Tune and Prepare!

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, visibly engaged in thought. "What on earth is he doing?" I thought. An intellectual at work. Not exactly common in the back row - 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. I should have looked before I spoke. 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 for real talking. But the poin...

This is probably the most difficult dilemma for pastors and church leaders: how to balance nurturing church members with the desire to save people around us. To this day, there is no consensus on this issue, as communities are made up of people from many different backgrounds, countless characters work together, and average age is also an important factor in activity levels. Below, I summarize some of the opinions from fruitful servants, along with references to detailed articles. The Church and Evangelism Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors Commending Christ - Message by Mark Dever This article emphasizes developing a culture of evangelism within the church while building up believers, noting that the church calendar should be kept simple so members aren't clogged with church responsibilities and can instead live the Christian life with their families and non-Christian friends Two things we pastors must teach on evangeli...

The biblical declaration of righteousness is best understood in "Paul's gospel." The apostle gives one of the most comprehensive explanations of our righteousness, which is central to the gospel, in his letters to the Galatians and the one of the most comprehensive explanations of our righteousness {justification} at the heart of the Gospel in his letters to the Galatians and Romans. The great transition: "But now" Paul declares in Romans 3:21 that "now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed" . These words mark one of Scripture's most glorious transitions—from humanity's hopeless condemnation to God's gracious justification . The Law points out sin, but it cannot save us. But God has prepared us a plan: he created and brought us a righteousness that will save us, apart from the law, apart from our own earning and deserving, apart from our own merits. ... The Divine Exchange God's solution to our sin ...

{London City Mission - blog article} Discover how vulnerability can open doors for gospel conversations. LCM Missionary, Matt Lofthouse, shares personal insights on evangelism, authenticity, and finding strength in brokenness. In the neighbourhoods I visit alongside churches — places where life is often raw and relationships are built slowly — authenticity matters more than almost anything else. People can tell when you’re not being genuine. And if they sense you’re hiding behind a polished exterior, they’re unlikely to open up themselves. And often this means showing more of ourselves than we might feel comfortable with. What if we’re misunderstood? What if we say too much? What if we’re not ready? These are real questions. And they’re ones I’ve had to wrestle with myself. A few years ago, my marriage broke down. It was a painful and disorienting time. I found myself mentally and emotionally depleted, unsure how to move forward. But in the midst of that, ...

short notice Who are the Judaizers? The Apostle Paul warns his readers about the Judaizers who oppose the gospel (Phil 3:2–3). Paul’s conflicts with the Judaizers can be seen in greater detail in Acts and Galatians (e.g., Acts 15:1–19; Gal. 2:15–21; 3:6–4:31), as well as in the rest of his letters. Paul rejected their teaching that Gentiles must first become Jews and obey all the OT laws in order to be saved. In contrast, Paul has given up his spiritual and ethnic privileges for the sake of knowing Christ (Phil. 3:4–11). His righteousness comes through Christ, not the Law (Phil 3:12–16). The justified /righteous person in the New Testament “Justified” means “counted righteous” or “declared righteous” by God (acc. to ESV footnote). If people obeyed all of God’s perfect moral standards, they could be justified by their own merits. But Paul says that this is impossible for anyone to do (see Romans 1–2). "Works of the law" means any human effort to be justified by...

The Holy Spirit and the words of the Lord Jesus The Holy Spirit is closely identified with the words of the Lord Jesus. “It is the Spirit who gives life; (quickens); the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63 The Gospel proclamation can not be divorced from the Holy Spirit. Unless He attend the word in power, vain will be the attempt in preaching it. Human eloquence or persua­siveness of speech are the mere trappings of the dead, if the living Spirit be absent; the prophet may preach to the bones in the valley, (Ezekiel 37:1-6) but it must be the Breath from Heaven which will cause the slain to live. In the third chapter of the First Epistle of Peter, it reads, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive (quickened) in/by the spirit.” 1Peter 3:18 Here we see that Christ was raised up from the grave by thi...

Secret of Efficiency I can not help but believe there are many Christians who want to be more efficient in the Lord’s service, and the object of this book is to take up this subject of the Holy Spirit, that they may see from whom to expect this power. In the teaching of Christ, we find the last words recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, the 28th chapter and 19th verse, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 Here we find that the Holy Spirit and the Son are equal with the Father —are one with Him, “teaching them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Christ was now handing His commission over to His Apostles. He was going to leave them. His work on earth was finished, and He was now just about ready to take His seat at the right hand of God, and He spoke unto them and said: “All authority/power in heaven and on earth has been given to me” Matt...

As the majority of modern Christians struggle with a kind of Judaized-Christian worldview, every Bible teacher has a constant duty to maintain an apostolic view of justification by faith and righteousness. On this page we learn from the epistle of Galatians. Here we read an important exposition of how the new state of being redeemed in Christ and justified by faith is distinct from the Jewish view of the law. Background: Paul writes to the churches he established in the southern part of Galatia during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–14:28). Unlike Paul’s other greetings here you can not find thanksgiving for or reference to the Galatians’ faith, or love. Earlier, in the chapter 2 he explains, warns that "Justified” life means “counted righteous” or “declared righteous” by God. He points out that by human nature this is not possible: If people obeyed all of God’s perfect moral standards, they could be justified by their own merits. But Paul says that thi...

The majority does not understand I think, it is no coincidence at all that the proclamation of God's grace has become real popular nowadays. Popularityalso means: beloved by the crowd. For most believers, including myself in the past, have not understood the Gospel at all, have not understood justification, have not understood regeneration, have not understood what Jesus did on the Cross, It was not understood that we have an abundant heritage, attached to our adopted status. Granted, given things for the believer's. Gifts, support, assets, ongoing sanctification for working with Christ according to our new ID: who we, believers have become in Christ. From this perspective, grace cannot be overstated /overloaded. From the Heavenly perspective everything is abundant and lavish! Mercy grace are lavishly given to us! Masses of believers to this day do not understand these things, their beliefs and thinking are opposed to the true reality ( aletheia ). While ...

What does it mean to have died to sin in Christ? This is a debated phrase that has had a number of interpretations throughout church history. In this sermon on Romans 6:12 titled “Transferred to the Reign of Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that understanding this Scripture is vital: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Rm 6:1-2 This is important not merely as an academic exercise, but for the Christian life. He says that to have died to sin means that God has declared the Christian justified in Christ and a new person. It is the divine pronouncement of God’s favor and total forgiveness for all who believe in Jesus Christ. The emphasis, says Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, is always on what God has done for His people. This is why Paul expects the charge that he is encouraging sin so that grace might abound; he anticipates that this view of grace could be misunderstood. This sermon ...

A Sermon on Romans 10:1-3 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. (ESV) SERMON DESCRIPTION Since the inception of the church, Christianity has battled the false belief of justification by works. In its modern Western form, many wrongly understand the gospel to mean going to church, doing good, or being a nice person. In this sermon on Romans 10:13 titled Submit to God’s Righteousness, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that the current Christian culture continues to preach self-righteousness, self-reliance, and self-dependence. In its primitive form, the apostle Paul holds up the Pharisees as the prime example of those who are zealous for doing good works and yet are ignorant of what God’s righteousness requires in th...

..and the cure for restoration This article is part of the "Vitalize" pack • pre • 0. Our base is.. • 1. Priesthood • 2. Pastoral work • 3. Preaching with Teaching • + sharing By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. {that the visible came out of the invisible} Heb 12:3 ..as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2Cor 4:18 Pre Protestantism have seen many changes, variations, (and ramifications) since Martin Luther. Even in the early days, Calvin himself modified (theologically developed) Luther's original prophetic vision. Meanwhile, the ever-ubiquitous Catholic culture continues to "keep pace with the world" and with its needs in various human activities. I think We, faithful folks are not...