Preachers, Uncategorized

Pastors Who Find Themselves in Scripture

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Brothers and sisters I have made a new discovery! This morning in my prayer closet I opened up my Scofield and to my surprise and delight I discovered that the Scripture are actually all about ME!

Where it talks about obedience it means to obey MY rules and regulations.

As it speaks of love it means to love ME more than your family, friends, or neighbors.

Whenever it talks about giving it means that you need to give to MY church.

If you read of reaching out to the world it means showing up to MY programs, projects, and fulfilling my plans.

And when it talks of giving glory to God, well of course you know that he is best honored when you honor ME on his behalf.

Humility means treating ME with due deference. Mercy means forgiving MY faults. Justice means giving ME what I’m owed.

This is my gospel. This is my testament. “These very Scriptures speak about me.”

Standards

Being A Five Star Christian

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If you search on Google for “be a five star Christian” the results predominantly come from Independent Baptist churches. The funny thing is that although the sites you’ll find all use the exact same points and text, none of them cite exactly where this concept comes from. It’s possible that it all started with this book by Tom Sexton — or possibly he just took these five points that were going floating and decided it was high time somebody made some money off them.

Whatever the case may be, many IFB churches seem to agree that the path of being a five-star Christian is as follows:

Read God’s Word
The Bible says, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Reading the Bible is vital to the Christian life. As we read the Bible, we should search the Scriptures, comparing Scripture with Scripture. Also, set a goal to memorize Scripture and meditate on the Word of God. In our personal lives and with our families each day, we need to be reading the Word of God.

Pray
We believe that God hears and answers prayer. There is no doubt about it, the greatest untapped resource in the Christian life is the matter of prayer. Pray each day. Pray for loved ones. Pray for church leaders and their families. Pray for your church. Pray for our nation. Pray for the lost. Establish a prayer list. Pray.

Attend Church Faithfully
The Lord Jesus Christ deserves your faithfulness. Attend every service of the church. A great deal of the strength of the church is based on the faithfulness of the people. Support special meetings at the church with your faithful attendance.

Give
God’s work is to be supported God’s way. The Bible teaches that we should pay the tithe and give our offerings. Practice tithing as a conviction. Bring the Lord’s tithe with you to church each Sunday. Support the ministries of the church with offerings. By faith give to worldwide missions. Support the Christian education endeavors of the church. We cannot outgive God.

Witness to the Lost
Our Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. He left us on earth to tell others about the Savior. Determine to bring others to the Savior. Work to bring other families to Christ and to the church. Set a time to go. Make a list of names and addresses of people you want to reach for Christ.

Determine to Be a Five-Star Christian
This is a time when you can be a real help and encouragement to your pastor. May God help you to work together to see something beyond the ordinary accomplished for Christ through your church.

Shorter: DO, DO, DO, DO, DO, AND THEN DETERMINE TO DO MORE. Outside of a reference to “loved ones” the word love is not mentioned here. Neither is grace nor mercy nor justice nor humility. I wonder if Christ can see himself at all in this Christianity.

Holidays

SFL Flashback: A Living Lord

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This post was originally featured on SFL in December of 2010

If your family read the crucifixion story every year before opening your presents, you may have been a fundamentalist. For to a fundamentalist, the Incarnation is often seen as little more than the first step on the road to Calvary.  For unto us a Son is given and his name shall be called Doomed, Condemned, Destined for Destruction. He was born to die.

But we do our Savior a great injustice if we give the season a tragic tone as if this Baby should be mourned as merely mortal. Consider too the years of his humanity as a child, his miracles, his compassion, his wisdom, his teachings of love for others, his laughter and tears and hunger and weariness experienced as a God who condescended to become a man and walk among us. He was born to Live.

And yes, he was betrayed and mocked and falsely accused and beaten and crucified…but the story doesn’t end there either! For of his own will he defeated death and rose from the grave, comforting his grieving friends with words of Everlasting Life. He was born to Live.

Remember the words of his promise that he will never leave us or forsake us and that he is that friend who is closer than a brother. After our years of struggle and pain are ended we too will live with him in an eternity where there will be no darkness or pain or dying ever again. In him we will finally be truly alive. He was born to Live.

Dear heart, if you want to remember the Reason for the Season as you gather on Christmas Day this year, do not mourn as if Christ’s life was only given to be consumed in the seeming tragedy of his death. Read instead  these words: “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen.”

He was born to Live.

A silly blog dedicated to Independent Fundamental Baptists, their standards, their beliefs, and their craziness.