Do You Love the People of God?

By / Mar 6

Have you ever known a married couple who confessed they didn’t love each other? I have, and trust me, there is nothing more painful. As a husband, I can’t imagine waking up every morning beside a woman I didn’t love. I pity such a person.

On a couple of occasions, I’ve had such couples meet with me. Their stories tend to be similar. Life is rote. Their relationship is boring. They are married, but they feel more like individuals sharing a home and splitting the bills. For these people, romance left town long ago. They feel trapped because they understand divorce isn’t an option.

I can’t imagine the boredom, frustration, and disappointment that type of life must entail, especially for those who, like me, believe that marriage is between one man and one woman for life.

This is what one who enters the ministry without a love for the church will feel. In many ways, ministry is like marriage; you sacrifice for, love, and serve the body of Christ. You cannot do this—you will not do this—unless you serve out of a heart of love.

Perhaps you’ve seen pastors like this. They look for every opportunity to be away from their congregation. They erect barriers between themselves and their church. They view other activities, ministerial or otherwise, as more important and more satisfying than just serving God’s people. They seem to view God’s people as an interruption to their ministry, when the people are supposed to be their ministry.

Imagine giving your life to a task you do not love—or worse, to a people you don’t love. Ministry service is glorious, but it can also be uniquely taxing, and only those propelled by a love for Christ and His church survive the long haul.

THE NEW TESTAMENT IS ALL ABOUT THE CHURCH

It is impossible to read the New Testament without being struck by the centrality of the church. In the Gospels, Jesus dies for His church, charges Christians to expand His church, and promises to build His church. In the book of Acts, the church is birthed at Pentecost and explodes into unstoppable expansion and powerful ministry. The Epistles were all written to congregations or individuals about what the church should believe, how it should function, and how it should be led. When we come to the book of Revelation, we see Christ writing seven letters to seven churches and promising to one day return for His bride, the church.

This all speaks to the importance of the church—indeed, of Jesus’ love for it. In fact, Christ so identified Himself with the church that He famously challenged Saul on the Damascus Road, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:5, emphasis mine). Saul’s occupation was to persecute the church, but to Christ, that was tantamount to persecuting His very self.

So we must right off dispel the notion that you can serve Christ without serving the church, or that you can love Christ without loving the church. Such an argument is harmful, goes directly against the grain of the New Testament, undermines the local church and the call to ministry, and will shipwreck your pursuit of Christ and Christian service. You may not serve it directly as a pastor or minister, but you should plan on serving the church at least indirectly in a ministry supportive of, or supervised by, the church. That is fitting and right because the New Testament defines ministry in the context of the local church. In whatever capacity you minister, to serve faithfully is to serve from a heart of love.

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Editor’s Note: This originally published at JasonKAllen.com

*This article is an excerpt from Discerning Your Call to Ministry: How to Know For Sure and What to Do About It, by Jason K. Allen. If you are considering the ministry, there are two mistakes you must avoid. The first is taking up a calling that isn’t yours. The second is neglecting one that is.*

Available to purchase online at Amazon.com, Moody Publishers, and in LifeWay Christian Stores. Learn more at jasonkallen.com/calltoministrybook.



An Intimate Hour with God

By / Mar 1

The Lord invites us to know Him better. What a privilege! If the joy of heaven is in knowing the Lord’s presence without any sin to hinder us, surely seeking His presence now must be the greatest possible pursuit.

Do you feel your need to pray? A person who has no need to pray cannot be living by faith. Prayerless-ness says, “I am sufficient in myself for everything required of me.” But is that so? And do you not grieve God by your persistent self-sufficiency? The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

The following suggestions are designed to help you spend an extended time in prayer and meditation with God. You may spend this hour alone or with others. The order is not essential, but does provide a helpful way to progress. This tool may be used daily or for special times of retreat with God. Some may wish to follow this hour with more intense Bible reading.

It is sometimes good to kneel or to lie down before the Lord. “Come let us bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our God, our Maker” (Psalm 95:6). Walking while praying can also be helpful, or sitting in a comfortable chair so that all the focus can be on God. Be sure and find a quiet place.

1. Come in Christ’s Name

The audience we have with the Father is entirely based upon the merits of Christ. In other words, it is solely because Christ lived perfectly, died satisfactorily, and rose again victoriously for us that we have the privilege of addressing the Father. Because God accepts Christ, He can accept us in Him. “…He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6b).

Don’t just say the words, but actually trust in Christ as your mediator. Express in some detail your dependence on Christ’s worthiness and on His substitutionary work on your behalf.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ….For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:13,18).

2. Delight in Him

Express your wonder and delight in God. Praise Him for His character and His power. Do not thank Him at this time for His activity in your life, but focus on the person of God and His attributes: His Love, Patience, Immensity, Strength, Holiness, Grace, Glory, Knowledge, Wisdom, Goodness, etc.

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

3. Express Your Longings to Him

Tell God what you desire above all other things. Express your deepest longings for fellowship with Him and for holiness of life, or whatever is in your heart. This is not a time to pray about everything you need, but to make known your deepest, long-term desires. You may wish to personalize Ephesians 1:15-23 as a guide.

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2a).

4. Read a Psalm

You may wish to use one of the “Psalms for the day,” according to the day of the month. Add 30 to the day of the month to arrive at five Psalms for the day (i.e. on the 15th, the Psalms would be 15, 45, 75, 105, and 135). It may be helpful to read the Psalm you choose out loud.

5. Sing to Him

Use a hymnbook, recall a chorus or hymn from memory, or make up your own song from the Scriptures.

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing” (Psalm 100:1-2).

6. Intercede for Others

Remember…

  • Those who have asked you to pray for them
  • The leaders of your church
  • The missionaries you know
  • The leaders of our country
  • Those who are unsaved
  • Your family members
  • Your friends
  • Those in trouble or grieving, etc.
  • “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you…” (1 Samuel 12:23).

7. Place Your Day Before Him

If you are praying in the morning, you may wish to place every aspect of the day before the Lord, one item at a time.

“Lord, please give me patience with my daughter when she comes to breakfast; help me show her love and kindness.”

“Lord, when I try to make that sale at 2:00 this afternoon, help me to speak as a Christian would speak, and give me wisdom.”

By going chronologically through every possible event of the day, you are learning to trust Him in the details of life.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

8. Petition Him for Other Special Needs

There are matters needing attention in your own life and in the lives of others, the church, or your group. Tell these to God and ask for His guidance, deliverance, endurance, wisdom, or whatever it is that you need. It is at this time that you will want to deal with any repentance God is requiring. Expect Him to give you grace to overcome. “Be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19b). Ask with faith and genuine humility.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

“…Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24b).

9. Meditate on His Word

To meditate means to ponder, reflect, contemplate, or think over slowly, the Words of God. If this is your only Bible reading time, continue reading the passage that is next for you in your plan. Read at least a chapter of Scripture. Look for the key verses and meditate on them, asking God to show you what they mean. Mark them in your Bible and ask God to help you remember what He is showing. Pray that He will give you a way to humbly share these truths with others. Read to obey.

If you are in a group, allow a period of quiet so that each person may read the Word. The leader may wish to suggest the passage for use with the group. If there is time, insights may be shared with each other.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:1-3).

10. Offer Thanks to Him

Even if there have been difficulties in your life, the Lord has been good to you. Express to God your appreciation for specific acts of kindness He has done in the light of what you truly deserve.

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at ccwtoday.org.



Episode 201: Being Christian in a Secular Workplace

By / Mar 1

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about navigating worklife as a Christian in a secular world.



The Scariest Thing Jesus Ever Said

By / Feb 27

For some, the Bible is and should be a great comfort.

For others, it is and should be deeply disturbing.

Throughout the Bible, God heals with reassuring words of forgiveness, kindness, and welcome. Also throughout the Bible, God thunders with warnings meant to stir people toward repentance, restoration, and peace.

Jesus, the center of the biblical story, comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. He gives grace to the humble and opposes the proud. He is kind to shame-filled prostitutes and fierce with self-filled Pharisees. He gives special attention to the poor and denounces those who ignore the poor.

Perhaps the scariest thing Jesus ever said is that at the final judgment, many will say to him, “Lord, Lord,” and he will respond, “I never knew you; depart from me” (Matthew 7:21–23). He will also say the following:

“Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me … Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me” (Matthew 25:41–45).

These words should jolt us, especially because they will be spoken to church folk. These are people like me who spent their lives attending church and reading their Bibles and giving their money and praying their prayers and getting their theology right and even preaching sermons and writing Christian books. And yet, like the ancient church at Laodicea, though they will have built reputations for being spiritually alive, Jesus will expose them as naked, poor, wretched, and blind (Revelation 3:14–22).

James, the half brother of Jesus and leader of the church at Jerusalem, linked genuine faith with an active concern for the poor. He wrote, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” (James 2:15–16).

James answered his own question, saying, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17).

Earlier in his letter, James said, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27).

Both Jesus and James are putting a spotlight on our inclination to replace Jesus’ call to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow him. We replace his call with a self-serving path in which we deny our neighbors, take up our comforts, and follow our dreams. When we do this, we exchange true faith for a counterfeit. We exchange irresistible faith with a way of thinking, believing and living that God himself will resist. Why is this so? Because demonstrating active concern for our neighbors—especially those whom Jesus calls “the least of these”—is an inseparable aspect of a true, Godward faith.

The apostle John, who was quite possibly Jesus’ closest friend on earth, gave a similar warning: “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17–18).

One of my predecessors at Christ Presbyterian Church, Dr. Charles McGowan, says that our doctrine—that is, our stated scriptural beliefs about God, ourselves, our neighbor and the world—is the “skeleton” of our faith. Our doctrinal skeleton is a foundational, necessary structure around which the muscles, tendons, veins, and vital organs of faith must operate and grow. In other words, our doctrinal beliefs provide the foundation for our Scripture reading, listening to sound teaching, prayer, spiritual friendship, involvement in a local church, observance of the sacraments, and active love for our neighbors, including those who are without advantage among us.

As it is with the human body, so it is with faith: if the doctrinal “skeleton” is the only thing or even the main thing people can see when they look at our faith, it means either our faith is malnourished and sick, or it is dead.

Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

And a dead faith, like a dead corpse, is one of the scariest things of all.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at scottsauls.com. 



Geoff Chang on Underappreciated Aspects of Spurgeon’s Theology

By / Feb 24

FTC.co asks Geoff Chang, curator of the Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, “What is an underappreciated aspect of Spurgeon’s theology?”



Episode 200: Barnabas Piper on Belonging

By / Feb 22

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with pastor and author Barnabas Piper about his new book “Belonging” and the beauty of gospel-centered unity and community in the local church.



Christine Hoover on Social Media and “Being Real”

By / Feb 17

FTC.co asked Christine Hoover, author and pastor’s wife, “In an age of Instagram and Photoshop, why should we not be afraid to be real?”



Episode 199: Singles and The Church

By / Feb 15

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about the ins and outs of singleness within the church community.



Valentine’s Day Meditation

By / Feb 14

It’s Valentine’s Day. The day that most people pretend to hate because they either don’t feel loved, or don’t want to show love, but mostly because they always wish the love they had was more intense, more real. So, it’s the day that we eat candy and have nice dinners and buy flowers and try to imagine a love that is so powerful that romance bursts out of us spontaneously, without even trying.  But for the most part, people are disappointed because they see that even love itself is too often a fleeting feeling that we can’t create even in the perfect of circumstances. That’s why love can’t be defined in terms of experience, merely, but must be defined in terms of underlying reality, eternally. A reality that shapes every day and every thing, not relegated to the convenient or designated times.

God is love (1 John 4:8). He is not love because we exist. That would mean he needs us to be who he is. We exist because of his love. Without that love of the Father, there would be no reason for us. That is the underlying eternal reality. Because God is love there has never been a day in all of existence that wasn’t defined by love. Love itself is the foundation and ground work, it is the structure and frame, the heartbeat and skeleton, the flesh and blood that reverberates throughout each day. So, why do we not feel it moment by moment?

If God is love and God upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3) would not love then be even the ruling reality of the universe? It’s more than foundational, it’s governmental as well. The love of God literally sustains the entire cosmos. Love then is meant to be intense and real because God himself is intense and real and God himself is love.

So, here on Valentine’s Day we look out on all those disappointed in the world. Their experience of love isn’t working. They feel let down. They feel betrayed. They feel as if something as good as love should be more real and so why isn’t it? Simply put, their eyes are too low.

God is love. I am not love. I love, but I’m not Love. But God is. So, on Valentine’s Day, if we want love, we have to raise our sights to him. We wouldn’t go to someone who has water and expect for them to be the satisfying reality of water. We must go to the water itself for that. So, if we want real love, shouldn’t we go to the source? And the good news is that this Love isn’t unavailable to us. He is there. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Do you want a love that exceeds even the most thrilling of Valentine’s Days? Go to him and get it. After all, it’s the most real thing in the universe. Ultimate reality is a God who is love.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at thingsofthesort.com. 



3 Surprising Agreements Pastors Must Make

By / Feb 13

And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
— 2 Corinthians 11:28

Beginning pastors aren’t often prepared for these unspoken agreements. Veteran pastors still struggle with them. But there are a number of “job hazards” that come with the pastoral territory for which every minister should be aware and to which every minister should adjust. Here are just three:

1. Pastors agree to be misunderstood sometimes.

It’s difficult when it happens, but very often leaders must make decisions that are in the best interest of the church — or conduct pastoral ministry that is out of view of most of the church — that can lead to being misunderstood. Take for instance a congregational nomination for the diaconate. In interviewing the candidate, it becomes apparent that the person isn’t biblically qualified. Maybe it’s a sin issue they are struggling with or battling through. Maybe it’s simply a matter of they’re not yet being mature enough for the role. Maybe they’re just not interested. But when the nominee isn’t put before the church for a vote, those who nominated the person may feel their input was ignored. The pastor in most cases cannot share publicly why this nominee wasn’t put before the church without violating their privacy or embarrassing them, especially if there are sensitive matters requiring personal care. So the pastor must be content to know he is now open to being misunderstood in some way.

The same often occurs when someone must be let go from a staff position not for a sin issue, but just because of poor job performance. It would be embarrassing to get up in front of everyone and announce “Brother So-and-so just wasn’t performing his job well.” But in the absence of information, questions naturally arise. To be a leader is to make difficult decisions, and very often those difficult decisions will be second guessed or translated into personal disappointments. In most cases, leaders just need to know this comes with the territory of leadership.

2. Pastors agree to receive criticism.

There is such a thing as sinful distrust, divisiveness, gossip, and the like. Those things must be addressed. But not all criticism rises to the level of sin. Sometimes it’s just people disagree with something done or said — or something not done or not said. A pastor must not be so thin-skinned that he cannot handle hearing people’s critical appraisal of his performance. Not all criticism is warranted, of course, or even true. But the impulse to be defensive about or — worse — rebuke every critical comment is not a mature impulse. If your plan is only to lead people who always agree with you, leadership probably isn’t for you. The wise pastor will listen carefully, weigh what is being said, separate the claims from his personal feelings (about the claims or the person making them), and be honest before the person and before the Lord. The mature pastor knows he’s not infallible. The mature pastor knows he is not perfect. The mature pastor knows he is not Jesus!

Again, if one is bearing the brunt of criticism from those with a pattern of revealing a critical spirit, it is probably worth addressing in a direct way, as gently as possible. But generally speaking, to assume the office of pastor is to agree to hear constructive criticism with a open mind and a kind heart. Sometimes there’s a kernel of truth in even the most exaggerated of claims. Sometimes the criticism is spot-on. Agree from the outset to pursue a thick skin and a receptivity to feedback.

3. Pastors agree to be disliked.

This is usually the hardest agreement to make. Hopefully, the pastor is not serving a church that is unified in their dislike! But something I try to warn my students and residents about is the weird reality that they will invariably have one or two — hopefully only one or two! — people in their church who just don’t like them for no apparent reason. It’s usually because of some disappointment they cannot help. They don’t preach as well as the previous guy. They’re too much of one thing or too little of another. Sometimes the reasons are even more vague than that. It’s not okay for any believer to just not like a brother in Christ for no real reason, but it happens anyway, because people are weird and messy and different and often inscrutable.

It is a good idea to do whatever appropriate to try to win these people over. Do not return unkindness for dislike. Love them anyway. Oh sure, you’re probably not inviting them over to the Super Bowl party. Or maybe you are. You don’t have to be best friends with everybody, in any event. But of course, God’s directive is to strive to be at peace with all people, so much as it depends on you. But sometimes it just doesn’t depend on you. Someone just doesn’t like the cut of your jib. And this where you can, with the Lord’s grace, agree to be disliked, because you’ve agree upon your divine calling not to pursue the pastorate to be popular or have your ego stroked. The call to ministry is not a call to keep the customers happy. It is a call to serve others for the glory of God. And this means, in part, dying to yourself and to your need for a 100% approval rating.

These are not the agreements we set out to make when we obey God’s call or accept a church’s appointment to the pastoral office, but these are agreements we make anyway. They just come with the territory. The good news is, the Lord will never misunderstand you. He approves of you in Christ. And his delight in you is more than enough to help you bear whatever burdens come your way.

It is a privilege and a joy to tend to Christ’s lambs. It’s easy to forget that when these unspoken agreements become apparent. But it’s always true, brothers. Don’t forget it.

“We must obey God rather than men.”
— Acts 5:29