Tune and Prepare!

by Jared Wilson We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Hebrews 2:1 Gospel-centrality is not as popular as it once was. At least, the marketing movement built on gospel-centrality has declined over the past fifteen years. As an early adherent of the gospel-centered, “young, restless, and Reformed” whatchamacallit, I have watched many of my fellow tribesmen, usually leaders around my same age, gradually undergo a shift in their ministry emphases and spiritual priorities over the last decade, and it’s left me scratching my head a bit. In the gospel-centered heyday, many young ministers, like myself, abandoned the seeker-sensitive church movement. Burned out by ever-demanding needs of innovative methodology and disillusioned by a pragmatic consumerism that appeared less and less tethered to the Scriptures, we ached for something with theological depth, biblical rigor, and historical roots. Many others of us began to find our min...

Supernatural Pastors — Message by John Piper I have three aims for this message. First , I want to impress upon you the fact that the pastoral ministry is supernatural. All of the distinctly Christian goals in your pastoral life are humanly impossible, and God alone is the decisive cause if those goals are attained. Second , I want to try to show how you go about life and ministry so that you become an instrument of God’s decisive work. How do you work so that he is the decisive worker? Third , I want to exult with you that God has designed the ministry this way so that he gets the glory through Jesus Christ in your ministry forever and ever. So, you could sum up these three aims like this: The Christian ministry is by God’s grace, through faith, for God’s glory. My text is 1 Peter 4:10–11. As I read it, look for those three realities. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, [let him speak]...

The writer of the Hebrew letter wrote about the good conscience and assurance: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Heb 10:19 Our dear brother and not-so-conflict-averse apostle, the Apostle Paul often appeals to his good conscience. Let's not forget that he was incessantly acting in front of his accusers, often suffering physical abuse because of them. He was constantly, consciously proclaiming the new covenant: the grace and righteousness above the Law , the untouchable spiritual status of the Christ followers - and the confrontation between the two realm. Paul's conscience was rooted in the Cross. ...

One day, I met Nicky Gumbel. It was completely unexpected. I thought I would visit the HTB Onslow Square community and someone from the younger generation's leaders would speak. That's what happened. However, in the back row, an older gentleman was not listening to the sermon in the usual reverent manner. He was taking notes and was clearly actively engaged in thought. "What on earth is he doing?" I thought. This is a completely intellectual approach. It is not really common among the audience. Then there was a short break and I had the opportunity to approach the guy. Unfortunately, I had already spoken when I realized who I was talking to. One must be careful what one says. But anyway. "Hi how are you? May I ask you, what are you doing? Are you making some notices... or... " "Oh, I'm serving... checking (supervising) the sermon according to certain principles..." Nicky and Pippa Gumbel There wasn't much time ...