The persecuted church is the place of God’s blessing. That is what Jesus says in Matthew 5:10-12
. This passage tears down the strongholds of easy believism, prosperity gospels and American values. It replaces them with something eternally meaningful and delightful – the privilege of suffering for the gospel. I hope we will all listen to Jesus as He tells us about the blessings and joys of persecution.
These two lessons focus on the sovereignty of God, looking at a wide variety of Scripture passages to support the absolute freedom of God over all of His creation. Specifically, it seeks to understand the relationship between God’s control and plan over creation and how that effects our actions, decisions and desires. We also examine key passages in determining the relationship between Divine sovereignty and human responsibility, as well as eight practical applications for understanding God’s sovereignty in our lives.
Calvinism Part 2 - Sovereignty of God #1: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Calvinism Part 2 - Sovereignty of God #1: Download Calvinism Part 3 - Sovereignty of God #2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Calvinism Part 3 - Sovereignty of God #2: Download
Just this past week, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to pass a resolution on the importance of family worship. I am greatly encouraged that among all the important issues to address in our day, our convention leaders and messengers saw fit to make this a priority and pass this wonderful resolution affirming and encouraging biblical family worship. I encourage you to read it below.
Matthew Henry, the great Puritan preacher and author, wrote these words: “I know not any thing that will contribute more to the furtherance of this good work than the bringing of family religion more into practice and reputation. Here the reformation must begin. Other methods may check the disease we complain of, but this, if it might universally obtain, would cure it. Salt must be cast into these springs, and then the waters would be healed.”
This message is designed to help fathers (and parents generally) fulfill their high calling and privileged blessing of leading their families in worship and discipleship. Our age is one which professionalizes Christianity and calls on the clergy to do the work of ministry. But God has not ordered it so (Eph. 4:12)! The command to transmit God’s Word and make disciples in the home is given to parents directly (Dt. 6:4-9; Eph. 6:4). They are the teachers, trainers and worship leaders of their children. Therefore, if we are to recover biblical ministry and biblical church life, it must begin with a reformation of family worship. I pray that this message and these resources will help us all be more faithful to raise our children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). May Christ get all the glory in every home!
Here is a short video from John Piper about how he got his children started in private devotions:
Here we begin a journey to study the great doctrines of grace (also known as Calvinism) which attempt to reconcile God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. What is man’s role in salvation? What does it mean to be “saved by grace?” Does man have free will? Is God sovereign over everything, including salvation? If God is sovereign, how is man free (or is he)? These are the questions we will seek to answer in this eight week series on Sunday nights. I will be posting the teaching on mp3 and my notes weekly, along with other resources to help you study these doctrines on your own. My prayer is that the awesome grace of God may be magnified among us as we study how great our salvation really is. Soli Deo Gloria!
Calvinism Part 1 - Introduction: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Calvinism Part 1 - Introduction: Download
This Sunday was a blessed service of rejoicing in God’s grace at Berry Road Baptist. We ordained two new deacons this week – Jim Manry and Jimmy Fletcher. It was a great privilege, both for us and them, to testify about the grace of God among us as He has raised up these men to serve as officers in our church. Praise be to God!
The message comes from Acts 6:1-7 and deals with how God uses deacons to advance the ministry of the gospel in the context of the local church. I pray that both these men will look deeply on God’s Word and faithfully keep their charge to be me of selfless service among God’s people.
Deacon Ministry for the Advancement of the Gospel: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Deacon Ministry for the Advancement of the Gospel: Download
What does real peace look like? And what are the necessary spiritual commitments of lasting peace? Who brings peace in our lives? Every epistle in the New Testament commands that we live at peace with one another. It is another staple of the Christian community that we are pursuing peace in gospel reconciliation.
Our church did a study on peacemaking in 2008, using Ken Sande’s masterful book, The Peacemaker. In that study we learned what biblical peace looks like, both between God and other people. This weeks message from the Sermon on the Mount reinforces the central truths of a peacemaking ministry. I have included some additional resources from Sande’s book on peacemaking for you to print and keep in your Bible to remind you of these great truths. May God make us a people who seek peace and pursue to the glory of Christ.
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