Praying Through the NT: Colossians (1 of 26)

I remember learning this in seminary.  One of my professors taught our class how to pray through the Bible.  I recall the example used was a chapter in Psalms.  We were taught how to structure a prayer according the words and concepts used in Scripture.  The result was a spiritually enriching experience!

I'm going to make an attempt at doing this here.  The plan is to randomly select a New Testament book as my guide and structure a prayer around it until I complete all twenty-six NT books. As you compare my results with what might typically characterize a normal prayer you'll notice how we all tend to be more self-centered than God-centered when we pray - I'm guilty of that!..."Lord I pray that you would bless ME with a job, a nice car, well-behaved children, a new home" and the list goes on!

Notice below that the content of my prayer is guided by Scripture.  This makes for a more meaningful, soul-enriching, and God-glorifying experience.  You should give it a shot!

I hope this series of prayers are a blessing and encouragement to you, to help build depth and meaning in your time with the Lord!

A prayer modeled after Colossians:

"Father, thank You for the grace and peace that You've granted me - grace for salvation and peace with You because of the sacrifice of Jesus (1:2).  Stir within my heart, and in the hearts of others, a passion for evangelism - that we might be part of the fruitful increase of Your gospel (1:6).  Help me through Your Spirit to exercise endurance, patience and joy - traits that confirm that I'm Yours so that I'm pleasing in Your sight (1:11).  Thank You for Jesus Who is the perfect Image of You (1:15), the Creator and Sustainer of all things (1:16), the Eternal One (1:17), and the Head of Your church (1:18).  He reconciled me to You through His blood and produced perseverance for preservation that I may "continue in the faith" and be pleasing in Your sight (1:23). Thank You for the sufferings (1:24), toils (1:29), and struggles (2:1) of this life.  I know it's all for Your glory and for the encouragement of others (2:1). I was dead in sin (2:13); You made me alive!  You gave me new life.  Help me to hate sin and love You more than anything (2:11-12).  Help me to Worship You with honesty (2:18-23), knowing that Jesus has made me pleasing in Your sight (2:16-17).

Father, empower me to set my mind on things above not on this earth (3:2).  Thank You that I'm hid with Christ in God (3:3)!  Deal quickly with hints of sexual sin, impurity, self-satisfying passions, evil desires, covetousness, idolatry (3:5), anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk (3:8), or lying (3:10).  Produce compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (3:12) within me.  Help me to see the needs of others and bear their load (3:13).  I pray that I would be ruled by Your Word (3:16) and that thankfulness would always result (3:17).  It's my desire to be a husband who loves his wife and to have a godly marriage, family and home that joyfully submit to You without hesitation (3:18-20).

I pray Lord that You would discipline me to come to You more often.  Help me to be more thankful in my prayers (4:2) and in my communication with others (4:6).  Bless me with the same spirit of love, obedience and joy that men like Paul, Tychicus, Aristarchus, Mark, Barnabas, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, Demas, the believers at Laodicea, the church at Nympha's home and Archippus had back in 50AD when Colossians was written (4:7-17).  To You be glory forever; Your name is blessed.  In Christ I pray.  Amen."

The Absolute Joy of Being Known by God

Lots of people talk about knowing God.  And there's supreme value in such a worthwhile pursuit!  Paul exclaimed in Philippians 3 "For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death" (Phil 3:8, 10).  By far there is no greater purpose than being enveloped - completely consumed - with the pursuit of discovering and knowing the multifaceted character of God!  The Apostle's declaration here goes far beyond academic knowledge though.  He would have agreed that God is sovereign, omnipotent, veracious, immutable, transcendent and so on, but what is being emphasized is knowing God through the experiences of life.  It's the same exact thing Peter referred to in 2 Peter 3:18, "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Learning about the Lord academically and experientially are such grand topics that I could blog on for the rest of my life!  What blessed knowledge and spiritual growth come from this type of knowledge!

Hard to believe, but there actually is something more grand than knowing and learning about God.  Can you believe that?  Do you know what it is?  Jesus said it in Luke 12.  Check it out:

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7)

What is most valuable in all of life is being known by God!  The fact that the Lord Jesus cares and loves His own is reason enough to live life with an overflow of exuberant joy!  Jesus said it best - He loves His children so intimately that He's numbered the hairs on their head, and when one falls out He takes note of it.  Not only is He aware that I have one less hair on my head (when one of my four boys yank it out!) but He has a unique number for each hair - "even the hairs of your head are all numbered."  Jesus cares and loves me so much that when hair #12,372 is uprooted, He knows about it.  Astounding!

To be known by God is by far the greatest truth in the Christian faith!  Knowing that I am known by Him is the fuel that drives my joy.  James 1 commands us to "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" (Jam 1:2).  How can I be joyful during difficult times?  My joy comes from the fact that I am known by God.  Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross "for the joy that was set before Him."  What was His joy?  The joy that fueled Jesus was the joy of 1) perfect fellowship with the Father (Jn 1:1), 2) being sustained by the power of the Spirit (Rom 8:11), 3) accomplishing all that the Father had set out for Him to do (Jn 19:30, Phil 2:9) and 4) saving you and me (Jn 10:28-29)!  My joy is being known by God!  My joy is knowing that Jesus endured the cross - the wrath of God - on my behalf!  And His joy was saving me!

J.I. Packer says it much better than I in his book, Knowing God.  Check it out:

What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it — the fact that He knows me. I am graven on the palms of His hands. I am never out of His mind. All my knowledge of Him depends on His sustained initiative in knowing me. I know Him, because He first knew me, and continues to know me. He knows me as a friend, one who loves me, and there is no moment when His eye is off me, or His attention distracted from me, and no moment therefore, when His care falters....This is momentous knowledge. There is unspeakable comfort — the sort of comfort that energizes, be it said, not enervates — in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love, and watching over me for my good. There is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me. There is, certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that He sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow-men do not see (and am I glad!), and that He sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which in all conscience, is enough).

Fellow believer, might I remind you that there is simply no greater source of joy and security and purpose than knowing that you are loved and known by the Lord Jesus Christ.  How awesome is our God!

"We love because he first loved us."

1 John 4:19

I Pity the Fool & Evangelize the Lost

"I pity the fool" was made popular by Laurence Tureaud, aka "Mr. T", when his character James "Clubber" Lang ambivalently threatened Rocky in Rocky III.  According to T, he was about to deliver the smack down on Balboa and expressed tongue-in-cheek concern for his smaller opponent.  We could say that pitying the fool is like feeling sorry for someone who's out of touch with reality and in this case Mr. T was feeling it for Rocky!

The Bible has MUCH to say about fools doesn't it?  They are to be pitied!  Psalm 14:1 says that they say in their hearts, “There is no God."  Proverbs 1:7 says they "despise wisdom and instruction."  According to Proverbs 14:16 they are "reckless and careless."  Jesus associates foolishness with unbelief, disobedience and false assurance especially when he addresses the religious leaders - "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" (Luke 24:25).  Romans 1 is a long diatribe against fools who reject God's call to repent (Rm 1:21, 22, 31).

Might I even suggest that the label is entirely appropriate for Christians who don't share their faith?  Is that too harsh?  Have I gone too far???  I believe that such people are to be pitied!

I can't help but to think of 1 Corinthians 1:18, "the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  The Bible basically says here that the gospel message means something profound to us who are saved but is foolish to those who don't believe.  If I understand it correctly we're supposed to be the ones who bear the responsibility of sharing this PROFOUND message?  Are we not representatives of the Gospel to the non-believing world (2 Cor 3:2), or do we just believe it and it ends there?

In Matthew 28:19-20 our Lord gave a command to all believers.  He said, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."  Most Bibles preface this with the heading "The Great Commission."  According to Webster's 1828 Dictionary commission is "the act of committing or sending to; the act of entrusting, as a charge or duty" [LINK].  Every believer has this incredible duty - this charge - directly from the lips of Jesus to tell others about the Gospel.  you can't get around it!

Not only is this part of the Christian life but it's unlike any other responsibility! Consider the adjective great in "The Great Commission."  Doesn't that word imply that it's unique and most important according to God? Allow me to suggest a few reasons why great is used to describe our Lord's command.

First, this commissioning comes straight from Almighty God.  As His church we've been entrusted to proclaim the life-saving message of salvation.  Paul felt this burden when he said "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).  Paul's Gospel was great because it came directly from God; "I did not receive [the gospel] from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ" (Gal 1:12).

Second, it's great because it is an impossible task to do in our own strength.  Think about it!  Without God's Spirit intervening in a supernatural way there simply is no salvation.  Who else can open blind eyes (2 Cor 4:4) but Him?  Who else can make deaf ears hear (cf. Romans 10:14) and breathe new life into a spiritually dead person (Eph 2:5)?  Only God's Spirit radically moving in evangelism can effect eternal change.  1 Peter 1:3 and John 3:8 teach that it's the Spirit Who is sovereign and He alone causes new birth.

Third, this command is great because if people believe the message the outcome is salvation.  Of course this is by far the most glorious of all truths!  Those who hear the Gospel message, turn from sin, and embrace Jesus as Lord do then humbly proclaim with John Newton,

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Now I realize these points are not exhaustive.  Go around and ask others what Great means and you're bound to come up with many more!  Even still there's much that could be said on how The Great Commission applies to discipling believers and teaching them how to live Gospel-centered lives but that's not my focus right now.

My real point however is to challenge YOU with a question.  When was the last time YOU shared the Gospel with someone?  Seriously.  I'm not talking about inviting your neighbor to church, handing out tracts or saying "God bless you" after somebody sneezes!  When was the last time you sat with a nonbeliever, told them that they're a sinner and said that they desperately need to repent and commit their life to follow Christ or else suffer under God's condemnation?

Sadly some Christians don't evangelize often enough and most not even at all!  They don't even bother telling others about the very same message that apparently means so much to them!  Most are ashamed of the Gospel and others are consumed with personal fears.  Still some lack the discipline to obey the Great Commission and evangelize.  They fall comfortably into a sort of justifiable ignorance.  They placate their conscience with a list of excuses and surround themselves with like-minded Christians...I pity the fools!

There simply is no excuse!  I've often told others about my evangelism experiences but when I ask about the last time they've shared the Gospel I get a lackluster response.  Shoulders shrug, they turn various shades of red and a weak attempt is made to save face.  How unfortunate.

Imagine what would happen if believers and churches were committed to evangelism.  Imagine if everyone made it their goal to tell at least one person every week about Jesus.  Do you know what the outcome would be?  I'll tell you.  Believers would grow!  People would have more faith in their Bibles and in God's power to save!  Churches would grow!  Families would thrive!  Teenagers would become passionate about a worthy cause!  Professing Christians who aren't saved would leave the church and take their carnality with them!  And of course nonbelievers would get saved!!!

Instead do you know what we have in today's church?  We've got Christians with a lackluster passion to live out and proclaim their faith.  We have churches shrinking in attendance; some even closing their doors.  We have believers discouraged because they're consumed with personal struggles, gossip, doubts and church clicks.  You show me a believer who makes it a priority to tell others about Jesus and I'll show you someone who is godly, mature, and growing spiritually!  To the evangelizing Christian sinful tendencies that paralyze others become like beads of water rolling off a ducks back because they are truly impassioned to pray for and evangelize the lost!

Are you a Christian but don't share this most important message?  I don't condemn you, but I do pity you.

Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

1 Cor 9:16

I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers

Rom 9:3

The Christian, Sexual Purity & Pornography.

Sex is something that God created - You can't deny that.  He thought of it.  He designed it.  He blesses married people with it, for their joy and procreation (Gen 1:28), and He tells unmarried folks that it's sin - plain and simple - and must be avoided.

Jesus said it clear as day in Matthew 19, "A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh...they are no longer two but one flesh" (Matthew 19:5-6).  One flesh speaks of the unbreakable commitment that constitutes the marriage union.  It implies a sexual, physical and spiritual unity that exists exclusively between husband and wife.  To enjoy the sexual benefits of marriage without being married goes against the grain of God's purpose in sex and marriage.

Personal holiness and sanctification are directly linked to sexual purity in Scripture.  In 1 Peter 1:16 God says "Be holy, for I am holy."  And in 1 Thessalonians 4:3 Paul writes, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality."  To the degree that every believer keeps themself sexually pure is a reflection of the value they place on holy living.  Show me someone who's sexually pure and I'll show you someone who is trained for godly living (1 Tim 4:7)!

Sad to say, but it's true, that a "Christian" who sleeps around has no concept of personal holiness. Those engaging in premarital sex have no appreciation whatsoever for the Lordship of Christ.  And believers aware other brothers and sisters doing this should be compelled to confront and challenge them!  Urgent prayers of conviction ought to go up - that God's Spirit would convict of sin and cause repentance; that the Word would shine in on sin's darkness, shake people up, challenge them, discipline them and get them back on the right road!  Be warned that disregarding heartfelt concerns and neglecting follow-through may in fact invite the Lord's discipline on a church-wide scale (see 1 Cor 11:27-32)!  1 Corinthians 5:6 says that "a little leaven leavens the whole lump."  Even tolerating seemingly insignificant sins is a grave error in the church community that can cause corruption and ruin.  "Be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph 4:3) by guarding sexual purity in your church.  It starts first on a personal level through self-examination and then overflows into the lives of others by forming tight friendships of love and accountability based on the sanctifying truths of God's Word.

2 Timothy 2:19a says "The Lord knows those who are his” and 2:19b says, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity."  According to this verse, it's the Lord alone who possesses the private knowledge of who is His and who's not.  And the marked characteristic of true believers is that they "depart from iniquity" according to 19b (also see 1 Jn 3:8-10, Jn 13:35).  They strive to stay on the straight and narrow.  Their heart is one that genuinely loves the Lord and desires to obey His Word.  Of course everyone falters now and then but sin for the Christian is not a habit!  It's a broken pattern bracketed by times of confession and repentance that's all part of the sanctification process God begins at salvation (Phil 1:6).

1 John 1 says that regular confession marks the lives of genuine believers cleansed by the "blood of Jesus" (1 John 1:7).  In verse 9 the Apostle says that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Confess here is ὁμολογῶμεν and it means "to say the same thing as another, to agree with, assent to, concede" (LINK). True confession agrees with God and what He says about sin.  Here this Greek word is a present active subjunctive verb (LINK) which means that it's not talking about a one time act that's over and done with but rather it's an action that happens with regularity and repetition!  In other words true confession is a marked habit of genuine faith!  The Lord rejoices over such action (cf. Luke 15:7, 10)!  He's glorified when true repentance produces change (cf. 2 Cor 7:9-10) and believers become more like Jesus!

Allow me to change gears for a second and write openly about an issue that I believe many struggle with and few choose to talk about.  The issue is pornography.  The word alone makes me uncomfortable!  Lusting after naked (or barely clothed) people - whether it's online, in a magazine or on a raunchy TV show - porn comes in many different forms!  We live in a lust-saturated culture.  At nearly every turn there's an enticing image luring us into illicit sin.  Consider these alarming statistics (LINK):

• Over 40 million adults regularly visit porn sites.
• Nearly 50% of Christians say porn is a major problem in their home.
• There are 4.2 million porn sites, accounting for nearly 12% of the entire web!
• Nearly 90% of pornography is made in the U.S.
• More than $3,000 per second is spent on porn.
• 260 new porn sites are created daily.

Those numbers are frightening and probably much worse than anyone really knows!

I'm sure you can agree that pornography for Christians is especially dangerous.  It progresses with aggressive speed and soul depth!  In no time one's mind can become recalcitrant to hearing and applying God's Word.  Roots of sin and temptation infect with ferocious intensity!  The appetite born by sexual sin is insatiable!  For married couples it can be even worse.  Physical intimacy is affected.  Trust breaks down.  Expectations set by sinful thinking become unmeetable.  Frustration ensues and sinful patterns progress like an unstoppable plague!

If you've seen Dateline NBC's "To Catch A Predator" with Chris Hansen (LINK) then you know exactly the high price people pay for this type of sin!  In Hansen's show perpetrators are caught in a web of illegal sexual fantasies until justice lays the smack down.  Hidden cameras come out.  The show's host steps on set and confronts the pedophiliac criminal would-be star.  Reality sets in almost instantly.  The guilty have no where to turn but to the cameras (or the insides of their shirts as they try and hide their faces)!

The truth is that sexual sin destroys!  Pornography destroys!  Sin takes no prisoners and it kills all victims!  It destroys homes.  It wrecks marriages.  It ruins teenagers.  It offers a moment of pleasure in exchange for personal purity.  It dishonors the Lord and numbs the conscience.  Make no mistake about it, if allowed to live it will DESTROY you.  It will win and leave you debilitated.  If you think you can handle it, you're wrong - YOU CAN'T!

If you find yourself caught up in the web of sexual sin you need to take drastic measures today and get right with the Lord NOW.  First, start by confessing sin.  Be specific - "Lord, forgive me for doing XYZ!"  Beg Him for strength to overcome.  "God I can't control my lusts.  I desperately need Your Spirit.  I need Your Word to change me.  I need the strength to seek accountability!"  Next, set up points of accountability.  Get with a group of trusted believers (who are your same gender) and confess your sins to them.  Tell them you need their support and accountability - whether it's weekly or more frequently.  And then ask yourself what you can do practically to prevent another fall.  If looking at department store catalogs causes you to stumble then contact the publishers and get your name off their mailing lists.  If it's internet porn that gets you then bring your computer out in the open, install a web filter (LINK) and get an accountability partner to set parameters on your pc that are password protected!  If you're married and have a family make it a household rule that all computers turn off after a certain time (most routers can be set to limit web access to certain times of day.  K9 web protection can do this too to individual pc's).

Here's my point: sexual sin is unlike any other.  It's destructive and it delivers devastating blows to your spiritual life and those around you.  If you're caught up in it, you need to take whatever steps necessary to reclaim lost ground.  Get back your spiritual purity!  Don't wait any longer.  The undertow of sexual sin will get you if you don't deal with it.  Come clean today!  Go to the Lord, your pastor, your spouse, or a close friend at church and get help...before it's too late.

"Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

2 Timothy 2:2

"How can a young man keep his way pure?  By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
Psalm 119:9-11

The Terrifyingly Exclusive Nature of the Gospel and the Love of God

I must admit that sometimes - no, most times - when I think about what I believe, I am truly frightened.  I look into the Bible and see its clearly exclusive and particular claims - how Jesus is the only way and how salvation is given to a select few - and in one sense I am deeply grateful for having been a recipient of the Lord's grace, but in another I am extremely frightened for those who have not heard the message.  I'm even more frightened for those who have heard and reject it!

Hebrews 10:31 says that "It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  It is most fearful to be in His presence clothed only with the paper-thin protection of your own self-righteousness!  It's most fearful to present to Him your works - which He considers "polluted garments" (Is 64:6).  They (and thus you) fall woefully short of His perfect standard (Rom 3:23).  Habakkuk 1:13 tells us that the Lord's eye are too pure to look upon evil!


Even a cavalier reading of the Bible portrays God as one who is holy, perfect and just and intolerant of sin. In Numbers 16:31-35 God causes the earth to swallow up a bunch of rebellious folks and then fire comes down from above and wipes out 250 more!  From Exodus chapter 5 through chapter 12 God unleashes judgment on the hardened nation of Egypt led by a stone-cold pharaoh who is unwilling to repent (cf. Rom 9:17-18).  God wants Egypt to let His people go and is determined to win the fight.  Of course they eventually bow but only after judgment is meted out with frogs, gnats, pestilence, skin boils, locusts and - who can forget - death of the firstborn Egyptian children.  In the end God wins.  He has His way.  He triumphs; Man loses.  Man never wins against the Almighty.


All things considered, God is holy and being so, He calls the shots.  Jesus said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14:6).  He said in Matthew 7:14 "For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."  Jesus is the gate and the gate is the access point to eternal life, to the Father.  But the gate is hidden.  Jesus said "those who find it are few." And the way after passing through it is hard.  Having heard even this small snippet on how peace with God is obtained, we are only left to agree with the disciples conclusion, "Then who can be saved?" (Luke 18:26).

Ultimately, salvation is up to the Lord.  He saves (1 Pet 1:3).  You and I can't argue anyone into the kingdom.  We can't intellectually or apologetically convince anyone that Jesus is worth believing.  The convincing part falls on God's shoulders.  He alone is able to pump resurrection life into a dead sinner's soul!  He grants repentance, faith and the passion to follow Him.

Perhaps one of the most enriching verses of scripture to me is Romans 5:5, "hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."  I love this verse!  I love it because it talks about God's love and I think of His love against the backdrop of His wrath.  They are two astoundingly opposite concepts - not contradictory just opposite.  According to Romans 2:5 wrath is stored up against nonbelievers (Ps 7:12-13 and Ps 5:5 provide additional details on this concept).  I consider these great truths and say in my heart, "That's me!"  I deserved it all and instead what God did for me in giving me salvation is poured out His love in abundance!  His love towards me is rich!  It is unconditional. It's forgiving.  It's merciful.  It protects me (1 Pet 1:5).  It's worth living for.  It's worth dying for.  And it's been best expressed in the person of Jesus.  I went from one to whom wrath was stored up against to one on whom love is abundantly poured!

The Gospel is still terrifyingly exclusive to me though.  Jesus is the perfect consummate example of wrath and love.  In one sense His death is the greatest evil this world will ever know - an innocent man and perfect God dying for sins He didn't commit.  In crucifixion He subjected Himself to the fanciful rulings of fallen creatures that He made (and could unmake in an instant)!  In another sense His death is the greatest expression of love that this world could never produce.  In dieing for sin and becoming sin he absorbed the Father's wrath to the fullest and purchased redemption for all who believe.  There just simply is no greater act of love than that!


I will someday stand face-to-face with the Almighty-- but not covered with my own "fall-short" righteousness. Rather, I will stand confidently having been covered by the propitious blood of the eternal and perfect sacrifice of Jesus and His righteousness!  How glorious!  I have no need to fear approaching the Father's throne anymore but I can "with confidence draw near to the throne of grace" (Heb 4:16) because of my Jesus.

"we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

1 John 2:1

A Pastor's Worst Nightmare

I recall reading a story about the famous 19th Century Chicagoland preacher D. L. Moody.  The story goes that after one of his Sunday church services Pastor Moody was walking about the streets of Chicago when a man approached him in a drunken stupor.  Moody didn't recognize the man but the man claimed to be one his. "Mr. Moody you remember me!  I'm one of your converts.  I go to your church."  Moody, a man of conviction and commitment to Bible truth, responded to the drunk, "You may be one of my converts, but you're not one of the Lords."

Now we could dissect the details of that story as to whether drunks are part of the kingdom and so on, but that's not the issue here.  The real point is a word of caution to every preacher.  The warning is this: everyone who handles the word of God in a public context ought to be vigilant to make converts of Christ and not converts of themselves.  I know Moody would agree with me.  He was a solid preacher whose legacy is evident even today (LINK).

Jesus in His public indictment against the religious leaders of the day in Matthew 23 directed a harsh rebuke toward them. He said "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves."  One of the main characteristics of religious falsehood is that leaders are more concerned about making converts to themselves and their system instead of converts to the truth - to Jesus Christ.

Paul shared this same passion when he wrote to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 1:11-14.  He said "It's been reported to me by Chloe's people that there's quarreling among you...What I mean is that each one of you says, 'I follow Paul,' or 'I follow Apollos,' or 'I follow Cephas,' or 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name."  The apostle's conviction is obvious.  He warned the Corinthians not to get caught up in following particular personalities that they isolate themselves from the ultimate Personality who is Christ.  In context, of these Corinthian factions - followers of Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Christ - the "Christ" followers were the worst crowd!  Paul speaking tongue-in-cheek classified this group as the religious elite. They were self-righteous snobs. They were the holier-than-thou crowd. Paul felt so strongly about this rebuke that he even said that he was glad not to have baptized them because if he had it would've been like giving his stamp of approval on their profession of faith - which might not have even been real!  Harsh words? Yes. Unloving? No. Necessary? Absolutely.

It's indeed a pastor's worst nightmare to have followers who are converts of self instead of Christ.  Good luck to every preacher who finds himself in this predicament...Now try going back to your converts and tell them that they need Jesus more than they need you!  The telltale sign of ill-informed preachers is that they're most concerned about self-preservation, gaining followers and building a name than they are at admonishing people to follow Jesus, pursue His glory and seek His kingdom. It's the main job of the pastor to "equip the saints" (Eph 4:12) and this is done through the accurate proclamation of the unadulterated word of God (2 Tim 4:2).  It's Jesus' job to build His church.  He said it clear as day, "I will build my church" (Mt 16:18).  Jesus builds His church not the preacher.

Are you a pastor?  Do you shepherd a church?  Are you doing it right and trusting the Lord to build His church or are you consumed with filling pews and making your own converts? There's no greater task that a man of God can commit himself to than to be fully consumed with a passion to bring glory to the Lord, preach the Good News and seek His kingdom all the while trusting in divine providence to accomplish what it may.

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Philippians 1:21

STATEMENT OF FAITH

STATEMENT OF FAITH
_{(adapted from the MacArthur Study Bible by John MacArthur)}

The Holy Scriptures
We teach that the Bible is God's written revelation to man, and thus the 66 books of the Bible given to us by the Holy Spirit constitute the plenary (inspired equally in all parts) Word of God (1Co 2:7-14; 2Pe 1:20, 21). We teach that the Word of God is an objective, propositional revelation (1Co 2:13; 1Th 2:13), verbally inspired in every word (2Ti 3:16), absolutely inerrant in the original documents, infallible, and God-breathed. We teach the literal, grammatical-historical interpretation of Scripture, which affirms the belief that the opening chapters of Genesis present creation in six literal days (Ge 1:31; Ex 31:17). We teach that the Bible constitutes the only infallible rule of faith and practice (Mt 5:18; 24:35; Jn 10:35; 16:12, 13; 17:17; 1Co 2:13; 2Ti 3:15-17; Heb 4:12; 2Pe 1:20, 21). We teach that God spoke in His written Word by a process of dual authorship. The Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that, through their individual personalities and different styles of writing, they composed and recorded God's Word to man (2Pe 1:20, 21) without error in the whole or in the part (Mt 5:18; 2Ti 3:16). We teach that, whereas there may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, there is but one true interpretation. The meaning of Scripture is to be found as one diligently applies the literal, grammatical-historical method of interpretation under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (Jn 7:17; 16:12-15; 1Co 2:7-15; 1Jn 2:20). It is the responsibility of believers to ascertain carefully the true intent and meaning of Scripture, recognizing that proper application is binding on all generations. Yet the truth of Scripture stands in judgment of men; never do men stand in judgment of it.

GOD
We teach that there is but one living and true God (Dt 6:4; Is 45:5-7; 1Co 8:4), an infinite, all-knowing Spirit (Jn 4:24), perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19; 2Co 13:14)-each equally deserving worship and obedience.

The Father
We teach that God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Ps 145:8, 9; 1Co 8:6). He is the Creator of all things (Ge 1:1-31; Eph 3:9). As the only absolute and omnipotent ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Ps 103:19; Ro 11:36). His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator He is Father to all men (Eph 4:6), but He is Spiritual Father only to believers (Ro 8:14; 2Co 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Eph 1:11). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1Ch 29:11). In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin (Hab 1:13), nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (1Pe 1:17). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own (Eph 1:4-6); He saves from sin all those who come to Him through Jesus Christ; He adopts as His own all those who come to Him; and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (Jn 1:12; Ro 8:15; Gal 4:5; Heb 12:5-9).

The Son

We teach that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, possesses all the divine excellencies, and in these He is coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father (Jn 10:30; 14:9). We teach that God the Father created "the heavens and the earth and all that is in them" according to His own will, through His Son, Jesus Christ, by whom all things continue in existence and in operations (Jn 1:3; Col 1:15-17; Heb 1:2). We teach that in the incarnation (God becoming man) Christ surrendered only the prerogatives of deity but nothing of the divine essence, either in degree or kind. In His incarnation, the eternally existing second person of the Trinity accepted all the essential characteristics of humanity and so became the God-man (Php 2:5-8; Col 2:9). We teach that Jesus Christ represents humanity and deity in indivisible oneness (Mic 5:2; Jn 5:23; 14:9, 10; Col 2:9). We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23, 25; Lk 1:26-35); that He was God incarnate (Jn 1:1, 14); and that the purpose of the incarnation was to reveal God, redeem men, and rule over God's kingdom (Ps 2:7-9; Is 9:6; Jn 1:29; Php 2:9-11; Heb 7:25, 26; 1Pe 1:18, 19). We teach that, in the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity laid aside His right to the full prerogatives of coexistence with God, assumed the place of a Son, and took on an existence appropriate to a servant while never divesting Himself of His divine attributes (Php 2:5-8). We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross and that His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (Jn 10:15; Ro 3:24, 25; 5:8; 1Pe 2:24). We teach that on the basis of the efficacy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing sinner is freed from the punishment, the penalty, the power, and one day the very presence of sin; and that he is declared righteous, given eternal life, and adopted into the family of God (Ro 3:25; 5:8, 9; 2Co 5:14, 15; 1Pe 2:24; 3:18). We teach that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead and that He is now ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He now mediates as our Advocate and High-Priest (Mt 28:6; Lk 24:38, 39; Ac 2:30, 31; Ro 4:25; 8:34; Heb 7:25; 9:24; 1Jn 2:1). We teach that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, God confirmed the deity of His Son and gave proof that God has accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Jesus' bodily resurrection is also the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers (Jn 5:26-29; 14:19; Ro 4:25; 6:5-10; 1Co 15:20, 23). We teach that Jesus Christ will return to receive the church, which is His body, unto Himself at the Rapture and, returning with His church in glory, will establish His millennial kingdom on earth (Ac 1:9-11; 1Th 4:13-18; Rev 20). We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one through whom God will judge all mankind (Jn 5:22, 23): Believers (1Co 3:10-15; 2Co 5:10); Living inhabitants of the earth at His glorious return (Mt 25:31-46); and Unbelieving dead at the Great White Throne (Rev 20:11-15). As the mediator between God and man (1Ti 2:5), the head of His body the church (Eph 1:22; 5:23; Col 1:18), and the coming universal King who will reign on the throne of David (Is 9:6, 7; Eze 37:24-28; Lk 1:31-33), He is the final judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior (Mt 25:14-46; Ac 17:30, 31).

The Holy Spirit
We teach that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, eternal, underived, possessing all the attributes of personality and deity, including intellect (1Co 2:10-13), emotions (Eph 4:30), will (1Co 12:11), eternality (Heb 9:14), omnipresence (Ps 139:7-10), omniscience (Is 40:13, 14), omnipotence (Ro 15:13), and truthfulness (Jn 16:13). In all the divine attributes He is coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son (Mt 28:19; Ac 5:3, 4; 28:25, 26; 1Co 12:4-6; 2Co 13:14; and Jer 31:31-34 with Heb 10:15-17). We teach that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to execute the divine will with relation to all mankind. We recognize His sovereign activity in the creation (Ge 1:2), the incarnation (Mt 1:18), the written revelation (2Pe 1:20, 21), and the work of salvation (Jn 3:5-7). We teach that a unique work of the Holy Spirit in this age began at Pentecost when He came from the Father as promised by Christ (Jn 14:16, 17; 15:26) to initiate and complete the building of the body of Christ. His activity includes convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ and transforming believers into the image of Christ (Jn 16:7-9; Ac 1:5; 2:4; Ro 8:29; 2Co 3:18; Eph 2:22). We teach that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ (1Co 12:13). The Holy Spirit also indwells, sanctifies, instructs, empowers them for service, and seals them unto the day of redemption (Ro 8:9-11; 2Co 3:6; Eph 1:13). We teach that the Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who guided the apostles and prophets into all truth as they committed to writing God's revelation, the Bible (2Pe 1:19-21). Every believer possesses the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation, and it is the duty of all those born of the Spirit to be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (Ro 8:9-11; Eph 5:18; 1Jn 2:20, 27). We teach that the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to the church. The Holy Spirit glorifies neither Himself nor His gifts by ostentatious displays, but He does glorify Christ by implementing His work of redeeming the lost and building up believers in the most holy faith (Jn 16:13, 14; Ac 1:8; 1Co 12:4-11; 2Co 3:18). We teach, in this respect, that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts for the perfecting of the saints today and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles in the beginning days of the church were for the purpose of pointing to and authenticating the apostles as revealers of divine truth, and were never intended to be characteristic of the lives of believers (1Co 12:4-11; 13:8-10; 2Co 12:12; Eph 4:7-12; Heb 2:1-4).

MAN

We teach that man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness. Man was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God (Ge 2:7, 15-25; Jas 3:9). We teach that God's intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God's fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God's purpose for man in the world (Is 43:7; Col 1:16; Rev 4:11). We teach that in Adam's sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence; incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death; became subject to the wrath of God; and became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man's salvation is thereby wholly of God's grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ge 2:16, 17; 3:1-19; Jn 3:36; Ro 3:23; 6:23; 1Co 2:14; Eph 2:1-3; 1Ti 2:13, 14; 1Jn 1:8). We teach that because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam's sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception. All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Ps 14:1-3; Jer 17:9; Ro 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12).

SALVATION
We teach that salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works (Jn 1:12; Eph 1:4-7; 2:8-10; 1Pe 1:18, 19).

ELECTION
We teach that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies (Ro 8:28-30; Eph 1:4-11; 2Th 2:13; 2Ti 2:10; 1Pe 1:1, 2). We teach that sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Eze 18:23, 32; 33:11; Jn 3:18, 19, 36; 5:40; 2Th 2:10-12; Rev 22:17). Nevertheless, since sovereign grace includes the means of receiving the gift of salvation as well as the gift itself, sovereign election will result in what God determines. All whom the Father calls to Himself will come in faith and all who come in faith the Father will receive (Jn 6:37-40, 44; Ac 13:48; Jas 4:8). We teach that the unmerited favor that God grants to totally depraved sinners is not related to any initiative of their own part nor to God's anticipation of what they might do by their own will, but is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy (Eph 1:4-7; Tit 3:4-7; 1Pe 1:2). We teach that election should not be looked upon as based merely on abstract sovereignty. God is truly sovereign but He exercises this sovereignty in harmony with His other attributes, especially His omniscience, justice, holiness, wisdom, grace, and love (Ro 9:11-16). This sovereignty will always exalt the will of God in a manner totally consistent with His character as revealed in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ (Mt 11:25-28; 2Ti 1:9).

REGENERATION
We teach that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are given (Jn 3:3-8; Tit 3:5). It is instantaneous and is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God (Jn 5:24), when the repentant sinner, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to the divine provision of salvation. Genuine regeneration is manifested by fruits worthy of repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct. Good works will be its proper evidence and fruit (1Co 6:19, 20; Eph 5:17-21; Php 2:12b; Col 3:12-17; 2Pe 1:4-11). This obedience causes the believer to be increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ (2Co 3:18). Such a conformity is climaxed in the believer's glorification at Christ's coming (Ro 8:16, 17; 2Pe 1:4; 1Jn 3:2, 3).

JUSTIFICATION
We teach that justification before God is an act of God (Ro 8:30, 33) by which He declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repent of their sins (Lk 13:3; Ac 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Ro 2:4; 2Co 7:10; Is 55:6, 7) and confess Him as sovereign Lord (Ro 10:9, 10; 1Co 12:3; 2Co 4:5; Php 2:11). This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man (Ro 3:20; 4:6) and involves the placing of our sins on Christ (Col 2:14; 1Pe 2:24) and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us (1Co 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2Co 5:21). By this means God is enabled to "be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Ro 3:26).

SANCTIFICATION
We teach that every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy and is therefore identified as a saint. This sanctification is positional and instantaneous and should not be confused with progressive sanctification. This sanctification has to do with the believer's standing, not his present walk or condition (Ac 20:32; 1Co 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2Th 2:13; Heb 2:11; 3:1; 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1Pe 1:2). We teach that there is also by the work of the Holy Spirit a progressive sanctification by which the state of the believer is brought closer to the likeness of Christ through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit. The believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God, becoming more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 17:17, 19; Ro 6:1-22; 2Co 3:18; 1Th 4:3, 4; 5:23). In this respect, we teach that every saved person is involved in a daily conflict-the new creation in Christ doing battle against the flesh-but adequate provision is made for victory through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The struggle nevertheless stays with the believer all through this earthly life and is never completely ended. All claims to the eradication of sin in this life are unscriptural. Eradication of sin is not possible, but the Holy Spirit does provide for victory over sin (Gal 5:16-25; Php 3:12; Col 3:9, 10; 1Pe 1:14-16; 1Jn 3:5-9).

SECURITY
We teach that all the redeemed once saved are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever (Jn 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Ro 5:9, 10; 8:1, 31-39; 1Co 1:4-9; Eph 4:30; Heb 7:25; 13:5; 1Pe 1:4, 5; Jude 24). We teach that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an excuse for sinful living and carnality (Ro 6:15-22; 13:13, 14; Gal 5:13, 16, 17, 25, 26; Tit 2:11-14).

SEPARATION
We teach that separation from sin is clearly called for throughout the Old and New Testaments, and that the Scriptures clearly indicate that in the last days apostasy and worldliness shall increase (2Co 6:14-7:1; 2Ti 3:1-5). We teach that out of deep gratitude for the undeserved grace of God granted to us and because our glorious God is so worthy of our total consecration, all the saved should live in such a manner as to demonstrate our adoring love to God and so as not to bring reproach upon our Lord and Savior. We also teach that separation from any association with religious apostasy, and worldly and sinful practices is commanded of us by God (Ro 12:1, 2; 1Co 5:9-13; 2Co 6:14-7:1; 1Jn 2:15-17; 2Jn 9-11). We teach that believers should be separated unto our Lord Jesus Christ (2Th 1:11, 12; Heb 12:1, 2) and affirm that the Christian life is a life of obedient righteousness demonstrated by a beatitude attitude (Mt 5:2-12) and a continual pursuit of holiness (Ro 12:1, 2; 2Co 7:1; Heb 12:14; Tit 2:11-14; 1Jn 3:1-10).

THE CHURCH

We teach that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual body, the church (1Co 12:12, 13), the bride of Christ (2Co 11:2; Eph 5:23-32; Rev 19:7, 8), of which Christ is the head (Eph 1:22; 4:15; Col 1:18). We teach that the formation of the church, the body of Christ, began on the day of Pentecost (Ac 2:1-21, 38-47) and will be completed at the coming of Christ for His own at the Rapture (1Co 15:51, 52; 1Th 4:13-18). We teach that the church is thus a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born-again believers in this present age (Eph 2:11-3:6). The church is distinct from Israel (1Co 10:32), a mystery not revealed until this age (Eph 3:1-6; 5:32). We teach that the establishment and continuity of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Ac 14:23, 27; 20:17, 28; Gal 1:2; Php 1:1; 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1) and that the members of the one spiritual body are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies (1Co 11:18-20; Heb 10:25). We teach that the one supreme authority for the church is Christ (Eph 1:22; Col 1:18) and that church leadership, gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through His sovereignty as found in the Scriptures. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are elders (males, who are also called bishops, pastors, and pastor-teachers; Ac 20:28; Eph 4:11) and deacons, both of whom must meet biblical qualification (1Ti 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-9; 1Pe 5:1-5). We teach that these leaders lead or rule as servants of Christ (1Ti 5:17-22) and have His authority in directing the church. The congregation is to submit to their leadership (Heb 13:7, 17). We teach the importance of discipleship (Mt 28:19, 20; 2Ti 2:2), mutual accountability of all believers to each other (Mt 18:15-17), as well as the need for discipline for sinning members of the congregation in accord with the standards of Scripture (Mt 18:15-22; Ac 5:1-11; 1Co 5:1-13; 2Th 3:6-15; 1Ti 1:19, 20; Tit 1:10-16). We teach the autonomy of the local church, free from any external authority or control, with the right of self-government and freedom from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations (Tit 1:5). We teach that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other for the presentation and propagation of the faith. Local churches, however, through their pastors and their interpretation and application of Scripture, should be the sole judges of the measure and method of their cooperation (Ac 15:19-31; 20:28; 1Co 5:4-7, 13; 1Pe 5:1-4). We teach that the purpose of the church is to glorify God (Eph 3:21) by building itself up in the faith (Eph 4:13-16), by instruction of the Word (2Ti 2:2, 15; 3:16, 17), by fellowship (Ac 2:47; 1Jn 1:3), by keeping the ordinances (Lk 22:19; Ac 2:38-42) and by advancing and communicating the gospel to the entire world (Mt 28:19; Ac 1:8). We teach the calling of all saints to the work of service (1Co 15:58; Eph 4:12; Rev 22:12). We teach the need of the church to cooperate with God as He accomplishes His purpose in the world. To that end, He gives the church spiritual gifts. First, He gives men chosen for the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph 4:7-12) and He also gives unique and special spiritual abilities to each member of the body of Christ (Ro 12:5-8; 1Co 12:4-31; 1Pe 4:10, 11). We teach that there were two kinds of gifts given the early church: miraculous gifts of divine revelation and healing, given temporarily in the apostolic era for the purpose of confirming the authenticity of the apostles' message (Heb 2:3, 4; 2Co 12:12); and ministering gifts, given to equip believers for edifying one another. With the New Testament revelation now complete, Scripture becomes the sole test of the authenticity of a man's message, and confirming gifts of a miraculous nature are no longer necessary to validate a man or his message (1Co 13:8-12). Miraculous gifts can even be counterfeited by Satan so as to deceive even believers (Mt 24:24). The only gifts in operation today are those non-revelatory equipping gifts given for edification (Ro 12:6-8). We teach that no one possesses the gift of healing today but that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith and will answer in accordance with His own perfect will for the sick, suffering, and afflicted (Lk 18:1-8; Jn 5:7-9; 2Co 12:6-10; Jas 5:13-16; 1Jn 5:14, 15). We teach that two ordinances have been committed to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper (Ac 2:38-42). Christian baptism by immersion (Ac 8:36-39) is the solemn and beautiful testimony of a believer showing forth his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and his union with Him in death to sin and resurrection to a new life (Ro 6:1-11). It is also a sign of fellowship and identification with the visible body of Christ (Ac 2:41, 42). We teach that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of His death until He comes, and should be always preceded by solemn self-examination (1Co 11:23-32). We also teach that whereas the elements of communion are only representative of the flesh and blood of Christ, the Lord's Supper is nevertheless an actual Communion with the risen Christ who is present in a unique way, fellowshiping with His people (1Co 10:16).

HOLY ANGELS
We teach that angels are created beings and are therefore not to be worshiped. Although they are a higher order of creation than man, they are created to serve God and to worship Him (Lk 2:9-14; Heb 1:6, 7, 14; 2:6, 7; Rev 5:11-14).

FALLEN ANGELS
We teach that Satan is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator (Is 14:12-17; Eze 28:11-19), by taking numerous angels with him in his fall (Mt 25:41; Rev 12:1-14), and by introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve (Ge 3:1-15). We teach that Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man (Is 14:13, 14; Mt 4:1-11; Rev 12:9, 10), the prince of this world who has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Ro 16:20) and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Is 14:12-17; Eze 28:11-19; Mt 25:41; Rev 20:10).

DEATH
We teach that physical death involves no loss of our immaterial consciousness (Rev 6:9-11), that there is a separation of soul and body (Jas 2:26), that the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ (Lk 23:43; 2Co 5:8; Php 1:23), and that, for the redeemed, such separation will continue until the Rapture (1Th 4:13-17) which initiates the first resurrection (Rev 20:4-6), when our soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with our Lord (1Co 15:35-44, 50-54; Php 3:21). Until that time, the souls of the redeemed in Christ remain in joyful fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ (2Co 5:8). We teach the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life (Jn 6:39; Ro 8:10, 11, 19-23; 2Co 4:14), and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Da 12:2; Jn 5:29; Rev 20:13-15). We teach that the souls of the unsaved at death are kept under punishment until the final resurrection (Lk 16:19-26; Rev 20:13-15), when the soul and the resurrection body will be united (Jn 5:28, 29). They shall then appear at the Great White Throne judgment (Rev 20:11-15) and shall be cast into hell, the lake of fire (Mt 25:41-46), cut off from the life of God forever (Da 12:2; Mt 25:41-46; 2Th 1:7-9).

THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
We teach the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ before the seven-year tribulation (1Th 4:16; Tit 2:13) to translate His church from this earth (Jn 14:1-3; 1Co 15:51-53; 1Th 4:15-5:11) and, between this event and His glorious return with His saints, to reward believers according to their works (1Co 3:11-15; 2Co 5:10).

THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
We teach that immediately following the removal of the church from the earth (Jn 14:1-3; 1Th 4:13-18) the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world (Jer 30:7; Da 9:27; 12:1; 2Th 2:7-12; Rev 16), and that these judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth (Mt 24:27-31; 25:31-46; 2Th 2:7-12). At that time the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be raised and the living will be judged (Da 12:2, 3; Rev 20:4-6). This period includes the seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy (Da 9:24-27; Mt 24:15-31; 25:31-46).

THE SECOND COMING AND THE MILLENNIAL REIGN

We teach that after the tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to occupy the throne of David (Mt 25:31; Lk 1:32, 33; Ac 1:10, 11; 2:29, 30) and establish His messianic kingdom for a thousand years on the earth (Rev 20:1-7). During this time the resurrected saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth (Eze 37:21-28; Da 7:17-22; Rev 19:11-16). This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world (Da 7:17-27; Rev 20:1-6). We teach that the kingdom itself will be the fulfillment of God's promise to Israel (Is 65:17-25; Eze 37:21-28; Zec 8:1-17) to restore them to the land which they forfeited through their disobedience (Dt 28:15-68). The result of their disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set aside (Mt 21:43; Ro 11:1-26) but will again be awakened through repentance to enter into the land of blessing (Jer 31:31-34; Eze 36:22-32; Ro 11:25-29). We teach that this time of our Lord's reign will be characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and long life (Is 11; 65:17-25; Eze 36:33-38), and will be brought to an end with the release of Satan (Rev 20:7).

THE JUDGMENT OF THE LOST
We teach that following the release of Satan after the thousand year reign of Christ (Rev 20:7), Satan will deceive the nations of the earth and gather them to battle against the saints and the beloved city, at which time Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven (Rev 20:9). Following this, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Mt 25:41; Rev 20:10) whereupon Christ, who is the judge of all men (Jn 5:22), will resurrect and judge the great and small at the Great White Throne judgment. We teach that this resurrection of the unsaved dead to judgment will be a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their judgment (Jn 5:28, 29), they will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire (Mt 25:41; Rev 20:11-15).

ETERNITY
We teach that after the closing of the Millennium, the temporary release of Satan, and the judgment of unbelievers (2Th 1:9; Rev 20:7-15), the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved (2Pe 3:10) and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells (Eph 5:5; Rev 20:15, 21, 22). Following this, the heavenly city will come down out of heaven (Rev 21:2) and will be the dwelling place of the saints, where they will enjoy forever fellowship with God and one another (Jn 17:3; Rev 21, 22). Our Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled His redemptive mission, will then deliver up the kingdom to God the Father (1Co 15:23-28) that in all spheres the triune God may reign forever and ever (1Co 15:28).

"What should I look for when choosing a new church home?" by John MacArthur

We've all heard that the choice and purchase of a home is one of the most significant decisions a person will ever make. In this temporal world that may be true. However, choosing where you and your children will learn the things of God and serve the Lord Jesus Christ has eternal ramifications.

Every week at Grace to You we receive letters from people asking us to recommend a good church in their area. Those requests indicate three types of people wanting to make a wise choice in selecting a church home: those who have moved or will be moving, new believers wanting to choose a good church, and those whose current church has departed from biblical principles. Such circumstances force us to consider what's really important in a church.

Is This Church Right for Me?
What are the biblical criteria you need to be aware of when considering a new church? Let's compare the search for a new church to that of a new home. When looking for a house, people typically ask, How much does it cost? Is it large enough to meet our family's needs? How well is it built? What kind of neighborhood is it in? Does it have a warm and homey atmosphere? Is it conducive to hospitality? Similarly, before choosing a church home you need to consider its foundation, structure, function, and environment.

Before we consider those important components, please realize that no church is going to be perfect. Some local churches may be in seemingly excellent condition, while others are obvious fixer-uppers! Many fall somewhere in between. You must seek God's will and be led by the Holy Spirit in selecting a church. Also you need to evaluate how you and your family can contribute to that ministry so it is not just another church, but truly a church home.

Investigating Its Foundation
Jesus said that the wise man builds his house upon rock and the foolish man builds his house upon sand (Matt. 7:24-27). When storms come, the stability of the foundation determines both the direction and durability of the structure. Whether you're searching for a home to live in or a church to worship in, its foundation is crucial.

There are four main components that make up the foundation of a strong local church:

1. A Proper View of Scripture. When investigating a potential church home, pay particular attention to how it views the Bible. Does it hold to the inspiration and inerrancy of the Scriptures? Does it believe the Bible is the only rule for faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)?
2. An Emphasis on Bible Teaching and Preaching. Observe what kind of preaching is done. Is it primarily expository, topical, or evangelistic in nature? Is the main diet repetitive salvation messages each week, or are believers being fed from the Word (Acts 20:27; 1 Tim. 4:13-16; 2 Tim. 4:1-5)? There should be a strong commitment to high-quality Bible teaching.
3. Doctrinal Soundness. Just as you would inspect the soundness of a house's foundation, so you should investigate the doctrinal stance of the churches you visit. Where do they stand on such crucial issues of the Christian faith as the virgin birth and deity of Jesus Christ; the depravity of mankind; the work of Christ on the cross; His death, burial, and bodily resurrection; salvation by grace through faith alone; the second coming of Christ; and the ordinances of baptism and Communion?
4. Doctrinal Practice. Observe whether the church practices the doctrines it claims to believe and teach. As James said to the church at large, "Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22; cf. Luke 6:46; John 13:17).

Examining Its Structure
Once you are satisfied with the foundational aspects of the church, you need to look at its structural components. Recently I walked through a new house under construction. I noticed posts that weren't plumb, seams that didn't meet properly, and beams that were crooked and uneven. Those were glaring structural defects in a home advertised as being built by "the last of the true craftsmen"!

The structural components of a local church provide not only its strength, but also dictate the character and direction of its ministry. Those components include:

1. Church Government. Find out if the church's leaders function according to New Testament principles (1 Tim. 3:1-13; 5:17-20; Titus 1:4-9; Heb. 13:7, 17). Do they understand the centrality of Christ as head of the church and His desire to rule His church through a plurality of godly men (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Col.1:18; 1 Cor. 11:3)?
2. Evidence of Order. The church's ministry, including its services, teaching, and administration, should have an obvious sense of order. Some church services exhibit as much lack of planning as do homes with poorly thought-out floor plans. Some churches handle the Lord's resources and work in such a haphazard way that they bring shame to the name of Christ. As Paul said in speaking of the church, "Let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner" (1 Cor. 14:40).
3. Functional Goals and Objectives. As you investigate a new church, find out if the leadership has set any goals. Has the church planned for future progress and direction? Does it have in mind particular methods of reaching those goals? Like Paul, we as a church need "to run in such a way, as not without aim" (1 Cor. 9:26).
4. The Size. When purchasing a home, some people prefer the warmth and quaintness of a small home in a quiet rural setting. Others prefer living in a larger structure in an urban area. The same is true when considering the size of a church. Some Christians love being involved in a large urban ministry with hundreds or even thousands of people. Others feel lost in the vastness of such a ministry and fare much better in a smaller congregation. Again, finding your niche in the Body of Christ requires the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Seeing How It Functions
When satisfied that the foundation and structure are what they should be, the wise home buyer will then look at how functional the house is. Does it fulfill the purpose for which it was designed? Does it meet the needs of the family?

As you observe how a church functions, look for an emphasis on worshiping God. See if the leadership stresses the importance of honoring and glorifying God in all things (1 Cor. 10:31; Col.3:17). Also observe the involvement of the individual members. Do they exercise their spiritual gifts among the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:3-8; Eph. 4:11-13; 1 Pet. 4:10-11), or do they seem to expect the pastor to do everything?

Does the church emphasize evangelism as one of its primary functions? Are home and foreign missions an important part of its ministry (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8)? What about discipleship? Do you see church members and leaders seeking to make disciples and reproduce themselves in the lives of others (2 Tim. 2:2; Titus 2:3-7; Matt. 28:19-20)?

A strong local church is marked by love. Do the members seem to genuinely care for one another? Do they minister to each other's needs? As you become acquainted with the church, do you sense that the members are loving one another as Christ commanded (John 13:34-35)? Notice if friendships form easily (cf. Heb. 10:24-25; Phil. 2:1-4; Eph. 4:1-3).

The leadership of the church you choose should be committed to teaching and supporting God's design for the family (Eph. 5:22--6:4; Col. 3:18-21; Titus 2:1-8; 1 Pet. 3:1-7). Does the church schedule contribute to or take away from the strength of the family?

Checking Its Environment
If you have ever gone house hunting, you know what it's like to walk through and sense the atmosphere of the place. It can feel cold and gloomy or warm and inviting. It can have a homey feel or it can be impersonal--almost like a museum.

Doubtless you have had the same experience when attending various churches. Certain observable factors contribute to the overall atmosphere of a local church. Those environmental components are usually manifested in attitudes.

A High View of God. Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." It should be obvious that the people, from the leadership down, focus on the glory and majesty of God. Do they take God seriously and exalt Him in all they do? Their view of God will affect every aspect of their lives and ministry. Ask yourself if God is the focus of their worship or if they're preoccupied with each other or themselves.

The Presence of a Sincere Faith. Is it obvious to you that the church lives and operates by faith? Are the people willing to trust God (Heb. 11:1, 6; Eph. 3:20; 2 Cor. 5:7; 1 Thess. 5:24)?

Spirit of Sacrifice. Can you see that the church members are willing to sacrifice themselves and their possessions to advance God's kingdom (Rom. 12:1; 2 Cor. 8:3; Matt. 6:33)? Do you sense they would sacrifice themselves for one another (Phil. 2:3-4;John 15:13; Eph. 5:1-2)?

Proper Attitudes Toward the Pastor and Other Leaders. As you talk with the people, be sensitive to how they regard their leaders. Do they appreciate and esteem the pastor and other leaders "very highly in love because of their work" (1 Thess. 5:13)? Are they fully behind them, giving their spiritual, emotional, and material support (1 Tim. 5:17-18; Heb. 13:7, 17)?

Spirit of Unity. This is often the most obvious attitude radiating from a local congregation. An outsider is usually able to sense very quickly whether a church is unified in its ministry. That has a great effect on its testimony to the community and reflects on the name of our Lord (John 13:34-35; 1 Cor. 1:10-17; 3:1-9; Eph. 4:1-6; Phil. 2:1-5; 4:1-5).

Am I Right For This Church?
We have looked at the foundational, structural, functional, and environmental components of a vital, healthy local church. Now look at yourself and ask, Are there opportunities here for me to serve and exercise my spiritual gifts? Does this local body have a need that by God's enabling I can meet? Am I willing to get what the church can do for me, but also what I can do for the Lord as I serve Him in this church? Am I willing to give of my time, money, energy, and prayers to contribute to the success of this church (Mark 12:30; Rom. 12:1)?

A house is not a home until all the members of a family contribute to its success. The same is true of a church home. Only when each member in the family of God exercises his or her God-given gifts will God's children feel at home in His church.

The decision you make about what church to attend will greatly affect your spiritual life and the lives of your children. In fact, the decisions you make now will affect your descendants and the generations to come. That's a sobering reality.

Remember that no church will ever perfectly fulfill all these criteria. There is no perfect church. Also, remember that every church is going to have its own special blend of the characteristics we have examined. The key is to find a church that has them in proper balance, not overemphasizing some or de-emphasizing others. A balanced ministry is a Spirit-controlled ministry. If you find a church that possesses most but not all of the characteristics we've mentioned, don't immediately disregard it. Consider whether God wants to use you to help improve that local body as you exercise your own particular spiritual gifts.

Choosing a church home is one of the most significant decisions you will ever make--one that reaches into eternity. May each of us spend at least as much time and effort making that decision as we do deciding on our earthly dwelling.

Taken from the July/August 1990 issue of Masterpiece Magazine