Tag Archives: Discipleship

Decide to Delegate (It’s the only way to make a disciple)

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Many ministers struggle with stress and the lack of ministerial fulfillment. I would like to suggest that one decision can provide the cure for both of these diseases. You must decide to delegate. D. L. Moody said, “It’s better to get ten men to do the work than to do the work of ten men!” Moody’s sage advice is filled with scriptural wisdom. The Bible is filled with detailed descriptions of delegation. Solomon mastered the fine art of managing through men, and the kingdom was enlarged.

Three Perils of Fundamentalism’s Next Generation

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The twentieth century has closed, and the world has moved into a new era. With the passing of the 1900’s, Fundamentalism is at least one hundred years old. During this time, there has also been the passing of Fundamentalism’s first and second generations. There are few men, if any, who were alive at the formation of the movement, and there are decreasing numbers who saw the rise of New Evangelicalism and warned others of its dangers. For those who remain, their days of service and leadership are drawing to a close.

Functional Churches

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The local church is the only visible expression of the universal church, the body of Christ. As such, a living body must function consistently and well. In practical ways, though, how can the leaders of the local assembly bring Biblical body function into being? One fact remains startlingly clear. Christians do not grow in isolation. There needs to be a commonality with each other. Further, New Testament Christians were not given the choice as to whether or not they wished to function.

Three Principles for Biblical Church Growth, Part 2

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Dr. Luke’s account of the church in Antioch (Acts 11:19–30) yields three principles for Biblical church growth. The previous issue of the Faith Pulpit explained the first principle: “Reach Out To The Lost” (11:19–21). The believers in Antioch shared the good news of Christ with their neighbors, “and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord” (11:21). Reports of church growth reached the believers in Jerusalem. Earlier they had sent Peter and John to Samaria (8:14). This time they sent Barnabas to Antioch (11:22).

Helping Your Local Church to Prosper

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Often when church growth issues are discussed, they are looked at from the perspective of the pastor. The responsibility for a church’s prosperity, however, rests with each church member as well, and we want to look at ways that all of us can be of help to our local churches. Actually, church growth is not the ultimate goal—having a spiritually healthy church should be our focus. Growth is often the result of a church being in good spiritual condition so that God can bless it.

The Benefits of a Bible College Education

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Selecting a college to attend is not always an easy task. For one thing, there are over 3,500 from which to choose. Then there are other factors, such as how far away it is, what it will cost, what kinds of programs it offers, would I get a quality education etc. When people begin looking for a college, they (and often their family and friends) want to know what the college has to offer. This question is an important one, and we believe that Bible colleges have some unique qualities which should be attractive to the college-bound, committed Christian.

Volunteers or Draftees?

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Several times recently I have heard pastors ask for volunteers to take care of certain ministries in the church. While the impulse seems reasonable enough, it deserves some Biblical scrutiny. It is hard to find a passage in the Gospels where Jesus asked for people to come and volunteer their efforts. The accounts we have of his calling disciples come with a command and usually offer a promise, as, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” He did offer the invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labor,” but the context offers more rest than ministry.

Lordship Salvation: Forgotten Truth or a False Doctrine? Part 2

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Several days ago my wife and I were discussing the matter of Lordship salvation. Our eleven-year-old daughter, Christa, overheard us and asked, “Daddy, what is Lordship salvation?” I replied that it is the view that believing in Christ as Savior is not enough. A person also needs to let Christ control every thought and action to be truly saved. Christa’s perceptive reply was, “Well, Daddy, then no one can be saved, can he?” And so it is. If God expects total submission of our body, soul, spirit, heart and mind for salvation, no one can possibly be saved.

Lordship Salvation: Forgotten Truth or False Doctrine? Part 1

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If you were Satan, which doctrine would you want to undermine? Which area of theology would you pervert, to prevent people from being saved? An individual may be wrong about the doctrine of the church or deny the millennial kingdom and yet doubtless be gloriously redeemed. However, if a person is wrong on the doctrine of salvation, specifically, the prerequisites for salvation, he misses the very heart of the gospel. One would expect Satan to attack in the area of soteriology.

A Prescription for Safe Counseling

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Pastoral indiscretion has reached epidemic proportions. The news media often headline today’s religious leaders who have fallen into sexual sin. However, the list is not limited to Swaggart and Bakker. The sad truth is that many, many pastors have become casualties in the war against the flesh. Dr. Paul Tassell, the national representative of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, has reported that in the last ten years he knows over 40 GARBC pastors who have become involved in sexual indiscretion.