Practicing Affirmation

With the close of 2012 upon us, I was thinking back about some of the books that I have read over the past year. There are were a few books that were very helpful to me. I would not suggest replacing your regular discipline of reading the Scriptures, but make time for you to read some good books as well. Two of those very special to me this past year have been.

E.M. Bounds - The Power of Prayer

Sam Crabtree - Practicing Affirmation

The latter of these two, "Practicing Affirmation" is by far the most helpful book that I have read this past year. It is available on Kindle for $3.03! Crabtree, one of the Pastors at Bethlehem Baptist Church, discusses the command, joy, and responsibility of affirming God-exalting qualities in others. If you are going to be in any sort of leadership, I would consider this one of the most basic books you should read. If you are a new Christian or have been walking with Jesus for years, you will find this book easy to read, challenging, and wonderfully helpful!


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Thoughts on Evangelism

I am convinced that it (The wall we erect between "us" - the Christians and "them" - the unbelievers, is often the reason why so many of us and so many of our churches are uninterested and ineffective in evangelism. An "us verse them" mentality can produce fear of the world, a condemning, even hateful attitude toward "sinners," a desire to retreat into the safe haven of our Christian institutions, and an insistence on personal separation from "sinners." If we do not know non-Christians in any personal depth, it is evident that the only evangelism that can take place is technique -based raids from behind the wall of the church into the "enemy-occupied territory" of the world. This is certainly not the kind of evangelism we read about in the New Testament. (Barrs 10-11)

I highly recommend the book by Jerram Barrs entitled "The Heart of Evangelism." This quote is taken from this work and I have found it to be a very convicting! I have greatly benefitted from this man's ministry, his writings, and his sermons.

What are your thoughts?

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Do they know us by the t-shirts that we wear?

For my fellow Christian friends - I was just reading an e-mail update from a well-run business that I oftentimes patronize. In reading their update it occurred to me that this business is seeking to become "all things to all people" that they might win (and I believe serve) their customers with their (in my opinion) worthy product. It then occurred to me how much I lack in modeling that I may become all things to all people that I might win some to Christ. Rather, it seems that it is far too easy for me to "hate some" that I might show others that I belong to Christ. To think this way certainly is to think against the plain teaching of the Scripture and certainly is not the way of Christ. Oh friends, let's learn new languages, let's enjoy people from other cultures, let's get to know people whose sin is an offense and not sin with them, but love them, give our lives for them, pray for them, and encourage them to seek Christ, while He may be found!

Let's become friends of sinners, let's love them genuinely...not because we want something! Let's value all people, regardless if they hate us, make fun of us, ridicule, or persecute us! Let's leave judgement and wrath to God and free ourselves to be a servant of all people! Pray for me, that I might grow in this!

Let's become all things to all people, not as an "end in itself" but that we might win some for Christ!




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Decision 2012 Facebook posts

Here are some thoughts concerning the 2012 elections.

To my fellow Evangelical friends: Wise people have said before that people will remember what we are excited about. I would challenge all of us tomorrow to think about what we have said about this USA election and specifically about who wins and who looses. Do people that see things completely different from us see the love of Christ in us? Are we standing for truth, in love? Is it absolutely clear that our hope is in Jesus Christ and not in any political party or presidential candidate? Have we spread gossip, slander, and misused other's names? If so, may we lead in repentance and pray that the change that this great nation needs, begins in you and me.

Other thoughts on Decision 2012: If you consider yourself a Christian, would you say that you love your enemy (aka - the political party/candidate with whom you disagree)? Would others believe you by the way you talk about them? Are we sure that the adds that we have seen accurately portray the other person? Are we sure that the gossip we have heard accurately portray the other person? Let's assume all the dirty things are true. Does that give us the right to "hate" them. Just think about the fact that the rest of the world is watching us to see whether or not the Gospel of Jesus Christ is real. We may say that we do not "hate" anyone, but speaking from personal experience, it is obvious to others when our words and actions say something totally different.


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