Amazing Wonders VBS

First & Second Graders at our 2012 VBS

Our Vacation Bible School is off to a great start! This morning, we had 32 children come learn about our “Awesome God! Amazing Power!” The kids were energetic and well-behaved, and I expect we’ll see even more of their friends show up tomorrow.

 Special thanks to all our staff this year. In all, we have 30 volunteers (youth & adults) helping our program run smoothly.

This year's VBS offering will support the Missionary Aviation Fellowship.  They deliver food, water, medicine, and Bibles to remote ares of the world. The boys took an early lead today by bringing $17.21, while the girls are close behind with $15.50. That means we already have $32.71 toward our goal of $100!

VBS is a great way to reach out to our community. One of the parents came up to me afterwards and said, “Thank you so much for doing this!”

Praise the Lord for a wonderful first day. Please keep praying for our program tomorrow and Thursday, and be sure to join us at First Southern this Friday at 6pm for Family Fun Night.

SBC Makes History in New Orleans

Pastor David Crosby nominates Dr. Fred Luter as next President of the SBC

Today, we had the privilege of gathering in New Orleans to elect the first African-American President in the 167 year history of our Southern Baptist Convention. After nomination, Dr. Fred Luter ascended to the platform of the convention. Baptist Press describes what happened next...

It's customary, current SBC President Bryant Wright said, when there is only one candidate for elective office, for the SBC recording secretary to cast one vote for everyone.

"However, this chair on this occasion believes this historic moment should fully belong to the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention," Wright said. He instructed the messengers to stand if it was "their pleasure" that Luter be elected president.

It was.

[Almost 8,000 messengers stood and gave a rousing ovation]

As Luter came to the podium, he wiped his eyes, pointed toward heaven, and wiped his eyes again.

"To God be the glory for the things He has done," Luter simply said. "God bless you. I love you."

Wright wrapped his arm around Luter's shoulders as he prayed for the man elected to lead the Southern Baptist Convention as of Wednesday evening, June 20.

It was an emotional moment for all of us in the room. But as Danny Akin noted in the IX Marks at Nine meeting tonight, our work has just begun. This must be more than symbolic. We have elected our first African-American president of the SBC and shown once and for all that we have repented of our denomination's past. Now we must support Dr. Luter as he leads us into the future.

Free Book on Calvinism & the SBC

Earlier today, Founders Ministry released a brand new e-book called Traditional Theology and the SBC: An Interaction with, and Response to, the Traditionalist Statement of God's Plan of Salvation. 

This book is available for free in ePub or mobi (Kindle) formats through the Founders website. It will be necessary for you to set up an account, but there is no charge, and no credit card info is required. The book was posted just this morning and demonstrates the power of technology in theological dialogue. 

Allow me to give a little background. Less than three weeks ago, a document was released called “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation” which took aim against New Calvinism and the doctrines of grace. The document already has over 650 signatures and has been endorsed by many of the SBC’s non-Calvinist leaders. It sent the blogosphere into a frenzy and even prompted our SBC President Bryant Wright this morning to call Calvinism “the elephant in the room.” 

This short e-book began as a series of posts on the blog of Tom Ascol, director of Founders Ministry. It is a quick but reasoned response, seeking to set the record straight on this touchy subject. 

Personally, I use the label “Calvinist” sparingly, but I do believe the Bible teaches the doctrines of grace and I preach them unashamedly. I am happy to cooperate with my non-Calvinist brothers for gospel causes, but I believe that salvation is only best and fully understood when we see it as an act of God’s sovereign grace, all for His glory.

June 2012 Pastors Update

Here's my Pastor's Update from our quarterly business meeting yesterday...

Praise the Lord, we’re making progress in our mission to “make disciples of Jesus Christ by reaching and teaching everyone.” Worship service attendance is growing and we have several who are moving toward baptism and membership. More people are participating in Wednesday night Bible Study, and we have an average of twenty visitors to our website or podcast every day. We are also reaching our community by handing out free water and flyers at local events and have been able to minister to grieving families by hosting memorial services.

Four issues that need our special prayer are: children’s ministry, spacing issues, leadership development, and mercy ministry. We are noticing more and more families visiting the church looking for a children’s program and we need wisdom how to minister to these families. As attendance grows, we’re also feeling the space limits of our sanctuary, and that our current leaders are getting spread very thin. These are wonderful problems to have! Long-term, we also need to find a way to show the love of Christ in our community and find a holistic, biblical approach to help people with financial need (Soup kitchen? Homeless shelter? Rehab ranch? Food pantry? Job skills training?) Please partner with us in prayer over these opportunities.

As you know, we’re approaching the end of our series through 1 Corinthians on Sunday mornings. I have enjoyed this book immensely and am praying for where to head next. Some of the top contenders are Ecclesiastes, 2 Corinthians, and Titus. Look for a series on Prayer in late July, then a brand new expository series to begin sometime this fall.

March and April were a challenging time for our family as Natalie began to experience fatigue, shakiness, dizziness, and dangerously high blood pressure. This led to many doctor visits, tests, and two late night visits to ER. I’m reminded how blessed we are to have family health insurance. Insurance is a significant cost to our church, but it has saved our family tens (maybe even hundreds) of thousands of dollars. Thank you for obeying God’s word and giving “double honor” to those who labor at preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 5:17) so I can care for my family and give adequate attention to the ministry. We will continue to keep everyone updated as Natalie meets with the endocrinologist and we learn more about her condition.

My Testimony

Thirty years ago this spring, God changed my life.

My father Alan was a godly pastor. My mother Ellen was a tender homemaker. Both are alive and still serving the Lord faithfully today. I was an only child, but my parents' affection more than compensated for my lack of siblings. They loved each other and they loved me. But most importantly, they loved God. Because of this, I had the privilege of learning the Bible early, both at church and at home.

I honestly don't remember the day I accepted Christ. It feels like a faint dream lying just beyond the haze of my earliest memory. According to my parents, I asked one night how I could avoid hell and make sure I was going to heaven. That evening, my dad shared the gospel again, then led me in a prayer to receive Christ. It was Monday, March 29, 1982. I was three-and-a-half years old. Every December, my Mom inscribes that day on the new year's calendar so we can celebrate the day of my second birth. In many ways, it is even more important than my first birth.

One key moment in my spiritual journey took place at summer camp when I was around six or seven years old. The camp speaker asked who would be willing to go anywhere and do anything for Christ -- to completely surrender to Him. With heads bowed, we were invited to express that commitment by walking up to the front of the auditorium. No one moved. The room was silent. It felt like hours had passed. I was sitting on the front row next to my mom (one of the camp counselors). I was one of the youngest campers there. I turned to her and whispered whether I really had to go forward -- to do this in front of all these people. She said if I really loved the Lord and believed in Him, I should be willing to do it. So, I stood up and went forward. Soon, others followed suit. This was a big step for me to work out my salvation in bold obedience.

I'm thankful God saved me so young, but I must confess I struggled with doubt during my adolescence. Had I really believed in Jesus? Was I truly saved? Was I absolutely sure I'd go to heaven if I died? These questions haunted my soul. To make matters worse, traveling evangelists would sometimes come to our Christian school, employing scare tactics to get us to walk the aisle and convert. But finally, on Friday, March 27, 1992, I had enough. I realized that my lack of assurance was really a lack of faith in the finished work of Christ. I needed to stop fearing and start trusting. If I had truly believed in Christ, then His gift of eternal life was already mine (Jn. 3:36). That night, I re-dedicated my life to the Lord one last time -- just to be sure. And I've enjoyed peace ever since.

The Bible promises that "if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). That is precisely what God did in my life. He transformed me. He gave me a new nature, new thoughts, and new desires. I remember the thrill of sharing the gospel with a girl not more than five or six years old. I remember the joy of listening to a men's quartet who visited our church when I was a little boy. I remember being scared out of my wits and praying desperately for God's protection while huddled on the couch during a fierce Midwest thunderstorm. I remember gazing each night at the John 3:16 plaque hanging above my bed. I remember memorizing Bible verses for Vacation Bible School and Quizzing. I remember refusing my first cigarette and declining my first porn magazine -- not because Dad and Mom might find out, but because I knew it would dishonor God. Even the tiniest "white lie" tormented me until I confessed it. God was faithfully protecting me and using His Spirit to produce a growing holiness in my life. While I was far from perfect, God was undeniably living inside of me.

Ultimately, I don't rest my assurance in any childhood experience, but in my present understanding of the gospel and the fruit of a changed life. I admit that I am nothing but a poor and helpless sinner (Eph. 2:1-3) who stands condemned before a holy God (Rom. 1:18). I rejoice that God sent His only Son to obey God's Law and die in my place, raising Him up on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4). By the grace of God, I have repented of my sin and been washed by the cleansing blood of Jesus (Titus 3:5). My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

Echoing the words of John Newton, my testimony can be summed up in one sentence:

I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.

Thank You Jesus.

Automatic Ball Return

Here's a video of how our one-year-old plays pool...

National Day of Prayer

Religion and politics. We’ve all been warned not discuss these two topics in public. Bring one up, and the mood at the water cooler can go from casual to combative in about 2.5 seconds. But I’m going to breach etiquette and mention them both … in the same article.

First, politics. As we all know, this is an election year. Campaign flyers are flooding our mailbox. The California Primary Election is just around the corner, and six months from now, millions of Americans will gather at their local precinct to choose a leader for the next four years. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge observed, “All the opportunity for self-government through the rule of the people depends upon one single factor. That is the ballot box.” If you haven’t already, be sure to register and exercise your right to vote in our upcoming elections. It is our duty.

Now on to religion. I must confess, I’m not very fond of the word “religion.” It usually brings to mind cold ceremonies, empty rituals, and corrupt institutions. But if, by “religion,” we mean faith in God through Jesus Christ, it’s the most precious word on the planet.

Each of us has a political duty to vote. But we also have a religious duty: to pray for our country. The Apostle Paul says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. For kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV). Since my 18th birthday, I’ve never missed an election. But to my shame, I sometimes forget to pray for my leaders after they’re elected.

Elections are good, but prayer meetings are better. Elections shape history, but prayer affects the God of history. Prayer unites our hearts with the sovereign Lord of the universe who alone “changes times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21).

Let’s pray that our elected officials will have wisdom and strength. Let’s pray for our schools, our military, our churches, our families, and our law enforcement. Most importantly, let’s pray for the spiritual needs of our nation -- that more people will find true hope in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Tomorrow, we have a great opportunity to pray during the National Day of Prayer. On behalf of the other pastors of the Morongo Basin Evangelical Pastors Fellowship, I invite you to join us at Remembrance Park at Noon on Thursday May 3, 2012. But even if you can’t make this gathering, please pause for a few moments to pray for our nation and our community. After all, it is our duty.

This article first appeared in the Minister's Message in today's edition of our local newspaper, the Hi Desert Star.