Yes, according to Bob Kauflin. Check this out and you can here a sample of 5000 men singing “A Mighty Fortress.”

JT links to these lectures with Dr. Mike Bullmore, who delivered the annual Rom lectures on October 7-9, 2008 at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School on “The Heart of Preaching and the Preacher’s Heart.”

Reading through my feeder this morning brought many encouraging thoughts as to how we can respond in a Gospel centered way.

Mark Driscoll encourages us to capitalize on this moment for the Gospel.

Ray Ortlund simply quotes Daniel 4:35.

C.J. remembers Al Mohler’s sermon at Cov Life after the 04 Election.

Piper promotes gratitude.

Al Mohler and Josh Harris encourage prayer.

Randy Alcorn promotes an eternal perspective.

All these men have such great thoughts. I’ve been encouraged this morning remembering that my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Praise God for the change that has transpired in Him.

Continuing the Tuesday conversation on Total Church, today we discuss the chapter “Discipleship and Training.” This chapter got at many wonderful truths I fully agree with: the importance of baptism, teaching people the Gospel, teaching throughout life, training in non-traditional ways as well as church discipline, but I was greatly encouraged by a section called “Shepherds Who Are Sheep.” Here’s what the authors write:

It is important that leaders see themselves and are seen by others as part of the church. Professionalism is always the enemy of authentic gospel leadership. Leaders are not a special class set apart on their own, having to face burdensome responsibilities and forced to endure a lonely existence. Leaders cannot be detached. They must be visible believers who live their lives openly in the midst of the believing community. (p.123)

I think we [leaders] are plagued by a pride that we are above the congregation. This professionalism manifests itself in many ways, but I seek to guard against this in my pulpit ministry. I was told about someone in my church who was speaking to someone in another church and the other person was bragging about how holy that pastor was. The person in my church responded with something like, “How do you know he’s holy?” To which other responded, “He tells us so in his sermons.” I want to guard against this and help those entrusted to me see how much I am striving for holiness along with them. I haven’t arrived. There is much in my living of the Christian life I am still working to figure out. It relates to humility, as well, as I pointed out yesterday. May God grant us grace to be the examples He has called us to be among those dearest to us.

Some of my friends are into this.

Wayne Grudem, commenting on 1 Peter, writes:

Recognizing that one has such responsibility [of leadership in the church] should never engender pride, but rather a continual humility in the awareness that sin remaining in one’s heart is still hateful, and that any growth in holiness of life has only come about by God’s grace. (From p.190 in Wayne Grudem, 1 Peter: Tyndale NT Commentary, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1988.

Well said! We lead the people entrusted to us by humbly waging war in our own hearts against sin.

At least that’s what we were taught in typing class. Question: What are the bare bones essentials of the good news found in Jesus Christ?

I love that Abraham Kuyper quote:

“Oh, no single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest, and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!'”

So, in light of yesterday’s message on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, how is Christ’s Lordship reflected in your marriage?

Here’s a video (thanks JT):

(Update: Justin charitably responds to Piper)

And a prayer:

Father in heaven, as we approach this election on Tuesday, I pray

1) that your people will vote,

2) and that they will vote with a sense of thankfulness for a democratic system that at least partially holds in check the folly and evil in all our hearts so that power which corrupts so readily is not given to one group or person too easily;

3) that we would know and live the meaning of

* being in the world, but not of it,
* doing politics as though not doing them,
* being on the earth, yet having our lives hidden with Christ in God,
* rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are God’s;

4) that we would discern what truths and values should advance by being made law and which should advance only by the leavening of honest influence;

5) that your people would see what love and justice and far-seeing wisdom demand in regard to the issues of education, business and industry, health care, marriage and family, abortion, welfare, energy, government and taxes, military, terrorism, international relations, and every challenge that we will face in the years to come;

6) and above all, that we will treasure Jesus Christ, and tell everyone of his sovereignty and supremacy over all nations, and that long after America is a footnote to the future world, he will reign with his people from every tribe and tongue and nation.

Keep us faithful to Christ’s all important Word, and may we turn to it every day for light in these dark times.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

I hope these help encourage you in the spiritual task we have before us tomorrow.

My good friend Freddy T spoke this past Sunday at The Gallery Church, his new home. Check out their audio and podcast (Freddy’s sermon is from 10/26/08)