All Posts (Page 34)
Loving Even the Cantankerous
He was one of the most cantankerous men I had ever known. When all the church wished to move forward into a new area of ministry, you could count on him confronting the elders about it in a negative way. In fact, “negative” was his middle name. Our system of decision-making did not allow his views to be buried in a hidden vote, but brought him straight into contact with the leaders with whom he almost always disagreed. Time after…
Mingling Groans of Pain and Songs of Hope : Charles Haddon Spurgeon on Depression
It’s a good thing he wasn’t born in the 20th century. Many believing brothers and sisters would label his tendency to melancholy sinful, or evidence of a lack of self-discipline, or even the result of shallow faith. A psychologist would probably send him away with a prescription and a self-help book with twelve easy steps to overcome depression. But Charles Haddon Spurgeon, perhaps the greatest preacher of the 19th century, had a different attitude toward his affliction. Spurgeon knew “by…
Should Christians Pursue the Arts?
I re-skimmed George Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss last week. It has had a startlingly deep affect on me over these days—searching far into caves of feeling, and engendering a few meditative walks. Its themes have turned my mind to consider why it is that I pursue things like literature, music, and other forms of art. I have at least tentatively come to the following conclusion: We were created not only to do what is right and believe what…
Slick Card-itus: When Relevance Becomes Boring
Am I just tired of relevance, or what? I received the umpteenth glossy card in the mail this week from yet another church opening a brand new “state-of-the-art” facility in our city. It claimed the usual: “casual atmosphere, contemporary music, relevant messages and friendly people who genuinely care about each other.” This shiny oversized card explained the top ten reasons why people don’t go to church. It employed a strategy right out of the church growth handbooks that has become…
Steve Burchett’s Trip to the Philippines, Summer 2009
Wednesday & Thursday, August 5-6 – I was invited to the Philippines by Doug Nichols who is the founder and international director emeritus of Action International Ministries. Other than skirting a typhoon the last hour, my flights over to the Philippines were uneventful. I was met at the airport by Ernie and Rosely Fornoles. Rosely was my contact person in the Philippines, so it was a delight to finally meet her. The majority of the time in the Philippines found…
The Corrupt Root and Bitter Fruit of Altar Call Evangelism
The last command Jesus gave before ascending into heaven was, “Go therefore and make disciples . . .” (Matthew 28:19). All true followers of Christ want to be a part of this “Great Commission.” But how should we go about it? Everyone who understands the importance of special revelation (i.e., God’s Word in the Bible) agrees that evangelism involves the evangel (i.e., the gospel). No one will be saved without it. As Paul asked, “How then will they call on…
The Reluctant Mother: Amy Carmichael
We can’t always identify life-changing moments as they occur. When a little Indian girl named Preena crawled into Amy Carmichael’s lap and called her “Amma” (or “mother” in Tamil) for the first time, neither of them could have known that this simple act would change both their lives forever, and the lives of hundreds of others. Amy Carmichael was born in Ireland in 1867, the oldest of seven children. She was a feisty child whose longing for excitement often got…
Training Men
[Below is an article written by the elders of Christ Fellowship on how we seek to develop men in our church. Our church is made up of several home congregations, each led by an elder. This provides a structure to mentor men that is natural and effective. In fact, it is our commitment to mentor every man in the church! If your church is not set up this way, you may find other ways to subdivide the church in order…
Why People Don’t Get It
I talked with a charter member of the church I attended in another town that Sunday, a church with less-than-conservative views on the Bible. The question I asked was designed not only to give me information, but also to engage my new friend in thinking about his beliefs. “What is your church’s view on the Bible?” I posed. “Well,” he answered, “I’m a chaplain for the Masons and I think we have a little stronger view of the Bible there…
A New Purpose Statement
We exist to love God with our warmest affection and highest devotion to love one another as Christ has loved us, and to love others as we desire to be loved ourselves. Why love? What about worship, teaching, preaching, personal holiness, and evangelism? Should our focus really be so narrow when the Christian life involves so many other necessary things? In the New Testament, love is consistently viewed as the highest of Christian virtues-the one that produces, unites, and balances…
Bryan Elliff’s Testimony
I grew up as a “PK” or preacher’s kid. The Elliff household has always been one that revolves around the Bible and the things of God. During my growing-up years I heard the essential biblical truths hundreds or possibly thousands of times. As a result of this, I did not doubt the authenticity of the Bible except for some brief periods. As far back as I can remember I have wanted to be a follower of Christ. As a result,…
Church Member Bailouts
John didn’t imagine it would actually happen, but his job disappeared in one week. The building where he used to work is empty. Everyone had to leave. He has four kids and enough money to make it about six months with unemployment compensation; trouble is pacing outside his front door. Sarah always has this kind of difficulty as a single mom. There is never enough to make things work. Right now, her old car needs repairs, and she is nowhere…
Discipline of Children: Lessons from Proverbs
The obligation for Christian parents to bring up their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” is stated clearly in the New Testament (Eph. 6:4). The Bible’s manual of practical instruction concerning discipline, however, is found in the Old Testament. It is the book of Proverbs. The writers of the New Testament display an obvious dependence on this particular Old Testament book, especially when speaking of discipline. The writer of Hebrews, for example, quotes from Proverbs 3:11-12 when…
Dr. David Instone-Brewer’s Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible A Critical Review
Introduction Bible-believing Christians can, and frequently do, disagree on matters related to divorce and remarriage. If they value God’s Word as they should, however, their disagreements are based on differing interpretations of the written text of Scripture. As I hope to demonstrate in this review, Dr. David Instone-Brewer has arrived at what I believe are unbiblical conclusions about divorce and remarriage for one primary reason—he fails to recognize the written text of Scripture, particularly the New Testament, as a sufficient…
The House Church Way of Life
I still appreciate the institutional church. I’ve spent most of my life in such churches, leading them, speaking to them, attempting to nurture believers in them. I have most of my memories of God’s work in my life related to them. Almost every church I speak to today is an institutional one. I haven’t given up on this model, but I think I have discovered something far better for meeting my expectations of church life and my compelling interests as…
What Does Scripture Teach about the Presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper
The issue of the presence of Christ in the elements of the Lord’s Supper has divided Christians for more than ten centuries.1 I will (1) examine the three primary views that have emerged (the Roman Catholic view, the Lutheran view, and the view of the rest of Protestantism) and (2) defend a version of the view of the rest of Protestantism from Scripture. Three Views What do the words, “This is My body” (Matt 26:26) mean? Three distinct answers to…