Invitation or Warning

After a few meetings/encounters this week my mind is weighted down with thought. It is nothing ground breaking but something I would consider to be obvious if people would only read the Bible. I had a meeting this week concerning the low number of baptisms in our area churches. I have spoken with fellow pastors about evangelism methods and one thing keeps coming out....people think that following after Christ is easy!!! Our invitations are simply that; inviting; warm and fluffy. But isn't this call to follow Christ really a warning more than an invitation?

In Luke 9-23-26 we learn that "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."

The call to follow Christ is a warning. John MacArthur puts it this way. "If you come to Christ, it may make your family worse, not better. It may send a shift into your family, the likes of which you have never experienced before. IF you give your life to Christ, there will be an impassable gulf between you and people who don't give their lives to Him."

This is much different than the typical evangelism going on in our churches. But I would be willing to bet that our "numbers" would have much more integrity if we honestly warned people about the truth of discipleship rather than embelishing the words of Jesus.

Love The Shack?

Go to Amazon.com or into any Christian bookstore and you will a book called The Shack on the best sellers list. I have had friends and relatives sing the praises of this book to me.

Therefore, due to its popularity I wish to take this opportunity to warn anyone who may read this blog about the dangers of books like this one. Although it claims to fiction the book offers teaching on the Trinity; incorrect and dangerous teaching on the Trinity to be exact.

Listen to Mark Discroll and tell me what you think.

Any Men Out There?

I just got off the phone with a minister friend of mine who just wanted to play catch up. As we were conversing the topic of church and ministry eventually came up and my friend spent some time complaining about the lack of participation of men in his church. "If we could get half the men to work like the women we would be better off", he said.

My friend is not alone. I have often wondered why men are less likely to participate in church than women. I have heard other pastors complain about the very same thing, often using the very same phrase as my friend.

So in honor of that I want to post a John Piper video for you guys. He says it better than I do anyway. Enjoy!!

Only God Will Judge Me

Can I just do a brain dump real quick?

When I was driving home from a hospital visit yesterday I got behind a truck that had a very interesting message on the back window. It said, "Only God will Judge Me" it big white letters. I remember seeing this on a bumper sticker as well and also on a T-shirt.

I guess people think that this little statement frees them from the opinions or rules of others. I guess in our society where no one wants to be confronted and told they are wrong this statement brings some level of comfort. But what if people really took the time to think about the theology behind this statement? Yes God will judge you. What if that sank into their heads? I bet they would live differently.

Every idle word,every sinful thought as well as action; the guy in that truck is going to stand before Christ and give an account. I wish people would live like this. I wish "Christians" would live like this!!! Heaven help those who get what they deserve in judment!!

Perfect Little Family

If you keep up with this blog then you know God used a book entitled Family Driven Faith to impact my life. It really challenged me as a husband and as a father. One of the things the author addresses is general attitude of the culture towards children. According to the author of this book our society thinks the perfect family is one that has two children; a boy and a girl. You get a free pass to have a 3rd child if your first two are the same sex. I must admit that I really didn't buy in to this idea. Surely most people don't feel this way.

I think I might have been wrong. My wife is 3 months along now in this pregnancy and people are starting to ask questions. "Do you hope its a boy?" "What are you going to do if it's a girl?" "If it is a boy are you guys done?" When me or my wife respond and say no we are not done...we would like at least 4....people look horrified.

Are you kidding me? That is what I want to ask in reply. Who cares if its a boy or girl? Why is it a big deal to have more than 2? Im just not sure when the unwritten rule of one boy and one girl came into effect.

I love being a father. My little girl brings me such joy...joy that I can't even express with words. I am so proud of her and she hasn't really done anything. I think the "perfect family" is the one that God provides. So I day "bring them on Lord." We will take more than two if You will let us!!!

They are watching

If you know me very closely you know that I am an avid player of video games. I can't get enough of them really. Many times, later at night, I go to the end of the house where my TV and xbox are and I lay on my little couch and I play for hours. Sometimes I stay up later than I should. However, the confessions of my video game addiction is not why I am writing this blog.

I have a 20 month old daughter and she loves her daddy. When I am home with her she follows me around sometimes grabbing at my legs to prevent me from going into other rooms of the house. She watches me and listens to me. At times I will be in the kitchen speaking with my wife and little Cooper is standing just below me looking at me while I speak; taking it all in.

Well today I came in the house and guess what I saw? My little girl was sitting on my couch with my xbox controller in her hand, leaning back on my pillows, looking just like her daddy, saying, "oh no" at the TV. It was so funny yet so revealing of truth. Our children watch us. In my spirit I just thanked God for my daughter and I prayed that I would always be reminded that she is watching.

"Lord may I teach Cooper to follow me as I follow Christ. Amen!!!"

Gets me every time

So the new years has brought some exciting opportunity for me. MY wife is offering a Christian Ethics class as an elective at the private school where she teaches. This gives me the chance to go in about 2 to 3 times a week and lecture and discuss things with 14 high school seniors.

Today's class was simply an overview of what it means to be a Christian. After-all it is hard to understand a Christian ethic until you first understand what makes one a Christian. So the first question I asked this group of students is..."What makes a person a Christian?" The answers I got still make my head hurt.

"Asking Jesus into your heart." "Believing in Jesus." "Trying to live a good life." "Talking about God and doing what He says." These were the answers to my question. Many of these kids attend churches in the area. These responses are typical and part of the stats that we read about but man it just gets to me every time I hear them. How can these young people think this stuff?

If believing made anything true then the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause would exist. The Devil believes in Jesus. There is not one verse that says, "ask Jesus into your heart." No one can live a good enough life for God because the Bible says "our best deeds are as filthy wrags before God."

I am greatful for this door that God has oppened for me. I pray that many of these students would find salvation by repenting of their sins and trusting Christ!!! Pray for me.