The caption for this YouTube video from the Church by the Glades in Coral Springs, Florida, reads:
This video supported a live performance of the song during our “I Love the 80s” series. Pastor David Hughes was speaking on the topic of Baptism. He encouraged the people of CBG to “Jump” in and do it!
After viewing this video, I forgot to mention there is one more thing you do NOT need to preach the Gospel.
You do NOT need to be RELEVANT to preach the Gospel.
The Gospel is relevant. We make it irrelevant by acting as if people will not understand it or accept it unless we blend some of our culture into it. I thought the purpose of the church was to preach the Gospel so people would be delivered from the culture of sin, not to be baptized into it in worship. I pity the church that dares to introduce pagan music it into the worship of the One, True Holy and Sovereign God.
Besides, do you really think the band is really that good?
I readily admit I have done some stupid stuff in worship as a pastor. And I have had to repent and ask the Lord to forgive me more than a few times for my immature acts of leadership. I thank the Lord however, for giving me a deeper fear of Him and greater understanding of His Lordship. Now those days of stupid actions are fewer and farther between.
At what point does the church stand up, speak out and say, “Enough.” This is dangerous stuff. This is very dangerous.
While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we will have guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is Rick Lance. Rick is a state missionary and executive director with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. He recently celebrated 40 years of ministry, including pastorates at First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa; First Baptist Church, Cullman; and West End Baptist Church, Birmingham. Rick and his wife, Pam, have two daughters, Noelle and Allison, and are members of Vaughn Forest Baptist Church, Montgomery.
“I shall be most happy if I shall be a humble instrument in the hands of the Almighty, and of this His almost chosen people.” These are the simple but profound words of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, and they reflect something of the so called puzzling faith of the famous leader. Lincoln was not as devout of a Christian as some have sought to portray him, nor was he the total secularist that others seemed bent on depicting him. His faith in God was strong but not ostentatious. His love for the Bible was obvious in the eloquent speeches Lincoln left behind for us to study and admire. In 1864, a group of African Americans offered a special presentation Bible to the president. In response, Abraham Lincoln reportedly said, “In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave the world was communicated through this Book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.”
As a young child, I can remember reading a biography of Abraham Lincoln and becoming infatuated with him as a man and a leader. His life and times became a major object of personal interest for me. Through the lens of Lincoln’s life, I began a study of the Civil War in particular and American history in general. Some historians speak of our history as a nation as being “before Lincoln” and “after Lincoln.” A plethora of books, numbering beyond 16,000, have been written, focusing on his life and legacy. In the pantheon of presidential leaders, only George Washington rivals the influence of Abraham Lincoln. Last year marked the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth and for that reason, I reflected over this larger than life leader whose influence is as strong today in the public arena of America than any other time. I asked myself the question, “What are some lessons we can learn from Lincoln?” He lived in the early- to mid-19th century, and we are obviously in the early years of the 21st. What could he possibly offer as a teacher for our times? Let me cite a few lessons from Lincoln’s life well worth our consideration.”
Abraham Lincoln can teach us something about the aptitude for perseverance.
Born in relative obscurity in the now famous log cabin, located in what was then the western frontier of our nation, Lincoln, like so many of his time, did not enjoy privilege and luxury. In the old world of Europe, one had to gain station in life through birth, by being born wealthy or into a prominent family. In the new world, the story was different, and Abraham Lincoln is a prime example of one who persevered and therefore overcame hardship to become a person of achievement.
Lincoln had his share of setbacks politically and financially, but in time he became one to whom people turned for leadership. In the face of the worst crisis in American history, Lincoln would not give up. When he suffered the loss of children to early death, he would not give up on life. Lincoln knew how to endure hardship and he has set an example for us to emulate. When you study Lincoln, you learn how to deal with adversity.
Abraham Lincoln can teach us something about the attitude of patience too.
Not only did Lincoln not give up on life, he did not give up on people. In her book, Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin, aptly describes how Lincoln as president assembled a cabinet of strong personalities who had also been political adversaries. Some of them did not even respect the president, at first. Some worked behind the scenes to undermine his influence. Yet Lincoln was a past master at dealing with difficult people. He seemed to know how to read people like a book. Today, this trait would be called emotional intelligence. Then, it was simply old-fashioned people smarts, and Lincoln was blessed in abundance with this practical wisdom.
When he was being “out-generalled” by the commander of the Confederacy, Robert E. Lee, the president patiently worked through the ranks of leading generals until he discovered Ulysses S. Grant. In the words of Lincoln, “I can’t spare this man. He will fight.” And fight Grant did, until he and his army brought General Lee to the conference table in Appomattox. Lincoln demonstrated enormous patience with people and problems, and there is much to learn for us today in such skillful leading of others as a leader.
Abraham Lincoln can teach us something about the art of persuasion.
Were there better public speakers than Abraham Lincoln in his time? Yes, indeed there were some of the best orators on the scene during Lincoln’s career in politics. One well-known figure in that day was Edward Everett, the educator, abolitionist and politician. He was invited to bring the keynote address at the dedication of the Gettysburg cemetery in November 1863. Everett was a true wordsmith and an accomplished orator. When he presented his lengthy speech on that occasion, many felt his words would overshadow those of Abraham Lincoln, but as Paul Harvey was once fond of saying, “Now, we know the rest of the story.”
In the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, few saw Abraham Lincoln as the favorite to beat the renowned senator from Illinois, Stephen Douglas. History reveals that, although Douglas won the Senate race, Lincoln won the presidency, due in part to his powers of persuasion demonstrated in the debates.
Abraham Lincoln represents for us a man who used his talents and faced his times, in a way which won him an indelible place in history. We will most likely not make the history books, but we can make a difference for our Lord in this life He has given us. We can develop the aptitude for perseverance in dealing with the challenges of life. We can seek also to nurture the attitude of patience in working with people, who can sometimes be very difficult. Like, Abraham Lincoln we can also endeavor to develop the art of persuasion.
The gospel message is far more important than the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address or either of the well-known inaugural addresses presented by our 16th president. The message of Jesus centers on eternal freedom and abundant living. With the principles of perseverance in life, patience with others, and a persuasive presentation of the gospel, we can make a Kingdom difference for Christ in our world today. These lessons can be our legacy too.
A good word by Henry Law fromChrist is All: The Gospel in the Pentateuch:
You ministers of Christ, behold your theme.
So dreadfully denounce the curse, that you and yours may flee it.
So sweetly paint the blessing, that you and yours may grasp it.
So fully preach the Savior, that you and yours may be forever saved.
Blessed are they, who, living, preaching, dying, make Christ their All.
I shared the gospel last Friday. The individual came to my house to see me for one reason; the Lord sent them to me for quite another purpose.
We spent several minutes in conversation while sitting on my porch. A few minutes pass. While responding to his inquiry I begin praying.
“Lord, why did you send this guy to my house?” I prayed.
The answer came quickly. I was impressed to share the gospel. I asked him my three favorite gospel questions. I have blogged about these questions several times before on the JUST ONE MORE blog. These simple inquiries have never failed me. They always lead to provocative dialogue.
“Who is Jesus Christ?” I ask.
He responds, “He is God’s Son?” Right so far.
Then I pose, “What did He do?”
Again, the responder answers clearly and correctly, “He died on a cross.”
I affirm him. I encourage him. I tell him his answers are correct. The next question is about to reveal whether or not he believes his answers to questions 1 & 2.
Then I pop question three, “Why does that matter?”
Silence. Awkward silence. I am tempted to speak, yet I remain reticent.
More uncomfortable quiet.
Still, I sit. Motionless he sits. He’s speechless. Believe it or not, I am quiet.
It’s time to break the silence.
“Do you have answer?” I ask.
He pauses with his mouth wide open and says, “No one has ever asked me that question before.”
“So, do you have a guess? Just tell me what you are thinking.”
Apparently there is a new movement afoot in the evangelical world. The movement is on the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Good News is clearly returning to the center stage, and so it should. Phrases like “living out the gospel,” “gospel-centered ministry,” “gospel living” and the like are spreading.
I have recently read several blogs discussing this gospel surge. One blogger asked if we can overemphasize the gospel. Another inquired if it is possible to talk too much about the cross. Thankfully, both affirmed the need for more gospel/cross-centered ministries and messages. A third blogger informed his readers that no one needed the gospel more than he did.
What intrigues me about the new trend is that I realize I am not alone in the quest to preach more about Jesus. This renewed passion for the gospel is something I share with many others. Perhaps it is due to my reading regiment. Maybe it has something to do with my peer relationships. Or, it could be a movement of the Holy Spirit. Whichever it is, I am glad I am a part of the gospel resurgence.
Can we preach and teach too much about the cross? Do we overemphasize the gospel?
Joshua Harris says,
“We’ve got our eyes fixed on the fact that the gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be central—it needs to drive everything that we do in ministry and in life.”
Steve Curtis Chapman writes,
“In the gospel we discover we are far worse off than we thought and far more loved than we ever dreamed.”
The Gospel Coalition Confessional Statement declares,
“The gospel is not proclaimed if Christ is not proclaimed.”
According to Tim Keller,
“The gospel is not just a body of doctrinal content. It’s a power—it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. It’s not just about God’s power—it is God’s power.”
Christian businessman and writer, Chris Tomlinson says why the cross matters:
“It is at the cross that we see God most clearly. If history were the vastness of space, the cross would be its brightest star. We see the fullness of God’s being most clearly at the cross. We see the fullness of His active purposes most clearly at the cross.”
John Piper affirms,
“I am gripped by any gathering of people who will give themselves to the preservation and the exaltation of the fullness of the gospel, because in the end, my soul gets satisfied with the greatness of God, and God gets all the glory that He should get by being the end for which [all things] exist.”
The evidence is clear: we need the gospel. And we need men who fearlessly proclaim the gospel.
Pastor Ryan is out of town for a funeral and asked me to write this blog in his absence. Enjoy. — Jonathan Howe, webmaster, J1M.info
While our current economic climate in America is in direct contrast to that of a few years back, I think it is healthy for us to not forget our need to reach out to those in our own community and around the world. We have some CrossPointers without jobs, some on the verge of losing their homes, and some who have already lost both their home and their job.
But we must be reminded that in many places around the world, their greatest worry is not their next job or home, but their next meal.
To follow up on this, here are some shocking stats from the Population Reference Bureau:
More than one-half of the world’s people live below the internationally defined poverty line of less than U.S. $2 a day—including 97 percent in Uganda, 80 percent in Nicaragua, 66 percent in Pakistan, and 47 percent in China, according to data from the World Bank.
Nearly one-third of rural residents worldwide lack access to safe drinking water.
The use of modern contraceptives is more common among wealthy women than poor women in nearly all countries, and the gap is particularly pronounced in the poorest countries, in places as diverse as Uganda and Nepal
Africa’s infant mortality rate is nearly 15 times that of the developed world.
The more developed world uses over 5 times the energy per capita used by the less developed world. North America uses over 8 times as much energy per person as does Latin America.
We live in a society with luxuries that are totally foreign to much of the world. Unfortunately, we also worship and serve a God who is just as foreign to those same people. Many of us have the means to make a difference both in the stomachs and in the hearts of not only those overseas, but in our own community also.
What will you do to reach your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth for Christ?
And I, when I am lifted up from all the earth, will draw all people to myself.
The Lord Jesus fulfilled that amazing promise last weekend at CrossPoint.
We were two minutes into worship, when 178 students from Truman State University arrived on our campus in buses and several vans began streaming into our worship center. Our greeters helped them pour into an already crowded worship center. We were adding rows of chairs; people were shuffling to make room. It was organized chaos, and it was an awesome sight.
The students from the Campus Christian Fellowship at Truman State University are in town spending their Spring Break week at a nearby conference center. They decided to worship with us, and we are glad they did. Their presence and participation made for an awesome experience in worship.
As all the CrossPointers who read this daily blog know, I introduced a message series last weekend that will take us through the entire Bible between now and the end of April. And the introductory message was a message from the entire Bible. I started in Genesis and I concluded in Revelation, laying out the drama of Scripture.
And this is where the promise Jesus made comes into play.
After worship the two leaders of the group from Truman State University informed me that 18 participants in their group are international students who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The international students are from all over the world – Budapest, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Africa.
Now isn’t that just like God. Only God would bring 18 students from all over the world to Truman State University. Then, for Spring Break, He would transplant those students to Springville, Alabama, to stay at a conference center. Then, on Sunday morning, they would drive five miles down the road to Argo, Alabama in order to hear the Gospel – the entire Gospel of the Bible – in one message. Only God, only the God of the Bible could do something that incredible.
Please pray for the 178 students from the Campus Christian Fellowship of Truman State University. Also, pray for the 18 international students who are not yet born again. And please pray for Josh and Courtney, the two leaders of the group. Pray they continue to exalt Jesus Christ this week while on their Spring Break.
Invested three hours discussing reactive versus creative leadership with Samford University's golf team last night. Ask them if they believe 3 days ago
"If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared" (Ps 130:3-4) 4 days ago
RT @KristinCoon: Congrats again to the House of Q and SCS at the Brasfield and Gorrie Fun Cook-Off!! They were awarded the "People's Choice" 4 days ago
, some on the verge of losing their homes, and some who have already lost both their home and their job.
In John 12:32, Jesus made this promise,
