Thursday, December 06, 2007

Is Christmas in Your Heart?

This time of year almost everyone greets each other with “merry Christmas.” Lots of people set out little nativity sets in their yard or in their house. People recount the story of the Christ child and sings songs about Jesus’ birth. But as you take part in this, is Christmas in your heart? What do we mean by that?

What we mean is this? Is Christ in you? There are only 3 kinds of people in the world, those who can count and those who can’t. But seriously –there really are only 2 kinds of people in the world: those who have Jesus in them and those who don’t.

Colossians 1:25-27 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.NASB95

When Paul says that Christ in them is the hope of glory. What he means is that Christ in them is their hope of sharing in the glories of God for all eternity in heaven.

You see you can get to heaven unless Christ is in you and you are in Christ. You must be joined together spiritually with Christ to enter heaven.

Why is that? No one can enter heaven on their own. Why not? Because we are sinful.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,NASB95

Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to approve (look upon) evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?NASB95

Because of this we deserve God’s punishment, not heaven:

Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death,

But I am glad that this is not the end of the story:

Romans 6:23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.NASB95

This is the message of Christmas: God offers you the gift of eternal life and this life is in His Son.

You see Jesus not only was born as the baby who was God in human flesh—but the God-Man died on the cross for our sin and rose again making a way of eternal life.


Colossians 2:13-14 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision (or unholiness) of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.NASB95

But in order receive this gift you must turn away from your sin and turned to Christ Jesus as your God, your Savior, and your Lord.

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;NASB95

Romans 10:13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”NASB95

When you call on the Lord and believe on Him. God grants you be joined as one with His Son so that he takes away all of your sin and gives you all of His righteousness. (Romans 6:2-7; 2 Cor 5:21)

The baby in the manger is the Son of God (God in human flesh), He is the Christ on the cross, He is the risen Lord of all the earth, He is the judge who will judge all of the earth.

Is Christmas in your heart—that is to say is Christ in your heart.

How does Christ get into your heart:

Acts 16:31 … “Believe in (into) the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, …”NASB95

Turn away from all else and put your trust in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord.

I hope that if you have not put your trust in Christ already that you will do so this Christmas season. Then you can truly celebrate Christmas because Christmas will be in you! Christ will be in you: the hope of glory!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.NASB95

Thursday, September 27, 2007

How Should The Church Respond To The Exodus Of Our Youth Pt. 9 (Conclusion)

Me Church



It is amazing how far some churches are willing to go to fill the pews with people. A common practice for churches today is to try to determine the "felt needs" of the community and build the church around these things. Naturally if you offer people what they are looking for then they will come. What is often forgotten is that it is Christ who builds the church. He also builds the church His way. Paul tells Timothy that the church is the "pillar and ground of the truth." As Jesus said "Thy Word is truth" (Jn. 17:17). So the church must be the place where the truth of God's word is central. The reason for this is that God and not man knows what people actually need. Because of sin man's mind is tainted. He thinks he needs certain things, but many times these things are substitutes for what He really needs. What He really needs can be summed up in one word: Christ! This brings us to the final principle for that any ministry must embrace to glorify God.

7. Every person’s one true need is Christ Himself.

Colossians 1:28-29 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.NASB95

In this passage Paul is giving as a glimpse at the heart of his ministry. Under the inspiration of the Spirit of God Paul tells us that the central feature of his ministry is the proclamation of Christ. Whatever Paul and his team were doing they were constantly proclaiming, preaching, declaring Christ. Now, if there is anything that we do in any Christian ministry that doesn't have something directly to do with proclaming Christ--then we shouldn't be doing it. Paul and his team labored to instruct and encourage people in the wisdom of God's word with the goal of seeing everyone become mature in Christ Jesus. Maturity in Christ Jesus has to do with becoming like Him. We become like Him when we see Him in His Word and Christ is revealed to us through the Spirit and transforms us by His power. Paul knew that God's power would be working in him if he was faithful to preach Christ in the power of the Spirit of Christ.

When one sees Christ in the Word of Christ energized by the Spirit of Christ it transforms Him to be like Christ. This is the glory of the ministry! This is what Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 3:18:

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.NASB95

Jesus said Himself that when someone builds their life on Him and His word that they will be prepared for anything that life brings.

Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”NASB95

In this we see that a person's ultimate need, no matter what they think it is, is to be exposed to the teachings of Christ: the Bible. Christ's word actually promises blessing in all things for those who read and obey His word.

James 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.NASB95

Now these blessing go far bayond what we think we need. Naturally we want everything in our lives to be smooth and comfortable, but that's not actually what is best for us. If we give people what they want we will forfiet for them what they really need. The spiritual blessings of Christ are primary:

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,NASB95

Authentic Christianity is a life that is hidden in Christ.

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.NASB95

This applies to youth ministry as well. It would be very easy to design a youth ministry around what teenagers want. Doubtless we can fill our facilities with this approach, but will we be giving them what they really need?

We must give them Christ. This is what we are called to do. As we are faithful to proclaim Christ we can know that God will build His church in His way and we will be blessed and those who we minister to will be blessed.

I close with another description of Paul's ministry and how it works:

1 Corinthians 2:1-14 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.NASB95

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

"Help, I'm Addicted to My Anti-Addiction Pill!"






I find it absolutely amazing in our medicate happy, responsibility free, therapeutic culture, that there is now a new pill that promises freedom from addiction. The Associated Press report includes these interesting statements about the new drug.

A single pill appears to hold promise in curbing the urges to both smoke and drink, according to researchers trying to help people overcome addiction by targeting a pleasure center in the brain.

"Is this going to be a cure-all? No, not for smoking or alcoholism because both diseases are more complicated than a single target or single genetic issue," said Allan Collins, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Colorado who was not connected to the study.


Notice that drug addiction and alcoholism are described as diseases. But how can you quit a disease. Many people have quit using drugs or alcohol. They made a conscious choice to abuse these and they made a conscious choice to stop abusing these. Now I bet a lot of cancer patients would love to just quit their cancer, but they can't because it is a real disease.

I just wonder if people will get addicted to their anti-addiction pill. The only true cure to "addiction" (which is actually just sinful indulgence) is found in the Bible.

Ephesians 4:17-24 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.NASB95

Thursday, June 28, 2007

LP Missions Trip 07 Day 4-5



It's hard to believe that the camp down here is almost over! Time flies when you're having fun! Wednesday was a great day with the Momentum in full swing. The Bethel team continues their labor of love in shining fashion. Despite weariness and lack of sleep the teens continue to serve faithfully with a joyful spirit. Parents you should be proud! Our group is also looking for ways to interject the gospel of our Lord at every opportunity. It is during the small group time that our teens have been prepared to boldly proclaim Christ. Yesterday was college game day. It was a ball (no pun intended)! The heat and humidity were high, but the spirit of encouragement and service was the cool part (in a good way). Today was international day. Lots of festive food parties. More pics from today later. We thought Elle had come down with strep throat, but she seems to be alright after a check up. She was exposed to lots of germs because her campers love her some much that they were hanging on her. Then 2 of her cabin kids came down with strep. It appears that the Lord has answered our prayers by giving her a negative on the test, or he is giving her a few more days of health before it hits (we hope the former). She never once complained and was ready to get back and serve. Tomorrow is the last day with the kids. It has been a great week. We appreciate your prayers. Pray especially that many children respond to the gospel in these last 2 days. Pray that seeds will be planted for a bountiful harvest. Pray that God will continue to teach us in many ways. We will have a lot to debrief on in terms of what we have learned and I know it will promote healthy discussion.

Rejoicing in Christ,
Caleb

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

LP Missions Trip Days 2-3



I couldn't be more proud of the group that we have down here at King's Domain! Everyone if serving faithfully, despite challenging circumstances, in the pattern that our Lord gave us with joyful hearts! Monday was a training day our crew got to experience meal prep and cleanup for the first time. They had workshops for the students to learn how to be a part of their drama presentations and their worship sets. In the afternoon some of the people went to the high ropes course and some went to play paintball. I was told that our students were very brave on the high ropes course and that Paul Hartman swung like a monkey from tree to tree! Monday night we were treated to a trial run of the Drama: Rhythm Town. Tuesday we prepared with great expectation for the arrival of the "City Cure" kids from Cinci. Bob Badeau left at 7am to take the bus with some counselors to pick the kids up. Despite getting lost, they arrived back at camp at 11am with a bus load of kids! I believe that there are about 80 inner-city kids here for the week! We formed a massive gauntlet line to receive them and they came running through to high energy music. In the afternoon they played in the pool and went rafting. Our crew was busy cleaning and prepping for the western dinner party. The dinner party went from 5-7pm and was filled with fun carnival games. The kids had a great time and it was a good relationship building experience. Then in the late evening they were treated to the first act of Rhythm town. In this act the main character was waiting for his dancing shoes that the mayor of rhythm town would give him, but he got impatient and stole some money to get some shoes. It is a picture of someone not wanting to wait for what God has for them and trying to be happy in other things--going their own way. The leaders went back and had small group time and talked about sin and our bent to go away form God. The video that you will see at the end of the show goes back to Sunday night. The student were coming up with skits to demonstrate the rules. I hope to have a better system soon of uploading more video of the week’s events. Please pray that God will open the hearts of the dear inner-city children we have for the week. Also, pray for strength for our group--they are tired but they have not lost heart!

2 Corinthians 4:1-2 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.NASB95

Monday, June 25, 2007

LP Missions Trip 07 Day 1: The Trip and Opening Night



Thanks for your prayers!
The Lord gave us a wonderfully uneventful trip down! We had a blast fellowshipping, singing, hearing a devotion from Don on the last words of Christ on the earth, watching Swiss family Robinson, and just enjoying each others company. The first night and all of today (Monday) is training time. Our team is learning how to hype the week for the campers, and learning the proper procedure for things. Last night we had a great time of worship in song together. Today they had a session on understanding Urban people and now everyone is out on the ropes course or paintballing. I would have had some pics form that, but I got rained out. Hopefully more pics of this stuf later. We continue to prepare our hearts to reach out the Cinci youth who will becoming tomorrow! Keep us in your prayers! More later.

Caleb

Saturday, June 23, 2007

LP Summer Missions Trip 07

Tommorow we will embark upon a most excellent adventure. Our destination: King’s Domain--a camp designed to reach out to inner-city Cincinnati Youth. We plan also to help a church do some canvassing in Cinci and to visit the AIG Museum. Today we polished our bus as it has never been polished before. All our bags are packed and we are not leaving on a jet plane. Our coach bus, however we trust by God's grace, will carry us safely and comfortably to our destination. We are bringing 4 teens, 11 adults and 3 kids. We hope to keep this blog updated with pictures and notes from the trip. Please be in pray for us that God will open a door for the gospel for us and that we will be bold to speak the truth in love and clarity. Pray that our team will grow in unity, harmony and Christian fellowship. Pray that the God will give us a new passion to make disciples around the globe. Pray for our safety and enjoyment. We carry with us the heart of Bethel Baptist Church and we hope the heart of Christ Jesus! May God be glorified, saints be sanctified and satisfied, and unbelievers be converted!

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Is Evil a Problem?

There is an old syllogism that says:

If God is all powerful
And God is good
And there is evil in the world
Then God must not exist.

Or some would say:

If God is all powerful
And Evil is in the world
Then God is not good

Or some would say:

If God is good
and evil is in the world
then God is not all powerful

Or some would say:

If God is all powerful
and God is good
then there is no such thing as evil

The Bible says:

God is all powerful
and God is good
and evil is real and God has allowed it

So how can we reconcile these things? The syllogisms that deny God or His goodness or His power or the concept of evil fail to realize that there is a biblical justification for all three. When we make the mistake of denying one of the 3 we make the mistake of acting as if we are God. Human beings have a hard time understanding how an all good and all powerful God can allow evil, but God is not perplexed by this problem. This is because God is God.

A simple illustration will help us understand the solution to all of this. If I as a father allow my son to crash his bike as he learns to ride, am I a bad father? The answer is "no." I am letting him crash so that he we learn and gain the ability to ride his bike without crashing. Will I limit the danger for him? Yes. Will the hurt that he feels in crashing ultimately accomplish his good and enjoyment--Yes. In a very simplistic way this helps us understand God's allowance of evil.

As human beings we tend to pass judgment in the present. We have a hard time reconciling the goodness of God and the present evil of the world. But the Bible teaches us that God allows evil for His purposes. Ultimately God's allowance of evil will bring about the perfect and good plan of God. Those who are trusting in Jesus Christ (God the Son) for their life and salvation will ultimately be benefited by God's allowance of evil.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.NASB95

But what is more important is that God will bring about His glory and the exaltation of Jesus Christ in the end by allowing the existence of evil.

Ephesians 1:9-12 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.NASB95

When we question God for His allowance of evil, what we are really doing is acting as if we are god. Let us embrace the world that He has given us knowing that it and we are in the hands of an all wise, all powerful, good God, who will accomplish all of His desires. If we are His children, through the grace of Christ, this should bring us great joy!

Monday, May 28, 2007

USA Today Article Claims "Sex Does not Harm Older Teens"

Even in the culture that we live in today I was a bit shocked by the superficiality and naivety of the content of the article that ran in today's copy of the USA TODAY: "Report: Sex Doesn't Harm Older Teens." The basic premise of the findings of a recent survey suggest that, since when teens older than 15 have sex they don't often get depressed or have lower self esteem because of it, then there is no harm done! Wow! I had no idea that "self esteem" and "depression" were the only dangers in the sexual arena. I was under the impression that morality, real love, faithfulness, health, marriage, and a meaningful future were important factors. When our culture only judges the damage of teen sex by the criterion of depression and self esteem--we know we are in deep trouble! Biblical truth breaks through the fog of the irrational landscape and shines the light of truth in the dark abyss of futility:

1 Thessalonians 4:4-8 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.NASB95

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Must Read Article By Al Mohler

Al Mohler has posted an article on his website called "The Revenge of Conscience." He speaks of a horrifice tragedy in the US that is going unoticed. As I considered the culture of death that is growing in our society I was sickened as I identified with the heart of God and how He feels about this. You won't want to read this--but you must.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

There's A Little Bit of Cho Seung Hui In All Of Us

As I nation responds to the tragedy of the VA Tech shooting this past Monday, people are asking the question "how could someone do this?" I am certainly horrified, as everyone else is, by what Cho Seung Hui did on Monday in killing 33 people in cold blood. However, I don’t think I am as shocked about this as others are. Frankly, I am amazed that this stuff doesn't happen more. You see, unlike many others, I believe that human beings are essentially evil, not essentially good. Criminal profiler Pat Brown said in an interview with the Associated Press that Cho was a "psychopath." She said that because he was a psychopath he would not have responded to counseling and he was essentially destined to be a psychopath from the ages of 8-10 years old. This is the way our world including the "experts" respond to this kind of thing. Most assume that Cho is an anomaly. They believe that we are all essentially good, and yet once in a while a person gets his wires crossed and is capable of something awful like this. We want to believe that this is isolated rage and that not many could be capable of this. However, from a Christian perspective--a biblical perspective it is clear that we all have a little bit of Cho in us. In other words we are all evil at our core and capable of horrific things.

Jesus Christ Himself gave an indictment on the entire human race when he said in Matthew 5:21-22 "You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.NASB95 In other words, if you hate someone, or hold bitterness in your heart against someone, or rashly insult someone you are just as much a murderer as someone who takes away life in cold blood! Now if what Christ said is true, and it is, then we are all just as bad as Mr. Hui.

So how is it that we all don't act out our hatred and bitterness as Mr. Cho did? It is only because of God's restraining grace. God has instituted families and human government and the church to restrain sin. He has given us a moral conscience that teaches us basic right and wrong. He has revealed Himself in His creation so that we know that there is a God to be accountable to. He has revealed Himself in the person of Christ and in His Word--the Bible, so that we know His truth. God does not allow us to be as bad as we could be. Even such a horrific thing as this VA Tech shooting can be a means of God's mercy and grace if the world will stop for a moment and realize the awfulness of human sin.

Everyday we as human being don't live up to the knowledge we have. Everyday our conscience convicts us that we are not what we should be. The Bible tells us we were created to reflect the glory of God. We were made to obey Him, to please, Him and to live for Him. Sadly, most people do not live to please God for His glory. The fact is that we would all pursue a life of wickedness if it were not for the grace of God. It is the grace of God that sent Jesus, the Son of God, into the world to save the wicked human race. Jesus was born sinless and lived as we all should live. He lived to please God the Father. He fulfilled all righteousness. Then in the ultimate act of love He laid down His life for us on the cross. He took the sin of the world upon Him. We all deserve death and hell, but Christ took our punishment. He did not stay in the tomb that they laid Him in. Instead He rose from the dead just as the scriptures promised, and just as He had promised. He sent His disciples into the world to proclaim the good news that we can be forgiven of our sin and restored to God through Him and His work of righteousness and payment for our sin on the cross. The Bible tells us that if we turn away from our sin (rebellion against God) and turn to Christ as our Master and Savior we will be forgiven of our sin and be granted the very righteousness of God. We can be acceptable to God.

There is hope for the human race, but this hope is in Christ alone. There is even hope for those who the world would brand as psychopaths. God can break through to anyone with the good news of Christ and make them new persons --fit for heaven. This is the only real message of comfort for a world that asks why. The answer is because God is a God of grace who takes even the most horrific tragedy and turns it in to an opportunity for many to be saved. I am praying for comfort for all of the victims of this tragedy, and I know that true comfort will only come through Christ Jesus the Lord of all the earth. He is coming back one day and all will be made right on earth. In that day every deed and every thought will be judged. Only those who have been made righteous through Christ will avoid the wrath of God in that day. Justice will be served. Grace is being served today. Are you falling on the grace and mercy of Christ?

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

"Minister" Preaches Easter Sermon That Denies That Christ Died For Sin!

The British paper The Sunday Telegraph reports that "The Very Rev Jeffrey John" is preaching against the traditional Christian view of the death of Christ this Easter. He calls the traditional view "repulsive" and "insane." He claims that to say that Jesus died to atone for the sins of mankind is to make God out to be a "psychopath." He doesn't like the idea of the Father pouring His wrath out on His Son. He thinks that this makes God out to be vindictive and cruel instead of loving. He reinterprets the death of Christ by saying that Christ died to "share in the worst of grief and suffering that life can throw at us."

My question to Jeffrey John is, why even call yourself a Christian? The penal substitutionary atonement of Christ is the center of the Christian faith. In other words the truth that Jesus Christ the Son of God laid down His life to pay for the sins of mankind is essential to Christianity. Without this there is no reasonable explanation for why Christ came, died, rose, ascended and is now Lord of His church. This is what happens when a pagan takes the prevailing wisdom of the world and analyzes Christianity. To say that Christ came to merely experience the worst of humanity is absurd. This would give us a picture of a weak god who feels bad for the world of humans. This kind of god has no power to save men from their sins, so he merely joins in the sorrow with them. This kind of god can offer no hope to the world. What joy would Christ have to look forward to if he is just another victim of sin? This is a cruel picture of God sending his son to the world to die!

Jesus has made it very clear why He came to earth to die. He has communicated this through His true followers through His word. The Bible is Christ's explanation for why He came to die. Perhaps if Jeffrey John would crack it open, read it, believe it, and be saved by it, he would then be able to do what a Christian minister is supposed to do: preach the gospel, instead of attacking it!

Here are a few quotes from Christ Himself that make it very clear what he was doing when He died on the cross.

Luke 24:46-47 and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.NASB95

Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."NASB95

Matthew 26:27-28 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.NASB95

When we understand that Jesus freely gave Himself to die for our sins in accordance with the Father's will and we understand that the Father raised Him from the dead and has exalted Him above all tings and made Him head of the church then we can understand that Jesus endured the cross “for the joy set before Him" (Heb. 12:2).

It is only when we understand this that we can begin to understand the future joy of heaven spoken of in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 5:1-10 I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”NASB95

Don't feel bad for Christ! He doesn't! Rejoice with Him and embrace His salvation!

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

How Should The Church Respond To The Exodus Of Our Youth (Pt. 8)


A friend of mine visited a church the other day and heard a sermon that was 12 minutes in length! I am told that this is fairly common in churches these days. We are constantly reminded by psychologists and other experts that people cannot sit still and listen for more then 20 minutes in our culture. Nowhere is this drum beat on more than in the area of youth ministry. Well, there are some people who aren't listening to the short attention span theory. video game makers are not listening, Hollywood is not listening, cell phone companies are not listening, professional sports organizations are not listening, coaches are not listening. But for some odd reason churches are listening. Churches are listening despite the fact that Christianity has a long tradition of long winded teachers. Moses taught the entire law to the Children of Israel on the plains of Moab! (The book of Deuteronomy) The prophets preached extended messages of repentance to wayward Israel. Ezra taught the law again to the returned exiles in Jerusalem for half a day while they stood and listened! Jesus taught the sermon on the mount and other extended discourses to multitudes of people when he was on earth. (Matthew 5-7; John 6) The book of Hebrews is one sermon! The epistles of the New Testament where read and discussed by churches in one sitting. This brings us to our 6th biblical principle that every discipleship oriented Christian ministry should follow.

6. Making disciples and instructing believers involves intensive teaching over long periods of time.

Acts 20:18-21 And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.NASB95

When Paul was in Ephesus he took every opportunity he could to teach the whole counsel of God to the believers whether in public with a large group or in houses with small groups. He didn't hold back anything that was profitable. The central feature of his teaching was repentance and faith in Christ.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.NASB95

This text clearly tells us that the word of Christ should be so central to our lives that we constantly think about it, teach it to each other, and sing it to each other!

1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.NASB95

This text implies that there was a sustained stream of teaching while Paul was with the Thessalonians.

1 Timothy 4:13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.NASB95

It was really clear what Paul, and thus Christ, wanted Timothy to do in church: read the word of God, exhort people to obey the word of God and teach people the word of God. Frankly, that takes time. 12 minutes doesn't cut it. Add to that that we are removed from the language, context and culture of scripture by thousands of years, so it takes more time now than it did then.

The good news is that people can handle it. In fact when committed believers are exposed to serious bible teaching they can’t get enough of it. We are experiencing this in our own church. The more we preach the word the more our core group of believers wants more. This includes our core group of believing teens. In fact my friend’s son who is 16 went with his dad to the service with the 12 minute sermon, and after hearing the sermon he responded to his dad by saying "is that it?"

I think a lot of teens are quietly saying the same thing in their hearts about the pop culture teen sermon devoid of substantive teaching from God's word: "Is that it?"

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

How Should The Church Respond To The Exodus of Our Youth? (Pt. 7)

Al Mohler has a posted an article on his website about a new book, that is a NY Times Best seller, called The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. He are some are some of the excerpts that he includes from the book.

According to Byrne, every object and mind in the universe operates on its own frequency, and minds can attract matter. "Thoughts are magnetic," she argues, "and thoughts have a frequency. As you think, those thoughts are sent out into the Universe, and they magnetically attract all like things that are on the same frequency. Everything sent out returns to its source. And the source is you." Yep. You are the center of the universe.

"You are God in a physical body," she writes. "You are spirit in the flesh. You are Eternal Life expressing itself as You. You are a cosmic being. You are all power. You are all wisdom. You are all intelligence. You are perfection. You are magnificence. You are the creator, and you are creating the creation of You on this planet."

Now this is a classic example of the wisdom of the world. As bizarre as Rhonda's thoughts are, they are being accepted by the general populace as wonderful ideas. I think a lot of people sort of believe that they are the center of the universe, but they are not quite brash enough to say so. Since Byrne is able to say it in such esoteric language she gets away with it. What if the esoteric language was removed and we just went with the basic idea. Here is what it would look like:

Basically I am God. I control the universe. I can do whatever I want.

My guess is that if she would have put something like this as the subtitle she would have sold a few less books. Well what's the problem with Rhonda's ideas? Well, in a nutshell they are absurd. What exactly did Rhonda have to do with maintaining the precise spin or orbit of the earth while she was sleeping last night? What exactly does Rhonda have to do with ensuring her next breath? What exactly does Rhonda have to with engineering the entire universe to work in harmony? The answer is nothing. We could all ask ourselves the same question and the answer will still be nothing. The answer to why all of this happens is very simply given in the Bible:

Colossians 1:16-17 For by Him [Jesus Christ] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.NASB95

This is true wisdom. Christians do not need to go to the world for wisdom. We simply need to go to God's word. Our youth are in desperate need of true wisdom in a world of absurdity. Sadly, many churches offer them tiny tidbits of truth packaged worldly wisdom and trappings.

Last post we said that the 4th biblical principle that every discipleship ministry, including any youth ministry, must operate under is that the Bible is supremely relevant for every human need. Here is the fifth:

5. The Bible teaches that we do not go to the world to find out how we need to relate to people. Instead the Bible tells us to bring the wisdom of God to the world.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.NASB95

In Paul's day the rhetoric and sophistry was huge. "Wisdom teachers" used to go from town to town impressing people with their eloquence. They were not all that concerned as to if they were right, but they were very concerned about persuading people that they were right. They wanted to win arguments and gain a following. Paul was the polar opposite of this. He was unwilling to use popular tactics of persuasion to accomplish even a good thing! He relied completely on the simple message of the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and the power of the Holy Spirit. He wanted to be absolutely sure that is was the power of God at work and not the manipulation of men.

2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,NASB95

It is hard to use the methodology and wisdom of the world to attract people and then turn on your own methods and destroy them and cast them down. However, this is exactly what we would have to do if we let the world tell us how to run our youth groups. The idea is to "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." This means that we don't think like the world to reach the world. Instead we proclaim Christ and His truth to the world and call the world to repent and think the thoughts of Christ after Him!

Can we say that our ministries are all about simply proclaiming the gospel and relying on the Holy Spirit, or are we trying to manipulate something through worldly sophistication that only God can accomplish?

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

How Should The Church Respond To The Exodus Of Our Youth (Part 6)

Time magazine featured an article last October entitled "In Touch with Jesus" about modern trends in youth ministry. Interestingly the article focused on a shift from entertainment oriented youth groups to substance oriented ones. Here are a few excerpts:

Youth ministers have been on a long and frustrating quest of their own over the past two decades or so. Believing that a message wrapped in pop-culture packaging was the way to attract teens to their flocks, pastors watered down the religious content and boosted the entertainment. But in recent years churches have begun offering their young people a style of religious instruction grounded in Bible study and teachings about the doctrines of their denomination. Their conversion has been sparked by the recognition that sugarcoated Christianity, popular in the 1980s and early '90s, has caused growing numbers of kids to turn away not just from attending youth-fellowship activities but also from practicing their faith at all.

...teens at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Md., are embracing the big doses of Bible study youth pastors now recommend. Teen ranks have tripled, to nearly 600, since the mid-1990s.


The Calvary kids say they too are happy with the more traditional approach. Priscilla Balcaceres, 16, believes she would still be holding grudges and feuding with friends and family were it not for Bible lessons and sermons on forgiveness. "Before attending Calvary, I believed in God and prayed at night, but I was still very bitter and unhappy about many things in my life," she says. "I've learned what it really means to be a Christian, and now I wake up smiling every morning." Meanwhile, Amanda Sinks, 16, spouts verses from Timothy, Corinthians and James the way other teens recite rap lyrics. "There's nothing boring to me about reading the Bible every day," says Sinks, who became a Christian 17 months ago and counts a heightened ability to withstand peer pressure as one of the benefits. If things keep up this way, hanging out with God might even become cool.

Do teens actually want more Bible teaching and less entertainment? Are they bored with the hysteria that youth ministry has offered for the past few decades. Do they want something more? Having been a youth pastor for the past 6 years, I have found that teens do in fact want substance. I have found that teens embrace being treated as young adults and rise to the challenge when asked to truly think about deep spiritual truth from God's Word. If a youth group is used to an entertainment based program it does take some time for them to become accustomed to serious Biblical teaching, but I have found that, when they are under this kind of teaching for a while, most do not want to go back. Recently I spoke to a student in our group whose parents attend another church in town that has a very entertainment oriented youth group. I encouraged the student to try to be a part of her parent’s church's youth ministry, but the student adamantly insisted on being a part of our group because we were challenging our students through serious biblical teaching.

Often youth pastors try to be sure that each of their talks are on "relevant" pop culture issues. If they refer to the scripture it is just by grabbing a verse or two out of context and using it as a spring board into a "relevant" discussion. This, they might say, is the only way the teens will listen. It is true that teens have unique issues they are facing and unique needs to be met, but I believe that these issues and needs are best addressed through the straightforward teaching of God's Word: the Bible. So that brings us to the fourth biblical principle that applies to every discipleship ministry including youth ministry,

4. The Bible is supremely relevant and addresses every genuine need.


2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.NASB95

In short, this text tells us that God has supernatural provided in advance for all the issues and needs we will face a human beings. How has he done this? He has provided everything through the true knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord! Christ is the answer to everything! It doesn't matter what the issue or problem is: the answer or solution is knowing Christ and all that we have in Him more! When we know Him more we trust Him more and we believe His promises and we obey His word and he solves our issues and problems by His word!

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;NASB95

We know Christ through the Word of Christ: the Bible. Every word of the Bible is sourced in God and breathed out through His Spirit. Because He is God He is able to reveal to us all that we need to know, all that we need to change, all that we need to grow, and all that we need to live as God intends us to live!

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.NASB95

God promised Joshua success if he would live by His word. God promises the same thing for us today (see 2 Pet. 1:2-4 above & Psalm 1:2-5). This isn't a big "easy" button, but instead it is a prescription to true eternal success in the eyes of God.


Psalm 19:7-19 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.NASB95

This text tells us that God's word is the means of our salvation, wisdom for living, happiness & clarity. It is never outdated it is never false and it value is incalculable. it warns us away from sin and brings us reward. We can please our creator if we think about it, speak it and live it!

If the Bible can do all of this, perhaps we should make it central to all we do? Absolutely we should!

Thursday, March 01, 2007

How Should The Church Respond To The Exodus Of Our Youth? Pt. 5

I read an article today in the L. A. times about a man who repossesses ocean going ships! In places like Haiti, due to corruption, it is not uncommon for vessels to be seized for a price and sold cheaply in an auction to the highest bidder. F. Max Hardberger bravely rushes into the frey to repo these ships for their rightful owners. Now repossessing a car can be tricky and dangerous, but repossessing a 700 ft ship is nearly impossible. However, Hardberger is a resourceful man and has repossessed quite a few large ships!

I feel like in youth ministry we are repossessing something that has been taken away: "the faith once for all delivered to the saints" that Jude spoke of. This faith has been passed down to us in a book: the Bible. What is really sad is that we actually have to argue as to why the Bible and Bible teaching should be central to what we do. Like Hardberger's work, ours is a dangerous one. As we try to reclaim the centrality of the Christian faith found in the Word of God we find ourselves attacked on every side. Friendly fire is the most deadly kind. However, we must "contend for the faith." That means we must fight against attacks on God's word no matter how innocent they appear. Sadly the Word of God has fallen on hard times. I think what we as youth pastors today need to remember is that without the centrality of the word we can have no hope for any true success. That brings us to the third biblical principle of the eight that we mentioned in Pt. 2, which is applicable to any ministry including any youth ministry.

3. The great commission tells us to make disciples. The only way to make disciples is to faithfully teach God’s word.

How does someone become a follower of Christ? The Bible makes it very clear that this only happens when the word of God transforms someone through the Spirit of God and makes them into a brand new person: a Christian. Let’s look at a few texts:

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.NASB95

If one is to turn away from a life of sin and idolatry and embrace Jesus as their Lord and Savior they must hear the word of God. If it is the word that produces faith, shouldn't our ministry focus on the faithful teaching of the word?

1 Thessalonians 2:13-14 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,NASB95

Notice that the word does the work. The result is imitation of faithful churches. In other words discipleship happened as a result of the faithful teaching of God's word.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.NASB95

How are we going to see people saved? Through the preaching of the gospel. What is the gospel? Simply stated, it is the good news of Jesus Christ. But how do we understand this gospel? Christ is revealed on every page of scripture. How will we share Christ without constantly presenting the same monotonous "plan of salvation?" We can do this if we faithfully preach Christ from every page of scripture.

James 1:18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.NASB95

The word produces new birth. New birth is not produced by nifty programs and hype that is devoid of clear biblical preaching.

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.NASB95

So what were the essentials of the ministry for the early church? 1. "the apostles teaching" (now we have this in the NT) 2. "fellowship": sharing in common with each other in their relationship with God in Christ and in the grace of God as well as tangible things. 3. "the breaking of bread": probably the Lord's Supper and perhaps agape feasts as well. 4. "prayer": they spent time praying together. These should be the essentials of any church.

What is essential in your church? What is essential in your youth group? Is it time to repo the faith?

Monday, February 26, 2007

How Should The Church Respond To The Exodus Of Our Youth? Part 4



What's On The Menu?





Have you heard any of these things lately: "Teens have a short attention span and can only listen for 15 minutes"; "Teens need discussion groups not sermons"; "We have to make the Bible relevant to our teens"; "We must used modern media to connect with youth"; "teens can't sit through plenary church services"; "we have to find out what teens are thinking about and teach on those topics."

In just 6 years of youth ministry I have heard all of these things and many other things like these. So how do these things impact my ministry? They don't! Why not? Am I just a maverick who won't listen to anyone and things he has it all figured out? I hope not. I believe that I am only doing what I have been called to do. I am called to "preach the word" (2 Tim 4:2). There is nothing wrong with using modern technology and using appropriate language that communicates with youth, but none of these should replace the straightforward teaching of God's word. Right now preaching the word happens to be out of season, particularly in youth ministry, but that does not change my calling. Last post we looked at the first biblical principle that guides any discipleship ministry:

1. The church should be God centered and not man centered.

Here is a second biblical principle to guide us:

2. God has not commanded us to preach to felt needs. He has commanded us to preach His Word.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.NASB95

We don't have to go looking for new material because we have been given the material already. We, like Paul, have been entrusted with the gospel.

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.NASB95

How does a pastor know that he is a a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed? If he accurately handles the word of truth.

2 Timothy 4:2-5 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.NASB95

No matter if people want us to preach the word or not is the only thing that we should be doing! In other words we should ignore requests for something else.

1 Timothy 4:11-16 Prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.NASB95

Now what is important in these verses? The teaching of God's word. It is pretty simple really: read it, teach it, live it, read it, teach it, live it!

1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—NASB95

How much would be left in our evangelical youth ministries if we cut out "worldly and empty chatter"?

The ironic thing about all of this is that I have found that just teaching the Bible in a straightforward way is not only the right thing to do biblically but it is also effective. God generally blesses a ministry centered on His word. I am not a mega youth ministry pastor. I have never seen explosive numerical growth. However, by God's grace, as much as I have endeavored to faithfully preach the word we have seen steady spiritually growth amongst our teens. God's word has produced true conversion in a number of teens, and God's word has produced spiritual growth in number of teens. One of the most encouraging things so far is that those who are genuinely impacted by the word are not flash in the pan Christians. Instead they continue to grow and stay with the church! Praise the Lord! May He continue to add His blessing to His word!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

How Should The Church Respond To The Exodus Of Our Youth? Part 3

The Conservative Voice Online recently posted and article about Britney Spears entitled "Britney Spears Backslid." In the article Grant Swank chronicles Britney's journey from Southern Baptist to Kabala to nothing to Judaism. Look at how he describes her church experience and her exit:

Britney Spears was reared in the Kentwood, LA Southern Baptist Church where "Jesus saves" is preached weekly. Her parents are James Parnell Spears, a building contractor, and Lynne Irene Bridges, a former grade school teacher.
Brought up Southern Baptist means Britney was reared in a fundamentalist environment — biblical morality, Scripture memorization, Sunday school. More: weekly attendance at worship, chaperoned youth activities, public services closing with invitations to accept Jesus as Savior. And still more: prayer meetings, Bible-carrying worshipers, plainly understood evangelistic preaching, and expectations that members live "separate from the world. "But Britney backslid.

I am not going to question Britney's former church and evaluate whether they could have done more or not. Britney made her choice to leave the church. However, I will question the terminology that Swank uses. He says that Britney backslid. Backsliding is a term that is often used in Christian circles of a Christian turning away from Christ and sliding back in to sin and worldliness. The problem is that there is no such thing, biblically speaking, as a backslidden Christian. There are just Christians and non-Christians. It is clear from looking and Britney's life that she is a non-Christian. How can I say that? Because I believe Jesus when he said:

John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.NASB95

If Britney was ever a true Christian then she would be bearing fruit because Christ would be living in her through the Holy Spirit, but she does not bear the fruit of a Christian. At one time Britney made a big deal about being a virgin and being moral, but evidently it was only external and did not come form her heart.

This is a huge issue that we need to deal with in our churches and youth groups. It is easy to manipulate teens and see them get caught up in the excitement of events or the groups or all sorts of things, but do they really have a heart for God? What is it that produces a heart for God? Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.NASB95 This is why it is the word and not the world that needs to be central in our youth ministries.

Let's go back and look again at #1 in the list of biblical principles that we looked at last post.

1. The church should be God centered and not man centered. Even youth groups should be God centered and not youth centered. This is why we call our youth group a youth ministry. Human need is not the central purpose of the church. The central purpose is God’s glory.

I have found that in youth ministry I have often been encouraged to focus on the particular issues that our teens are facing. I don't have a problem with addressing key topics from time to time. However, I do feel that a steady stream of topical messages focusing on teen issues encourages teens to become myopic or self focused. The real question for both older adults and young adults (teenagers) is what God wants to say to me, not what do I think I need from God. The Bible is unmistakably God centered and not man centered. Notice what Paul says in Ephesians 1.

Ephesians 1:5-6 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.NASB95


This text tells us that God's sovereign work of salvation has a purpose: the praise of the glory of His grace. In other words our salvation is to cause us to focus on God and His grace and not on ourselves. It couldn't be clearer then Paul puts it in 1 Cor. 10:31:

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.NASB95

Even in the minutest details of life the glory of God is to drive what we do. When we are structuring our youth ministries are we concerned with doing the things that bring the most glory to God, or are we more concerned with what will please our youth and attract more to come? We can sure impress teens by wowing them with our programs, but only God and His God-centered word can awaken with in them a true heart of worship through the gift of faith.

If the glory of God is to be central to and permeate all that we do then the Word of God must be central to and permeate all that we do because God reveals His glory through His word.



Friday, January 26, 2007

How Should the Church Respond to the Exodus of Our Youth (Part 2)



The video above was produced by Teen Mania which is headed up Ron Luce.

Last post I surfaced the issue of young people leaving the church by providing excerpts form a NY Times article. Someone pointed out that the poll from Denis Rainey used by Ron Luce and others and cited in the article is somewhat suspect. I am still tracking that down, but I did find a more trustworthy poll done by the Barna group that indicates a similar trend. Below are some excerpts from a Barna Group report entitled "Most Twentysomethings Put Christianity on the Shelf Following Spiritually Active Teen Years."

A new study by The Barna Group (Ventura, California) shows that despite strong levels of spiritual activity during the teen years, most twentysomethings disengage from active participation in the Christian faith during their young adult years - and often beyond that. In total, six out of ten twentysomethings were involved in a church during their teen years, but have failed to translate that into active spirituality during their early adulthood.

the most potent data regarding disengagement is that a majority of twentysomethings - 61% of today’s young adults - had been churched at one point during their teen years but they are now spiritually disengaged (i.e., not actively attending church, reading the Bible, or praying). Only one-fifth of twentysomethings (20%) have maintained a level of spiritual activity consistent with their high school experiences. Another one-fifth of teens (19%) were never significantly reached by a Christian community of faith during their teens and have remained disconnected from the Christian faith.

"When and if young adults do return to churches, it is difficult to convince them that a passionate pursuit of Christ is anything more than a nice add-on to their cluttered lifestyle."

Loyalty to congregations is one of the casualties of young adulthood: twentysomethings were nearly 70% more likely than older adults to strongly assert that if they "cannot find a local church that will help them become more like Christ, then they will find people and groups that will, and connect with them instead of a local church." They are also significantly less likely to believe that "a person’s faith in God is meant to be developed by involvement in a local church."

This survey might be skewed a bit as well because it represents and examination of "churched" or "unchurched" people and did not necessarily focus on evangelicals. However, as we look around and ask where are the youth that were active in our youth groups 5 & 10 years ago, we are likely to find that many have left the church. The questions is what, if anything, we should do about it? Ron Luce and Teen Mania have responded to the statistics in the video above by launching a nation wide campaign focused on empowering Christian youth to take a stand in their culture. As I mentioned last time, though I feel that Ron Luce's efforts are valiant, I question the big teen rally approach. However, I am more concerned with how we should handle this in the local church.

Since the industrial revolution father's have by enlarge worked away from their homes. With the influence of feminism now many mothers are also out of the homes. This has left children to be raised in great part by schools and day care institutions and extra curricular school programs. In the last 100 years many well meaning folks have reached out to teens whose parents left them behind. In doing so they created a whole new teen culture. The result is that we have a large segment of the adult population (teenagers) segregated from the rest of the adults. Hence the youth culture of our day. In our society adolescence has been embraced as an age between childhood and adulthood. For this time period not much is expected out of these young adults. Rick Holland of Grace community Church in Sun Valley, CA has written a great article on this called "The Myth of Adolescence."

I think that when we treat teenagers as neither children or adults we do them a great disservice. In other words when we ask ourselves how we should reach teens, we should be asking how do we reach young adults. If we think of them as adolescents then we will always be trying to figure out what adolescents need, what they want, what they are in to and we will be trying to structure our youth groups around them. However, if we think of them as young adults we will evangelize them, disciple them, instruct them, equip them for service, and engage them in service. They will become and important part of the adult congregation. Then when they graduate from HS the adult services and the older adults will not be foreign to them.

As we search the scriptures we find nothing that looks anything like the youth ministries that are prevalent in our day (we don't even find the title "youth pastor!"), but we do find a clear picture of how we should reach adults. As I have been thinking about this I believe that their are some key biblical principles that will guide us as we minister to any adult group. All of these principles indicate that the simple, straightforward, systematic teaching of God's word should be central to all that we do. This is the only means of discipleship that we have been given. This teaching is done through instruction and example.

  1. The church should be God centered and not man centered. Even youth groups should be God centered and not youth centered. This is why we call our youth group a youth ministry. Human need is not the central purpose of the church. The central purpose is God’s glory.

Ephesians 1:5-6 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.NASB95

1 Corinthians 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.NASB95

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.NASB95

2. God has not commanded us to preach to felt needs. He has commanded us to preach His Word.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.NASB95

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.NASB95

2 Timothy 4:2-5 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.NASB95

2 Corinthians 4:1-2 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.NASB95

Ephesians 4:11-13 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.NASB95

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.NASB95

1 Timothy 4:11-16 Prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.NASB95

1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.NASB95

1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—NASB95

Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.NASB95

3. The great commission tells us to make disciples. The only way to make disciples is to faithfully teach God’s word.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.NASB95

1 Thessalonians 2:13-14 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,NASB95

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.NASB95

2 Timothy 2:2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.NASB95

James 1:18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.NASB95

1 Peter 1:2-3 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,NASB95

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.NASB95


4. The Bible is supremely relevant and addresses every genuine need.

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.NASB95

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;NASB95

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.NASB95

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.NASB95

Psalm 19:7-19 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.NASB95

Psalm 1:2-5 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.NASB95

1 John 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.NASB95

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.NASB95

5. The Bible teaches that we don’t go to the world to find out how we need to relate to people. Instead the Bible tells us to bring the wisdom of God to the world.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.NASB95

2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,NASB95

6. Making disciples and instructing believers involves intensive teaching over long periods of time.

Acts 20:18-21 And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.NASB95

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.NASB95

1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.NASB95

Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.NASB95

Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.NASB95

7. Every person’s one true need is Christ Himself.

Colossians 1:28-29 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.NASB95

Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”NASB95

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.NASB95

Colossians 3:1-4 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.NASB95

James 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.NASB95

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,NASB95

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.NASB95

Philippians 1:19-21 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.NASB95


In Part 3 we will begin to flesh out each of these principles as they pertain to young adults and we will begin looking at the role of the family in these things.

Please share your thoughts.