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The Need of Small Groups…

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A friend sent me an email the other day highlighting the following (from Piper’s sermon The Love of Human Praise as the Root of Unbelief):

7 Reasons We Need Small Groups
He has given pastors to the church “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). I believe in what I do. And I believe that it is not enough. Here are the seven reasons I gave the small group leaders.

1) The impulse avoid painful growth by disappearing safely into the crowd in corporate worship is very strong.
2) The tendency toward passivity in listening to a sermon is part of our human weakness.
3) Listeners in a big group can more easily evade redemptive crises. If tears well up in your eyes in a small group, wise friends will gently find out why. But in a large gathering, you can just walk away from it.
4) Listeners in a large group tend to neglect efforts of personal application. The sermon may touch a nerve of conviction, but without someone to press in, it can easily be avoided.
5) Opportunity for questions leading to growth is missing. Sermons are not dialogue. Nor should they be. But asking questions is a key to understanding and growth. Small groups are great occasions for this.
6) Accountability for follow-through on good resolves is missing. But if someone knows what you intended to do, the resolve is stronger.
7) Prayer support for a specific need or conviction or resolve goes wanting. O how many blessings we do not have because we are not surrounded by a band of friends who pray for us.

So please know that when this small-group ministry of our church is lifted up, I don’t think it’s an optional add-on to basic Christian living. I think it is normal, healthy, needed, New Testament Christianity. I pray that you will be part of one of these small groups or that you will get the training and start one. This is the main strategy through which our pastors and elders shepherd the flock at Bethlehem.

This was so well put and a great needed reminder. If you desire more info on Crestview’s small groups, check out that portion of our website.

Twitter? Encouraged in Scripture?

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So says one of my elders, quoting Isaiah 38:14 from the NASB: “Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter; I moan like a dove; My eyes look wistfully to the heights; O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security.”

Immediately another one of the elders who typically resists technological fads says, “I’m happy to support this verse. If someone uses Twitter, they will be oppressed.”

This is one facet of what makes Elder’s Meetings so fun.

The Needs of the World vs. Comfortable Christians…

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Writing from Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, Ajith Fernando says:

The thing I find hardest in this list is Paul’s statement that he became weak in order to win the weak. We all like to operate out of a position of strength, to be in control, to have things going the way we want them to go. But that is not the way of the gospel. It is quite common for people to say they are looking for a church they are comfortable with. I think that is a scandalous statement. When were churches supposed to be comfortable places? There is too much need in the world for Christians to be comfortable. (from p.94 of the Call to Joy and Pain)

It seems that we are not immune to this kind of thinking. We serve our comforts much more than we serve the world. I think Ajith is right. This is not only a scandalous statement, it is a scandalous way to live in light of the calling believers have upon their lives.

Weekend Recap – Jesus Is The Greatest!

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Today’s sermon on the Supremacy of Jesus Christ from Colossians 1:1-4:18 is now online. I had a simple goal of letting God’s Word speak for itself and unfold how great Jesus is in this book. It was a fun day.

Also, reading the entire book during the course of a message was an interesting discipline. It seems that many preachers today are more anxious to comment on Scripture than to let them speak for themselves. Hopefully, people found that helpful.

I was struck by the sheer scope of the supremacy of Jesus. Still kind of awed by that! Hope you have a good week.

Weekend Preview – Colossians Begins..

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This weekend, we begin looking at the book of Colossians. The theme: The Supremacy of Jesus Christ. This Sunday, I intend to give an overview of this book and walk us through it. If you can’t be here, please read the book of Colossians, if you are planning on being here, prepare to see the supremacy of Christ in this book.

1000!

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Yes, this is post #1000, and a good lesson in perseverance.

When I first began posting many moons ago, I hoped to be able to put some good resources into people’s hands. Really, I kept noticing that there were so many amazing resources available online and I wanted a place to keep them all together. This blog has served that purpose for me. I’ve also done series of posts on marriage and family, sought to recap and preview weekends at Crestview, which have helped me to actively apply what I am speaking on, wrestled with theological things and also had personal moments, like honoring my mom, my wife, and writing an open letter to Andrew on his most recent birthday. It’s really been enjoyable and I’m anxious to see how God will use this in the future.

Not Called?

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“Not called!” did you say? “Not heard the call,” I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face — whose mercy you have professed to obey — and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. (William Booth, Founder of the Salvation Army)

(taken from the latest issue of HeartCry Magazine, Vol 62, p.3)

This volume also features some amazing quotes by Spurgeon on evangelism as well as a sermon from him entitled The Missionary’s Charge.