tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65432411926224722502024-03-12T19:14:14.316-07:00Arminian BaptistWhoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-91188708999405691332021-03-11T07:21:00.000-08:002021-03-11T07:21:24.012-08:00Promoting Church Fellowship through Thoughtfully Designed Space<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBoTyudFm1HAMllT9qIoYV8T2GwkNHyTyA7RY2a7ec3C1W2_RQ8syfydf_PDGRzLjWEApADCXQE6fxSIvrPwM1REOycYPkEZrRrzLkqAltz61SWvJ_KZkmFNvOcL2Iu5U7Y_BXcqylMKj/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1030" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBoTyudFm1HAMllT9qIoYV8T2GwkNHyTyA7RY2a7ec3C1W2_RQ8syfydf_PDGRzLjWEApADCXQE6fxSIvrPwM1REOycYPkEZrRrzLkqAltz61SWvJ_KZkmFNvOcL2Iu5U7Y_BXcqylMKj/" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Church architecture and building design are important to promote communal worship and fellowship.
Consider how shopping malls built in the last 10 years are thoughtfully designed to promote a warm, friendly gathering place--they offer a shopping experience that you can't have on-line. Gone or nearly extinct are the straight shot halls of store after store after store. All the new malls are built around a social space where kids play in the indoor playground, families sit and eat together--each with a meal from a different restaurant, business people sit in booths conducive to zoom meetings, teens run back and forth. (I forget what author first pointed this out to me.)</span><p></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="ev4l4" data-offset-key="c878m-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c878m-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many church buildings seem bent on ushering people in and out, without considering space that is needed to promote fellowship. The first steps into the building ought to be into a warm, open room full of sit-down tables, stand-up tall tables (bar tables), living room furniture, and coffee/snack area. Browsing tables ought to be available, offering opportunities for people to casually look at books (etc.) while moseying around. Some game tables for youth ought to be set off in one corner, and an open nursery area. This room is designed to promote conversation and fellowship, perhaps with lovely music playing in the background.</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="ev4l4" data-offset-key="d1umo-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="d1umo-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="d1umo-0-0"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br data-text="true" /></span></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="ev4l4" data-offset-key="ecp1v-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ecp1v-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="ecp1v-0-0"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Adjacent to the fellowship/welcome area should be a small chapel where people might pray or read the Bible as they are so moved. Often I have seen two people conversing very seriously, and then bow their heads in prayer. The chapel encourages this kind of spontaneous, personal prayer that arises out of private conversations.</span></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="ev4l4" data-offset-key="53ev3-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="53ev3-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="53ev3-0-0"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br data-text="true" /></span></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="ev4l4" data-offset-key="ddp0r-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ddp0r-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="ddp0r-0-0"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the greeting and fellowship area, worshipers move into the sanctuary. Blessed is the congregation that is seated in rounded pews (or chairs) arranged in a semi-circle so that they may sing TO ONE ANOTHER psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The pulpit should not be raised so high that worshipers get a stiff neck looking upward. While building architecture should direct the congregation to the wonder of God's glory, there must also be a sense of community--together we minister to one another and render our praises in one voice to God.</span></span></div></div>James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-60607663263127043542021-02-22T06:17:00.000-08:002021-02-22T06:17:08.237-08:00Election in 1 Thessalonians: Assurance for Persecuted Believers<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdxGwra6yMCoouq3oNIxbkcslTgMyoswI-9IdZHbF7Oamnlar83jiFFHlgAyzqobo6jAhiBMpijv2w2hp7Z3qh7CHSsajWNdhhbxcPQneZaCC1vsHZ_hHkR_NmXn8sMjCJCAlZNnhNNR2/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="243" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdxGwra6yMCoouq3oNIxbkcslTgMyoswI-9IdZHbF7Oamnlar83jiFFHlgAyzqobo6jAhiBMpijv2w2hp7Z3qh7CHSsajWNdhhbxcPQneZaCC1vsHZ_hHkR_NmXn8sMjCJCAlZNnhNNR2/" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Praise the Lord for his election! (1 Thes 1:4)</span><p></p><span data-offset-key="88bi6-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">
Paul's preaching ministry in Thessalonica was cut short due to intense persecution. Indeed, when Paul fled Thessalonica, the new believers became the object of persecution. As a group, they were newly designated the scum of the earth, worthy of disdain and contempt.
In this context, Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians, assuring them of their election ("God has chosen you" τὴν ἐκλογὴν ὑμῶν). This term "election" (ἐκλογή) gets Calvinists all excited, and causes many-an- inadequately-theologized sermon to go awry.
Election is not about Calvinistic determinism, not about an arbitrary divine decision prior to the founding of the world, not input or irresistible stimulus provoking a mechanical response in automatons, not an impersonal process. No, none of this.
Election is about God conferring a special status to believers--and herein lies the glory and praiseworthiness of election. These believers whom society berated and designated them as scum, are reminded by Paul that to God, they were elect.
Paul could have chosen some other term of salvation in v. 4 (e.g., "For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has </span></span><span data-offset-key="88bi6-0-1" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">redeemed/saved/rescued</span></span><span data-offset-key="88bi6-0-2" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;"> (etc.) you..."). But he purposefully chose the term "election" precisely to counter the opponents' derision of the Thessalonian believers and to convey that, of all peoples on the earth, the Thessalonian believers were precious, beloved, and privileged by God.
Praise the Lord that, despite what the world thinks of us, God has bestowed upon us this privileged status of election. And this privilege is for all who believe. </span></span>James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-79058265887222268042020-06-20T13:52:00.002-07:002020-06-20T13:52:55.214-07:00The Foulest of Crass Language: Why Christians Should Avoid the F-Word<br />
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<img alt="Image may contain: 1 person" height="184" src="https://scontent.fdet1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/75380393_10220469447719894_6057578637831259801_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=sR8kVEz5lMQAX-AwXcs&_nc_ht=scontent.fdet1-1.fna&oh=8553bbfd141e4f70ea8fce037f69b209&oe=5F15E8CC" width="320" /><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Someone
once defended the use of the f-word to me, claiming it was just a word of
anger. Top reasons why Christians should not use the f-word.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It took Christians centuries to get sex off the public streets of
Rome into the privacy of the bedroom where it belongs.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Likewise, it took Christians centuries to endow sex with meaning
beyond mere procreation—to elevate the idea of sex beyond the animalistic
notion conveyed in the f-word. Thus, sex is something holy and to be honored
even reverenced.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The f-word is a crass and profane word that offends the holiness
of the gift of sex.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Use of the f-word conveys much about a person who uses it. Not
only is the user profane, but inarticulate, and conveys to the world that the
user has a limited vocabulary.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps the harshest use of the f-word is when it is flung at a
person in anger. In such usage, it is an execrative metaphor for the act of
rape—the ungodly perversion of the gift of sex. It is a curse formula that
conveys a wish that the hated person would experience the utter contempt and
horror associated rape. It conveys more than just, “I hate you and want nothing
to do with you;” the expression is a maledictive curse, something akin to, “By
the power of Isis [or whatever your DEMON is], may my enemy experience the
utter helplessness, pain, violation, and horror of violent bodily penetration
forever and ever.”</span></li>
</ol>
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James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-4669701181296909892020-03-06T10:59:00.001-08:002020-03-06T10:59:42.882-08:00Believer's Baptism: Short Review of Its Rationale and History<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVhHR4uZwSLh0BerRzpYDj1iBA2d_ftl4zT2Td0gGBxfEHt1Qc2HnxmP_NLOBh_e-A9-Z6B_RkjzObdvT3rZ85dxMBNcK7QhyUGG96Zdw3q_eKeS71QCqXCjAL-ksj6gtiLafEJlddVxe/s1600/Baptism--Oh+Brother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVhHR4uZwSLh0BerRzpYDj1iBA2d_ftl4zT2Td0gGBxfEHt1Qc2HnxmP_NLOBh_e-A9-Z6B_RkjzObdvT3rZ85dxMBNcK7QhyUGG96Zdw3q_eKeS71QCqXCjAL-ksj6gtiLafEJlddVxe/s1600/Baptism--Oh+Brother.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
movie OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? popularized the Appalachian hymn DOWN TO THE
WATER TO PRAY, with its celebration of baptism. Incredibly, the movie’s
protagonist (George Clooney) dismissed baptism, scoffing at the notion of
eternal life, and saying he had bigger fish to fry. Hardly! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We have scheduled baptism for Resurrection Sunday,</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
April 12, as part of our Easter service. The early Christians <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">always celebrated baptism at Easter because it so dramatically
</span>depicts the resurrection. Those being baptized are lowered into a watery
grave, and then raised up to live out their new lives in obedience to Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_j-0js1RxY0hMjiZTJ66hUsHuNNIkVEi9WvO4HbKE9r-KUq4h9tS6CRfMXx_z9Fepakvi32U3KEZ9r8HMNbrxnhnoi73ARY7EBVh2XeeeStg7iH19muSLpLu7BGaqVmXAdMHJ062WEN2p/s1600/Baptism.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="172" data-original-width="293" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_j-0js1RxY0hMjiZTJ66hUsHuNNIkVEi9WvO4HbKE9r-KUq4h9tS6CRfMXx_z9Fepakvi32U3KEZ9r8HMNbrxnhnoi73ARY7EBVh2XeeeStg7iH19muSLpLu7BGaqVmXAdMHJ062WEN2p/s200/Baptism.jpe" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">What is
baptism? Is it an act that gets you heaven’s eternal reward (as the character
in the movie claimed)? Is it something which must be done to infants to keep
them from hell in case they die? Is it like a kindergarten graduation ceremony
or a birthday party to make someone feel special? Baptism is often
misunderstood and underappreciated by the Church, even by us Baptists who carry
its namesake (the 2008 Baptist Hymnal, for example, lists but two baptism
hymns!).</span> <span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The earliest
generation of Christians offered baptism only to believers. They tested the new
convert, they explained salvation to them, and only then were they baptized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Early
Christians were understandably concerned about the salvation of their infants,
especially since infant mortality rates were so high. Early in the history of
Christianity, there arose a pervasive misunderstanding of baptism which led
people to think that baptism confers a saving grace on the person being
baptized; this led them to infant baptism. This view depended on the dubious
interpretation that baptism is the New Testament equivalent of circumcision.
Israelite baby boys were “born into the covenant” by virtue of their descent
from Abraham, and parents circumcised them to demonstrate their allegiance to
God. The coming of Christ and the New Covenant put an end to this. Children are
not born “in Christ” or into the New Covenant. A person can only be born again
in Christ through faith. This is why Baptists baptize only believers, and
assert that babies (and those with mental disabilities) are already in a state
of grace until they reach a certain maturity (“age of accountability”).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Churches that
practice infant baptism do so in order that the parents might demonstrate their
own faith, and promise to raise the child in the nurture of the church. For
Baptists, this is the essential meaning of baby dedication. Biblical baptism says
nothing about other people’s faith. Rather, baptism is about the faith of the
one being baptized. Baptists offer parents the opportunity to dedicate their
babies to the Lord as an expression of the parents’ faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-9TaZDgEJg9IUOg7OvZJ4f_7jCxei_sL-YVCpx8lTyp8MtHj9ZvD3OLUbrOOWiFaM2wYz1H2SN0E00fHlnqwoajZbCdacGJ1DVItLnYXoh6svxMdnea2OuSPQQj93gADNAyHaFO2ecO7/s1600/Baptism--Medieval.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="196" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-9TaZDgEJg9IUOg7OvZJ4f_7jCxei_sL-YVCpx8lTyp8MtHj9ZvD3OLUbrOOWiFaM2wYz1H2SN0E00fHlnqwoajZbCdacGJ1DVItLnYXoh6svxMdnea2OuSPQQj93gADNAyHaFO2ecO7/s200/Baptism--Medieval.png" width="166" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the Middle Ages, there was an essential
unity of Church and State. Every person in the king’s realm practiced the
king’s religion. In Christian states, everyone (or nearly everyone) </span><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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baptized, whether or not they were believers. Everyone claimed to be a
Christian simply because they were baptized, even if they lived like the devil.
This practice was profoundly contrary to Jesus’ command to go, make believers,
and then baptize them (Matt 28:18-20). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As
Christians <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">had better access to the Bible in
their own language, the Baptist movement emerged.</span> The core issue that
distinguished Baptists from others was the “Believer’s Church,” and that only
those who have <i>professed </i>a genuine faith belong to God’s Church. For
this doctrine, Baptists were regularly persecuted (even in America during and
after colonial days; see the image of Obadiah Holmes being whipped for his
Baptist faith). Some were actually drowned as a mock re-baptism. Baptists were
so convinced that only believers should be baptized that they were willing to
die for their doctrine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFjxjNKLJuJegZiOg7GLb0l9OX8ic6vQISs_P6lJ1XNyaGE_u-m1lQQTAoCK_bVcBShD89S84Qajy9ZqrNUOW8eYIBLO3FzfHpOsSsE2uJKFa76B5F48SkvcRxO_0LAbBMp7JYkco3n9a/s1600/Baptist+Persecution.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="533" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFjxjNKLJuJegZiOg7GLb0l9OX8ic6vQISs_P6lJ1XNyaGE_u-m1lQQTAoCK_bVcBShD89S84Qajy9ZqrNUOW8eYIBLO3FzfHpOsSsE2uJKFa76B5F48SkvcRxO_0LAbBMp7JYkco3n9a/s200/Baptist+Persecution.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For our part,
Baptists believe that the first urgency—the first order of business for a new
follower of Jesus, is to obey his command to be baptized. Baptism is not
optional. Nor is it to be deferred for the sake of one's personal feelings or
preferences. If one fails to be obedient to this first command, what is the
point of following Jesus at all?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Yet, baptism
is not something which saves. Rather, the person who is already saved is called
to be baptized. That is, baptism is for those who have already decided to
follow Jesus. Indeed, baptism is a person's declaration to the world: "I
am a Christian. I follow Jesus. I pledge my life and devotion to him." As
such, baptism is not a private event. It is a public event, to be undertaken
before many witnesses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJsAJk_Em9AbDdYjZdGBm85m4WVIWck_8aSVv4QDMxDUxtd8Lb6H4rFO4pW3SFKPCtfNl8GY4d_gRIPgcp9y8WK71bZAlXs-lYwAX7PS2iWOe2JEHSvMR1Ya_DFDwRyWWgJG1wGQCipyj/s1600/Baptism--Matt+28.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="491" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJsAJk_Em9AbDdYjZdGBm85m4WVIWck_8aSVv4QDMxDUxtd8Lb6H4rFO4pW3SFKPCtfNl8GY4d_gRIPgcp9y8WK71bZAlXs-lYwAX7PS2iWOe2JEHSvMR1Ya_DFDwRyWWgJG1wGQCipyj/s320/Baptism--Matt+28.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Moreover,
baptism is a multifaceted symbol: 1) the washing away of sins through faith in
Christ; 2) the death and burial of the old life, and the beginning of the new
life; and 3) the placement of a person into the family of God, the Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If you are
already a believer but have not received believer's baptism, we invite you to
come down to the river to follow Christ in baptism.</span> <span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-35236440118734368792020-01-08T05:37:00.000-08:002020-01-08T05:37:11.750-08:00Thinking of Reducing the Three Church Boards Down to a Single Model? Don't.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGPrN0X4_dmcbPb2e8h1Ye5MTqmOSvF8sRWt2VG-DaIGLF0-lho9C3nL0cAWokP_nz2V6-Aep099Xov1m6Mpt0vkFmvOySa0wz1bEgD_DDExSYTpk9QbmI_SogjyG4nCTVkiO_LZxvf1d/s1600/Executive+Board+Meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGPrN0X4_dmcbPb2e8h1Ye5MTqmOSvF8sRWt2VG-DaIGLF0-lho9C3nL0cAWokP_nz2V6-Aep099Xov1m6Mpt0vkFmvOySa0wz1bEgD_DDExSYTpk9QbmI_SogjyG4nCTVkiO_LZxvf1d/s320/Executive+Board+Meeting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">There are typically two boards in a traditional Baptist church: Board of Deacons, and Board of Trustees. Sometimes, in larger churches there might be a Board of Christian Education. </span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-top: 10px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Now, in the healthy Baptist church, the pastor leads and implements his vision and agenda 1) by persuasion; 2) by his own example; 3) by good administration; and 4) by good communications. He must not be the guy who leads by executive order. There is no room for Protestant Popes within the healthy Baptist church.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-top: 10px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">This model is successful for the pastor depending on how much opportunity a pastor has to persuade people. The pastor has maybe half an hour on Sunday to convey his vision, and maybe some time at midweek Bible study. The rest of the time comes from his face time in these board meetings.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-top: 10px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">If the two or three board meetings are reduced to a single board meeting, the pastor gets but one opportunity a month to sit in an intimate setting with his church members to discuss the church's ministry.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-top: 10px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Further, let's take a church of 200 members. Assuming 1 deacon for every 25 members, there would be 8 members on the Board of Deacons. Thus, the pastor is but one voice in nine. On any given agenda item, individuals might well voice their opinion--maybe two or three minutes each! Right there, the pastor's ratio of input will be his two minutes to 16-24 minutes from others. It is unfortunate enough in this model that pastor's get so little time to share his views compared to the input from others, especially if the pastor has some expertise on the matter and has given considerable thought to it! In a two hour meeting, assuming each person has equal time, the pastor will have his share of about 13 minutes. If there are three boards, the pastor gets about 39 minutes a month to express his views and urgenices.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-top: 10px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Now, let's pare this down to a single board. No longer does the pastor have three monthly meetings with a smallish intimate group of eight church members. Now, it is only one meeting a month, and the board must be comprised of 12 to 15 board members. In a two hour meeting, assuming each person has equal time, the pastor will have his share of 8 minutes. </span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-top: 10px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">All this to say, in a healthy traditional Baptist church, rarely does a pastor have substantial face-to-face opportunities to convey vision. But reducing the Boards down to a single Board reduces those opportunities substantially. In the examples above, with a multi-board model, the pastor gets 39 minutes to persuade and articulate vision in an intimate setting per month compared with a uni-board model where the pastor has but 8 minutes in a not-so-intimate setting.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4s8ezt1lxGql9pYAmg2kCw5y89pDoDZEH08vlXBRoqqt_x_YJMK1ww37Nks9JK5zmK8GnxZBhN_9Z8MVYbhHgQFrTJgD4SQQPiNSik-5YXEK8YNwZYKqyTlQ7MPujdG-Wc4H9yXCQbgHq/s1600/Small+Group+Meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4s8ezt1lxGql9pYAmg2kCw5y89pDoDZEH08vlXBRoqqt_x_YJMK1ww37Nks9JK5zmK8GnxZBhN_9Z8MVYbhHgQFrTJgD4SQQPiNSik-5YXEK8YNwZYKqyTlQ7MPujdG-Wc4H9yXCQbgHq/s1600/Small+Group+Meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4s8ezt1lxGql9pYAmg2kCw5y89pDoDZEH08vlXBRoqqt_x_YJMK1ww37Nks9JK5zmK8GnxZBhN_9Z8MVYbhHgQFrTJgD4SQQPiNSik-5YXEK8YNwZYKqyTlQ7MPujdG-Wc4H9yXCQbgHq/s200/Small+Group+Meeting.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br /><br />Small group meetings might be messy and even laborious, but the effective pastor can accomplish much more in two or three smaller meetings than in a single large meeting.<br />James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-13703281023122194672018-10-12T07:02:00.000-07:002018-10-12T07:02:11.998-07:00Hymn Notes: ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The hymn text is ancient, based on
a poem written by Francis of Assisi in 1225. It was inspired by Psalm 148 which
calls all creation to worship God. The psalm is longer but includes these
verses: </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><br />
Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his
bidding,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild
animals and all cattle,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">small creatures and flying birds….</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is
exalted….</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;">The tune
captures the emotion of both the psalm and Francis’ poem. The words move
quickly, for the composer is eager to include as many of the heaven’s and
earth’s inhabitants and forces as possible in a few short lines. But then the
tune slows down marvelously on the alleluias, emphasizing them by repetition
and by making each syllable much longer than the other words of the song. The
notes soar high on the alleluias to mark the climax of the hymn. </span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-23771681386372442062018-08-17T05:31:00.002-07:002018-08-17T05:31:52.012-07:00Hymn Notes: HERE I AM TO WORSHIP<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">An ad hoc group of our own singers
calls us to worship today, singing HERE I AM TO WORSHIP. The praise song was
written in 1999 by British composer and worship leader Tim Hughes and has been
well received by evangelical churches worldwide; it is published in the Baptist
Hymnal (2008) and other major hymnals. It is reported that the song came from
Hughes’ personal reflection on Phil 2 which details Jesus’ willingness to
become a man and to die a humiliating death, and his subsequent exaltation whereby
all creation will one day bow and confess that Jesus is Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The song has
a contemplative or meditative feel to it, one that is not to be rushed or sung mechanically
or lightheartedly. The chorus emphasizes simply that, in light of Jesus’s deep
love and sacrifice, the singer has now come to worship Christ in humble
adoration. The song has a short bridge section in which the phrase “I will never
know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross” is thrice repeated, to
emphasize how our worship and thankfulness should be complete and genuine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-60180573136399419482018-08-10T04:50:00.000-07:002018-08-10T04:50:13.040-07:00Pastor's Page: I Want That Mountain (Josh 14)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-VT4wm0R_TOl7JLZp-NatMVo4bYa4R3lc56XO5aGiUPfgc759KB7Ct0GeSpANoVi8i-BOLTOtxK2c0C1mMDaOeZ7FFkA_QQwHRfpso04YJBZ_sXewWKvWszwUZowi_dmewWRQuyLqAKi/s1600/Caleb--I+want+that+mountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="960" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-VT4wm0R_TOl7JLZp-NatMVo4bYa4R3lc56XO5aGiUPfgc759KB7Ct0GeSpANoVi8i-BOLTOtxK2c0C1mMDaOeZ7FFkA_QQwHRfpso04YJBZ_sXewWKvWszwUZowi_dmewWRQuyLqAKi/s200/Caleb--I+want+that+mountain.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
C<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt;">aleb had done
his part. He had marched out of Egypt</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
with <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">Moses and he gave the minority report
when the 12 spies</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> returned from their
reconnaissance of</span> Canaan. Although the Bible is silent otherwise, he very
likely had fought alongside of Joshua in the battle with the Amelekites, and he
may well have been a key figure in the 40 years of wilderness wandering. He may
have served in the army that <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">swept through
Jericho and into the farthest reaches</span> of the conquest of Canaan. The
land still had areas still unconquered, but the conquest armies were dismissed
and the soldiers were told to go to their new homes and enjoy God’s bounty in
peace and rest.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.2pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But no, not Caleb. He would have none of this retirement business. He
had explored the </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.3pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Hebron country and seen its bounty. He took seriously the divine mandate
that the Canaanites</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> must be
driven from the land, and he reckoned he had enough strength to do the job. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Not that conquering
Hebron would be easy. Caleb knew the challenges. No doubt his own folks pointed
out his old age: “Caleb, you’re 85 years old. You’ve got no business driving
Canaanites out and resettling all that hill country!” Worse than that, the
region was under the control of the Anak family, including its three sons whose
giant stature made them formidable warlords. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Caleb would
not be dissuaded. When his tribe presented itself to Joshua to receive its
allotment of land, he boldly presented himself and with much bluster he told
Joshua that he wanted that mountain: “Now give me this hill country that the
Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there
and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will
drive them out just as he said” (Josh 14:12).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Since he believed
God’s promises and saw his mighty deeds, Caleb scorned the threat of Anak and
his three giant sons, and he went out to do the work God called him to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In Caleb’s prime
years, the Lord protected him against all the wilderness dangers and helped him
through many battles. The Lord also granted him many more years of health and
vigor. Caleb perceived that God grants life and health for one reason alone,
and that is to serve him and to advance the kingdom, and not to serve his own
interest. Even in our twilight years, let us remain true and faithful, trusting,
serving every day. Soon we will see Jesus our Lord face to face and it will be
worth it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #003366; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">*This weekly blog article is designed for the Sunday Bulletin. If you need filler for your newsletter or bulletin, feel free to use it, with due attribution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-57081710137671894652018-08-10T04:43:00.000-07:002018-08-10T04:43:12.397-07:00Hymn Notes: I'll Be a Sunbeam<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We know very little about 19<sup>th</sup>
century lyricist Nellie Talbot or her intention in writing this hymn. It has,
however, become a favorite children’s song, perhaps because of its simple text,
references to home, school, and play, and the sunbeam imagery that easily
captures children’s imaginations. In 1900, the song was put to music by
prestigious composer Edwin O. Excell who compiled and edited over 90 hymnals
and songbooks, and produced the most common arrangement of AMAZING GRACE. The
tune Excell composed for the song is melodic and easily singable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Although the
text is amenable to children, the message preaches well to adults. The sunbeam
recalls light of the world imagery used by Jesus, and likewise fits Paul’s call
to be stars shining in a dark and crooked generation. The text defines what it
means to be a sunbeam: be loving and kind, pleasant and happy. The song
dovetails nicely with our recent sermons on the call to holiness: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I will ask Jesus to help me <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">To keep my heart from sin,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Ever reflecting his goodness, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And always shine for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We sing this
song today knowing that sunbeams bring a lot of joy and happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-55240685814478463052018-07-12T08:05:00.000-07:002018-07-12T08:05:06.252-07:00Hymn Notes: ONE DAY<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">ONE DAY*<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Today’s featured hymn is a familiar
one, but not often sung: ONE DAY. This lengthy hymn is comprised of five
verses, each integral to the hymn. It tells the story of Christ in sequence,
beginning with the virgin birth, crucifixion, burial, the resurrection, and the
second coming. We call hymns that tell the whole story of Christ “Salvation History
hymns.” While most hymns can well be sung with an omitted second or third
verse, omission of any single verse of Salvation History hymns is awkward,
although the final verse detailing the second coming can often stand alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This
Salvation History hymn has an added feature, a chorus that reiterates what
Christ did to provide salvation: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Living he loved me, dying he saved me, buried he carried my sins
far away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Rising he justified freely forever; one day he’s coming—O glorious
day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The 9/8 time
signature facilitates a lively melody with a celebratory feel. The song ends with
a climactic exclamation of Christ’s certain return, O glorious day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">*Hymn Notes is a regular short article for the Sunday bulletin. If you need filler for your bulletin or newsletter, you may freely copy, with due attribution.</span></div>
<br />James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-25341673691392646902018-06-14T05:32:00.001-07:002018-06-14T05:32:51.516-07:00HYMN NOTES: How Deep the Father's Love for Us<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16pt;">This hymn is no stranger to our
congregation. It was first written in 1995 and has been sung solo numerous
times. Rightly so, since it has become a world-wide favorite contemporary hymn,
published in at least 14 hymnbooks—practically every English hymnal of the last
20 years. It was written by British composer Stuart Townend who is best known
for his hymn IN CHRIST ALONE.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Townend
realizes that hymns should rouse emotions, that the <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">worship of God involves the whole person, including emotions. Yet,</span>
<span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;">he criticizes the kind of worship that focuses
on emotional experience,</span> <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">as if having
an emotional experience is the goal of worship. He says,</span> “When all of
our songs are about how we feel…, we’re missing the <span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;">point….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to encourage the
expression of joy, passion and adoration,</span> <span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;">but I want those things to be the by-product of focusing on God—I don’t</span>
<span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;">want them to become the subject matter” </span></span><span style="font-size: 8pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt;">(cited here: <a href="http://www.faughnfamily.com/hymn-fathers-love-us/">http://www.faughnfamily.com/hymn-fathers-love-us/</a>)</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt;">.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">With this hymn, Townend achieves his intention. The lyrics clearly</span> <span style="font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">convey the gospel message of
Christ’s sacrificial death, and how “his</span> <span style="font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt;">wounds have paid my ransom.” Simultaneously, they pierce our hearts</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">
over the depth of the Father’s love for us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">HYMN NOTES is a weekly feature of our church's Sunday bulletin. It is meant to promote good hymnody and congregational singing.</span></span></div>
<br />James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-53721039084528431542018-05-18T05:19:00.001-07:002018-05-18T05:19:49.585-07:00Pastor's Page: DOWN TO THE WATER TO PRAY<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vyHqE6LnmqPu1UtP1mJL1tKCcXywZTPh8_iYjL7olUi3LhcdUfbOzNojHHQhc2NO2I4W1OMOu0jbRuPCjvMo4R6B26wqYk6laBkYClTuoe1lEmiZiV2yhpXlz04ll-dW59gEYaqAP8Nm/s1600/baptism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="622" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vyHqE6LnmqPu1UtP1mJL1tKCcXywZTPh8_iYjL7olUi3LhcdUfbOzNojHHQhc2NO2I4W1OMOu0jbRuPCjvMo4R6B26wqYk6laBkYClTuoe1lEmiZiV2yhpXlz04ll-dW59gEYaqAP8Nm/s320/baptism.jpg" width="207" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The movie OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?
popularized the Appalachian hymn DOWN TO THE WATER TO PRAY, with its
celebration of baptism. The movie’s protagonist dismissed baptism, saying he
had bigger fish to fry. Hardly!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">What is
baptism? Is it an act that gets you heaven’s eternal reward (as the character
in the movie claimed)? Is it something which must be done to infants to keep
them from hell in case they die? Is it like a kindergarten graduation ceremony
or a birthday party to make someone feel special? Baptism is too often
misunderstood and underappreciated by the Church, even by us Baptists who carry
its namesake (the 2008 Baptist Hymnal lists but two baptism hymns!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The first
urgency, the first order of business for a new follower of Jesus, is to obey
his command to be baptized. Baptism is not optional. Nor is it to be deferred
for the sake of one's personal feelings or preferences. If one fails to be
obedient to this first command, what is the point of following Jesus at all?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Yet, baptism
is not something which saves. Rather, it is for the person who is already
saved. It is for those who have already decided to follow Jesus. Indeed,
baptism is a person's declaration to the world: "I am a Christian. I
follow Jesus. I pledge my life and devotion to him." As such, baptism is
not a private event. It is a public event, to be undertaken before many
witnesses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Moreover,
baptism is a multifaceted symbol: 1) the washing away of sins through <span style="letter-spacing: .2pt;">faith in Christ; 2) the dying and burial of the old
life, and the beginning of the new life; 3)</span> the placement of a person
into the family of God, the Church. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If you are
already a believer but have not received believer's baptism, why don't you join
us down at the water to pray?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-6463645877096688172018-03-31T04:21:00.000-07:002018-03-31T04:21:18.865-07:00Should Our Churches Participate in Special Community Worship Services?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeZVBpS9h6ZsqWlFfai0Q0e_7NOJ2elJeq1ktdJH076NfueSErOovqCVIOWseBn2Qc1ja3QxHjNV1gPmEsobIcHx7G0swYxzHiJMyyOT42jkcvalICFwXnxwe5okKQE8U5c5qJ6H3T-J-/s1600/Nuns+Praise+Band.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeZVBpS9h6ZsqWlFfai0Q0e_7NOJ2elJeq1ktdJH076NfueSErOovqCVIOWseBn2Qc1ja3QxHjNV1gPmEsobIcHx7G0swYxzHiJMyyOT42jkcvalICFwXnxwe5okKQE8U5c5qJ6H3T-J-/s320/Nuns+Praise+Band.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who knows what you'll get in ecumenical services!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Churches often struggle (rightly so) over the extent of their participation with other churches outside of their own circle of beliefs. Some churches in the community may hold beliefs about the Trinity or sexual ethics that differ from our own churches. Some pastors in the community might be notorious in affirming doctrines contrary to the historic Christian faith. Participating in community worship services for Holy Week, Thanksgiving, or Christmas may send a signal of affirmation or acceptance of their alternative views, leading to normalization of their non-traditional positions.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other hand, most churches want to be a part of the local community and to make their presence known to other Christians in their community. Participation usually means that their own pastors will be seen as community leaders as they step up to lead parts of the worship services. Participating churches will even take their turns hosting the special service in their own facilities, with many members of the community attending. All this may advance a church's standing in the community, encourage the church's own mission, and help stabilize the norm for Christian faith and practice.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When pros and cons are considered, there is no obviously correct choice. Some churches may think the potential outcome makes participation worth the risk, while other churches may think the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">potential outcomes are insufficient to justify the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">risk.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I pastored a church that hosted one community Lent service. The guest preacher politicized his sermon so much that I felt compelled to cut him off. Fortunately, as I was about to conjure enough courage to do so, he finished. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other hand, in last night's Good Friday worship service at the local Lutheran church, with 15 attending from my own church, I was so impressed that the ministers from our seven community churches could look beyond our many significant differences to engage in serious and God-honoring worship that focused on the compelling and astonishing events that culminated in the Lord of Glory giving his life for the sins of the world. It was a very positive experience for our congregation. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to our reflecting upon Christ's death for our sins, our church members were exposed to worship that was very different from our own Low Church Baptist roots. It was something that we're not likely to follow on a routine basis, but we might incorporate some of those High Church worship elements from time to time. Moreover, after the service, I noticed our own church members greeting long-time friends and acquaintances from the community. Regardless of possible negatives, there were some very good things that came out of our participation in this ecumenical community worship service.</span>James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-78544845280490226682018-03-30T03:51:00.000-07:002018-03-30T03:51:20.028-07:00Marvelous in Our Eyes--How the Despised Remnant Becomes the Temple of God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rWBb5kFXTK0Jt9WcvDmEd6K2FV0gFHOw5v2lBATb7vkIlFym3iu2moi8woZBCsTYpVUQQK1EHJOwfl7mAhd_QBJvz_fK6jy-34khh00UP4HcrbLTp9V6Pr2Emgo3KeMgVH2d1NCYOh90/s1600/Sara%2527s+Cornerstone+art.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="697" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rWBb5kFXTK0Jt9WcvDmEd6K2FV0gFHOw5v2lBATb7vkIlFym3iu2moi8woZBCsTYpVUQQK1EHJOwfl7mAhd_QBJvz_fK6jy-34khh00UP4HcrbLTp9V6Pr2Emgo3KeMgVH2d1NCYOh90/s320/Sara%2527s+Cornerstone+art.png" width="232" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><b>Pastor's Take-away</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Marvelous in Our Eyes</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Solomon’s temple was thought to be one of the great wonders of the
world. It stood several centuries before it was destroyed by the Babylonians. It
was soon rebuilt, using the old foundations, but lacked its Solomonic splendor.
Centuries later, King Herod the Great destroyed a major section of it as he
usurped the Jewish throne. This gave him the opportunity to become a great
temple builder. He expanded the temple’s original borders and integrated the
temple walls into Jerusalem’s fortifications. The new temple was spectacular, a
remarkable testimony to human engineering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Herod
completed the main temple structure about the time of Jesus’ birth, but the
construction process was not brought to completion for another 50 years.
Ironically, the temple itself was tragically destroyed by the Romans in A.D.
70, just a decade after its completion, underscoring the truth of the psalmist’s
claim, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (127:1). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Ultimately, no matter the grandeur, no matter the time or circumstance,
the Jerusalem</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> Temple is
but a shadow of God’s heavenly temple. In fact, the Bible depicts a magnificent
<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">eschatological (end-time, ideal) temple in Ezek
40-48. The language is highly figurative and</span> <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">stresses the essence of Temple theology, that God dwells in the midst of
his people. Indeed,</span> just verses after describing the New Jerusalem (Rev
21), the Revelator declares that there is no temple there, “because the Lord
God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jesus himself appropriated the essence of Temple theology for himself
and his Church.</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">Since Temple theology is encapsulated as God’s
dwelling among his people, Jesus makes his</span> disciples into the new,
eschatological temple, for where two or three are gathered in the <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">name of Jesus, God is present with them. Thus,
Peter writes, “You are coming to Christ, who</span> is the living cornerstone
of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great
honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple”
(1 Pet 2 </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">NLT</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Accordingly, we believers, united together in
Christ, are God’s new temple. Thus Paul </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">writes,
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit
dwells</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> in your midst?” (1 Cor 3). To be sure, God’s Temple is in need of
continuous cleansing, just like the Jerusalem temple. Nonetheless, this
eschatological New Temple, God’s Church, is built upon the great CORNERSTONE. It
is marvelous to our eyes, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.</span></div>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-34710604788952299362018-03-29T03:43:00.000-07:002018-03-29T03:43:15.544-07:00What's up with Church Membership?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5dqyG77TI4xNBj3TeSZd6VQKV5CZI0D9JZwk8E91V2CwfykLfFH6ENtxqzaORHNj6rOL5lfTg8DgT-XZHB6SKd_MkNcpKy-iBF1l3ZNUPSM77E0tUS_GTdzbr4eD9fB5ZPL5JsZUJZvT/s1600/Church+Membership.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="124" data-original-width="405" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5dqyG77TI4xNBj3TeSZd6VQKV5CZI0D9JZwk8E91V2CwfykLfFH6ENtxqzaORHNj6rOL5lfTg8DgT-XZHB6SKd_MkNcpKy-iBF1l3ZNUPSM77E0tUS_GTdzbr4eD9fB5ZPL5JsZUJZvT/s320/Church+Membership.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Bible teaches that believers
should be in fellowship with each other in a significant, covenanted
relationship. 185 years ago, our own church congregation organized itself into
a covenant community of believers, united together for fellowship,
accountability, encouragement, and cooperation and mutual support in ministry.
What we are today arises from those initial meetings back in 1833, for those
pioneer church members evangelized their friends, and mentored subsequent
generations in Christian ministry. Since then, many hundreds of believers
joined this congregation and did their part to promote and support the church’s
health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />What we will be in years to come
will depend upon our own diligence in proclaiming the gospel and nurturing the
church’s health. Since our church is governed by its own membership and not by
a larger presbytery or diocese, so much depends upon its own members committing
themselves to one another in a covenanted fellowship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />Accordingly, we encourage those
who attend and participate in our congregation and its ministries to take up
church membership—to join the church. We want to encourage congregational
ownership of church matters and decision-making. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />To this end, we encourage
non-members to pray and to seek God’s leading about joining our church. Church
membership is offered to baptized believers who are willing to bond with the
congregation in love, personal support, accountability, and the financial
backing of the church’s mission. In return, members are responsible for voting
on church matters and may hold elected office. In every case, we promise our
fealty, that is, our intense loyalty, not to some abstract organization, but to
one another in the bond of the Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />If you would like to learn more
about church membership, contact your pastor or one of your church deacons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-39931586199555287472018-03-25T03:13:00.000-07:002018-03-25T03:13:08.198-07:00The Pastor's Sermon--Where Does It Come From<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="sp0q" data-offset-key="dorrt-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJ_6BKlzbHTRb6aYyJgGagi1BYwKRHOnJT9UQMChwl2VuPE-iP998aCDykw3Yrh69lkkVziQAslN6uuVIT6w9nJ4Mfl4eBaQsD1PWb0rWizv1mK6opOaJG0oostsPwgGH40BxlGzoD2i7/s1600/Sermon+Preparation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="400" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJ_6BKlzbHTRb6aYyJgGagi1BYwKRHOnJT9UQMChwl2VuPE-iP998aCDykw3Yrh69lkkVziQAslN6uuVIT6w9nJ4Mfl4eBaQsD1PWb0rWizv1mK6opOaJG0oostsPwgGH40BxlGzoD2i7/s320/Sermon+Preparation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span data-offset-key="dorrt-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Sunday's sermon is not merely the product of five to ten hours of sermon prep per week. It arises from:</span></div>
</div>
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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eupss-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<ol>
<li>the totality of the pastor's personal experience--especially his life in Christ, </li>
<li>his education and training under the tutelage of well-seasoned mentors, </li>
<li>his personal devotional life, </li>
<li>his overall knowledge of the Bible and biblical theology</li>
<li>his interaction with congregants throughout the week (month, and even years) as he prays over them and carries the combined weight of their own personal burdens</li>
<li>his non-stop ruminating over the church's needs</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
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<span data-offset-key="56vse-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
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<span data-offset-key="ch562-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">The good sermon is the product of all this, empowered and guided by the Spirit.</span></div>
</div>
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<span data-offset-key="57h0u-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
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<span data-offset-key="3divb-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Yet in the end, so much depends upon the individual listener's own receptivity and spiritual sensitivity.</span></div>
</div>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-7783999558263795862018-01-21T10:21:00.001-08:002018-01-21T10:24:11.910-08:00Sanctity of Life Sunday Prayer<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -5.2pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NH9x8_Bg0pUe8KyuSUTlJkh93vvgtpckC14Bi3OFlJ_A_ox3SmBK5QpP9AuGWuGEHK1CrK34sLybhxeyTiQasMrHVpfw5Vy99Rt-MrWZoh7SoPHV26BaO2UiBiM86ACiHgJQpMDRcmRP/s1600/Sara%2527s+Sanctity+of+Life+Sunday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="695" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NH9x8_Bg0pUe8KyuSUTlJkh93vvgtpckC14Bi3OFlJ_A_ox3SmBK5QpP9AuGWuGEHK1CrK34sLybhxeyTiQasMrHVpfw5Vy99Rt-MrWZoh7SoPHV26BaO2UiBiM86ACiHgJQpMDRcmRP/s320/Sara%2527s+Sanctity+of+Life+Sunday.jpg" width="231" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">O wise God and heavenly Father,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -5.2pt; text-indent: 26.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We praise you for your love and
watchcare over us, and for granting us life with abundant blessings. Thank you
for calling us to care for one another and to safeguard the weakest and most
vulnerable among us. We thank you for granting us the joyful miracle of birth
and new life, for our newborn children and grandchildren, and nieces and
nephews. May we never cease to be amazed by the gift of children—every one of
whom is made in your image, each endowed with measureless worth and the right
to life, deserving of extraordinary nurture and protection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -5.2pt; text-indent: 26.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yet, Father, we mournfully confess
that Satan has cast a great delusion on our society today, so that unborn
children are so often viewed as commodities or even as liabilities to be dispensed
with or discarded as inconvenient chattel or a bad real estate investment. Our
hearts tremble and lurch at the thought of the loss of even one of these most
innocent babies at the hand of the abortionist, let alone millions of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -5.2pt; text-indent: 26.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, Father, we pray with great earnestness
that you would clear the fog of delusion that has made our society so callous and
ungrateful for the gift of new life so that, regardless of circumstance, each
baby will be welcomed to this world with joy and tender hearts. Make us
effective in winning the political and public relations battles necessary to
end abortion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Restore to our society the common
sense of traditional sexual ethics, where sex is enjoyed within the security of
marriage, so that a child grows up with the benefit of having both father and
mother. And in extraordinary circumstances, we pray special grace upon those who
must raise children without the benefit of the two-parent traditional family.
Help grandparents, foster parents, and all those who step up to fill in the gap
as necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3SkhrKyfrQXjcInSbhT_Ip1f7hZIWYkDwTb3Hw-fKNg4VfaGBn04w2fqkHpoOgRloG3ZA1a91CG8buqHaV9F37OSI_06NTJJM15HQw_zUYlrazP7em57M5fZPA19Z1YM9cSxAVel0W9m/s1600/Sara%2527s+A+person%2527s+a+person.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3SkhrKyfrQXjcInSbhT_Ip1f7hZIWYkDwTb3Hw-fKNg4VfaGBn04w2fqkHpoOgRloG3ZA1a91CG8buqHaV9F37OSI_06NTJJM15HQw_zUYlrazP7em57M5fZPA19Z1YM9cSxAVel0W9m/s320/Sara%2527s+A+person%2527s+a+person.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We pray also for the thousands of
volunteers and workers at our Crisis Pregnancy Centers who so selflessly give
of themselves to care for newborns rescued from the threat of abortion. May we
eagerly support those mothers (and fathers) who bravely ignore the tainted and
tattered wisdom of this decadent world, and choose life. Call workers from our
own congregation to be channels of blessing to them and to their newborns. May
we put our muscle and money where our mouth is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 26.2pt;">Now Lord, there is much prayer and
work that needs to be done. May we not forget the urgency of our calling, but
remind us daily that we serve your kingdom. We ask these things in the precious
name of Jesus who loves the little children—all the children of the world.
Amen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 26.2pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: 26.2pt;"><span style="font-family: calibri light, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Artwork by Sara C. Leonard </span></span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 26.2pt;"><span style="font-family: calibri light, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">https://www.facebook.com/mtleonesart/</span></span></div>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-39363761867473190372018-01-11T05:09:00.003-08:002018-01-11T05:12:34.701-08:00Journeying through Grief--Stephen Ministry and Encouragement for Those who Grieve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiSYG6a6n2zn1WPYlaGmSYHesGMjANtBtYHwAZI78czMdg_C52twNhLy1VYmaLE2N-0Lg_kEQKZnE-5kONl5l95CIbzihHdMG7goGXVvQrchNobfhvZFqsxpftxQs3iX0e4uYjcSgguGR/s1600/Grief+statue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1024" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiSYG6a6n2zn1WPYlaGmSYHesGMjANtBtYHwAZI78czMdg_C52twNhLy1VYmaLE2N-0Lg_kEQKZnE-5kONl5l95CIbzihHdMG7goGXVvQrchNobfhvZFqsxpftxQs3iX0e4uYjcSgguGR/s320/Grief+statue.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Stephen Ministry is a parachurch ministry to encourage those who suffer loss or experience significant grief. I use their grief booklets--a series of four ($10). I send the first of the four booklets, with a personal letter within a month of the funeral. The other three are sent out roughly every quarter. <br />
<br />
The booklets are helpful--my mother really appreciated them in light of my father's death, for example. It's an effective tool that does not require much time and effort, if the church secretary manages the calendar and prompts the pastor accordingly.<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.stephenministries.org/griefresources/default.cfm/774" target="_blank">Stephen Ministry Grief Booklets</a>James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-90984408237727340792018-01-10T05:30:00.000-08:002018-01-10T05:30:00.612-08:00Well-Rounded Bible Teaching Ministry<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Well-Rounded Bible Teaching Ministry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The healthy church has several venues or opportunities each week or
month to develop a well-rounded teaching ministry:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyeCnagHY9OLvm9OEk2mZaaKTupP7oImHQNVckWbqx3dr-9s_RmkLOLvFZ-gPXwOimd9mefHj9KtK_K1M9u-MaN5o45r0Swc3qpufBNIbg7mlRFCTYgPxRpuxc9HcyWeMs6I5A_nqYhbN/s1600/Bible+teaching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyeCnagHY9OLvm9OEk2mZaaKTupP7oImHQNVckWbqx3dr-9s_RmkLOLvFZ-gPXwOimd9mefHj9KtK_K1M9u-MaN5o45r0Swc3qpufBNIbg7mlRFCTYgPxRpuxc9HcyWeMs6I5A_nqYhbN/s320/Bible+teaching.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The pastor’s pulpit ministry</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">. People
should leave worship knowing a bit more about the text on which the sermon was based,
including larger and smaller contextual issues. Far too often, people hear what
they think is a great sermon, but they learned nothing about the inspired text.
Essentially, many preachers give a “TED Talk, with a scripture attached to it, as someone once said. The
focus of the sermon, however, is not the exegesis of the text. Rather, sermons
should focus on the application of the well-examined text. The sermon affords
five to ten minutes of actual Bible teaching ministry.</span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Sunday School ministry</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Sunday
School is traditionally designed to survey the Bible’s content, so that
children will grow up to know most of the Bible stories, and adults grapple
with the setting and background of the 66 books, along with the larger flow of
argument or narrative in them. The emphasis is on <i>what </i>the Bible says. Historically, Sunday School curricula is
formulated on a seven-year cycle, so that the devoted Sunday School student
will have surveyed the entire Bible.</span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Midweek ministry</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Midweek
ministry should include an element of training in Christian ministry. Many
churches still refer to the midweek meeting as Prayer Meeting, although the role
of prayer in the midweek meeting has been significantly reduced in most
churches to allow more time for Bible study. The way most midweek Bible studies
are conducted is essentially the same as the Sunday School ministry, except
that there is no Sunday School book, and the pastor just simply opens the Bible
and divulges what he knows about a given passage. A well-rounded Bible teaching
ministry, however, should give ample instruction on <i>how</i> to read the Bible, rather than repeating the Sunday School’s
mission of merely teaching <i>what </i>the
Bible says. The idea is that the midweek faithful hone Bible study skills that increase
their competence to teach the Bible. Thus, midweek ministry is more than just
Bible teaching, but also training in Bible teaching.</span></li>
</ul>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-51633033180410079422017-10-04T10:00:00.002-07:002017-10-04T10:00:30.040-07:00I Pronounce You “Pastor and Congregation” ***** The Purpose and Intent of Pastor Installation Service<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsM32HF-wYzcG7qgGGAg3AT6NF6FIzcYCIcMZunkVb682zMebjc3B9x7MAhkqQxCVMyLOsOMUeok0vZWbUZMfLX7O3Qsn6H8M1LG79M2STgXBozvG9Rre2c3spxEKKt0OH0btN71s9ag3s/s1600/Installation+Service.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="135" data-original-width="372" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsM32HF-wYzcG7qgGGAg3AT6NF6FIzcYCIcMZunkVb682zMebjc3B9x7MAhkqQxCVMyLOsOMUeok0vZWbUZMfLX7O3Qsn6H8M1LG79M2STgXBozvG9Rre2c3spxEKKt0OH0btN71s9ag3s/s320/Installation+Service.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The beginning of a new pastor’s
ministry at any church involves joy, high hopes, great anticipation, and not a
little fear and trepidation, for both pastor and congregation. The Pastoral
Installation Service is meant to capitalize on the enthusiasm of new beginnings
as well as to redress anxieties.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In many ways,
the Installation Service is akin to the Wedding Ceremony. Certainly, there is
joy in both kinds of services, and some measure of anxiety, no doubt. What is
at the root of both ceremonies, however, is that two parties make vows to each
other in the sight of God and many witnesses. These are the most serious
promises we can make to each other, “so help us God.” Indeed, the exchange of
vows between pastor and congregation culminates the service. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Like a
wedding, the Installation Service features invited guests who witness the
exchange of vows. In accord with the auspiciousness of the occasion, we have
invited both civic dignitaries from our community and area ministerial leaders
with whom we partner in mission. They are invited not only to witness the
exchange of vows, but also to celebrate our mutual interests and calling by
bringing greetings and well wishes from our community and from their respective
organizations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In addition
to the exchange of vows, ministers will admonish both pastor and congregation
about their obligations to one another. Both the charge to the pastor and to
the congregation are meant to be delivered with a Spirit-filled zeal and
urgency, so that the words press mightily on the hearers’ hearts and minds for
many years to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There will
also be an Installation Sermon. While the sermon and the charges emphasize the
magnitude of the stewardship that is bestowed upon the pastor and congregation
in their new ministry together, they also serve to allay fear and trepidation,
for the Lord promises his enabling presence: “Fear not! For I am with you
always!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Installation
Service may well be further solemnized by special music. Extended pre-service
music (perhaps by a guest musician) is appropriate, as well as special
processional and recessional music. A choral anthem and perhaps a vocal solo or
trio, etc. may also be in order. The congregation will sing majestic hymns appropriate
for the occasion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BRN8jsfXBfrUVqmH0RpzKSbQnzsgYK9DMbkyO1AXAtUHHF66CAgC_jVGlPT2Yn8QtAojiE1_pUyjzH1a0X6Fw2LyN_39SB_NOFkwdG3WEC1IcH6N64ZKvOjaTIq1cK7CxBS2mijD06E8/s1600/Church+Processional.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="930" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BRN8jsfXBfrUVqmH0RpzKSbQnzsgYK9DMbkyO1AXAtUHHF66CAgC_jVGlPT2Yn8QtAojiE1_pUyjzH1a0X6Fw2LyN_39SB_NOFkwdG3WEC1IcH6N64ZKvOjaTIq1cK7CxBS2mijD06E8/s320/Church+Processional.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">While
processionals and recessionals are not typical for most Baptist churches, they
may well add to the auspiciousness of the occasion, especially if clerical
regalia (robes) are requested. If the church does not have enough robes
available, often a neighboring church with high church tendencies may be
willing to loan some.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">An important
goal of the Installation Service is to bring the whole congregation together,
with an eye especially for our members who have not been attending regularly.
We want them to meet the new pastor and see for themselves the joy of our new
beginning. The Installation Service also is a fine reason to invite extended
family members and neighbors to come see what is happening in their community. While
the church office should send out invitation letters to many people, all church
members—each and every one of them—should do their part to reach out and invite
their friends and loved ones. In the end, we hope that the Installation Service
not only energizes pastor-congregation relations, but also serves as an
Evangelism-Church Growth opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-86879771468329310222017-09-22T05:40:00.000-07:002017-09-22T05:40:27.166-07:00Eternal Security and the Early Baptists, Free(will) Baptists, & Northern Baptists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkwaHZClIukDxzz8ABzmb2KNeepvzBYRIcal-0yr7V0_R9d680UpWnYE-QcrquKEN5Vz6W90DopLTAwlSTptYJmBgusFYWwsM0GkNTCAWAvCglaoQr7_qSlThx_CvGUgrGX5Mpcb2IH2B/s1600/Baptist+confessions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="418" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkwaHZClIukDxzz8ABzmb2KNeepvzBYRIcal-0yr7V0_R9d680UpWnYE-QcrquKEN5Vz6W90DopLTAwlSTptYJmBgusFYWwsM0GkNTCAWAvCglaoQr7_qSlThx_CvGUgrGX5Mpcb2IH2B/s320/Baptist+confessions.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The earliest Baptists were
Arminian. This is true of both Anabaptists of central Europe and the English
Baptists that gave birth to Baptists in America. Thomas Helwys was the first to
write a Baptist confession, and Helwys, his confession, and his congregation
were all Arminian. Indeed, there is good circumstantial evidence that Helwys
was influenced by Arminius and his circle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Calvinism came to dominate Baptist
circles, largely due to the influence of English Puritanism, although there
remained throughout the 18<sup>th</sup> century a strong, vibrant, and
theologically sound Arminian Baptist movement, led by Thomas Grantham.
Calvinistic Baptists made their way to the colonies and established the very
strong Philadelphia Baptist Association and other Calvinistic Baptist
Associations, eventually organizing as the Northern Baptist Convention.
Arminian Baptist churches were also established in the Carolinas in the early
colonial period, but were poorly organized and eventually succumbed to
pressures from the Philadelphia Baptist Association.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURJETAnsHFCXFIrqMtm2WE4YizAjDqIHTPx0DWjvzdKtBtyiQzOl_xIx5tp9YOXVIFmYNHjtFTRpx55EO0dHvE7DxQGYvnWlQG3MJpLJhk_6UaCgarpfnMN1Sk935tGB8M9neddadcb62/s1600/Baptist+Confession+1689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURJETAnsHFCXFIrqMtm2WE4YizAjDqIHTPx0DWjvzdKtBtyiQzOl_xIx5tp9YOXVIFmYNHjtFTRpx55EO0dHvE7DxQGYvnWlQG3MJpLJhk_6UaCgarpfnMN1Sk935tGB8M9neddadcb62/s1600/Baptist+Confession+1689.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Although the Philadelphia Baptist
Association’s theological commitments were strongly Calvinistic, the Calvinism
of their churches quickly began to wane. As new churches were formed in the
late 18<sup>th</sup> and early 19<sup>th</sup> centuries, their statements of
faith trended more and more toward Arminianism. At the same time, large numbers
of Baptist churches that were distinctly Arminian were being organized in the
northern United States, largely under the influence of Wesleyan Arminianism. They
were organized in associations as Free Baptists, or Freewill Baptists. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">By the early 20<sup>th</sup>
century, Calvinism in the Northern Baptists had waned so much that Northern
Baptists and the Free(will) Baptists merged together. This was no small matter
given the sparse population, as the merger included a thousand churches and
seven educational institutions, not the least of which was Hillsdale College.
Individual churches could retain their own theological commitments, but
generally the theological polemics were all toned down. Simultaneously,
Southern Baptists also trended away from Calvinism, but while Southern Baptists
urgently pressed the importance of the Calvinistic doctrine of unconditional
eternal security, Northern Baptists muted the point and trended toward a
doctrine that believers are eternally secure so long as they persevere in the
faith and not make shipwreck of it as Hymenaeus and Alexander did (1 Tim
1:18-20).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Northern Baptists eventually
became known as American Baptist Churches—USA. Today, American Baptists trend
toward Arminianism, but generally do not engage in theological apologetics or polemics.
There are some American Baptist churches that do emphasize the Calvinistic
doctrine of unconditional eternal security, but these are largely due to the
influence of Independent Baptist pastors who have recently pastored them.<br /><br />For a well written summary of American Baptist history <a href="http://www.abc-usa.org/what_we_believe/our-history/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-73746489380562228412017-03-28T03:29:00.000-07:002017-03-28T03:32:34.601-07:00Special Sundays as Outreach Tools<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC0dY5BR4yFaJ_LX0lnxUSPVDu0ATfD467gGFHcoVTbgf0QcVlIrcdqL-81Ym-CN-q-EVGz6o09G0nQQSEgb1ShbpWg01g6VD949a3a5T6CNUzcVVmwlI-tQGRiRdpCPmf93n6kqLml9_/s1600/VBS+Sunday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC0dY5BR4yFaJ_LX0lnxUSPVDu0ATfD467gGFHcoVTbgf0QcVlIrcdqL-81Ym-CN-q-EVGz6o09G0nQQSEgb1ShbpWg01g6VD949a3a5T6CNUzcVVmwlI-tQGRiRdpCPmf93n6kqLml9_/s400/VBS+Sunday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Every church has special Sundays, but not every church uses them to
offer outsiders the excuse to attend church. I’m happy, for example, to observe
Veteran’s Day in Sunday worship, but do so pragmatically, with the intention of
making it a big attendance day. Most churches give some minimal recognition of
the day, and then hurry on to the next item in the church bulletin. For me,
however, Veteran’s Day (and other such events) is something to be exploited as
an opportunity to increase attendance and to expand the scope of the ministerial
radar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">We make the day special by putting on display veterans’
memorabilia —uniforms, pictures, medals, etc., for perusal before and after the
worship service. As part of the service, we invite a color guard (JROTC, VFW,
Boy Scouts, etc.) to present the colors in procession, with our veterans in
parade. A roll call is taken, and the veterans are recognized individually. I
set aside some time to discuss Just War concepts and we pray for world leaders’
wisdom, world peace, and protection of our own military personnel.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytGhePJ5UJg_62i-70W1GM19_IkbA1cTVgqYBSeB2YjI6Fys6x4OGKNuoaTQH-U_TGv62SLEhJLUh6U04RIt_tiuAnWvqywmkBf0yq7oZ4To5DmIoaCCKTApEurE6JEqoXbnGlwc8csh7/s1600/Veterans+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytGhePJ5UJg_62i-70W1GM19_IkbA1cTVgqYBSeB2YjI6Fys6x4OGKNuoaTQH-U_TGv62SLEhJLUh6U04RIt_tiuAnWvqywmkBf0yq7oZ4To5DmIoaCCKTApEurE6JEqoXbnGlwc8csh7/s200/Veterans+Day.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">We are sure to invite the veterans’ own family
members to this special service. This gives family members an excuse to attend,
and the pastor gets to meet them, thereby getting them to blip ever more
prominently on the ministerial radar. The same is true for the visiting color
guard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">While other churches might observe Reformation
Day, my churches observe All Saints Day. Baptist observance of All Saints Day
entails the recognition of all those church members who died in the past year. I
recruit church members to offer a short remembrance or eulogy for each one, as
time permits. We strongly promote this special day. It fuels the memory of our
recently departed members and urges us to follow their example in running with
perseverance the race set before us. We also use the service to invite the
surviving family members, thus boosting our attendance and, again, increasing
the scope of our ministerial radar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The same is true for all special events.
Vacation Bible School Sunday, high school and college graduation day, baby
dedications, baptisms, Thanksgiving, etc. If the church happens to have a
cemetery, we will host a special community service at the cemetery on Memorial
Day. Increased attendance may not be the primary purpose for observing any of
these days, but the church should avail itself of the opportunity to increase
attendance for each one of them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-3047340265306936852017-03-18T16:19:00.001-07:002017-03-18T16:19:51.384-07:00Statement of Faith--More than What We Believe, but also How We Live<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNn6icePO__tl9dDX7CIHzRHdbdmtoWBe-YzXEtf3A6PUjB1Ws5fFMzN0-o0FrI8IGVHoKPtkliINvkrbmOrtCWGL_s-By1UdU_UJLS1udmJJ67GIM2o7RU1S1SekKL-4etOO5RfnLyuR/s1600/Apostle%2527s+Creed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNn6icePO__tl9dDX7CIHzRHdbdmtoWBe-YzXEtf3A6PUjB1Ws5fFMzN0-o0FrI8IGVHoKPtkliINvkrbmOrtCWGL_s-By1UdU_UJLS1udmJJ67GIM2o7RU1S1SekKL-4etOO5RfnLyuR/s320/Apostle%2527s+Creed.jpg" width="236" /></a>I read many statements of faith produced by churches and individuals alike. I just came across a fresh statement of faith produced by a church. It was more than just a statement of what they believed, but also a list of implications that arise from their faith statements.<br />
<br />
What a brilliant idea. I've adapted my own statement to fit the template, and you can see it <a href="https://1drv.ms/w/s!AtNyG6YzXdhwp01n95NpMokBrcVA" target="_blank">here</a>. I'm still revising it--leave feedback if you have suggestions, except that I'm not going to add anything about KJV-Onlyism.... ;)James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-16493558255471726782017-03-02T03:58:00.002-08:002017-03-02T05:27:51.821-08:00Big Theology on Narrow Shoulders: a Brief Outline of Arminian Baptist History<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">
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Here is the amazing thing about the Arminian Baptist theology espoused by Reformation Arminians like Robert Picirilli and his long time colleague Leroy Forlines.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTAF_CTs0-YBp_CDrXFig8HH5DbDySjPhKtdmq1gPw21Hqz19jFz78U5dcE4_IHFiftHHKYfxL6eNBhdNLbdLt-7cVTf4QZ2bOlIAQi6rIpzqrU1y3Mgpt9qw7l1pqsdY5lPn4vdg4wDQ/s1600/Thomas+Helwys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTAF_CTs0-YBp_CDrXFig8HH5DbDySjPhKtdmq1gPw21Hqz19jFz78U5dcE4_IHFiftHHKYfxL6eNBhdNLbdLt-7cVTf4QZ2bOlIAQi6rIpzqrU1y3Mgpt9qw7l1pqsdY5lPn4vdg4wDQ/s200/Thomas+Helwys.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thomas Helwys???</td></tr>
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Arminian Baptist theology is a Baptist theology with a long pedigree going back to the first Baptist congregation (Thomas Helwys) and Thomas Grantham--one of the best known Christian writers in 18th century England. (Arminian Baptists preceded Calvinist Baptists by a few decades.) It was imported into the colonies (Roger Williams and the first Baptist church are said to have begun as Arminian), but largely succumbed to a highly resurgent Calvinist strain of Baptists in the Philadelphia Baptist Association which aggressively preyed on disorganized Arminian Baptist churches in the south in colonial times (especially in South Carolina). <br />
<br />
With the explosive growth of Southern Baptists after the Civil War, Arminian Baptist theology mixed with Calvinist Baptists theology to produce the Majoritarian Baptist position in SBC. Southern Baptists liked Arminian views on the extent of the atonement and election, but preferred Calvinist views on continuance in salvation (who wouldn't like a doctrine of once saved always saved?). <br />
<br />
In 1907-1911, the Calvinistic Northern Baptists and the Free Baptists [= Freewill Baptists] in the north merged, having decided that their soteriology was compatible enough to cooperate as a unified denomination (1100 Free Baptist churches merged at that time, along with denominational infrastructures such as 7 colleges and a press). Free Will Baptists in the south were never really organized and mostly languished until their organization in 1935. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39MEzEqxRC6fjLaXHvE12wmTsARdXe0DJbdbkozf2qgxJVSvxMoB8QAixTwOy-rokWSLDWVMiHDqUqrGU6K_-FmGOxFQQP4209YszlA-rzV5lQf9fwldVY70Ft_5qzyqTdwPd2gGo_1mT/s1600/Picirilli+and+Forlines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39MEzEqxRC6fjLaXHvE12wmTsARdXe0DJbdbkozf2qgxJVSvxMoB8QAixTwOy-rokWSLDWVMiHDqUqrGU6K_-FmGOxFQQP4209YszlA-rzV5lQf9fwldVY70Ft_5qzyqTdwPd2gGo_1mT/s200/Picirilli+and+Forlines.jpg" width="200" /></a>Now, the very narrow ecclesiological swath of the modern FWB denomination preserves the much larger Arminian Baptist theology of Helwys and Grantham. That is to say, this venerable and very significant Arminian Baptist theology in its pure form is carried on the very small shoulders of a minor and mostly regional denomination of about 2200 churches. Its preservation and dissemination is largely the result of the efforts of two capable theologians, Leroy Forlines and Robert Picirilli, both octogenarians who are still very active. They were hardly known outside of their denominational context until the Calvinist resurgence of the 1990s when Arminians began desperately seeking good Arminian books to read.</div>
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But here is my point: despite the frail denominational structure that undergirds this Arminian Baptist theology, I have found the theology itself to be incredibly strong. I carried it with me through J.I. Packer's systematic courses at the graduate level, and tested it in the most rigorous exegetical courses of Fee and the Calvinist Bruce Waltke. I carried it with me to Cambridge where it was tested by my PhD supervisor and by Cambridge NT scholar Simon Gathercole. I may not have convinced those who were already committed Calvinists, but many of my peers felt that I satisfactorily presented a system that passed exegetical muster and the logical demands of a unified theological system. Forlines' overall view of Romans has survived even the New Pauline Perspective debate (indeed, he was making comments similar to E.P. Sanders for years prior to the publication of his 1987 commentary).<br />
<br />
Click on <a href="http://www.helwyssocietyforum.com/?p=238" target="_blank">Helwys</a> for more info on Helwys.<br />
<br />
For more on Reformation Arminianism click <a href="http://treasuresoldandnewbiblicaltexts.blogspot.com/2007/11/what-is-reformation-arminianism.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543241192622472250.post-56604354593885265892017-02-17T08:45:00.000-08:002017-02-17T08:45:12.774-08:00Two More Points about Interim Ministry and Your Church's Health<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEMd6pKEW1Z7hONKVq0EJr4jQyHrYZMLqyoio5bKefJPdiIhDk5ivX3JgNy0zCsQThs5DCQ9pbncSh2nMVohd85AK_V2eu7p76k3Ww0mpYMNLzyIS7qMFEB3E1oS29jUU6eajayiC72AQ/s1600/Pastor+vacancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEMd6pKEW1Z7hONKVq0EJr4jQyHrYZMLqyoio5bKefJPdiIhDk5ivX3JgNy0zCsQThs5DCQ9pbncSh2nMVohd85AK_V2eu7p76k3Ww0mpYMNLzyIS7qMFEB3E1oS29jUU6eajayiC72AQ/s320/Pastor+vacancy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The longer I serve in ministry,
the more I am convinced of the validity and necessity of interim ministry. Contrary
to popular opinion, interim ministry is not about keeping the pulpit filled or
sustaining whatever ministerial momentum a church might have. Rather interim
ministry is all about church health. Much more could be offered in this short
blog article, but here’s a start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In most
cases, there is some shadowy unpleasantness about a pastor’s departure. Sometimes
the departure is rancorous and outright painful for the congregation. A primary
task of the interim minister is to help the church come to terms with its past,
especially its recent past. A church may be justified in pressuring its former
pastor to leave, but even in the best of circumstances, such actions—justified as
they may be—creates baggage that needs unpacked and sorted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The church
that goes through a long period of serious conflict with its previous pastor is
especially vulnerable to dysfunction. A recently divorced individual is likely
to project dysfunctionality into the next relationship if there is no
intervention between the previous marriage and the new relationship. A
specially trained interim minister helps restore health into the church’s
ministerial and decision-making culture so that church and newly called pastor
can bond without the baggage of the previous conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A
congregation’s or a congregant’s general skepticism or lack of faith in church
leaders can be restored when the interim minister is seen working well with
leaders. The interim minister can compassionately hear a congregant’s complaints
about the way the previous pastor was forced to resign, weigh the complaint,
and address the issue with the church leadership as appropriate. This promotes not
only good process, but also the restoration of trust between congregants and
leaders. The interim minister is prone to encourage such trust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The interim
ministry can promote financial health in the church. In protracted conflict, congregants
are less enthusiastic about attending services and prone to absenteeism. This adversely
affects offering. A good interim minister makes alienated members feel safe
about returning to church and fosters enthusiasm for worship attendance, and
offerings are likely to stabilize. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A major
problem with not calling an interim minister during a pastoral vacancy is that
a church is prone to self-deception about its financial situation. It gets accustomed
to having a financial windfall from paying minimal honorariums rather than full
salaries. Calling an interim minister establishes that the church can sustain a
called pastor’s salary. Besides, givers may get out of the habit of giving when
a church reduces such expenditures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAOYnGYVahEeIAvtqRzC4S91hZz8ymDeK5p2o3NBA8Ds8Ft_5g9f6ENRosjbadnZNm3xfqLeMh0HJvqxbMOjUYtmYMhtZqZjI85V_STjLEIY1lLjVmY8LEzWZsoKwEF3O-RyT_SsiLu4i/s1600/Interim+MInistry+Task.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAOYnGYVahEeIAvtqRzC4S91hZz8ymDeK5p2o3NBA8Ds8Ft_5g9f6ENRosjbadnZNm3xfqLeMh0HJvqxbMOjUYtmYMhtZqZjI85V_STjLEIY1lLjVmY8LEzWZsoKwEF3O-RyT_SsiLu4i/s400/Interim+MInistry+Task.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Much more
could be said. Churches that fail to utilize the <i>interim</i> minister very, very often make their next <i>called</i> pastor a <i>de facto</i> interim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
James M. Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06064939564477543675noreply@blogger.com0