by Sean Corser | Oct 10, 2016
It seems like every other week a notable megachurch pastor is either removed from his position or steps down due to burnout or the like. It reminds us that we live in a fallen world and that we must look to the chief-shepherd, Jesus Christ. With the incredible pressure placed on these men, not to mention the spiritual attacks they go through, what are some things that we as members, deacons, or those on a pastor search committee should discerningly and carefully consider? Though this list is not extensive, here are three things I believe we should look for in a pastor:
1. Qualified by the Word
Though it may be easy to notice a pastor’s preaching and personality, we must be reminded that all the charisma in the world is not sufficient for ministry qualification. Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus lay out some qualifications: above reproach; the husband of one wife; sober-minded; self-controlled; respectable; hospitable; able to teach; not a drunkard; not violent but gentle; not quarrelsome; not a lover of money; leads his family well; must not be a recent convert; must be well thought of by outsiders (1 Tim 3). These, above all else, are God’s standards for a pastor and should be the things we seek in our leaders. But not only should they be qualified by the Word, they must be trained by the Word.
2. Trained by the Word
When I broke a tooth in middle school I did not seek a football coach to help fix my tooth, I sought out a dentist. So we should similarly seek one with adequate training. Though I am an advocate of formal theological training (for a later post), I have seen many men gifted by God who know their Bible inside and out without having a theological education (Think Matt Chandler and Louie Giglio).
Paul says, again to Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). So we should seek men who know their Bible, stand on its inerrancy and infallibility and see the unfolding of God’s revelation culminating in Christ; his death, burial and resurrection. But we not only should look for men qualified by the Word and trained by the Word, thirdly and finally, we should look for men who are shaped by the Word.
3. Shaped by the Word
We could turn to many passages of Scripture, look at many men who were shaped by the Word, but one stands out above the rest. Jesus was shaped by the Word. As John says, He is the Word. In Jesus’ life, we see that He was shaped by the Word in that He has a shepherd’s heart, is a humble servant, and lives with a Biblical vision. We should look for men like that when we look for a pastor to lead.
By shape, I clearly don’t mean physique, nor does Scripture. When God chose Israel’s second king (David), Samuel thinks that he must have a stature worthy of a king, yet God’s man was little scrawny David. What was significant was David’s heart; a heart that was after God’s.
A pastor can be shaped by many things, but we must be more concerned with the state of their heart. Some questions to ask yourself might be, “Does he model humility like Jesus did? “Does he lead the church with a biblical God glorifying vision?” Does he serve the least of these?” And, ultimately, it all boils down to, “Does he remind me of Jesus?”
As church members who elect men to this high calling, we must, along the way, understand that Jesus is perfect, but our pastor will not be. Though we look for these qualities we do not berate these men when they fall short. We should be fostering a community that shows grace, honor and Godly accountability and encouragement for our pastors.
Have you prayed for or thanked your pastor today?
by Caleb Gordon | Sep 20, 2016
We live in a world of fear. And honestly there is a truck load of stuff of which to be fearful. But here is the thing. As children of God, we have been called as HIS kids to not be afraid. In fact Joshua 1:9 says: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Did you see that? Have I not COMMANDED YOU? I have read this verse a few times, and it’s amazing how recently it has galvanized in my own life.
We don’t need to fear stuff. Why? Because God is WITH US wherever we go. I want that to sink in for just a second. WITH. US.
That means we’re not alone. That means He’s right beside you cheering you on, guiding you, interceding for you.
HE’S WITH US! That should really push us to the next level. That should give us the confidence we need to be “strong and courageous” to walk through the doors we need to, knowing that Jesus, Himself, is with us, and we’re not alone!
So wherever you are today, stop for just a few moments and press in to the person of Jesus Christ. Ask him to give you the guidance you need to not fear the places you need to go, the conversations you need to have, the people you need to engage, and the choices you need to make! DON’T BE AFRAID! He’s with YOU!
Go get ’em!!!
by Ginger Gann | Aug 10, 2016
Have you ever loved someone so much it made your face hurt? Someone you get heart-happy over just spending time with, talking to, or thinking about -and you can’t help but smile?
There are several someone’s fitting this description. But one particular someone comes to mind, as I write, and that someone is my Maddie.
I have five grand-kiddos, four boys and one girl. This girl-child, our first grand, holds a bond on my heart which I struggle to describe.
Some say, I don’t treat my other grands in “the same” way as I treat Maddie -and even go as far to say, “You like her best.”
A recent phone conversation confirmed our time-tested bond still holds secure. She calls me. I’m thrilled.
We talk, laugh, and carry-on (the way we do) for a good long while. As our conversation comes to an end and we disconnect, I hear my heart say, “that child is the apple of my eye.”
My immediate next thought … did I really just say that child is “the apple of my eye”? I have never put these eight words together to form this particular phrase, in my entire life! What is this? 1960?
What would prompt me to use these words -in this context, order, tone, affect and intonation? Curiosity fueled my quest to find out exactly what these words even mean.
What I discovered made me smile. Maybe it will make you smile too.
This particular phrase originates from the Bible. Matter-of-fact, these very words are mentioned in four different books of the Bible, with the first mention sited in Deuteronomy 32:10.
“He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.”
Just a surface reading of these verses tell us:
- He found
- He encircled
- He cared
- He kept
I like this. Four verbs easily aligned with a loving parent – especially so, when considering the heavenly Father. These are all good things too. But, this verse metaphorically, also gives the idea of being hand-picked (out of all the possibilities), to be chosen, and loved (to the exclusion of all others) as if the only one.
- He found – him
- He encircled – him
- He cared – for him
- He kept – him
So, in light of this Biblical example (in Deut. 32:10) of a hand-picked exclusive love, some might go as far as to accuse God, right alongside Maddie’s Nana, of blatant and unashamed favoritism.
Come on now, you all know you have seen it too. The obvious examples of partiality exhibited by God, happening all around you:
- as our Heavenly Father rescues his other children.
- as our Heavenly Father protects his other children.
- as our Heavenly Father cares for his other children.
- as our Heavenly Father is faithful to his other children.
We witness God’s obvious preference toward others, as we wander about in our need. We feel abandoned, while watching our father attend only to his others – as our hearts loudly cry out- “you like her best!”
You just don’t love me “the same.”
But you know, things are not always how they appear. What if a more in-depth look into the scripture, through the lens of the original Hebrew, can offer a new perspective?
What if loving differently is actually the most elaborate love God can give. What if God really IS showing favoritism. What if by NOT loving us all “the same,” he loves each of us in a more personal customized way – exclusively (as if we are each the only one).
Being the apple of God’s eye (as a parent), He is so close to you (his child) He can see HIS own image reflecting in your eyes.
According to Theologian John Gill, reflecting in the light of God’s eye is exactly where we want to be. Gill explains “the apple of the eye” (the center) is where images are initially formed – in the retina. The images formed by “the apple of God’s eye” however, are formed by the retina of the heart. Images formed in the center of God’s love shape his perspectives, values, morals, and ideals. Shaping you, and me into the image of his precious child.
Beautiful.
We, each one, are the “apple of his eye”.
God is not a neglectful, abusive, or an absent parent. He is always present, always attentive, always loving – all of His children.
Even still …he does NOT love us all “the same”. He is much too wise to do that.
He instead, blatantly loves us equally!
Like a good, good Father, he gives us what we each need (differently), just exactly when we each need it.
- Disciplines – him
- Graces – him
- Forgives – him
- Rebukes – him
- Rescues – him
- Accepts – him
- Strengthens – him
- Blessings – him
- Loves – him
When I stray, He finds me. When I fear, He encircles me. When in need, He cares for me. When in doubt, I am continually but differently kept by him. I see my reflection in the center of His unfailing love “as the apple of his eye.”
Equal yes, but never, ever, “the same.”
“My son, live according to what I am telling you; guard my instructions as you would a treasure deep within you. Stay true to my directives, and they will serve you well; make my teachings the lens through which you see life” (Prov. 7:1-2).
I knew it … He likes you best!
by Aaron Hanzel | Aug 4, 2016
There is something about simply being in the presence of God that is contagiously joyful. Whether it’s in a Bible study group or listening to someone’s testimony or Sunday morning worship at church. The more I experience God’s presence, the more I want to praise Him through my joy.
The easiest form of worship, in my opinion, is singing. I don’t deny that exercising love, kindness or even praying require little effort (for the most part). I do, however, find the avenue of singing to maximize my worship in little-to-no time.
That being said, I thoroughly enjoy worship through singing on Sunday mornings. Not only is it a time to praise our Father, but it is also a time of preparation and longing to hear what God has in store from the words of the pastor. A humility of the heart, as it were.
Several years ago, my church back home acquired a new music minister. He was received without hesitation and welcomed into the fold of the church family. The first Sunday, and many thereafter, he would instruct the Sunday morning gathering to praise God and proceed to clap and cheer. However, the words he used were awkward, and I felt almost forced to clap and cheer under duress. I felt conflicted. Why was I resisting, showing physical praise to the Father of my salvation?
This object of affection is nothing new or isolated. Many other churches promote the same, almost pressing, response in worship.
Romans 12:1-2 says “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Several times in Scripture we see reference to the mindset at the core of worshiping. It starts with the Gospel and proceeds to the longing and hunger for the presence of God. Consistently, I pray and sometimes weep for the ability to maximize my worship to almighty God.
I have come to learn, by God’s grace, the reason for my lament.
Happiness is not the equivalent of joy. For example, watching football on TV makes me happy. Watching a good movie, makes me happy. Eating a delicious ribeye, makes me happy. Clapping because I’m at church should not be “happy.”
My praise to Christ Jesus is not reliant on how happy I am. My praise is the convicting, and very least, response to having been redeemed. It is quantifiably minute compared to His sacrifice. We are not appointed as His children to be “happy” about Sunday morning church. We are to be filled with joy in view of God’s mercy!
To view a Sunday morning church service as happy and filled with clapping-on-que is not only poisonous, but unbiblical. Lassoing football and movies and ribeyes and Christ’s sacrifice into the same category is false teaching.
Living in a culture that promotes tolerance, and praises self-absorption, will seep into every aspect of your walk with Christ and understanding of the Gospel, if you let it. The Apostle Paul had several instances where he battled with the same traditionalism and culture impact. Do not stray from the Gospel in order to react to an emotion. Return to the understanding, the love, and the grace of Christ. Clapping and shouting have their place when in response to praising God for His love and ultimate sacrifice. As long as they aren’t the sole response of simply being in a building with other Christians.
Don’t clap and shout because you’re “supposed to.” Instead, worship through the understanding of the Gospel. I pray you continue to hunger for Him.
by Justin Sampler | Jul 28, 2016
Baptists have historically championed the principles of religious liberty. Our Baptist fore-bearers—men like Thomas Helwys, Roger Williams, Isaac Backus and John Leland—spoke directly to the governing authorities, appealing for religious liberty.
Years later, their courageous efforts influenced Thomas Jefferson to respond in a letter with the famous expression: “separation of church and state.” Jefferson’s expression was a summary of the rights guaranteed in the first amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
In recent years that historic commitment to freedom has come under assault. In North Carolina, a U.S. Marine posted a motivational passage from Isaiah 54:17 near her office computer. The passage stated: “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
According to a military judge, the quotation “could be interpreted as combative… (and) could easily be seen as contrary to good order and discipline.” This Marine was later court-martialed, given a bad-conduct discharge, and denied military benefits, simply for posting a Bible verse.
In Atlanta, an evangelical Christian fire chief was suspended for writing and self-publishing a book professing his Christian beliefs, among them that homosexual behavior is wrong. He expressed shock and devastation, stating: “To actually lose my childhood-dream-come-true profession—where all of my expectations have been greatly exceeded—because of my faith is staggering…The very faith that led me to pursue my career has been used to take it from me.”
In Houston, subpoenas were issued ordering five Protestant pastors to turn over any sermons mentioning homosexuality, gender identity—and/or the mayor. Outraged by this city’s over-reaching, it is estimated that hundreds of clergy flooded the mayor’s office with their sermons. Shortly after the subpoenas were ordered, Russell Moore retorted on Twitter, “If I were a pastor in Houston this Sunday, I’d preach Matthew 14:1-12, and then send my sermon notes to City Hall, on a silver platter.”
There are numerous lesser-known cases as well. In her new book, It’s Dangerous to Believe: Religious Freedom and It’s Enemies, Mary Eberstadt comprises a list of those who suffered because of their religious convictions.
In 2015, the high school football coach suspended in Washington State for kneeling to say a prayer at the end of a game; the American military chaplains who claim to have been reassigned on account of their faithfulness to traditional Christianity; the small business owners working in the wedding industry at a time when vindictiveness in the name of the sexual revolution is apparently boundless; the Christian staffer at a day-care center who would not address a six-year-old boy as a girl and was fired on account of it; the teacher in New Jersey fired for giving a curious student a Bible; and related cases in which acting on religious convictions has been punished, at times vehemently. Eberstadt writes, “These are visible people living an invisible story.”
Americans are taking note, as Eberstadt writes, “People of faith are being publicly condemned and demonized by aggressive activists in an effort to drive them out of the public square and cripple the institutions they serve.”
This is happening simply for holding opposing views on crucial issues like birth control, abortion, and same-sex marriage. As a result, Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, Jews, and others, are being driven together because of today’s cultural climate. Although we disagree theologically, nearly all religious faiths are being assaulted and see religious liberty threatened.
But this is not the first time people of different faiths have banded together for a worthy cause. It’s helpful to recall almost all major religions worked together for the heroic fights against Jim Crow. Without Catholic priests and nuns and laity, Baptist and other Protestant preachers, as well as large numbers of congregants, there would have been no civil rights movement—a truth to which Rosa Parks attributes.
This same “banding together” is taking place in newfound efforts for religious liberty. Succinctly put, religious liberty means that men and women are free to believe, and free to live out those beliefs.
Andrew Walker is exactly right, stating, “A person’s relationship with God is the most important relationship a person can have. It’s so important that no law or state should be able to interfere with a person’s relationship to God or his or her ability to live out his or her faith.”
Religious liberty is important because we believe that every person has been created by God and is accountable to Him. Thus, every person should have the freedom to worship according to his or her conscience. When people are free to worship, this sends a blatant reminder that there is One who rules and governs over all affairs, and our allegiance belongs to Him ultimately, not to the state.
Some opponents of religious liberty characterize “religious liberty” as a code word for bigotry. They warn that religious liberty is really a disguise for anti-gay and anti-discrimination, particularly towards “women’s health.” These advocates for civil liberty, ironically, diminish freedom at the expense of liberty itself.
There’s no doubt that our society has become increasing secularized and hostile. Those who are on “the wrong side of history” are noticeably out of step in today’s culture. There are people in our communities who see us as dangerous and oppressive because we believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and because we share our ultra-sound photos on Facebook and refuse to label our unborn daughter as a “fetus.”
Like so many on the receiving end of intolerance, some believe that Christianity is collapsing all around them. But what they’re witnessing is nominal Christianity collapsing, and—if you have eyes to see—leaving something in its place.
Russell Moore states, “As nominal Christianity disappears, what remains is a vibrant, gospel-focused, cross-preaching, evangelizing book-of-Acts Christianity. It’s this authentic Christian faith that looks so strange, ridiculous, and even repugnant in American culture.”
Every Christian who cares about religious liberty needs to ask the important question: What should I do? There’s a temptation to follow in the footsteps of men like Harry Emerson Fosdick. He believed reimagining and denying major doctrines that are central to the faith in order to keep up with modern times.
But if you study church history, you quickly realize what Russell Moore observes: “People who don’t want the Bible, don’t want half of the Bible either.” There’s a temptation to preach a generic gospel, knowing that we will be welcomed by virtually everyone in our community. But this almost-gospel doesn’t save and leads people on the broad road to hell. Instead, in the Spirit of the Apostles, let’s strive to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).
A government should welcome religious diversity and allow various truth claims to compete in the marketplace of ideas. Yet, opponents of religious liberty seek to squelch all forms of speech they deem “hate-filled”—including passages of Scripture that expose their seared conscience. When we find ourselves up against those who often misunderstand us, may we remember to courageously proclaim: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). And, in order for us to continue having these Gospel conversations in the first place, let’s remember to pray for religious liberty.
by Ginger Gann | Jul 27, 2016
Have a face-to-face conversation with any adult, tune your T.V. to any news channel or talk show program, log into any area of social media on your smart phone, and within minutes you are hit with the numbing reality of our times. The current events reported over and over again through video, or a verbal play-by-play, literally leave my head spinning.
The horrific circumstances occurring all around us (almost on a daily basis) is bad enough, but then we must endure the aftermath of opinion and comment from the entire world. Ears, eyes, and hearts are subjected to cruel, unrelenting comments of sheer outrage, complete with ample name calling and racial slurs thrown in for good measure.
Back and forth banter, which you know good and well, would not be happening with this volume of wrath and fury if these people were sitting across the table from one another. But, if you find yourself offended or don’t agree, wait just a moment because the temperature is quick to change. In record time outrage gives way to shoulder-shrugging apathy, with a complimentary meme display certifying “This is me not caring about your life-crushing grief.”
What is causing this pendulum swing of the heart? How do we, the people, go from outrage to apathy in warp speed?
May I suggest two possibilities: Overload and lack of control.
Both come from the same place, in my opinion: A place of helplessness.
Our circle of influence, our “watch,” so to speak, has gone global.
How do I celebrate my 7-year-old son’s winning soccer goal while sitting in the bleachers reading an Amber alert? How do I share the Daddy-Daughter Dance photo, in the same trending space, detailing the fact that every 30 seconds another child is forced into slavery, due to human trafficking? How do I tag Ann Voskamp to my Facebook post about my loving husband being one of a thousand “daily gifts,” when there are recent widows who no longer have a husband, or father to her children, because he was shot down in the streets while protecting “we the people”?
We respond. Outraged!
We feel helpless to make any change using our own resources. We feel helpless to turn back the tone-setting tide of big government. We feel helpless to redirect the constant influence of the media flooding our mind with doom and cynicism. This is just too much. In our effort to live our life, we numb. We become justifiably apathetic.
We respond, “Meh.”
Recently, I watched a replay of Canadian Dave Meslin’s Ted Talk from 2010. Melsin suggests we feel helpless and are not beneficially engaged for the same two reasons I suggested above. Therefore, we don’t see ourselves as leaders or world changers, and even if we did, we are not equipped.
He equated it to being the super hero, and we don’t have the (super) power to affect change. So no matter what is happening around us… this is not our rescue.
I beg to differ.
Here are two things we can do to counter the helplessness we feel as we ride the rising tide together.
- Self-monitor your exposure and input in reference to information about tragic events. Counter your emotion-driven response by taking charge. Spend equal time in the positive. Spend time in prayer, with encouraging people, and with God. Refuel! Then utilize the influence of the Holy Spirit to inspire your output.
“For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things” (Phil. 3:18-21. Phil. 4: 4-9).
- Move toward what matters, get up and make a difference where you can.
“My dearly loved brothers (and sisters), understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you. But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:19-27).
Balancing our input allows us to take care of ourselves (like putting your oxygen mask on first in the event of an emergency) then while doing what we can-where we can, we offer a breath of life to others.
You are not powerless!
“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
You ARE chosen and called to proclaim, so demonstrate the light of His mercy, as you respond “well” -during these turbulent times.
Be encouraged – shine on!