Directing Your Attention

Every day I read at least a dozen great blog posts and I want you to have the opportunity to take advantage of them as I have. Here is a short list of posts that I believe are worth your time to read.

• For all of you who get excited about end times prophecy take a look at the latest on that line. David Wilkerson has made a grim announcment here and John Piper has responded to his announcement here. According to Wilkerson, “AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN” but Piper offers a sobering Biblical response to his pronouncement.
• Tom Ascol, over at founders.org has posted a series of video sermons of W.A. Criswell preaching on the doctrine of God’s Sovereign Election. Criswell who was in many ways the “Grand-father of the Southern Baptist Conservative Resurrgence”, weighs in on the Biblical teaching regarding God’s free and sovereign election. This is an ongoing issue in SB life and it is a strong encouragement to see and hear this powerful message from a man with such an influential ministry in SB life.
• Timmy Brister has been on top of some other issues in Southern Baptist life and last week he weighed in on a current debate.  You should take the time to check out his post here.
• If you want to get some information regarding pastor Fred Winters who was gunned down in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois click here to read what Wade Burleson has said.

Voddie Baucham’s New Book

Last year I purchased and devoured Voddie Baucham’s book, Family Driven Faith. It is a fresh application of age old Biblical truth on the topic of parenting. I highly recommend it to you.

As profitable as that book was and is I also want to point you to Voddie’s new book, What He Must Be: If He Wants to Marry My Daughter. I have not yet had the chance to read this new book, but when a space clears on my list, I plan to pick it up and work through it.

Until then I plan to take advantage of Tom Ascol’s gleanings to be posted here. Be sure to check this out as well.

TCC 09: Vodie Baucham – Brokenness

The True Church Conference for years has been a source of great preaching and godly encouragement. Each year the men on the preaching schedule have not failed to put before conference attendees true spiritual meat.

This year was not an exception, but in the midst of powerfully gifted men and great preaching one seemed to stand out. This seems to have been the case in years past as well. Last year two sermons by Paul Washer rattled around in my heart and mind for weeks after the conference. This year it has been Dr.  Voddie Baucham.

Voddie was supposed to preach at this conference three years ago, but a scheduling conflict kept him away. But when he arrived this year at the True Church Conference at Grace Life Church of the Shoals, he had a message for the Lord.

His topic was brokenness and here is what I gleaned from his sermon.

What’s Going on in the SBC

Today I read a great post and wanted to pass it along to any of my readers. If you are interested to know what is the latest issue being talked about concerning the SBC, then be sure to check out Timmy Brister’s post and follow the links he provides.

Also, part two of the series on Third Generation Baptists, which I Linked to last week can be found here.

How To Grow Your Congregation

In a church culture that values bigger as better, here is a quote from the book Total Church that not only gives instruction on how to grow a congregation, but also how to be a gospel failure.

It is actually not that difficult to create a large congregation. Paul tells us…you give people what will “suit their own desires” and say ” what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). Entertain the congregation each Sunday…do not focus on the depth of their sin…whatever you do, do not challenge the idolatrous desires of their hearts.

Instead offer them sermons on how to realize those desires and find success in life. Or better still, tell amusing stories that excite them with a vague sense of optimism. That is one way to grow a congregation.

This is sound wisdom and it is nothing new but it is a sad commentary on the state of the pulpit and the church in America today. But just as in Paul and Timothy’s day the remedy for such a Christ-less church growth strategy also remains the same.

There is a more godly way that is faithful to the gospel…Paul tells Timothy to “Preach the Word…in season and out of season.” He is to stick with “sound doctrine.” He is to correct, rebuke,  and encourage…and this in view of the coming of Christ Jesus “who will judge the living and the dead.”

We must be gospel centered, even though the world around us (and the flesh as well) wants us to be centered on everything but the gospel.

Preaching the Word of God and warning people to flee from the wrath of God which is poured out against sin may not always equate to numerical increase.  Biblical faithfulness to Christ and the Word are not measured in that way; in fact being gospel-centered and Biblically faithful are the most reliable and sufficient measures of success, not numbers.

God help me to be a fool for Christ so that I won’t become a gospel failure.