess busyness and/or to misplaced priorities (note Titus 2:4-5).
G) Complacency
H) Finding and making time for life on life discipleship especially during certain seasons of life (eg. Godly and spiritually mature mothers with young children can feel overwhelmed).

"Ruining Our Witness" & "Worship that Displeases God": A Few Considerations.

For anyone who is regular reader of Elyse Fitzpatrick or Tullian Tchividjian I would highly encourage you to read Daniel I. Block's, "For the Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship." In it you will find helpful insights like this, "In chapter 3 we established that while the call to salvation is unconditional, the call to worship is conditional and subject to the spiritual and moral conditions of the worshiper."Just because we have experienced the grace of Christ in salvation does not mean that New Testament believers should be casual about worship (nor should we be nonchalant about our witness).

"For many, Sunday morning is just as hectic as any other day. By the time we arrive at the church, we are out of breath, our tempers are short, and we have scarcely had worship on our minds. But, blissfully, we imagine all we need to do is show up in church and God will be impressed. So we take pride in being in the services on Sunday morning, and if we are involved in various youth activities, in campus charities, or in Bible studies (midweek), we are obviously exceptionally spiritual. However, this scarcely fits the picture painted in Hebrew 10 and 12."

I believe hyper-grace advocates would heartily AMEN the second quote but I do not think the first quote would be posted in very many Twitter feeds.  As with most things, biblical balance is desperately needed in this area of theology/practice.  

So how can we elevate the free grace of justification without minimizing the various imperatives related to our progressive sanctification?  Or as Kevin DeYoung puts it, how can we glory in the indicatives while insisting on the imperatives?  How do we avoid the ditch of Legalism (Col. 2:16-17) without falling prey to hyper-grace Antinomianism?

In this vein, how do we balance New Testament warnings like 1 Peter 3:7 without becoming Pharisaic legalists? “You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered”

"Your sermons are really boring!" Where have I heard that before? An Autobiography.

image used from "church for men"

Perhaps this personal testimony may encourage some of you pastors and parents out there.

When my family moved to California in 1991 we started attending THE Grace Community Church (as Dr. Mohler calls it).  Believe it or not, I use to think that John MacArthur was really, really boring.  I seriously believed Pastor John was the problem so I begged my parents to search for another local church.  I wanted shorter, lighter fluff and an activities-driven youth group.  Go figure!  My infinitely wise parents said something like, "Thanks for your opinion and insights son, but no thanks."  So my family remained at Grace for twelve years and our lives have never been the same!

In God's providence I was brought to true repentance and faith in Christ a year or two later.   As I grew in the faith I found myself becoming more and more hungry for the Word (1 Peter 2:2-3).  I began to crave the meat of God's Word (per Hebrews 5:11-14). 

The Backbone of the Church: Faithful Lay Leaders

"Lay leaders are the backbone of the local church."  This ministry mantra has been one of my main points of emphasis during the church revitalization work at the First Baptist Church of Freeport.  The Apostle Paul shared this same conviction for he instructs Titus in Crete to "appoint elders in every town."  Titus was to appoint "qualified," servant-leaders who would help him shepherd, protect, govern, and feed the flock of God (note Titus 1:5-16 and 1 Peter 5:1-4).   Paul gave similar marching orders to Timothy (note 1 Timothy 3 and 2 Timothy 2:2) in Ephesus.  As a young pastor Timothy was specifically told to train faithful men who in turn would train and teach others.  2 Timothy 2:2, The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many faithful witnesses; entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.   

In my judgment, the second most important thing a Senior Pastor does, after the faithful exposition of Holy Scripture, is to train, develop, and raise up faithful lay leaders.  After all, faithful lay leaders are the backbone of the local church.  I wholeheartedly concur with the assessment of Dr. Harry Reeder who said, "If you and I die, or move on from our present pastoral ministry, and we do not have other leaders trained and ready to take our place, then we have not been good leaders.  Period.  ...Great leaders develop more leaders; they multiply themselves continually and intentionally."  By the grace of God, I have very intentionally devoted a lot of time into the men's leadership training and discipleship ministry at First Baptist Church and have witnessed God bless our Church through these faithful men.