Al Mohler on Greeting Cards

Smokey and I have been listening to Words from the Fire by Dr. R. Albert Mohler on the commute into work. We both couldn't help but laugh when Dr. Mohler shares this story:

A word of confession to those of the female gender. You need to know that we men are not good at the greeting card thing. We are not adept at this for several reasons. First, it is just hard to bring ourselves to pay that much for painted paper. Second, the words on the card don't match our kind of verbal expression—we just don't talk that way. Part of it is just the sheer embarrassment from realizing that we could never quite say all that florid prose with a straight face. Still, greeting cards do express something like what men want to express, and we do pay an unconscionable amount of money for this coated paper, which we then give to our loved one.

A few years ago, just days before the event, I realized I was in serious trouble because I was cardless for one of the major occasions of life—Mother's Day. So I quickly went and bought a card. I was successful in bringing home the card, signing the card, and even adding a personal note to my dear wife, Mary. I commented about her sweetness, fidelity, love, giving, and self-sacrifice, not only as my wife but as the mother of our children. I was even successful in remembering where the card was; and so, with great satisfaction (which is another one of the characteristics of the male of the species; when we actually remember to bring the card, there is inordinate self-satisfaction), I presented it to her. However, as Mary read the card, I noticed that her face did not match my expectation of what her face should betray.

So here are two rules of the greeting card thing I learned that day. Rule number one is remember to get the card. Rule number two is read the card before you give it. That is, read it thoroughly. In the expression of this greeting card I thanked my wife for so successfully blending together our two families—something that heretofore she had not been aware had been done. I had inadvertently chosen a "blended family" card without reading the message. My faux pas has become a part of our family lore. It is a part of my humiliation, and it is a part of my urgent exhortation to other husbands—read the card before you give it!

On a more serious note, Smokey and I have also enjoyed listening to audio recordings of Dr. Mohler's blog, which he started doing periodically in response to a suggestion we submitted. We were disappointed when these recordings ceased, but we are excited about trying out the two new podcasts he is starting this month.

Last but not least, it's worth pointing out that Dr. Mohler has just started teaching verse-by-verse through the Book of Hebrews. I've added his Powerline podcast to my iTunes subscriptions and am hoping I'll find time to keep up.

Stop Dating the Church

I recently read a little book titled Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris and highly commend it to you. The strength of the book is not that Harris says anything that hasn't been said before, but instead that he provides an easy-to-read and concise argument for why professing believers should lay aside our independent and critical consumer mentality and instead begin to truly invest ourselves in a good local church.

Some of the most memorable and powerful words in the book are not from Harris but instead from his friends and mentors, like Pastor Mark Dever. Here's what Dever has to say on church membership:

“If you are not a member of the church you regularly attend, you may well be going to hell. I don’t mean for a second that you literally have to have your name on a membership card in a church somewhere to go to heaven. I believe in justification by faith alone in Christ alone by God’s grace alone. At the same time, in the New Testament is seems that the local church is there to verify or falsify our claims to be Christians. The man in 1 Corinthians 5 who was sleeping with his father’s wife thought of himself as a Christian."

"I don’t care how much you cry during singing or preaching. If you do not live a life marked by love toward others, the Bible has no encouragement for you to think that you’re a Christian. None."

"Do you want to know that your new life is real? Commit yourself to a local group of saved sinners. Try to love them. Don’t just do it for three weeks. Don’t just do it for six months. Do it for years. And I think you’ll find, and others will, too, whether or not you love God. The truth will show itself."

"Joining a church won’t save you. It’s only the death of Christ that saves you. He alone is our righteousness. But if He really is our righteousness, if we really love Him whom we have not seen, it will show itself by us loving those that we do see."

Harris also provides a list of ten important questions to ask when choosing a local church. I've listed the questions below, but I encourage you to take a look at this excerpt from the book if you'd like a fuller explanation of any particular point (like question #9, for instance).

1. Is this a church where God’s Word is faithfully taught?


2. Is this a church where sound doctrine matters?


3. Is this a church in which the gospel is cherished and clearly proclaimed?


4. Is this a church committed to reaching non-Christians with the gospel?


5. Is this a church whose leaders are characterized by humility and integrity?


6. Is this a church where people strive to live by God’s Word?


7. Is this a church where I can find and cultivate godly relationships?


8. Is this a church where members are challenged to serve?


9. Is this a church that is willing to kick me out?


10. Is this a church I’m willing to join “as is” with enthusiasm and faith in God?

Are You Equipped?

Good thoughts from Pastor Greg:

While the necessity of adequate training and preparation for effective usefulness is an inbred reality in our society, we in the church often fail to recognize the need for such training, education and preparation when it comes to spiritual matters. Believers sometimes forget that God has saved us and left us on this earth for a reason—to do something. He wants to use us to “bear fruit” for His glory (Jn. 15:8), actively pursuing the “good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works. And in order to be effectively used by God, we simply must be “equipped” – trained, educated, prepared. Eph. 4:11,12 speaks directly to this issue:

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ…

The key principle here is that God has given gifted leaders to the church whom He uses to equip the saints – all believers – for the work of service (for the ability to minister and serve one another). The word translated “equip” here literally means “to set in order or to mend,” In the context of Eph. 4:12 it has to do with making someone completely adequate or sufficient for something. A form of the same word is seen in 2 Tim. 3:17, in a passage explaining why the inspiration and sufficiency of the Word of God is so profitable, “…that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

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Free Scripture Memory Song

It's much easier to memorize something if it's set to music. In fact, I'm sure at times we've all gotten lyrics stuck in our heads that we could do without (think "It's a small world... or "Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh....") Can you think of others?

Well, what if those lyrics were Scripture? What if we memorized something worthwhile while listening to our ipod?

Give it a try. Download a free song to help you memorize Psalm 30:4-5.

(Hat tip: Challies.com)

Pat Robertson: "Sometimes I Miss"

Happy New Year! Here's one prediction from 2007 I'm sure glad Pat Robertson didn't get right. Now, tell me, does this "miss" make him a false prophet? See Deuteronomy 18:20-22.

Outstanding Free Bible Software

In his sermon at church on Sunday, Smokey Nevins challenged us to spend more time reading, memorizing, and meditating on God's Word. A great tool for doing so is the free Bible software E-Sword.

E-sword comes with the King James Version and Strong's concordance, but it also allows you to download and install a number of free add-ons, including other Bible translations. Of the free translations, I recommend the English Standard Version.

(If you want, you can add the New American Standard Bible study set, but you'll have to fork out a few bucks to the Lockman Foundation to get it. I finally caved in and did this last year.)

You can also add free classic commentaries, such as Matthew Henry's Commentary, and other great study aides, like the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to do a daily Bible reading, E-Sword can help you set up a customized reading plan. Prior to using E-Sword, I always had a hard time remembering where I left off last time I read my Bible. E-Sword solves this problem by automatically popping up your next daily reading whenever you open the program.

You can also use E-Sword to read a daily devotional, like Morning & Evening by Charles Spurgeon, test your memory of a Bible passage, and keep track of prayer requests.

Download the free E-Sword software using the link below. If you have problems or a slow internet connection, let me know and I'd be happy to lend you my E-Sword installation CD.

Peace on Earth

So, in Luke 2 an angel shows up and tells some shepherds about Christ's birth. Then, as if to eliminate any doubt about the magnitude of the angel's announcement, reinforcements show up in verse 14 "praising God and saying..."

Hold it there just a second. Does it actually matter what the angels say? If so, tell me, what did they say?

(1) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

OR...

(2) Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.

Your answer to this question most likely depends on the Bible translation you read. (#1 is the King James Version and #2 is the New American Standard Bible.)

Now, is it just me, or is there a big difference between "good will toward men" and "peace among men with whom He is pleased." The former seems warm and inclusive, just the sort of platitude everyone loves to hear this time of year. The latter seems more exclusive and begs the question, "Is God pleased with me?"

I haven't had a chance to research this further yet. Do any of you know why there is such a significant variation in the translation of this verse?

May God bless you with a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Church Growth 101

From time to time, I'm a substitute teacher at the Capitol Ministries staff Bible study at work. It's often a challenge to select a good topic for the study. But this week a certain article in the Sacramento Bee grabbed my attention by highlighting a local church that seems to know how to bring in the crowds.

There are many competing viewpoints these days on the best strategies to get folks to attend church or make professions of faith. Some tactics seem to work well from a numbers perspective and some even manage to get the secular media's attention from time to time. But we must ask, are these biblical methods that truly glorify God?

I decided to take to take a closer look at this issue by titling this week's study "Church Growth 101." In the study, I attempt to outline a biblical model for the expansion of Christ's church. I invite you to read my notes and, if you so desire, leave your feedback here.