Introduction Mission is not something that the church is to do on the side. Mission is what the church is. Every Christian church is a mission church. Every Christian is in some sense, at some level, a missionary. But we must understand this rightly. We should not take it to mean that every Christian must …
Wrong Broom, Wrong Carpet
When people come together in community, we soon discover that forbearance is most necessary. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Col. 3:13). This comes out in many areas—in preparing for weddings, in doing business together, in dealing …
Until He Comes
We are told that as often as we partake of this meal, we proclaim (katangello) the Lord’s death, and we are also told that this reality will be in force until He comes again. In this sense, the entire Christian church is a herald, an ambassador, a preacher. We announce, we declare, we proclaim. What …
Not Coldness
“The word translated ‘boldness,’ a noun sometimes used in verbal form, is the dominant word used to describe the quality of the preaching recorded throughout the book of Acts” (Martin, Preaching in the Holy Spirit, p. 23).
Bedrock Preparation
“We ought to be driven forth with abhorrence from the society of honest men for daring to speak in the name of the Lord if the Spirit of God rests not upon us . . . If we have not the Spirit which Jesus promised, we cannot perform the commission which Jesus gave” (Al Martin, …
Recoil
Scripture speaks about our going out and our coming in, and experienced pastors have seen a great deal of it. There is, of course, the ordinary going out and coming in, but we also have to take account of the traffic patterns established by those who come in enthusiastic and leave disgruntled. There are of …
Men Who Were Sent
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks” (Rev. 2:1). We have come to the introduction of the passage …
Surveying the Text: 1 Peter
Introduction There are three great themes in the epistle of 1 Peter. Those three themes are not unrelated—they tie together harmoniously. As you read through the epistle, meditate on these three things. The three things I have in mind are holy living, suffering, and the meaning of Christian baptism. Keep in mind that this letter …
Savior of the World #5
Introduction: In this series of messages we have been presenting what is, for many, a very different way of looking at the Scriptures. We have been talking about historical optimism, as opposed to the rampant historical pessimism of the modem evangelical world. But we must be careful in using phrases like “way of looking at …
Two Styles of Leadership
Cultures and communities cannot grow without leadership, but it should also be noted that they cannot fall apart without leadership either. There are two basic styles of leadership. Both of them can be done right, and both of them can go badly astray. Let us call them the inclusive and exclusive forms of leadership. Inclusive …