8 Reasons to Rethink the Song of Songs

By Lucas Hahn / Dec 23

The Song of Songs is the most lukewarmly debated book in the Bible. There’s some engagement, but not enough. While the arguments and interpretations of Revelation run red-hot, Song of Songs tends to be entrenched in assumptions. I want you to rethink what you might think about the Song of Songs.

Since I’m doing my Ph.D. work on C.H. Spurgeon and the spiritual sense of the Song, I frequently find myself talking to friends and anyone with ears about the Song of Songs, and I preach from the Song whenever I get the chance. I’m not surprised that most of the people I talk to think the Song is only about romance in marriage—some even believe there is no way the book has anything to say about Christ and the Church or Christ and the Christian.

When I tell people that Spurgeon did nearly 70 sermons from the Song of Songs and that they are all about Christ and the Church, they are baffled. In one sermon, Spurgeon gives seven ways Jesus is like a “bundle of myrrh.” He also gave eight sermons on “I am my beloved’s, and he is mine” (Song 2:16). Spurgeon said about the Song:

“That Song of Solomon is the central Book of the Bible; it is the innermost shrine of divine revelation, the holy of holies of Scripture; and if you are living in communion with God, you will love that Book, you will catch its spirit, and you will be inclined to cry with the spouse, ‘Make haste, my beloved.’”

So how can we catch the spirit of this book? Most of us have probably heard that the Song is only about romance, and for years, that’s what I believed too.

Here are eight reasons we should also embrace the spiritual, Christ-centered interpretation of the Song of Songs.

1. Jesus’s View of the Old Testament.Jesus said the whole Bible is about him (John 5:39, Luke 24:27). Our belief that the entire canon bears witness to the Messiah, to Jesus of Nazareth, must include the Song of Songs—if not, then we don’t have a thoroughly Christian reading of the Old Testament.

2. Illumination of the Spirit.If there is no spiritual interpretation, spiritual significance, or Christological meaning in the book, then the Song of Songs is the only book of the Bible that you don’t need the Holy Spirit’s illuminating power; all you need is an understanding of ancient near-eastern poetry. If the surface meaning of romance is the only meaning of this book, then an unbeliever can understand and live this book just as much as a believer.

3. Church HistoryFor the first 1800 years of church history, the spiritual interpretation of the Song was the interpretation. Notable names who taught the Song as instructive about Christ and believers: Gregory of Nyssa, Basil the Great, Bernard of Clairvaux, Theodore Beza, Martin Luther, John Owen, Richard Sibbes, Isaac Watts, Anne Dutton, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, John Gill, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, and many, many more. How comfortable are you to be on the other side of these names and centuries?

4. The Name of the Book“The Song of Songs,” derived from Song 1:1, is the same superlative paradigm as King of kings, Lord of lords, and Holy of holies. The Bible is saying this is the greatest song in the Bible. As Jesus Christ is the King of kings, this song is the Song of Songs, not because it’s only about the marriage bed. This is the greatest song because it’s about the great love of God for us sinners. Greater love has no one this!

5. Solomonic ThemesIn the first chapter of the Song, we learn this song is King Solomon’s and that he is also a shepherd. There is a bounty of biblical theology in Solomon. Who else do we know that is a Son of David, who is a King and a Shepherd? Solomon is a shadow of the one who says he is greater than Solomon—a greater king, a greater sage, and a greater lover of his people.

AI-Generated Image of “a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi” (Song 1:14)

6. Geographic ThemesThroughout the Song, you’ll notice three significant places of geography. The Song sings of a garden, Jerusalem, and the ability to enjoy milk and honey (Song 1:5, 5:1). Aren’t God’s people longing to go to the Garden, to the New Jerusalem, to the promised land that is flowing with milk and honey? The Song foreshadows the blessings to come from the reign and rule of the Messiah, the Bridegroom of God’s people, Christ the Lord.

7. Redemptive ThemesThe Bride asks in chapter three, “What is that coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?” (Song 3:6). She is making allusions to the Exodus narrative with “wilderness,” “columns of smoke,” and the unmistakeable aromas of the sacrificial system. Lastly, the Song sings of the reversing of the effects of the fall on men and women from Genesis 3. Their desires are no longer in conflict (Gen 3:16), there is now reciprocated, mutual, and experiential marital harmony, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me” (Song 7:10).

8. Marriage is a Mega-themePaul tells us in Ephesians 5 that marriage was created with the encoded mystery of Christ and the Church. The mystery is now revealed, and we cannot hide it in the Song of Songs. Jesus calls himself the Bridegroom (Mark 2), John the Baptist calls Jesus the Bridegroom (John 3), Revelation ends with the marriage supper of the lamb (Rev 19), and the Church is the Bride of Christ (Eph 5). The placement of the Song in the canon continues the picture of Yahweh’s relationship with his people as a loving groom toward a struggling bride (Isa 62).

If these themes of biblical theology were sprinkled about in another book of the Bible, we would gladly say, “Wow, look at all of these pointers to Christ and the gospel.” So let’s not hesitate with the Song of Songs, the soundtrack of Christ and his bride. Our Messiah loves to use metaphors, and the Song is one we must learn to sing along with.

Faith Lifts Our Eyes Up

By Brett Fredenberg / Dec 22

I watched my brother die.

He was one of the strongest men I knew in my life and there he was struggling to take his last breaths. A brain tumor discovered six weeks earlier was now completing its fatal work. In a small hospital room, my brother passed away surrounded by our parents, his wife, his four kids, and mother-in-law. He and his wife are members of the church I pastor, so there I was mourning as brother and pastor. One nephew stayed by his side the whole time, weeping and holding his hand. My oldest nephew was in and out, feeling responsible to watch the youngest two children. When the time came, they all were there at his side. We prayed. We read Scripture. We sang. We said our good-byes.

And then we planned services. I officiated over his memorial service and declared the hope of the gospel to the best of my ability. In some ways, it is easy to speak upon the hope we have when the loved one who has passed was a devoted believer. And my brother, Aaron, was that. He had given so much of his life to proclaim the gospel to teenagers. He had served the ministry of Young Life for around 20 years. He served faithfully at church and he led his family in following the Lord. But of course, in many ways it is never easy, especially when the departed is a loved one of your own. Many people voiced if I could get through the service, and it was hard, but we all got through it.

And now a few months after, it is still surreal. His birthday came and it was even harder and now Thanksgiving has come and gone, and it seems to have gotten harder. Grief comes in waves, one moment it all seems fine and then the next I can’t see because of the tears. Sometimes I expect to see him, to have him help me with a project on my house, to walk through the door at my parents, or to ask to take my son rock climbing.

Doubt can grow in times of hardship. This can be a very real concern, one which I have for my nephews and nieces. I pray they never doubt that God is there and never doubt his goodness. I have been asked if I have experienced doubt in the midst of my own grief and I can honestly say I haven’t. I haven’t doubted God being real or doubted His love and goodness. For that I am thankful.

But I have sat in confusion. It is the confusion of not understanding. It is the confusion of not being able to grasp how my brother’s death brings God glory. It is the confusion of the created not being able to fathom the infinite. I truly don’t understand why God allows and ordains such things.

It is right there that faith reigns. For I don’t know the “why” but I do know the “who.” Elisabeth Elliot said it like this, “Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” This is the essence of what we see again and again stated in the Bible, like in Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We can live with this verse only through faith, not understanding how all the events in our life speak the truth of this verse, but trusting the one who is working.

When my brother passed I was reading through J.I. Packer’s Knowing God with one of my church members. Packer has a statement that says, “Every single thing that happens to us expresses God’s love for us, and comes to us for the furthering of God’s purposes for us.” To read this while my family was grieving was hard. But it is true. Faith demands we see beyond the pain of the moment to the One who loves us, who gave His Son for us, and who will wipe every tear away. A faith in Jesus Christ is an eye lifting faith, lifting our eyes to the One who stands above.

Faith doesn’t stop the confusion, but it does direct our hearts to the One who reigns in a seemingly confusing life. Faith allows us to question while we trust. Faith allows us to weep while we rejoice that a believer is now with the Lord. Faith allows us to take that step the next day, mourning our loved one but continuing to live.

So I lift my eyes up… to behold our Almighty Father. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

2022 For the Church Book Awards

By Lucas Hahn / Dec 7

Famed poet and essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson, once said “Some books leave us free and some books make us free.” As we reflect on the year 2022 and the books published, we believe this statement could not ring more true.

As people of the Book, we know true freedom comes from Christ our King. However, many of the new releases, including those recognized below, empower and encourage Christians on how to live a life of freedom in Christ. Whether in seasons of sorrow, through the pain of hurt and regret, or in reflections on the Church, we pray these selections serve as a resource for you to pursue Christ all the more in the weeks, months, and years to come.

Like every year, we are pleased to present our readers with a few books that stuck out as exceptional from this past year. For our sixth annual For the Church book awards, members of our FTC council, editorial staff, and seminary community chose two books—a winner and a runner-up—to honor and to recommend to you for the way they impacted them personally and/or offers a significant contribution to the Church and her pursuit of a gospel-centered faith.

Congratulations to this year’s winners of the 2022 For the Church Book Awards!

Dr. Jason K. Allen, President of Midwestern Seminary and FTC Editor-in-Chief

Winner: 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy: Faithful, Flawed, and Fruitful by John Piper (Crossway)

“Over the years, few books have fed my soul like the periodic installments of John Piper’s The Swans are Not Silent. Those brief, accessible biographies of Christian luminaries have at once warmed my devotion for Christ and strengthened my service for Him. That’s why I was delighted to see Piper’s 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy, which compiles that series into one rich, hefty volume.

Piper’s genius is not a simple retelling of the well-known, broad contours of the lives of Augustine, Luther, Edwards, Spurgeon, and the like. His genius is in presenting these heroes with all their weaknesses, outlining their herculean gospel-contributions, and identifying what motivated them to such extraordinary feats of Christian service.

Taken together, these combined biographies are a helpful primer in church history, but they’re much, much more than that. For the reader, each brief biography is prose and poetry, information and inspiration, edification and exhortation. And if you read this volume with an open heart, you’ll experience the full range of human emotions: gratitude, conviction, worship, renewal, and rededication.

Many years ago, I heard Piper declare that one can’t be a serious student of church history without reading Roland Bainton’s biography of Martin Luther, Here I Stand. I received his admonition and scurried to the bookstore to secure my copy of Bainton’s biography of the famed reformer. I suppose you can be a serious Christian without reading Piper’s 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy, but I’m not sure you can be a well-armed, well-edified one. And that’s why I hope you’ll now scurry to secure your copy of Piper’s 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy, and that you’ll read it with an open heart.”

Get the book here.

Runner-Up: Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God by Tim Challies (Zondervan)

“Never have I picked up a book with my emotions as mixed as when I opened Tim Challies’ Seasons of Sorrow. For years I’ve benefited from Challies’ online content, and for nearly as long I have counted him a friend, albeit a more distant one. That’s why I agonized with him and prayed for him when, two years ago, I received the shocking news of the death of his college-aged son. That’s also why I’ve anticipated Challies’ Seasons of Sorrow, knowing that I’d benefit from reading of Challies’ dark night of the soul when he lost his son, his only son, and of the Lord’s preserving grace through it all.

I’ll confess, my mixed emotions stayed with me throughout the book. I moved through it, page by page, not as an aloof reader but as a father of five children and one who, as a pastor, knows his way around hospital rooms, funeral homes, and distraught living rooms. Throughout Seasons of Sorrow, I found myself in places desiring nothing more than to put the book down but unable to do so.

When I know a believer who is shocked in grief, I often pray that, “They’ll sense the very real ministry of the Holy Spirit in their lives.” As you read Seasons of Sorrow, you’ll see and sense such ministry of the Holy Spirit firsthand. For those who’ve experienced a traumatic loss, this book will be a spiritual salve. For those who haven’t, it’s preparatory. It will enable you to better endure your own hour of trial if in God’s perfect providence such befalls you, and it will also allow you to better minister to others in such moments of grief.”

Get the book here.

Dr. Jason G. Duesing, Provost of Midwestern Seminary and FTC Editorial Council Member

Winner: Typology-Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns: How Old Testament Expectations are Fulfilled in Christ by James M. Hamilton, Jr. (Zondervan Academic)

“Hamilton explores, defines, and teaches how we can best understand the relationship between God’s promises in the Bible and the pattern of events in the Bible that echo those promises. He argues that the biblical authors, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, intended to communicate through typology or promise-shaped patterns. Creatively written, the book itself is constructed as a chiasm and one designed to help you love the Bible and the Bible’s Author even more.”

Get the book here.

Runner-Up: The Completion of C.S. Lewis (1945–1963): From War to Joy by Harry Lee Poe (Crossway)

“This volume which marks the completion of a new trilogy biography of C. S. Lewis is one that readers and admirers of Lewis, new and old, will enjoy. Poe wrote these volumes at just the right time, following decades of his own widely-respected research, to reintroduce Lewis to a new generation.”

Get the book here.

Jared Wilson, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry, Spurgeon College; Author in Residence, and FTC Editorial Council Member

Winner: Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded by Jonathan K. Dodson (Crossway)

“In this tumultuous season of evangelicalism, we are in great danger of a kind of gospel amnesia―a dangerous assumption and even erosion of the precious substance of gospel-centrality. Jonathan Dodson is one of the original architects of the once-nascent gospel recovery movement and his Gospel-Centered Discipleship is a seminal text in our renewed understanding of how people change and how people grow in Christ. This new edition of such an important work can aid in our recentering and recalibrating around the amazingly powerful grace of God once again.”

Get the book here.

Runner-Up: Fruitful Theology: How the Life of the Mind Leads to the Life of the Soul by Ronni Kurtz (B&H Books)

“Theology in abstraction is a soul-killer. So we need constant reminders to worship in both spirit and truth, to be both hearers and doers of the word, to speak the truth, yes, but in love. I’m grateful for Kurtz’s voice in calling us back to “doing theology” like Jesus himself. We can experience the meeting of the spirit and truth of Christ in our churches today, if we will take seriously the clarion call of a book like this. Ronni Kurtz has done us an absolutely Christian service in painstakingly helping us reorient our vision of holiness to the fruit of the Spirit.”

Get the book here.

Dr. Charles W. Smith, Senior Vice President for Institutional Relations; Assistant Professor of Christian Leadership, and FTC Editorial Council Member

Winner: Turnaround: The Remarkable Story of an Institutional Transformation and the 10 Essential Principles and Practices that Made It Happen by Jason K. Allen (B&H Books)

“This is one of the most insightful leadership books I’ve read. The ten principles outlined in Turnaround can be used to strengthen virtually any organization. I highly recommend it.”

Get the book here.

Runner-Up: Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? by Tim Keller (Viking)

“Forgiveness is one of the easiest things to say and hardest things to do. And yet, in this timely work, Keller reminds us that our families, churches, and communities simply cannot function without a means to recognize shortcomings and restore relationships.”

Get the book here.

Dr. John Mark Yeats, Dean of Students and Student Success, Professor of Church History, and FTC Editorial Council Member

Winner: Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship by Jonathan Gibson (Crossway)

“A daily time of worship is essential in the growing life of the believer. This may take different shapes during the seasons of life, Gibson’s superb volume provides an excellent resource with a clear structure for daily meditation on the Word of God and the doctrine of the church. The volume is organized into 31 days with each having a formal structure that takes the reader from a Call to Worship to a Closing Prayer. Each day brings helpful suggested textual readings as well as doctrinal confession from the Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. Additionally, M’Cheyne’s Bible Reading Plan and questions from the Westminster Shorter Catechism are provided for the worshiper. Released in January of 2022, this volume has been my constant companion for my devotional life this year and I highly recommend it as means to go deeper in your walk with Christ.”

Get the book here.

Runner-Up: Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture by Christopher Watkin (Zondervan Academic)

“The politicization of our culture is no surprise to anyone. As Christians seek to helpfully engage the culture, Watkin reminds the believer that our authority is the Word of God and not our cultural moment. Accordingly, Watkin helps believer look for the biblical “diagonalization” – the place where the Word of God transcends the polarities of culture – so we can see the better, more God-honoring way that supplants both extremes. For pilgrims wondering how to walk with boldness in the midst of today’s craziness, this is a fantastic volume that deserves to be read.”

Get the book here.

Lucas Hahn, Director of Marketing and Content Strategy and Managing Editor of For the Church

Winner: Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans by Scott Sauls (Zondervan)

“In Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen, author Scott Sauls provides a compelling and practical outline for how to rightly align the pains of the flesh—regret, hurt, and shame—in the pursuit of ‘the secret of contentment.’ With a clear picture of the Gospel and its impact on the Christian life, Sauls uses personal experiences and Gospel truths to encourage and equip Christians to understand the redemptive work of Christ in our lives.”

Get the book here.

Runner-Up: The Loveliest Place: The Beauty and Glory of the Church by Dustin Benge (Crossway)

“In a time when the Church has been ridiculed and denigrated, Dustin Benge’s The Loveliest Place lifts the church above the opinion of the world by unpacking how God views the church. With rich theological truth and personal storytelling, Benge inspires the reader to reorient their heart so that ‘by beholding such radiant beauty and loveliness’ we may ‘lift our collective and worshipful cry, ‘Indeed, the church is the loveliest place on earth.’”

Get the book here.

Brett Fredenberg, Associate Editor at For the Church

Winner: The Existence and Attributes of God: Updated and Unabridged by Stephen Charnock (Crossway)

“Crossway’s republishing of Stephen Charnock’s Existence and Attributes of God this year gave me the opportunity to read through this massive theological work for the first time. What I found was not only theological expertise, but devotional insight applied with pastoral care and wisdom. After describing each attribute in detail, Charnock shows how a failure to uphold the attribute can lead to a host of vices in one’s life. He applies theology in such a way as to lead me to prayer and gratitude to God for who He is in Himself. If you don’t have time to read through the whole treatise (though I’d highly recommend it!), I’d suggest starting with the section on the goodness of God – it’s truly awe-inspiring. In the new publication, the added chapter summaries and updated language is yet another reason that make this my favorite publication and book of the year. It’s one of the most helpful theology books I’ve ever read.”

Get the book here.

Runner-up: God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church by Michael Reeves (Crossway)

“Missions books today are a dime a dozen, but not all missions books are created equal. In God Shines Forth, Michael Reeves and Daniel Hames develop the theme that delighting in God is both the fuel and fruit of biblical mission. In the missionary task, Christians are meant to reflect the glory of God in their expressions of joy and delight in Him. Anything less borders on misrepresenting God. This treatment on missions encapsulates a more holistic approach to the Great Commission. Not only should our delight in the Lord drive us to missions, but God’s delight in Himself as Trinity should cultivate a more compelling reason to go than what has traditionally been offered – guilt trips and shame filled tactics were never sufficient. Rather, as they write, ‘Happy mission presupposes happy Christians.’ To the extent that we grow in our delight in God, we will grow to reflect his heart of pouring out for the sake of others.”

Get the book here.

Grace Pike, Associate Editor at For the Church

Winner: Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans by Scott Sauls (Zondervan)

“Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen gently lifts the eyes of the weary to “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.” By embracing God’s sovereignty over brokenness, Sauls provides a compassionate, truth-filled answer to those pondering the meaning of life in light of suffering. For the “wounded healers” of the world—those on the frontlines holding the heartbroken while trying to tend to our own souls—this book will serve as a healing balm and encouragement to keep going. In a world that values strength, self-advancement, and quick success, Sauls reinforces the value God places upon “compassion, gentleness, and deep loving concern;” and calls us to do the same.”

Get the book here.

Runner-Up: Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? by Tim Keller (Viking)

“Keller’s Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? provides a Scriptural definition of forgiveness and teaches believers how to extend it as the Father does to us. Keller carefully examines the relationship between revenge, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation in light of God’s holiness while also acknowledging the pitfalls of worldly misconceptions about forgiveness. In addition to his wise theological assessment, Keller also encourages practical steps for believers to trust Christ’s work on the cross as they seek unity in love.”

Get the book here.

Grace Sutton, Associate Editor at For the Church

Winner: Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church by Michael J. Kruger (Zondervan)

“Tackling a topic that can easily make readers give up on the church, Dr. Kruger practically identifies the causes, symptoms, and cures of spiritual abuse so his readers can know what it is (and isn’t) in order to thrive in Christian community. Whether you have experienced spiritual abuse, been unfairly accused of it, inflicted it, or none of the above, this book is for you. Kruger’s research and “perch” from theological education shines a light on a subject Christians should see to better help their congregations and pastors.”

Get the book here.

Runner-Up: Jesus Through the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us Know and Love the Lord by Rebecca McLaughlin (The Gospel Coalition)

“It’s unfortunately common for women to wonder how they “fit” in Christianity. Jesus Through the Eyes of Women reminds us that women are vital to the Good News by insightfully collecting the interactions between Jesus and women in the four canonical gospels. This is an excellent individual or group reading experience, with discussion topics at the end of each chapter. McLaughlin can address the skeptic on why the witnesses of the four gospels matter, remind the Christian who Jesus is, and reinvigorate all to cherish the God who values all peoples and genders for His glory and His plan.”

Get the book here.

Joseph Lanier, Manager, Sword & Trowel Bookstore and Tomlinson Cafe

Winner: Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis by R.B. Jamieson and Tyler R. Wittman (Baker Academic)

“Biblical Reasoning demonstrates the primary importance of the Holy Trinity and Christology in biblical exegesis by giving theological principles and rules for exegesis of Christian Scripture. The Holy Trinity is the true subject matter of the Holy Scriptures such that work of apprehending knowledge of Him and His works should be determined by who He is in Himself. From inseparable operations to partitive exegesis to the beatific vision, the goal of biblical reasoning is the goal of Scripture itself: to shape readers into disciples who pursue the vision of the triune God in Christ. We should pray, then, like Anselm: ‘May I receive what You promise through Your truth so that my joy may be complete.’”

Get the book here.

Runner-up: Overcoming Apathy: Gospel Hope for Those Who Struggle to Care by Uche Anizor (Crossway)

“Anizor’s Overcoming Apathy is an insightful and careful analysis of the ‘sickness of the soul.’ He demonstrates the pervasive culture of apathy in our “Seinfeldian society” and distinguishes it from depression, despondency, and dry spells. In a pastoral manner, Anizor presents seven causes of apathy that are paired with seven biblical ways to combat apathy. Ultimately, Anizor explores how God, as our great reward and satisfier of all our needs, is the ongoing cure for apathy.”

Get the book here.

Once again, we would like to extend a congratulations to the authors and publishers represented in the 2022 For the Church Book Awards. You can view previous winners of the FTC Book Awards here: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017.

Finding Important What Jesus Finds Important

By Brett Fredenberg / Dec 1

What’s important to Jesus?

This is the question I asked recently at a men’s breakfast in my church. The men willingly offered a variety of solid biblical answers: the church, love, truth, individual Christians, evangelism, prayer, outcasts, and a host of other answers.

In the days leading up to this event I had been reading through Matthew’s Gospel in my personal daily readings. As I did so, I was struck by two things that appear important to Jesus in Matthew 22–23. It seems to me, from these chapters that it is important to Jesus to know the Scriptures and live with integrity.

Know the Scriptures

In Matthew 22:23–33 we have recorded for us the discussion between Jesus and the Sadducees concerning the resurrection. The Sadducees—a Jewish religious group—did not believe in the resurrection and so they concoct a ludicrous scenario in which one woman is married to seven brothers, one after another as each passes away. “In the resurrection,” they ask, “whose wife will she be?” (v. 28). Jesus responds by telling them they are “wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (v. 29). Jesus takes issue with them because they do not know the Scriptures.

There are two aspects to Jesus’s answer. First, the Sadducees do not know the Scriptures. Second, they do not know the power of God. These two aspects are interrelated, however. Consider Paul’s declaration in Romans: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation” (1:16). Scripture and power are closely related—one cannot fully be experienced without the other.

Evidently Jesus sees knowing the Scriptures as important. But knowledge is not the only thing Jesus considers important.

Live with Integrity

In Matthew 23 Jesus turns his attention to a couple of other Jewish religious groups: the Pharisees and Scribes. Here Jesus delivers what could be considered the anti-beatitudes as he pronounces seven woes. While the beatitudes are declarations of divine favor, these woes are prophetic pronouncements of judgement.

Jesus’s primary criticism of these two groups is that they do not practice what they preach (23:3). In fact, six times he labels them hypocrites in these seven woes (vv. 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29). The Pharisees and Scribes are two-faced, pretenders, demanding more of their hearers than they expect of themselves. In short, their life didn’t match their doctrine.

It is clearly important to Jesus that people live with integrity. Belief must match behavior; doctrine should align with deeds.

Compassionately Demanded

According to what Matthew has recorded in his Gospel, Jesus sees at least two things as important: knowing the Scriptures and living with integrity. More, he not only sees them as important but demands them of his followers. After all, what is recorded in Scripture is there for our benefit (cf. Rom. 4:23–24). If we are to find important what Jesus finds important we must know the Scriptures and live with integrity.

Jesus doesn’t demand these things from us like a stern teacher, beckoning us towards him with a single finger. Rather, Jesus is more like a caring friend who places his arm around our shoulder and encourages us onwards by pointing the way. Knowing the Scriptures and living with integrity is compassionately demanded of us by our Savior. But this makes them no less urgent and important—it makes them more so, because they are two important ways in which we evidence the change that Jesus has brought about in our lives.

May we, with the encouragement of Christ, ever grow in knowing the Scriptures and living with integrity. Let us find important what Jesus finds important.

Looking Up after Loss: Learning from the Prophet Anna

By gsutton / Nov 30

It must’ve been a day like any other day as she trodded the dusty Jerusalem streets. The sun might have peeked around the corner of the stone walls just the same, with the smoke of sacrifices transported by the air, and conversations humming in the courtyard while business haggled in the streets.

But it didn’t matter what the day was like. Regardless, the prophet Anna would make her way to the temple again, and again, and again. Luke said it was almost as if she never left her worship, “with fasting and prayer night and day” (Luke 2:37).

Luke gives us only a few sentences about Anna’s life (Luke 2:36-38). Did she amount to anything more than her time at the temple? If we met her in real life today, we’d probably forget about her tomorrow. Widowed for over fifty years with no children and little material fortune makes her an unlikely portrait preserved in history.

Though she may appear forgettable, her lifetime saw unforgettable suffering. In her research, Rebecca McLaughlin notes that Anna would’ve watched the tables turn in Jewish history: “At 84, she was born at a time when the Jews were self-governing, lived through the prosperous reign of Queen Salome Alexandra, and saw the crushing end of Jewish sovereignty when the Romans took over in 63 BC.” [1]

Did she see the devastation of her nation’s autonomy firsthand? Did she live with gruesome memories of the Roman occupation? Did her loved ones die in battle or siege? How did her husband die, and did she lose her livelihood with him? We can only imagine how these events shaped Anna by the time we meet her in Luke’s account.

Even if we are not widowed, or childless, or citizens of the Roman Empire, Anna’s story is woven in ours. Do you feel like your world has crumbled? Are you oppressed by human authorities? Have you lost a loved one? Or never gotten what society expected you to have, such as marriage, or children, or the American dream?

So much of Anna’s story amounts to her loss. An empty widow’s home made the temple her abode. Lack of a family led her to practically live in the Lord’s house. Ironically, even the temple where she worshipped was a reminder of her people’s lost freedom, as it is known today as Herod’s Temple, expanded by the “client king” of Rome.[2]

What strikes me about Anna is that even though her life was constructed by her loss, she was not paralyzed or blinded by it.

My tendency is to recoil from a world that takes things away from me. I would hide for days with my face in my lap if I could. Anna didn’t—she looked up. And one day, she saw Christ.

What if Anna stayed away from the temple that day? Or turned her nose up at God who blessed and took away, instead of turning to him and his people? She would have missed seeing her salvation, carried by a teenage mother up the temple steps. She would’ve missed Jesus.

If we look too long on what we’ve lost, we can become blindfolded to the salvation right in front of us.

We can look at loss for a while and mourn, as we often should. Grief is no blindfold, but an eye prescription that sees all is not as it should be.

It wouldn’t have been wrong for Anna to grieve her losses. Even though we have no account of her doing so, it’s hard to imagine she wasn’t above sorrow or weeping over what she would never have or get back. Jesus himself is described as being “acquainted with grief,” and we reflect him when we lament good things that never were or are no more (Isaiah 53:3).

But despair looks too long at loss and locks us in its den. There is no light at the end of the tunnel of the despair, which implies that there is no one and nothing left, and this couldn’t be further from the truth. In their saddest psalms, the psalmists could see their salvation like a light at the end of a dark tunnel (Psalm 42-43, 88:1). Even when they felt hopeless, they could see glimmers of hope in the darkness. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can, too. Christians abound in hope, even if we abound in nothing else (Romans 15:13).

I write this knowing that despair can be easier to believe some days than this truth. I can’t deny that I have cried in the night, clung to the darkness, and scowled at church on Sundays, wondering, “God, why did you take it, or him, or her away?” Maybe you’ve done this, too.

Anna’s story teaches us, however, that day, after day, after day, no matter how much we lose, we will have God.

And we will see him, as he raises our heads to look up at him.

Look up. Don’t miss him.

Surely, we will “look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).

[1] Rebecca McLaughlin, Jesus Through the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us Know and Love the Lord (Austin, TX: The Gospel Coalition, 2022), 43-44.

[2] Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles, The Lion and the Lamb: New Testament Essentials from The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2012), 27.

Who Will Walk These Streets?

By Brett Fredenberg / Nov 28

As the nights darkness caves in, your feet tread the dusty, narrow, corridor-streets
High cement walls nestle your traveled bones; enclosing you completely into the dense life surrounding you
Heavy doors rest half open, handles of all different designs worn from overuse
Windows sit like eyes, wide-open, waiting
Waiting for someone, something, to bring forth a light to illuminate the darkness
Voices simmer, cats scatter, and bread is broken, but the air remains weighty
Every home holds souls, blindly sleeping to the eternal wrath awaiting them
Despite the soft light spilling through the cracks, darkness echoes and light is void
But
Your feet are walking these streets
An everlasting flame rips brightly through your soul, only concealed by skin and bones
Tears sting your eyes as Hope wells, though sin abounds, Grace abounding all the more
And suddenly, you’re looking into the heavy eyes of a void heart, begging the Father to wake the unaware, sleeping soul
Your lips part and the breeze softens
The night air stands still
And a name is whispered among the voices
Jesus.
A small light strikes the black night
The darkness trembles
For the first murmur of truth has brushed the concrete rooftops
And your feet that were made for walking
O how beautiful they are
The feet of those who bring good news.

Family of Christ, what kind of people will we be? Those that actively pursue the lost or those that passively stand by? Be careful not to forget the millions of souls, now as we read, waiting to be breached with the Gospel. We are the Church, the weak vessels privileged to be used by our mighty God! Let us call to mind Jesus’ exhortation to his disciples in John 4:34-35, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest…”

I pray this simple poem, written in an unreached village of North Africa, where the fields are ready today for reaping, stirs your soul to labor with all zeal in making disciples of all nations.

Giving Thanks with Charles Haddon Spurgeon

By Lucas Hahn / Nov 24

“If we will only think, we shall begin to thank.”

For Charles Spurgeon, life was to be lived coram Deo, “in the presence of God.” Indeed, Spurgeon believed that “no joy is like the joy of Christ’s presence with his people.” A presence sweet enough to “[drown] every note of sorrow” and tune every heart “to the loudest notes of thankfulness.”

Spurgeon believed it was “a heavenly thing to be thankful.” After all, it was gratitude which “ought to teach us the divine object of grace.” Accordingly, he longed for his heart to burn with the “sacred flame of thankfulness.”

For the world being happy was a prerequisite to being grateful, but Spurgeon knew that “God’s people are always happy when they are grateful” to Him. In fact, Spurgeon was so certain he said, “We should be ten times more full of bliss if we were proportionately more full of thankfulness.”

For Spurgeon, living with thankfulness was an all-encompassing commitment. Whether for richer or for poorer, even in sickness and in health. Indeed, he would often remind his congregation that “you have received all you have from God the Father through Christ.” This truth made every enjoyment an avenue for God glorifying gratitude.

Thus, in all “our eating, our drinking,” and “social meetings” Spurgeon claimed “we should give thanks unto God the Father.” The same “Father of Lights” from whom all blessings did, and do, indeed flow.

But gracious gratitude was not to be limited by the circumstances of this life. To make his point Spurgeon reminded his congregation of the story of a poor “godly preacher,” who one evening could only offer his children a dinner consisting of “a potato and a herring.” Nonetheless, the preacher “thanked God that he had ransacked sea and land to find food for his children.” Truly, the God who fed the sparrows and the ravens would not forget his people.

Indeed, while God’s temporal provision was a sweet blessing, his eternal provision of salvation through Jesus Christ was beyond comparison. Even after pastoring for many years, Spurgeon still marveled that “God should condescend to make a covenant with man, and ordain faith in Jesus as the great way of obtaining reconciliation.”

Spurgeon believed that the substitutionary, penal, atoning death of Christ on the cross provided Christians cause for “daily adoration and hourly thankfulness.” In Spurgeon’s view, “since Jesus has loved us so well,” it was impossible not to “give to him all that we are, and all that we have.” As a result, Spurgeon challenged his church to “let your gratitude compel you to do everything for Jesus.”

There is much in life for which to be thankful. Family, friends, food, and the changing color of the fall leaves are sweet gifts to be savoured and enjoyed. But, the best gift to be thankful for is Jesus Christ. This Thanksgiving Spurgeon would have us contemplate Christ and let Christ “flood the whole of [our] faculties” with thankfulness.

This article was previously published by The Spurgeon Library. To read this article there or learn more about resources available through the Spurgeon Library click here.

New Husbands: Farm for Joy

By Brett Fredenberg / Nov 21

I recently gave the “best man speech” for one of my boyhood best friends. Instead of telling inside stories that only two people in the room understood, I wanted to give him a meaningful charge – one that he could take with him into the future. Similarly, I hope that these words will encourage other young men who are stepping into the great mystery of marriage.

The role of a husband is to cultivate joy. Notice that I did not say “conjure joy” or “create joy.” You can’t conjure or create joy any more than you can conjure or create a corn stalk in a field. But you can cultivate it. You can prepare for it, plant it, water it, feed it, protect it, and harvest it.

If you’re a husband, you’re a farmer. You’re a farmer of joy. Consider these four ways to cultivate joy in your new home.

1. The first way to cultivate joy is to sacrifice for your wife. She is worth your love, your commitment, and your many sacrifices. And there will be a lot of them. If there aren’t, you’re not doing it right. There will be small sacrifices like daily chores and dropped hobbies, and consequential sacrifices like forfeited job opportunities and friendships that wane – all because you are married to her. Let me tell you now, these sacrifices are normal and noble. A marriage is like an investment account: invest as much as you can as early as you can and as often as you can, and it will pay you back with interest. Sacrifice for your bride, and you will reap a reward of joy in the end.

2. The second way to cultivate joy is to incline yourself towards action. When an issue presents itself in your home, go about fixing it as soon as you can. When an opportunity presents itself for your family, chase after it before the moment escapes. When a mediocre day is in your midst, do your best to make it either productive or pleasant, or best of all, both. A joyful home is full of purpose and passion, neither of which will happen without action.

3. The third way to cultivate joy is to pursue children. That’s right – get on with your business! Fine, fine – take a little time if you want, but not too much. The ease of childlessness can suck you in; don’t let it get ahold of you. Of course, some couples cannot have children, and God will supply them with joy from his own bounty, even if through tears. But if you are able, you will be shocked at how much joy children can bring into your DINK life. Jerry Seinfeld was asked once if he had any regrets in life. His only answer, “I wish I had more kids.” If you want joy, then my friend, what you want is kids. Start cultivating.

4. Lastly, to cultivate joy in your home, you must have the key ingredient – the je ne sais quoi. This is a French phrase that means, “I do not know what.” The phrase is used to express the unknown essence of something that makes it so special, so distinct that it cannot be put into words. Like a key ingredient in a recipe that makes the dessert pop, but it cannot be discerned. Do you want to know the key ingredient to the joy recipe? Jesus. Jesus is the je ne sais quoi of joy. You have him, you have joy. It is as simple as that. Cultivate lots of Jesus in your new marriage.

My friend, you are starting a new chapter of life. You’re the man of your own house now. You will make your own memories and you will establish new family traditions with your new bride. But the most important thing you will do is develop a new culture. As you start this new home, farm for joy and reap the future harvest!

Fulfill Your Ministry: An Installation Charge

By gsutton / Nov 18

Each time a congregation votes in a new member, the church is demonstrating what they believe about the gospel and what it means to be a Christian. Similarly, when a church votes in a new pastor, the church is testifying to what they believe about ministry and what it means to be a shepherd of God’s flock. Just like in the case of voting in a new member, voting in a new pastor presents a unique opportunity for teaching and instruction.

A useful means of instructing the congregation on the office of pastor is to hold an installation service, or to have a set apart time within the service, to publicly recognize the appointment of a new elder(s). An installation service or segment of a service has many benefits including “clarify[ing] and underscor[ing] the responsibility the pastor has toward the church and the responsibility the church has toward the pastor.”[1] Such a service provides a formal setting for thanking God for the gift of godly shepherds, stating commitments toward one another, and for the men and the church to be exhorted in their God-given roles. Whether you’ve appointed a new senior pastor into a vocational position or affirmed a new non-staff pastor into a lay position, an installation service can serve as a ceremony of celebration and consecration.

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to deliver an installation charge. The charge was aimed at reminding the elders of their role as shepherds, exhorting the elders (and the church) to fulfill their calling, and encouraging the elders with the grandeur of the office. Below is my installation charge to the new elders at Liberty Baptist Church in Liberty, MO. I hope you find it encouraging and thought-provoking as you think through publicly recognizing elders.

Brothers, we love you and we come to this moment thankful that God the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders (Acts 20) to oversee this congregation and shepherd its members toward eternity by personal godliness, preaching, praying, equipping, and leading. May this charge encourage you all in the task of faithful shepherding.

First, I remind you brothers that fulfilling your office is contingent on you remaining an “example to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3). Your holiness is your greatest spiritual asset and failing to be above reproach will be your greatest spiritual hindrance. What you do is important and defined, but who you are is determinative. The God we preach must be the God we love. The Bible we preach must be the Bible that we believe and adhere to. The pattern of sound living in which we exhort must be the lives we ourselves are living.

We need you to be the same men in private as you are in public. “Pay close attention” (1 Tmothy 4:16) to your lives. Remain sobered by the fact that those “who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). Continue to pursue the Christian qualities necessary for the office of elder. Be models to the church “in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Be men of God worthy of Christlike imitation. Continue to train yourself for godliness (1 Timothy 4:7). Commit to growing spiritually and pastorally. May your gifts never be higher in proportion than your godliness. Don’t lose sight of the primacy of character for the office. We serve as pastors in the King’s kingdom and our King sees all and knows all. Pastor for His sake.

Second, pastors, do not forget your own household which qualifies you to care for God’s church (1 Timothy 3:4–5). Love your wives. Enjoy your children. Water your family in the Scripture (Eph 5). Your family is your first pastorate. Your children need you as a father. Your wife needs you as a friend and leader. Other men can pastor this church; other men cannot love your wife and children as you can. May your family be the most blessed people from your ministry.

Brothers, remember also that the distinguishing qualification of pastors is being “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:24–25). Devote yourself to the ministry of the Word. Feed us the truth. Protect the church from error and those whose behavior contradicts the message of the gospel. As Paul exhorts, “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that you may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9). Commit to leading the church to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). “Preach the word” in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:1–2). The Scripture is profitable, teach it. The gospel is powerful, preach it. Remember that only Jesus Christ in the gospel can save sinners. Call upon people to repent of their sins and trust in God’s Son for divine forgiveness. Do the work of an evangelist. And let us not forget the goodness of the gospel ourselves. Our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20); before we are God’s ministers, we are God’s children most foundationally. Our Father has called us to this work to deepen our fellowship with Him. All of us are unworthy.

Dear friends, recall as well that God’s Word “accomplishes that which He purposes, and shall succeed in the thing for which He sends it” (Isaiah 55:10–11). Labor in the word and in teaching (1 Timothy 5:17). Give yourself “the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13). “Keep a close watch on your teaching” (1 Timothy 4:16). Expound the whole counsel of God for the good of the saints (Acts 20:27). Paul tells Timothy to “practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15). And yet remember that God gives spiritual growth (1 Corinthians 3:7). He gives the increase. Our task is to be faithful; God’s work is to bring fruit.

Furthermore, be devoted to the ministry of prayer. Make supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18). Like the apostles we are called to devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4). Therefore, listen to God and talk with God in close communion as you daily fellowship with Him. And bring the needs of the members here before our loving Father. We acknowledge in prayer that we lack the spiritual power, discernment, and energy to fulfill our role. Cast yourselves regularly on the mercies of God in dependent prayer. God is your friend, provider, and refuge. He has called you to this task and will enable you to fulfill it with faithfulness. Our spiritual battle, Ephesians 6 teaches, is not “against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil and then heavenly places.” Let us be men who pray at all times in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18).

Give oversight for the spiritual well-being of the church. Aim at a humble, teachable, fruitful, informed, and happy leadership. Carry out your ministry not because of outward pressures but because of inward desire and Godward pleasure. Shepherd to see God’s agenda, not man’s agenda, carried out. Resolve to be found faithful amidst unforeseen dangers and difficulties, physical suffering, relational discouragement, persistent temptation, pastoral sorrow, governmental persecution, and other challenges that might accompany your pastoral ministry. God’s grace is sufficient for every weakness of ministry.

Work with divinely supplied energy to “present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). “Keeping watch over the souls of this flock” (Hebrews 13:17) is one of our chief duties as shepherds. Let us know the lives of these members and invest in their souls. “Equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until they attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:11-13). Give yourself to the training of other faithful men. Paul says, “be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrusted to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1-2). Labor with “great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2). Pastor with a heavenly perspective. The glory coming in the return of our Lord will make up for every toil in ministry. Shepherding is a high calling, but it is doable in the Lord’s power, relying on the Lord’s promises. Your chief shepherd will shepherd you to shepherd the church.

Finally, think much upon Christ. He is the overseer of your souls who bought the church with his precious blood (Acts 20) and who is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23). In God’s strength, be the qualified men God has called you to be as elders: oversee this congregation and shepherd its members toward eternity by personal godliness, preaching, praying, equipping, and leading. Do so in unity and love with the other pastors appointed here. Together, brothers, we can share the joys and the burdens of ministry. This congregation will be better taught, shepherded, and equipped as a result of our collective eldership.

So, in the spirit of 2 Timothy 4, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom, [by his grace and for his glory]: fulfill your ministry.”

Church, as these men fulfill their God-given responsibilities, be subject to them (1 Peter 5:5) and obey them (Hebrews 13:17) in the Lord. We will benefit as these men fulfill their calling with joy (v. 17). Pray for them, emulate them, and thank God for them. Respect them and “esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12). Let us “share all good things with these men who teach” (Galatians 6:6). These elders have been given to us as gifts (Ephesians 4). Let us steward their ministries and families so that we can be their joy and crown.

[1] https://www.9marks.org/answer/what-should-installation-service-seek-accomplish/.

Four Practical Ways to Cultivate Personal Evangelism

By Brett Fredenberg / Nov 18

Let’s be honest, evangelism can be intimidating. For most, it can induce certain anxiety that can be crippling. It is easy to leave this high call that every believer has to a select few – elders, extroverts, or “experts.” Where does this intimidation come from when it comes to evangelism?

In some cases, personality is certainly at play. Not everyone has a “golden retriever” personality that jumps at the opportunity of engaging people, whether familiar or stranger. And it would be naïve to say we can eliminate all feelings of nervousness when it comes to this endeavor. Even the most personable and outgoing person feels a gut nervousness when engaging people with the gospel message.

But I think even more than natural bents and dispositions, more than a general nervousness – the fear biggest factor in evangelism comes primarily from misunderstandings of what evangelism is.

I have recently been working through a mid-week Bible study on biblical evangelism at the church I currently serve at. From the beginning, I wanted us to understand what evangelism was not in order for us to understand what it is, and how we can further cultivate personal evangelism. Consider this list of examples I used of what evangelism is not:

Evangelism is not apologetics

Evangelism is not conversion

Evangelism is not a specific method

Evangelism is not a program

Evangelism is not a personality type

All of these misconceptions of evangelism only serve to further fuel the general nervousness we all have about engaging people with the gospel message. Not all of us are gifted apologists; none of us have the power to convert anyone, and not all of us have the same approach to people. And that is okay! Why? Because evangelism is much simpler. To borrow from Mack Stiles, evangelism is simply: “Teaching the gospel with the aim to persuade.”[1] Notice how that definition alleviates the pressure to be impressive at any of the above. If you are interested in unpacking that definition further, I encourage you to pick up a copy of this short, helpful book on evangelism.

But with that definition in mind, what are some practical ways we can all cultivate personal evangelism in our lives? Here are four.

1. Pray for Them

One of the most remarkable scenes in the book of Acts is in chapter four, just after Peter and John are released from prison. “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30) I find this passage both comforting and challenging.

Comforting, because there is a prayer for boldness that implies a dependency on God to keep them from giving into fear, anxiety, and nervousness that we all have to some degree. It is a comfort to know even the early church who witnessed signs, miracles, and wonders needed to pray for boldness. Challenging, because the church is not simply waiting for opportunities to walk through the door but is intentionally praying for evangelistic opportunities. On the top of the prayer list for this group of believers is gospel conversations and boldness to teach the gospel with the aim to persuade.

2. Be Willing to Take Them

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (Acts 16:9-10) We all know what it is like to pray for something audacious and faith-stretching and God actually answers. Although we prayed for it, we do not always expect it to happen. But when we pray for something that involves the gospel message coming to bear on the soul of an image-bearer, then we should expect that prayer to be answered with an urgency similar to that of Paul’s in these verses.

Notice the urgency Paul had in taking this gospel opportunity– the text says, “Immediately we sought to go into Macedonia.” In other words, Paul and his team didn’t drag their feet or avoid this present need. This was a “full-send” moment. Here we have a model for how we should approach gospel doors that open for us, especially when we prayed for them – we run through them!

While we may not experience a supernatural vision, we do have a great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). And those final words of Jesus then are for us today. Jesus’ last words are lasting words. It is one thing to pray for these opportunities and another thing to take them with immediacy when they come.

3. Embrace the Weird and Uncomfortable

Acts 16:16-24 narrate a scene for us where Paul and Silas are confronted with a girl who “has a spirit of divination” and brought her owners “much gain by fortune-telling.” (Acts 16:16). This girl followed Paul and Silas around, mocking and crying out against them. Talk about a seemingly weird individual and situation. Yet Paul turns around and engages her with the name of Jesus, demanding the spirit to come out of her. This of course lands both of them a beating and in prison with their feet fastened in stocks (Acts 16:22-24). Talk about uncomfortable. Paul could have easily steered clear of this situation and saved himself and Silas from the weird encounter and uncomfortable beating and imprisonment. But he didn’t. He counted the gospel message and this girl to whom he delivered it more worthy than his own comfort.

While some of us may not experience this level of spiritual warfare and physical harm in our endeavor to evangelize, it is no doubt that evangelism will often put us in weird and uncomfortable situations. We might be looked at or thought of as weird, or backward. And evangelism might land us in uncomfortable situations. Worse, we might be rejected and seen as threats to people’s way of life, especially if that way of life is supplying someone with much “gain”. But if we are going to cultivate personal evangelism in our lives and churches, we have to be willing to embrace the weird and uncomfortable.

4. Invite People into Your Home

The end of Acts gives us a glimpse into Paul’s two-year house arrest ministry in Rome. Awaiting trial, Paul is engaged in gospel labor. Luke concludes with this: “He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” (Acts 28:30-31)

Paul’s confinement to his rental house did not become a hindrance to evangelism. Instead, it became the place for evangelism. Imagine instead of waiting for gospel doors to open, we opened the doors of our home and made these spaces fertile ground for gospel conversations. Inviting people to church can be good but inviting people into our homes is even better. Street evangelism and door-knocking can have their place, but living room evangelism and dinner table evangelism, and front-porch evangelism might breed evangelistic opportunities just as organic as the spaces they are taking place in.

Notice how these four suggestions do not require a large program, charismatic personalities, or methods to memorize. A simple yes and commitment to the mission of King Jesus where we are at is all it takes.

[1] Stiles, J. Mack. Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015) 26

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8 Reasons to Rethink the Song of Songs

Faith Lifts Our Eyes Up

2022 For the Church Book Awards

Finding Important What Jesus Finds Important

Looking Up after Loss: Learning from the Prophet Anna

Who Will Walk These Streets?

Giving Thanks with Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“If we will only think, we shall begin to thank.”

New Husbands: Farm for Joy

Fulfill Your Ministry: An Installation Charge

Four Practical Ways to Cultivate Personal Evangelism