3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
Summary: Paul learns from Epaphras, his fellow-worker, about the status of the believers at Colossae. Paul is both encouraged by their faith in Christ as reported to him by Epaphras and concerned about a heresy which undermines who Christ is and what He has done by suggesting Christ is not sufficient for salvation. Paul begins his letter by expressing his thanksgiving for the authentic Christian life that characterizes the believers at Colossae. Paul wants the Colossians to appreciate that they already have true life which springs from the truth of the gospel. One of the greatest weapons we have against any heresy which undermines the person or work of Jesus Christ is gratefulness for all we have been given in Christ – everything we need for now and forevermore!
Questions
Paul is thankful for the believers at Colossae because they give evidence of being Christians.
What is the evidence of the Christian life that Paul mentions?
What Christians are you thankful for because their lives are consistent with their claim to be followers of Christ?
Worship in Song
Listen to By Faith http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-YISm700Pc
Prayer
Thank God for Christians you know whose lives are characterized by faith in Christ Jesus, love for all the saints in the Spirit, and increasing fruitfulness as they walk with Christ. Pray that God would embolden you to live as an example for which others can be thankful. Pray that you would always have gratitude for your life in Christ so that no one could tempt you to believe that Christ has not provided everything you need for life and godliness.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Family Worship (Day 2): Romans 1:8-15
Day 2 - Prayers for the strengthening of the church
9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
Summary: Paul is eager to get to Rome to encourage the believers there, to be encouraged by them, and to allow God to work through Him to "establish" or strengthen the church. It is God who will do the establishing of the church as they remember their mutual faith that came through the hearing of the gospel. Paul is so overwhelmed with thinking about Rome that he prays for them every time that he prays! He cannot help but pray for the believers at Rome. The only person who could stop Paul from getting to Rome was God Himself.
Questions
Have you ever wanted something this badly? What? Why?
Imagine you are one of the Christians in Rome reading Paul's letter for the first time. How would it make you feel to know he prayed for you all the time and wanted to encourage you?
Worship in Song
The only hope for the church to be strengthened in the faith - to grow as disciples - is the faithfulness of God to finish what He has started.
Sing Great is thy Faithfulness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k1WhFtVp0o
Prayer
Parents, lead your family in praying that God would strengthen your church and that he would allow your family to be a part of the mutual encouragement that comes only through a common faith in Christ.
9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
Summary: Paul is eager to get to Rome to encourage the believers there, to be encouraged by them, and to allow God to work through Him to "establish" or strengthen the church. It is God who will do the establishing of the church as they remember their mutual faith that came through the hearing of the gospel. Paul is so overwhelmed with thinking about Rome that he prays for them every time that he prays! He cannot help but pray for the believers at Rome. The only person who could stop Paul from getting to Rome was God Himself.
Questions
Have you ever wanted something this badly? What? Why?
Imagine you are one of the Christians in Rome reading Paul's letter for the first time. How would it make you feel to know he prayed for you all the time and wanted to encourage you?
Worship in Song
The only hope for the church to be strengthened in the faith - to grow as disciples - is the faithfulness of God to finish what He has started.
Sing Great is thy Faithfulness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k1WhFtVp0o
Prayer
Parents, lead your family in praying that God would strengthen your church and that he would allow your family to be a part of the mutual encouragement that comes only through a common faith in Christ.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Family Worship (Day 1): Romans 1:8–15
Day 1 - Gratitude for our local church
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Summary: Paul thanks God that the faith of the believers at Rome is being reported widely. Everywhere Paul goes, people are talking about the believers at Rome and their faith - no doubt the impact of their faith.
Questions
Am I thankful for the entire body of believers? Am I expressing this thanksgiving to God with prayers in the name of His Son, Jesus?
What would cause our community to believe that our chuch takes faith in Christ and the message of His gospel seriously?
How can our family be a part of helping our local church make a global impact?
Worship in Song
Sing In Christ Alone - Only in Christ can we express proper gratitute for His church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLy8ksqGf9w
Prayer
Pray that God would use your family and your church in such a way that others have reason to thank God for the impact that your faith in Christ made in their lives.
Pray for an unreached people group - a group with little to no access to the gospel.
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Summary: Paul thanks God that the faith of the believers at Rome is being reported widely. Everywhere Paul goes, people are talking about the believers at Rome and their faith - no doubt the impact of their faith.
Questions
Am I thankful for the entire body of believers? Am I expressing this thanksgiving to God with prayers in the name of His Son, Jesus?
What would cause our community to believe that our chuch takes faith in Christ and the message of His gospel seriously?
How can our family be a part of helping our local church make a global impact?
Worship in Song
Sing In Christ Alone - Only in Christ can we express proper gratitute for His church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLy8ksqGf9w
Prayer
Pray that God would use your family and your church in such a way that others have reason to thank God for the impact that your faith in Christ made in their lives.
Pray for an unreached people group - a group with little to no access to the gospel.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Cooperative Program & Cooperation
Special state missions offerings are not Cooperative Program (CP) gifts. I wonder if such offerings will be minimized in states in order to promote the Cooperative Program and "cooperation." This would be logically consistent in light of recent statements made regarding the recent election of the new NAMB president and the giving strategies of his church. I doubt we will see such consistency.
When states commit to getting to 50/50 as a starting point and do not take up special offerings other than those for Annie and Lottie, consistency will be found.
When states commit to getting to 50/50 as a starting point and do not take up special offerings other than those for Annie and Lottie, consistency will be found.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Fabricated, False Dichotomies
I am about as Southern Baptist as one can be. I was born in Fort Worth while my father attended Southwestern. My father was partially supported by the Home Mission Board during his first pastorate.
I was saved and immersed in an SBC church. I was called to preach through the ministry of an SBC church. I recently graduated from Southeastern. When I join a church, I make sure a minimum of 10 percent of the budget goes to the Cooperative Program.
I remember well the posters my father displayed in the halls of my home church announcing that 95 percent of CP receipts go to support missions and theological education. I was proud of that.
However, along the way, I earned a Master’s of Public Administration and Policy. During the program, I could not deny that the SBC was laden with inefficiencies – built more like a government bureaucracy than a conduit for the gospel.
Nine years later, inefficiencies remain. Some have recognized challenges within the SBC structure(s) and have included this concern in a Great Commission Resurgence Declaration.
The Declaration includes ten articles. Among these articles is the attention-grabbing Article IX.
Article IX reads: We call upon all Southern Baptists, through our valued partnerships of SBC agencies, state conventions/institutions, and Baptist associations to evaluate our Convention structures and priorities so that we can maximize our energy and resources for the health of our local churches and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This commitment recognizes the great strength of our partnership, which has been enabled by the Cooperative Program and enhanced by a belief that we can do more together than we can separately.
Because Article IX challenges us to examine SBC "structures and priorities," some have claimed Article IX is unnecessary because it is non-spiritual. Morris Chapman, for example in his article at sbc.net claims, "Article IX and its commentary stood starkly apart from the other nine articles. It suddenly departed from biblical affirmations . . . " (emphasis added).
Throughout his article, Chapman fails to acknowledge that reorganization, structure, and methodology are inextricably linked to stewardship. Is there an SBC pastor willing to proclaim “stewardship is not a biblical issue?” That is the essence of the claim that Article IX “depart[s] from biblical affirmations.”
Much of Chapman’s rebuttal is based upon this phantom dichotomy of revival versus reorganization or spiritual versus organizational. The statements mount.
"Revival and spiritual growth are the greatest needs in our Convention and our nation. . . . Reorganization is not."
Revival versus reorganization.
"Effective and efficient organization is critical to any corporate endeavor . . . . But revival in our churches and appointing a task force to study Convention structures are not two parts of one whole. They are two separate objectives . . . . to put the two objectives together is like trying to mix oil and water."
Revival versus convention structures.
Two separate objectives.
Oil versus water.
When Chapman asks, "What are our choices?," he offers only two.
“On one hand, calling for a study of the Convention is very likely to create highly-charged polarization. On the other hand, if our people come together under the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, Southern Baptists have the potential to mount such a powerful witness to the saving grace of our Lord that God will pour out His blessings upon our efforts.”
On the one hand versus the other hand.
Convention study versus Holy Spirit.
He continues, “Perhaps some have the mistaken notion that if we get our stuff organized first, then God will pour out His blessings. . . . Are there biblical examples . . . that would lead us to expect this? . . .” (emphasis mine).
The Bible provides ample examples. Jethro's advice to Moses in Exodus 18, or the selection of the first deacons in Acts 6 should suffice. Sometimes God does not pour out His Spirit until we are prepared for the change He wants to effect.
But, a deeper problem exists.
If we are poor stewards, we are failing in spiritual matters. If the SBC avoids issues of stewardship when they are raised, we may hinder a fresh anointing of the Spirit.
Article IX is no less spiritual than any other. Christ's rule and reign extend to every corner of life - even Convention life.
Relegating administration and stewardship of dollars given for missions and theological education to the realm of the non-spiritual or less spiritual is to knowingly accept a false dichotomy and to defend an indefensible status quo.
Every ounce of life is to be lived for God’s glory. The SBC cannot accept a false dichotomy (revival v. reorganization) and claim they endeavor to worship God in everything (Col. 3.17).
Chapman urges that we wait “until the time is right.” The time, however, is now.
The more than 3,800 Southern Baptists who have signed a declaration including Article IX, cannot be callously dismissed as those with a “mistaken notion.”
In the not-too-distant past, the SBC faced a real dichotomy. Affirm the veracity and sufficiency of God's Word, or become a denomination doomed to forever doddle in a morass of lifeless liberalism.
Today, we must not let a fabricated and phony dichotomy deter us from continuing the steady advance for the gospel.
I was saved and immersed in an SBC church. I was called to preach through the ministry of an SBC church. I recently graduated from Southeastern. When I join a church, I make sure a minimum of 10 percent of the budget goes to the Cooperative Program.
I remember well the posters my father displayed in the halls of my home church announcing that 95 percent of CP receipts go to support missions and theological education. I was proud of that.
However, along the way, I earned a Master’s of Public Administration and Policy. During the program, I could not deny that the SBC was laden with inefficiencies – built more like a government bureaucracy than a conduit for the gospel.
Nine years later, inefficiencies remain. Some have recognized challenges within the SBC structure(s) and have included this concern in a Great Commission Resurgence Declaration.
The Declaration includes ten articles. Among these articles is the attention-grabbing Article IX.
Article IX reads: We call upon all Southern Baptists, through our valued partnerships of SBC agencies, state conventions/institutions, and Baptist associations to evaluate our Convention structures and priorities so that we can maximize our energy and resources for the health of our local churches and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This commitment recognizes the great strength of our partnership, which has been enabled by the Cooperative Program and enhanced by a belief that we can do more together than we can separately.
Because Article IX challenges us to examine SBC "structures and priorities," some have claimed Article IX is unnecessary because it is non-spiritual. Morris Chapman, for example in his article at sbc.net claims, "Article IX and its commentary stood starkly apart from the other nine articles. It suddenly departed from biblical affirmations . . . " (emphasis added).
Throughout his article, Chapman fails to acknowledge that reorganization, structure, and methodology are inextricably linked to stewardship. Is there an SBC pastor willing to proclaim “stewardship is not a biblical issue?” That is the essence of the claim that Article IX “depart[s] from biblical affirmations.”
Much of Chapman’s rebuttal is based upon this phantom dichotomy of revival versus reorganization or spiritual versus organizational. The statements mount.
"Revival and spiritual growth are the greatest needs in our Convention and our nation. . . . Reorganization is not."
Revival versus reorganization.
"Effective and efficient organization is critical to any corporate endeavor . . . . But revival in our churches and appointing a task force to study Convention structures are not two parts of one whole. They are two separate objectives . . . . to put the two objectives together is like trying to mix oil and water."
Revival versus convention structures.
Two separate objectives.
Oil versus water.
When Chapman asks, "What are our choices?," he offers only two.
“On one hand, calling for a study of the Convention is very likely to create highly-charged polarization. On the other hand, if our people come together under the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, Southern Baptists have the potential to mount such a powerful witness to the saving grace of our Lord that God will pour out His blessings upon our efforts.”
On the one hand versus the other hand.
Convention study versus Holy Spirit.
He continues, “Perhaps some have the mistaken notion that if we get our stuff organized first, then God will pour out His blessings. . . . Are there biblical examples . . . that would lead us to expect this? . . .” (emphasis mine).
The Bible provides ample examples. Jethro's advice to Moses in Exodus 18, or the selection of the first deacons in Acts 6 should suffice. Sometimes God does not pour out His Spirit until we are prepared for the change He wants to effect.
But, a deeper problem exists.
If we are poor stewards, we are failing in spiritual matters. If the SBC avoids issues of stewardship when they are raised, we may hinder a fresh anointing of the Spirit.
Article IX is no less spiritual than any other. Christ's rule and reign extend to every corner of life - even Convention life.
Relegating administration and stewardship of dollars given for missions and theological education to the realm of the non-spiritual or less spiritual is to knowingly accept a false dichotomy and to defend an indefensible status quo.
Every ounce of life is to be lived for God’s glory. The SBC cannot accept a false dichotomy (revival v. reorganization) and claim they endeavor to worship God in everything (Col. 3.17).
Chapman urges that we wait “until the time is right.” The time, however, is now.
The more than 3,800 Southern Baptists who have signed a declaration including Article IX, cannot be callously dismissed as those with a “mistaken notion.”
In the not-too-distant past, the SBC faced a real dichotomy. Affirm the veracity and sufficiency of God's Word, or become a denomination doomed to forever doddle in a morass of lifeless liberalism.
Today, we must not let a fabricated and phony dichotomy deter us from continuing the steady advance for the gospel.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
25 in 25 Campaign at Southeastern
There's never been a better time to support Southeastern. Learn more at www.sebts.edu/25in25.
25 in 25 from Southeastern Seminary on Vimeo.
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