Discipling our Children

I thought I would repost the links to a series I did a little over a year ago on the discipling of our children and some of the questions I often hear with regards to sending ones children to the government schools. I speak of “discipling” with regards to schooling since that is the goal, or should be, of education; yes the government schools are seeking to disciple your children as well. Since the disciple will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40) this should be enough for Christian parents not to send their children to government schools but sadly it often is not.

Below are links to the nine articles:

1) Christian Homeschooling and Charter Schools
2) What is the purpose of Christian Education: Part 1 & Part 2
3) Should the Government be involved in the Education of our children
4) Why are we so easily swayed by the money & items offered by charter schools?
5) Should not my children be in the public school to be lights in a dark place?
6) Why do we need to meet man’s standards for education?
7) Why do we need relief or a respite from the presence of our children?
8) Isn't how we educate our children a preference?
9) What if my husband says he does not want to homeschool?

Around the Web and Blogosphere (7/5/10)

Theological Mediations is a good blog that I recently came across. You can find what the owner of the blog describes as; “primary source documentation that involves my exploration into the revealed will of God as viewed in Calvinistic history.”


You can be praying for a couple families; Pray for the Harris family as Greg Harris’ wife, Sono, was called home to Jesus yesterday. Also keep Joni Eareckson Tada, and her husband Ken, in your prayers as she deals with her cancer. I would also recommend reading an article I read some time ago and one that Joni has linked to on her site entitled: "Don't Waste Your Cancer" by John Piper.


At The New Geneva Leadership Blog there is a good article by Stephen Halbrook called: The Bible Opposes Socialism. The point made in the article are:
1) The Bible’s civil code does not authorize socialism.
2) Socialism violates the Bible’s commands against partiality
3) Socialism is a form of public slavery
4) Socialism is a form of covetousness
5) The New Testament does not sanction socialism
6) Socialism is idolatrous
7) Socialism is symptomatic of a lack of faith in God
8) Socialism opposes “The Golden Rule”
9) The Book of Acts does not support socialism


You can check out the NCFIC Blog to see articles and videos from the NCFIC Road Trip which based on their original schedule should be concluding today.


Israel Wayne has a good article on the Brush Arbor site called: I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag. How many of us know the origin of the Pledge of Allegiance yet we often fight for it tooth and nail. For believers it is imperative that we know its origin and what it means as we are to truly only to pledge allegiance to God and not to any state. You can watch an interview that Kevin Swanson does with Israel Wayne on this article here or listen to it here.


As an aside I have been so busy with little time to write. But I am working on converting a study on the Trinity that I did a few years ago to a number of blog posts and hope to have they done in the next week or so.

NCFIC Road Trip - Oakhurst Stop (6/21/10)

We just returned from spending the weekend in Oakhurst California. We got to Fresno Saturday and then spent the Lord’s Day worshiping with Christ Community Bible Church (CCBC). It was a great time of worship and fellowship.

Then Monday (6/21) after taking a drive around Bass Lake we met at CCBC for some great teaching and fellowship. It is my understanding there were around 240 people, adults and children, at this “NCFIC Road Trip-Oakhurst” stop which was a great turn out especially considering it was on a Monday afternoon/evening. CCBC did a great ob of hosting this event keeping things on schedule and even providing an evening meal between sessions where families could gather to meet together. This was especially appreciated as so often at conferences there is so much to pack in that fellowship can often be cut short but not here.

The sessions were broken down with the men and sons meeting together for the first 2 hours or so and the women and daughters meeting for a tea at the same time. After the initial sessions we all gathered together for a meal then all gathered for a final two talks as one large group.

As I only heard the men’s talks and the final talks I cannot comment on the women's talks but from what I understand they were very good. I will post a link to my wife and daughter’s blog when they get a post up on the women’s part of the meeting. In the first talk Scott Brown spoke on Building a Biblical Family. In his talk Scott, with his usual passion for the sufficiency of scripture, spoke on 12 areas that need to be dealt with to build a biblical family. Those areas are, and I given some, not all, of the scripture references given:

1) Examining Ones Heart to be Sure of Ones Salvation – II Cor 13:5; II Cor 5:17;Matt 7:16
2) Observe the Sabbath Day – Deut 5:12-15; Ex 20; Neh 13; Heb 4
3) Listening to the Preaching of the Word of God - Acts 2:42
4) Celebrating as a Family – Deut 12:12; Ps 127 – 128
5) Doing business with Sin – Job 1:5; Col 3:5
6) Dealing with the “One Another’s” in the church – Eph 4
7) Conducting Family Worship – Ps 78; Jn 4:23-24
8) Praying Family Prayers – Matt 6:33
9) Working Together – Prov 10:4-5
10) Saturating the Family in the Law & Love of God – Deut 6:1-9
11) Studying History Together – Deut 31:7
12) Make a God Centered Marriage – Gen 1:27-28; Gen 2:18; Prov 31

Peter Bradrick then spoke, mainly to the younger men, about the need to see we are in a battle. One of the great points he made is that we so often allow the young to use youth as a time of play while in reality it is the only time they have to prepare for adulthood. This is especially important for believers as youth is a time not for amusement but a time to prepare for the battle. A time that is lost if not used for God’s glory. He also spoke of areas that so often attach to young men. Areas such as: being absorbed in the culture of sports, simply hanging out with other young men accomplishing nothing and also the attitudes of apathy, pride and the pursuit of pleasure. This is a message that needs to be shared and instilled in all young men.

The time with the men was concluded with another message from Scott Brown on “Common Infections in the Family Integrated Church. These were areas that in some form or fashion are in many “Family Integrated Churches” but that should not be there and thus need to be corrected and dealt with in some fashion. The 12 items spoken on, and with explanations of each were:

1) Neglecting the Gospel – the exalting of Christ by “all” of His word
2) Misunderstanding Family Integration – especially in making it the centerpiece of the church
3) Misunderstanding Equipping & Evangelism in the Church
4) Lack of Biblically Qualified Leadership
5) Home Churching – especially as it relates to biblical leadership that scripture points to with regards to the church
6) Doctrinal Confusion
7) Fuzziness in Biblical Womanhood and the Influence of Feminism
8) Disrespecting Authority – often by having no authority
9) Lack of a Love for Scripture
10) Inward Focus that causes a Neglect in Ministry to the Lost
11) Absence of Humility
12) Lack of Love for the Church

After a great meal and fellowship we all gathered together to hear another talk from Scott Brown and Peter Bradrick. Scott spoke first and his topic was on Reformation in the Church. In covering the topic he did so in three sections:

Characteristics of Reformation
1) A Work of God, Not Man
2) Often follows Seasons of Idolatry & Sinfulness
3) Fueled by Desperation
4) Touched off by the Preaching of the True Gospel
5) Propelled by a Hunger for God
6) Outward Changes Followed by the Inward Conviction of Sin
7) Marked by an Unusual Love for Scripture
8) Ignites a Love for the Gathering of God’s People
9) Produces Opposition

Modern Signs of Revival
1) Clarification of the True Gospel & Preaching of it
2) Resurgence of Expository Preaching
3) Doctrinal Awareness
4) Revival of Biblical Fatherhood
5) Large Families
6) Rejection of Feminism
7) Modest Dress
8) Early Manhood
9) Dating Culture Rejected
10) Generational Retention
11) Biblical Counseling Movement
12) A Wave of Books on Family based on the Sufficiency of Scripture
13) Rejection of Evolutionary Speculation
14) New Churches Planted that Reject Age Segregation
15) Censure, Rejection & Persecution

What Kinds of Reforms are the NCFIC Seeking
As the talk went long this section was gone through rather quickly but some of the reforms sought were areas such as the use of the regulative principle and other areas that further promote the items listed above.

Peter Bradrick closed the conference speaking on the youth group culture the church is so enamored with. The NCFIC has been working on a documentary that should be out this year on the subject as well as Scott Brown is putting out a book on the subject. Both of which will in all likelihood meet with resistance because they go against the churches culturally accepted norm even if it is not a biblically supported norm. Peter touched on a number of areas but the picture that was painted was one of the need to return to how God wants youth to be nurtured and discipled which is by equipping families and primarily fathers. I am sure more will be said on the subject as the two new resources from the NCFIC come out.

What a great time this was and many thanks to Christ Community Bible Church for doing a fine job of putting on the conference. If you are ever in the Oakhurst area this is a great church to spend the Lord’s Day.

CCBC Contact info:
Christ Community Bible Church in Oakhurst, California
Oakhurst Community Center
39800 Road 425 B.
Oakhurst, CA 93644
Michael Cox (mcox@sti.net)

If you have an opportunity try and attend one of the remaining NCFIC Road Trip stops.  You can find the the cities still to be visited here.

Here are a few pictures from Monday:

 Scott Brown

 Peter Bradrick

Defending The Christian Worldview Against all Opposition

Well things have been quite busy and with preparing a sermon each week and work there has not been much time to write. However I do get to drive 30 minutes each way to work and to redeem that time I have been listening to some CD’s by Greg Bahnsen that I think every believer would greatly benefit from.

The series I am just finishing is called: Defending The Christian Worldview Against all Opposition. This set is in 2 parts with Series 1 being called: Weapons of our Spiritual Warfare and Series 2: Destroying all Speculation

Coming from a Presuppositional apologetic framework Mr. Bahnsen does a masterful job of teaching how to defend the Christian Worldview. While there are some terms that may be foreign to those that have not dealt with apologetics, philosophy or logic I think they are explained in a manner that will make them clear. This set is a must for homeschooled families because not only does it teach how to defend the faith but in the process teaches important principles of logic and reasoning that are often sorely missed by many believers.

While there is some repetition between the two Series I think this only helps to further instill the concepts & principles being taught. Also, as you go through the two series you will find previous concepts and ideas being built on so that you are even better equipped. I will be listening to this series again so as to refresh and hone my ability to defend my faith.

One regret I have after listening to this series is that I never got to hear Dr. Bahnsen, and I live in Southern California. While Dr. Bahnsen is with the Lord we still have his teaching and I for one have been greatly blessed by it.

Included in Series 1:
1. Faith or Reason?
2. Faith and Reason
3. Foundational Faith
4. Just the Facts
5. Faith, Facts, and Worldviews
6. What is Philosophy?
7. Types of Worldviews
8. A Critique of Atheism
9. The Unbeliever is a Believer
10. A Quick Course in Comparative Religion
11. Mormons and Muslims
12. Two-fold Apologetic Approach

Included in Series 2:
1. Arbitrary Arguments
2. Inconsistent Arguments
3. Presuppositional Tension
4. Preconditions for Intelligently
5. Proof and Persuade
6. The Evolutionary Worldview
7. The Problem of Evil
8. Competing Religious Claims
9. An Internal Critique of the Koran
10. Circular Reasoning

This series can be bought as a set, here, or individually, here- Series 1 , Series 2

$25 OFF at Vision Forum

Good through June 1st:    $25 off coupon when you spend $75+

Around the Web and Blogosphere (5/21/10)

If you like Bluegrass check out the Wintons, actually even if you are not a fan of bluegrass check them out. You can listen to their music here. You can also buy a download of the music at BlueBehemoth. They were just interviewed by Kevin Swanson: Music Genres Capable of Integrating the Generations. Here is their Purpose Statement:

"It is our desire to faithfully proclaim the Gospel in word and deed. At the same time, we want to perform a concert in a professional manner using both gospel bluegrass and family-friendly traditional bluegrass music which portrays a family that is seeking to glorify the Lord. While we want our concerts to be entertaining, we have determined that we are not a family that exists for entertainment purposes, but a family that desires to communicate to others the love of God and His active work in our lives as well as His desire to work faithfully in the lives of others. During our concerts we plan to communicate the saving grace of Jesus Christ, the blessing of families ministering together, the purpose of having a family vision, the fruitfulness of multi-generational faithfulness, and the goal of living separate and deliberate lives for the Lord. We also hope to share about the blessings of adoption, both in a natural and spiritual sense."



Devon Maddox at The Salt Room writes on: Sovereign Church Growth. He has a great quote by David Wells from his book The Courage to be Protestant:

“The truth is that there is nothing in our postmodern world that is a serious threat, or an insurmountable obstacle, to the will of God. This is true of his saving will as well. He is sovereign in the way he begets faith today as he is over the sparrow that flies or falls. He will grow the church. Today, we no longer seem to believe this, and want to aid his cause by our weak and foolish capitulations.”

How true this is as the church today seeks after all but God for growth. Actually, the whole idea of “growth” is often an issue as well. Of course the professing church today would not admit to this lack of trust but actions often speak louder than words and those actions say the church today does not trust God to grow His church. Personally I think this problem stems from a faulty view of God’s sovereignty; a view that places God as being restrained by our desires and will and not the other way around.



At Lane’s Blog there is a post: Election as Taught in the Bible. This post lists some of the Scriptural evidence for the doctrine of election. Also below is a video that is posted along with this list.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (5/12/10)

R.C. Sproul Jr. posts on: What Is Reconstructionism? What Is Theonomy? In many circles, even reformed ones, the mention of “theonomy” or “reconstructionism” raises a myriad of objections but I have found that most of these come from a misconception of what it is. As R.C. states, and others before him have stated: ““Autonomy or theonomy!”……We will either have man’s law, or God’s law and only a fool would choose man over God.”


How far are we in the US from this: It’s Getting Dangerous Out There — A Preacher Is Arrested in Britain. Are pastors, and laymen for that matter, in the US ready to preach the truth, all of it, in the face of prison? If we do not do so now in the face of not much more than ridicule how we will do it when true persecution looms.


At the NCFIC website there is a good message from Jeff Pollard called: The Trap of Family Idolatry. Those that think the NCFIC worships the family should listen to this message as Jeff Pollard deals with what he calls “Familyolatry” and how to avoid it.


Steve Camp writes on: TREASURING THE TREASURE OF GOD'S WORD...the infallible divine plumbline for all matters of life and godliness. He deals with preaching out of the word of God rather than simply out of ones good thoughts and opinions, no matter how correct they may be.

Grace & Genesis 38

Last Lord’s Day (4/24) I preached through Genesis 38. It is one of those passages that can be uncomfortable as it shows man in all his sin. The passage looks at the life of Judah while Joseph was off in Egypt. As one person I read commented, this is sort of a “meanwhile back at the ranch” passage. Telling of what Judah, the one the line of Christ was to come through, was doing while his brother was enslaved in Egypt.

As I studied the passage I wondered how to deal with the sin of Er, Onan and Judah. How do I deal with this, especially with small children present, so as to be above all faithful to the text but also sensitive to those hearing the text? The more I read the passage the more it became clear that the sins of Judah and Onan are reveled as they are to show the grace of God. The sins do not have to be excessively expounded on as they stand by themselves and thus simply need to be read as presented in the text. What needs to be emphasized in this chapter is the grace of God. The revelation of the grace of God to use a man such as Judah, and for that matter Tamar, to bring about the one to crush the head of the serpent (Gen 3:15) is striking.

If you were to simply read Genesis with no understanding of what was to come you would think that Joseph was the one the line of Christ was to flow through. Is not Joseph a picture of Christ? Is not he the one that is pictured as more righteous? But no, God works through the imperfect to bring about the perfect. God works not as man but as God to do what most glorifies Him. We should not be surprised by this with all that we see in Genesis up to Chapter 38, but we usually are. So grace is a major part of Chapter 38.

Moses is writing this to the Hebrews preparing to cross the Jordon back into the Promised Land after 40 years in the wilderness. He is telling them not to be proud as if who they were was why God worked through them. Moses is showing how their heritage is one of sin but that it was God’s choice to work through them thus they had no reason to boast or pat themselves on the back. This is much as we should feel when we realize there is nothing in us that requires God to choose us. While I have heard many claim that the Doctrines of Grace can lead to pride, that is false. If pride comes out of your understanding of election you have misunderstood it. What should come out of a correct understanding of God’s calling is humility as we should clearly see we have nothing to boast about.

If we are truthful with ourselves our lives are much more closely aligned with that of Judah than Joseph and thus as with Judah it is only by grace God would call us to Himself. If you are truly one of God’s children you have been chosen by His grace not your merit and thus cannot boast (Eph 2:8-9).

This is not an excuse to live as Judah and simply expect God’s grace as the passage has a second feature and that is one of contrast. The contrast between the life of Judah and that of Joseph. Thus we are to see the grace of God to call us as we live as Judah. As well as to see our call to live, by God’s power, as Joseph.

So the sin that is portrayed in this passage is used to accentuate God’s grace. A grace seen from the beginning to the end of His word. There is not more grace in the Older Testament than in the Newer. It is all of grace that God would work though any of us. Let us truly understand that and seek to live, again by His power, in a way that most glorifies Him, as is laid out in His word.

If you would like to listen to last weeks sermon you can hear it here.

2010 European Virtual History Tour & MP3 Collection

If you could not make it to the Vision Forum Faith and Freedom Tour across Europe this may be the next best thing: The 2010 European Virtual History Tour & MP3 Collection, for $59 (Special offer ends May 3, 2010 ):

This special package allows you and your family to gain new understanding, context, and inspiration by receiving in-the-field video highlights from this historic tour across Europe, and be the first to hear the messages on MP3 from our journey (receive over 40 messages at the special pre-tour package price).

The tour begins on May 2, and runs through May 15.

Here is what you get with your Online Tour Pass:

1. Daily Lectures and Messages: Exclusive daily video messages from the locations that built Western Civilization on subjects ranging from military history to theology to architecture;

2. Interactive Study Course: You can send your questions in to our teachers who will answer many of them via video which will be posted and made available through a private link;

3. Study Material: During the tour, we will pose regular study questions and direct you to additional resources to expand your studies;

4. Advance MP3 Collection of all the audio recorded in the field;*
*The live recordings from the field will be unedited.

To sign up you can do so here: 2010 European Virtual History Tour & MP3 Collection (Special offer ends May 3, 2010. )


Virtual Tour and Online Study Course from Vision Forum.

All We Need is Love?

Repost From American Covenanter

All We Need is Love?

Dead men speaking from the grave on modern heresies

By Horatius Bonar, 1809-1889

Some speak as if the servant were greater than the Master, and the disciple above his Lord; as if the Lord Jesus honoured the Law, and His people were to set it aside; as if He fulfilled it for us, that we might not need to fulfill it; as if He kept it, not that we might keep it, but that we might not keep it, but something else in its stead, they know not what.

The plain truth is, we must either keep it or break it. Which of these men ought to do, let those answer who speak of a believer having nothing more to do with Law. There is no middle way. If it be not a saint's duty to keep the Law, he may break it at pleasure, and go on sinning because grace abounds.

The word duty is objected to as inconsistent with the liberty of forgiveness and sonship. Foolish and idle cavil! What is duty? It is the thing which is due by me to God, that line of conduct which I owe to God. And do these objectors mean to say that, because God has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, therefore we owe Him nothing, we have no duty now to Him? Has not redemption rather made us doubly debtors? We owe Him more than ever; we owe His holy Law more than ever; more honour, more obedience. Duty has been doubled, not cancelled, by our being delivered from the Law; and he who says that duty has ceased, because deliverance has come, knows nothing of duty, or the Law, or deliverance. The greatest of all debtors in the universe is the redeemed man, the man who can say, 'The life that I live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.' What a strange sense of gratitude these men must have, who suppose that because love has cancelled the penalties of the Law, and turned away its wrath, therefore reverence and obedience to that Law are no longer due! Is terror, in their estimation, the only foundation of duty, and when love comes in and terror ceases, does duty become a bondage?

'No,' they may say, 'but there is something higher than duty, there is privilege; it is that for which we contend.'

I answer, the privilege of what? Of obeying the Law? That they cannot away with; for they say they are no longer under Law, but under grace. What privilege, then? Of imitating Christ? Be it so. But how can we imitate Him whose life was one great Law fulfilling, without keeping the Law? What privilege, again we ask? Of doing the will of God? Be it so. And what is the Law but the revealed will of God? And has our free forgiveness released us from the privilege of conformity to the revealed will of God?

But what do they mean by thus rejecting the word 'duty', and contending for that of 'privilege'? Privilege is not something distinct from duty, nor at variance with duty, but it is duty and something more; it is duty influenced by higher motives, duty uncompelled by terror or suspense. In privilege the duty is all there; but there is something superadded, in shape of motive and relationship, which exalts and ennobles duty. It is my duty to obey government; it is my privilege to obey my parent. But in the latter case is duty gone, because privilege has come in? Or has not the loving relationship between parent and child only intensified the duty, by superadding the privilege, and sweetening the obedience by the mutual love? 'The love of Christ constraineth.' That is something more than both duty and privilege added.

Let men who look but at one side of a subject say what they will, this is the truth of God, that we are liberated from the Law just in order that we may keep the Law. We get the 'no condemnation', in order that 'the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us' (Rom. 8:4). We are delivered from 'the mind of the flesh', which is enmity to God, and not subject to His Law, on purpose that we may be subject to His Law (Rom. 8:7), that we may 'delight in the Law of God after the inward man' (Rom. 9:22), nay, that we may 'with the mind serve the Law of God' (Rom. 7:25),that we may be 'doers of the Law' (James 4:11). These objectors may speak of obedience to the Law as bondage, or of the Law itself being abolished to believers; here are the words of the Holy Ghost. The Law of God is just the Law of God, that very Law which David loved, and in which David's Son delighted; and it would be well for such men meekly and lovingly to learn what delighting in it, serving it, doing it are.

'Do we make void the Law by faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the Law' (Rom. 3:31), that is, we set it on a firmer basis than ever. That Law, 'holy, and just, and good,' thus doubly established, is now for us, not against us. Its aspect towards us is that of friendship and love, and so we have become 'the servants of righteousness' (Rom. 6:18), yielding our members servants to righteousness (Rom. 6:19). We are not men delivered from service, but delivered from one kind of service, and by that deliverance introduced into another, 'that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter' (Rom. 7:6), as 'the Lord's freemen' (1 Cor. 7:22), yet Christ's servants (1 Cor. 7:22). Thus obligation, duty, service, obedience still remain to the believing man though no longer associated with bondage and terror, but with freedom, gladness and love. The Law's former bearing on us is altered and, with that, the nature and spirit of the service are altered, but the service itself remains, and the Law which regulates that service is confirmed, not annulled.

Some will tell us here that it is not service they object to, but service regulated by law. But will they tell us what is to regulate service, if not law? Love, they say. This is a pure fallacy. Love is not a rule but a motive. Love does not tell me what to do; it tells me how to do it. Love constrains me to do the will of the beloved one; but to know what that will is I must go elsewhere. The Law of our God is the will of the beloved One, and were that expression of His will withdrawn, love would be utterly in the dark; it would not know what to do. It might say, 'I love my Master, and I love His service, and I want to do His bidding, but I must know the rules of His house, that I may know how to serve Him.' Love without law to guide its impulses would be the parent of will-worship and confusion, as surely as terror and self-righteousness, unless upon the supposition of an inward miraculous illumination, as an equivalent for law. Love goes to the Law to learn the divine will, and love delights in the Law, as the exponent of that will; and he who says that a believing man has nothing more to do with Law, save to shun it as an old enemy, might as well say that he has nothing to do with the will of God. For the divine Law and the divine will are substantially one, the former the outward manifestation of the latter. And it is 'the will of our Father which is in heaven' that we are to do (Matt. 7:2), or proving by loving obedience what is that 'good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God' (Rom. 12:2). Yes, it is 'he that doeth the will of God that abideth for ever' (1 John 2:17). It is to 'the will of God' that we are to live (1 Peter 4:2), 'made perfect in every good work to do His will' (Heb. 13:21), and 'fruitfulness in every good work' springs from being 'filled with the knowledge of His will' (Col. 1:9,10).

God's Way Of Holiness. Horatius Bonar. Evangelical Press 1979, 12 Wooler Street, Darlington, Co. Durham, DL1 1RQ, England. First Published 1864. Pages 68-88.

The Saint and the Law. Horatius Bonar.
http://www.gospelpedlar.com/articles/Christian%20Life/saintlaw.html

Teach Me, O Lord, Thy Way of Truth

Below is a hymn I came across in the Trinity Hymnal that I had not sung before, but will from now on:

Teach Me, O Lord, Thy Way of Truth - #451
From Psalm 119:33-40

Teach me, O Lord, thy way of truth,
And from it I will not depart;
That I may steadfastly obey,
Give me an understanding heart.?

In thy commandments make me walk,
For in thy law my joy shall be;
Give me a heart that loves thy will,
From discontent and envy free.?

Turn thou mine eyes from vanity,
And cause me in thy ways to tread;
O let thy servant prove thy Word
And thus to godly fear be led.

Turn thou away reproach and fear;
Thy righteous judgments I confess;
To know thy precepts I desire;
Revive me in thy righteousness.

Denominations or Associations?

I recently finished reading Denominations or Associations?: Essays on Reformed Baptist Associations edited by James M. Renihan and highly recommend this book .

I have always struggled with the autonomous view of ecclesiology that many Baptists hold to. To me it never seemed to hold up to what we see of the early church in Acts 15. It seems from scripture that while the local churches were not dependent on other churches they were in some fashion interdependent as Acts 15 shows. This interdependency is sadly lacking in the Baptist church today and even in Reformed Baptist circles. I have for some time thought that there needed to be a manner in which churches interacted that was more scriptural. That manner of interaction is clearly put forth in this book.

The book is made up of a number of essays that touch on various aspects of how Reformed Baptist churches should associate and most involve the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith and article 26 that deals with The Church, specifically section 15:

26:15. In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of doctrine or administration, wherein either the churches in general are concerned, or any one church, in their peace, union, and edification; or any member or members of any church are injured, in or by any proceedings in censures not agreeable to truth and order: it is according to the mind of Christ, that many churches holding communion together, do, by their messengers, meet to consider, and give their advice in or about that matter in difference, to be reported to all the churches concerned; howbeit these messengers assembled, are not intrusted with any church-power properly so called; or with any jurisdiction over the churches themselves, to exercise any censures either over any churches or persons; or to impose their determination on the churches or officers.
( Acts 15:2, 4, 6, 22, 23, 25; 2 Corinthians 1:24; 1 John 4:1 )

In looking at this section it becomes clear that the word “communion” used in the context of the time refers to an association of churches that went far beyond simply eating together or partaking in some variety of activities. This association, or communion, instead extended to the he health and vibrancy of the church by having a mutual association that in many ways contradicts the often over emphasized autonomy of the local church we see today.

The book looks at the time of the LBC and shows the thinking of such associations as the Abingdon Association (1652). It is in looking at scripture the LBC and the associations of the time that we get a clear picture that the Baptist church, particularly Reformed Baptist churches, of today has moved away from its moorings. It is a move that needs to be reversed for the church to be what God intendeds it to be; an interdependent family of believers and not the independent autonomous group it often is. I think this independence not only affects the church as a whole but the mindset begins to filter down to the individuals and creates issues at that level as well.

I highly recommend this book and would pray that this is the direction the church, and especially Reformed Baptist Churches, would head.

Great Authors Webinar Series

Vision Forum is having a Great Authors Webinar Series from April 15th to May 27th:

Gather your family for seven engaging evenings of learning online as part of Vision Forum’s exclusive Great Authors Webinar Series. Hear live lectures from seven leading authors discussing their timely books, and engage in interactive Q&A — all part of an intimate online discussion with your favorite Christian authors. A valuable supplement to any home school program, this special webinar series offers a great opportunity for families to study important subjects together — a powerful educational tool for home education, church, and family.

The Great Authors Webinar Series — featuring Doug Phillips, Dr. George Grant, Dr. John Morris, Douglas Bond, Dr. R.C. Sproul, Jr., Kevin Swanson, and Dr. Voddie Baucham — will cover a broad range of topics: from biblical economics to creation apologetics; from an inside look into the lives of important culture-changers such as Margaret Sanger and John Calvin, to practical points of cultural and family reformation, and more.

• April 15 – Doug Phillips – Why Poetry Matters — Poems for Patriarchs
• April 22 – Dr. R.C. Sproul, Jr. – Biblical Economics and the Christian Family
• April 29 – Dr. John Morris – The Truth about the Fossil Record
• May 6 – Dr. George Grant – The Most Dangerous Woman of the 20th Century
• May 13 – Douglas Bond – The Wonderful and Mysterious Life of John Calvin
• May 20 – Kevin Swanson – The Future Christian Republic
• May 27 – Dr. Voddie Baucham – How to Be a Man

You can also get the books spoken of in the webinar at a discount if you order them when you register.  Of course you can buy the set separately but the cost when registering for the seminar is much less.

The Ah the Life blog is having a drawing to give a free passe to this series.

Coming Soon: The Documentary IndoctriNation

Trailer for Colin Gunn’s new documentary IndoctriNation.




Some other clips from the IndoctriNation website:





You can see more clips on the website, here.

Thoughts on Resurrection Day

As we approach Resurrection Day I wanted to leave you with some thoughts for tomorrow:

Remember that just as God called the Hebrews out of their bondage to the Egyptians to come worship Him (Ex 5:1-3) and to be made His people (Ex 6:7) He calls us out of our bondage to worship Him and be His people. Thus the cross is not about us but about God and His work through Christ’s life, death, burial and resurrection to call a people to Himself to worship Him. Let us not be so inwardly focused to forget the true focus is to be on God not us. I fear that all too often Resurrection Day ends up, in reality, being about us and not God.

While the cross is a gruesome thing I think that often we lose sight of how truly horrendous it was when we simply focus on the act of crucifixion. This is not to minimize its painfulness and its humiliation but to say there is much more going on than the torture that is often depicted in movies. Yes it was painful and a disgrace to be crucified but many men died such a painful and humiliating death. Yes, this act is heightened by it being done to the Son of God but we need to see more of what is going on. The true pain and suffering we need to realize was the fact that on the cross Christ took on the sins of His people (1 Ptr 2:21-24); past, present and future. The pain of those sins is so much more than the external pain we so often focus on. This is what we need to see and realize when we think of the cross. It is because of this great sacrifice we can come to God through Christ who was not only the final High Priest (Heb 4:14) but also the final sacrifice(Heb 9:24-26).

As far as celebrating Resurrection Day we need to realize that we in effect are to do this every time we take of the Lord’s Supper. We should have the same desire to remember all that God has done in His Son when we partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper that we have on Resurrection Day. The Lord’s Supper should remind us that God in sacrificing His Son (Is 53) has allowed us to draw near to Him (Heb 4:16; 7:19; 10:22). As with the various celebrations God instituted in His word they were to be reminders and not the only times to contemplate what God has done. Let his be true of Resurrection Day and for that matter the Lord’s Supper. Let us remember Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for His people daily by lives which are to be lives of worship. Lives that offer up continual worship to Him because of what was done on the cross (Heb 13:15).

I am sure there is more that could be said but these are some thoughts that come to mind on the eve of this year’s Resurrection Day.

“He has Risen”

Genesis 36 - More than a list of names

Today we looked at Genesis 36.  This is one of those passages that we often gloss over.  We often read though passages such as this with lots of names and struggle with their pronunciation and wonder what this all has to do with anything.  To do that is to miss what God has for us to hear.

As I prepared for this passage it took a number of readings through and much study before it became clear.  This passage, among other things, creates a contrast with that of Joseph to follow and in truth also the life of Jacob that has passed.  While Esau and his descendants are shown as numerous and powerful Jacob and his descendants are wandering around and even in bondage. 

In reading the passage you may wonder who it is that is blessed.  But we know it is the line of Jacob that is of the promise.  Esau is the one that looks successful from the outside as this passage makes much of him.  The world desires to make much of itself and sees outward success as Esau had as what the aim of life is to be about.  The truth is we are to live lives that make much of God, who is absent from this chapter.  We are to make sure that all we do is done for God’s glory and not ours.

Another contrast that is seen is that Esau is said to have had children that were all born in Canaan (V5 ) but he would move out of the promise land to Seir.  Jacob on the other hand had children born outside the promised land but had taken them back there.  The message is that no mater what ones family looks like on the outside if we are leading them away from God what it looks like on the outside is of little matter.  Let us make sure that is what we are doing, leading our children towards God and not away.

These are just some of the things I found in the passage that initially looked like not much more than a list of names.  So, the next time you read this passage step back from your struggle with the names and notice that Moses is accentuating all that Esau had to let us see that was all he had.  His descendants contained chiefs and kings but Jacob would be the line through which the King of kings would come.

If you would like to hear the message from this week you can get it here:  Esau is made Much Of.

Kevin Swanson on Eschatology

Eschatology – One Big Rat Nest from Kevin Swanson on Vimeo.

You can also get the audio here.

Some Thoughts on Dominion

Matt 28:19-20  "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
This is not a call for only the 1st century and it is not an empty call for any other century. If Christ has called us to do this, “make disciples of all nations,” He has called us to do what is possible. It may be a long and arduous road but it is one that is to be traveled by His power and for His glory. We are to seek to disciple the nations and teach them to “obey” and that obedience is accomplished by a work of God, but it can be accomplished by His people seeking to obey Him in making disciples.


Matt 6:9-13 "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"

This passage is speaking not simply of some future event, "this day", to pray for but what the disciples were to pray for and seek after then as we are to pray and seek after now. We are to pray for His kingdom to be manifested in and though His people which is then exhibited in their works as James makes abundantly clear. The result of God’s people living out His word, all of it, in the world by His power is a changed world. The first century Christians changed the world by their lives can we and should we not do the same. Dominion starts with God having dominion over his people and then moves out from there.


2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Of course this change starts by God's power in the hearts and minds of His people by God's writing of His law on their hearts (Jer 31:31ff). This is a changed heart is one that radically transforms God’s elect. 2 Cor 5:17 is not a simply a wish but a reality accomplished by the hand of God and is where dominion begins. This change does not end with the individual but is to extend to all of God’s creation as He uses His people as the means to bring all things under His rule. We are to realize that the dominion and the change that God desires is wrought by Him by the means of the Spirit and the work of His people for His glory.

Dominion is not a word to fear but one to embrace as the call of His children.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (3/12/10)

For those of you like our family that were not able to attend, and even those that did, the Family Economics Conference put on by Generations with Vision the audio of the sessions is not available. You can get the MP3s of all 19 talks for $34.95 or the CD’s for $54.95. If you are more visual and would like to see the speakers you can DVD’s of 10 of the talks for $74.95 or they have a package deal for the CDs, MP3s and DVDs for $109. We have ordered ours and are very much looking forward to listening to them and I will post more on them once I have listened to the talks.

With the census fast approaching and the government further intruding into our homes here is article with at least one option for the census: Census Law. Also here is a link to Kevin Swanson sharing some thoughts on the census: Guns and Census:Honor to Whom Honor is Due. We all have to make our own decisions but one thing is clear, especially with the extended survey some may get, the government wants to know about you. This is clearly not one of its functions as Romans 13 shows but it is simply the direction the state heads when it sees itself as god. But, the true God already knows us, even the hairs on our head (Matt 10:30), and does not need a census to know these things.



The March Welcome to the Continuing Collapse (Exposing Government Schools: The Youth Ministry of the State Church of Secular Humanism) by Bruce Shortt has been posted.



Many in the professing church today have no problem separating Christ from government. However, Romans 13 says that government officials are to be ministers or servants of God and thus as believers should we not want to vote for the most biblically qualified men to be those ministers? Can God use the pagan for His purposes,of course. But our duty as believers should be to have godly qualified men as leaders, men who seek Christ and His will first and foremost. As this article articulates: It is Insanity Without Christ and presently many in the professing church are continually voting for insanity.



As a reminder: At Vision Forum until March 12th there is a sale on a great History Resource, The Expanded History of the World Mega-Pack Curriculum. We have a few of the items in this set and they are very good. The entire set includes 10 DVD's, 64 CD's and a Study Guide. The sale price is $165 which is 55% off.

The Expanded History of the World Mega-Pack Curriculum Sale

At Vision Forum until March 12th there is a sale on a great History Resource, The Expanded History of the World Mega-Pack Curriculum. We have a few of the items in this set and they are very good.  The entire set includes 10 DVD's, 64 CD's and a Study Guide.  The sale price is $165 which is 55% off.

From the Vision Forum site:

The Expanded History of the World Mega-Pack Curriculum Includes:

1) The History of the World DVD Collection (10 DVDs)
The ten powerful messages contained in this special DVD curriculum series provide an overview of six thousand years of earth history. Enjoy a sweeping overview of earth history, spanning the events of peoples and cultures over six millennia.

These presentations are designed to dispel anti-Christian myths of historiography, establish a distinctively biblical grid for interpreting historical events, and cover key themes in the rise and fall of civilizations.

Sampling of titles included in this album:
• Six Thousand Years of Earth History In 1 Hour — Douglas W. Phillips
• Vikings: Their Law, Culture, and Conquests — Col. John Eidsmoe
• The Crusades — Dr. George Grant
• The Miracle of America — Dr. Marshall Foster

2) The History of the World Study Guide
The perfect complement to The History of the World 10-DVD collection, this study guide presents summaries of the key ideas and events behind each DVD lecture topic, along with outlines and detailed notes for further study.

Dig deeply into some of the richest themes of providential history as you study definitions, discover new resources from the suggested readings, and add relevant Scripture passages to your memory.

3) History of the World B.C. (20 CDs)
Twenty Lectures on the Ancient World

Covering the first four millennia of earth history, History of the World: B.C. features twenty lectures covering the pre-flood world, the history of the ancient Babylonians, the Hebrew nation, the establishment of Rome, and ancient legal systems. These presentations are designed to dispel anti-Christian myths of historiography, establish a distinctively biblical grid for interpreting historical events, while covering, millennium by millennium, key themes in the rise and fall of civilizations.

Sampling of titles included in this album:
• The Implications of the Genesis Flood on Earth History — Dr. John Whitcomb
• The Search For Noah’s Ark — Dr. John Morris
• The Tower of Babel and the Dispersion of the Nations — Dr. John Whitcomb
• One Blood: The Origin of the Races — Dr. John Morris
• The Puzzle of Ancient Man — Douglas Phillips
• The History of the Hebrew Nation, Part 1 — Col. John Eidsmoe
• The History of the Hebrew Nation, Part 2 — Col. John Eidsmoe
• The Meaning of Rome — Dr. George Grant

4) History of the World A.D. (20 CDs)
Twenty Lectures on the World Anno Domini

Beginning with Christ’s incarnation, History of the World A.D. contains covers the rise of Byzantium and fall of Rome, the history of the Church, the history of the law of nations, Islam, and the establishment of America, concluding with a review of the twentieth century. Each lecture emphasizes the providence of God over every detail of history — that Christ is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), and that the history of the world is His story.

Sampling of titles included in this album:
• The Rise of Byzantium and the Fall of Rome — Dr. George Grant
• The Battle of Teutoburg Forest — Col. John Eidsmoe
• What Every Christian Needs to Know About The Reformation — Dr. Joseph Morecraft III
• The History of the English Church — Dr. Joseph Morecraft III
• Nineteenth Century Missions — William Potter
• Islam and the Modern World — Dr. George Grant
• The American Republic — Dr. Marshall Foster

5) Mysteries of the Ancient World
Unlock the mysteries of the ancients in this fascinating 12-part audio album. Explore the Nephilim, “the great men of renown” of Noah’s day. Consider the wonders of the moon, and trek through the lost civilizations of South America — from Machu Picchu and the legacy of the stone masons, to the Ica stones and Nazca lines. Finally, visit the Galapagos Islands — Darwin’s Eden — and discover the true story of man’s origins

6) Providential Battles I: Twenty Battles that Changed the World
In this four-part album, Christian historian William Potter provides a providential interpretation of twenty of the greatest military battles in the world that altered the course of history, serving strategic roles in God’s unfolding plan.

Including battles from ancient history, to the fall of Constantinople to the Turks, to the American War for Independence, to the Alamo and Civil War events, Mr. Potter presents a panorama of providential military highlights. This album concludes with the mysteries of providence that engulfed the Axis powers of WWII in the air, on land, and at sea.

7) Providential Battles II: Epic Conflicts that Changed the World
Building upon Providential Battles I, Bill Potter identifies eight more battles of monumental importance and details how God used men, nations, and events to accomplish His plans. From the Thirty Years War, to the events surrounding the Russian army and forces of the Empire of the Rising Sun colliding in Tsushima in 1905, each unfolding saga will leave you grateful for God’s orchestrating hand in the affairs of men.

8) Sabers, Spears, & Catapults: A Providential History of Warfare Technology
“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory lies in the hands of the Lord.”

There are two sets of lectures in this series. The first examines weapons and warfare in the Old Testament era. Little has changed in principle since then: there are still hand–held, thrown, and fired weapons, including large engines of warfare. The use of combat and weapons terminology is common in Scripture as one would expect from the only One who is known as The God of Battle.

The subsequent lectures cover a trilogy of battles that occurred in three different centuries within a few miles of each other along the border of France and Belgium: The battles of Agincourt in 1415, Waterloo in 1815, and The Somme in 1916. Examined for each conflict are the weapons technology of the period and the warriors at the sharp end of battle, rather than the grand strategies and political outcomes. The study includes many possible types of confrontation: infantry against cavalry, infantry against infantry, infantry against artillery, cavalry against cavalry, etc., looking at how those deadly encounters resolved themselves on that day.

“Meet the Puritans” Book Giveaway

At the J.C. Ryle Quotes blog they are having a drawing to give away a copy of Meet the Puritans. Go to their site to sign up: J.C. Ryle Quotes “Meet the Puritans” Giveaway.

Adoniram Judson on Christian Baptism

I recently finished the book Adoniram Judson on Christian Baptism. The book contains a sermon he preached before his baptism in Calcutta in 1812. Also included are letters written by Judson regarding his change in his position on baptism as well as an article by C.H. Spurgeon on baptisim and other material relating to this subject.

What needs to be understood about Judson’s change in position on baptism, from paedobaptism (infant baptism) to credobaptism (believer's baptism), is that this was done after his leaving for India with his support coming from a Congregationalist church that held to paedobaptism.  The letters included in this book reveal that he understood that his change in position would cost him his support but he also knew that what was most important was to be biblically correct. Thus his change was not done flippantly or without cost but was done as a result of him asking himself what scripture said about baptism. We too should ask this same question about all that we believe.

I would encourage both those that hold to infant baptism as well as believer’s baptism to read this book.  It is important to see the struggle that Judson went through as far too many people hold to their view on baptism based more on tradition than themselves doing the hard work of seeking out scripture.  I am not saying this is true of everyone but as with many doctrines far too many people take other people’s conclusions rather than seeing what scripture says for themselves.  Others opinions and finding are important but as with all things we are to take all of this and filter it through God’s word as the final court of arbitration.

In recommending this book my intention is not to start a debate over baptism but to encourage all that hold to whatever position they hold to make sure they themselves have worked through scripture to come to their conclusions.  So, read this book and search out scripture.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (2/26/10)

At the NCFIC Blog there is a post with an excerpt from Scott Brown’s upcoming book on youth ministry: A Child of the Movement. I can relate to this excerpt as I too have been a youth minter and read all the books. The problem was, even if unintentionally, I gave more weight to the pragmatic reasoning of the books over the sufficiency of Scripture to speak to this area, as it speaks to all of faith and practice.


For those of you that are reading, or have read, R.J. Rushdoony’s Law & Liberty, there is now a study guide out, thanks to The Chalcedon Foundation: Law & Liberty Study Guide. This is a great book and one that I would highly recommend.


Over at Voddie Baucham’s blog the February Welcome to the Continuing Collapse (Exposing Government Schools: The Youth Ministry of the State Church of Secular Humanism) by Bruce Shortt has been posted.


At Steve Camp’s blog there is a great sermon by Charles Spurgeon: God’s Will and Man’s Will ….the tension of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. As always I appreciated the words of Spurgeon.

“How to Build Your Own Business” Resource Kit

Vision Forum is having a great buy on the “How to Build Your Own Business” resource kit. It includes the following:

• Venture Academy: Equipping Christian Entrepreneurs (6 DVDS w/ workbooks)

• The Best of the 2006 Entrepreneurial Bootcamp (20 CDs)

• Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Christian Families (10 DVDs)

They have a 50% of coupon code ( BUSINESSKIT ) that is good until February 26th. The $339.50 (after 50% discount) price is great for the Venture Academy alone but with the other resources it is an even better buy.

Where We are Heading as a Country

We have been reading R.J. Rushdoony’s book Law & Liberty during our family worship time and it has been a very good book. Last night we read a chapter called The Family and Property and in that chapter is laid out the 10 planks of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto. Read them for yourself and see how much they sound like our current state of affairs:

1. Abolition of private property and the application of all rents of land to public purposes.

2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.

3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.

4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.

5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.

6. Centralization of the means of communications and transportation in the hands of the State.

7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state, the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.

8. Equal liability of all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.

9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries, gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of population over the country.

10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production.

This is where we are heading, well we may actually be more there than many want to admit. When man turns from God’s law the only place left to turn to is himself and when man turns to himself to legislate life we end up with tyranny. We cannot turn back the tide of Marxism, Socialism, Fascism or any another “-ism” until we turn back to seeing the word of God as all sufficient for all of life. God has called a people to Himself and we need to realize that He has not done this in a vacuum. He has called us and empowered to follow His commands which most glorify Him and in the end benefit us.

Let us turn back to Him and follow His word and not our sin tainted reason. Yes, reason does still exist for the believer and we are to use it but it is to be used in conjunction with His word and His word is to be the arbiter of our reason.

I will post more from Law & Liberty as time permits.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (2/11/10)

We have been watching a DVD series on the history of the Christian Church called From Terror to Triumph by Dr. Marshal Foster. I would highly recommend this series as Dr; Foster shows that in the midst of terror and seemingly overwhelming odds God has continually brought about the triumph of the church.

Thanks to Steve Halbrook’s Theonomy Resource blog here is a good article by Mike Warren on: Some Objections to Postmillennialism Answered.


Over at the NCFIC website Scott Brown lists: Top Ten Things Ungodly Cultures Hate That the Bible Tells Women. Any argument with this list is with God and His word.


You can check out a number of videos from Haiti by Doug Phillips at: Rescue Haiti’s Children. Below is one of the video’s you can find there.

Solid Ground Christian Books

I thought I would post about one of the best book stores, as well as being a publishing company, I know of. Not only do they have great books they also have great prices. This books store is Solid Ground Christian Books in Vestavia Hills Alabama .

I have been buying books from them for some time and highly recommend them, especially for hard to find classics. You will not find fluff in their inventory but will find the type of meat that is all too often avoided but is needed to aid in the building up the body of Christ. Yes, we need to first and foremost read God’s inspired inerrant and sufficient word and if that is all the time you have to read make sure scripture reading fills that time. However it is greatly helpful to read what God has put on the minds of men and women in history and in this area Solid Ground and its owner Michael Gaydosh excel.

Here is what is on their site with regards to who they are:

Solid Ground Christian Books is a publishing company committed to the presentation of the cardinal doctrines of Holy Scripture. Our goal is to spread the fame of the Name of the Lord by finding, uncovering and restoring the best Christian literature from the past and bringing it into the modern world.

We believe that there are many treasured works from the past that the Lord has used in mighty ways, and yet are unavailable to the modern reader. We are always searching for works that have been used by the Holy Spirit in converting, sanctifying and keeping power.

Our desire is to serve the pastors, churches, missionaries, chaplains, the military, professors and students of the 21st century. We will seek to keep our prices fair, and our service prompt, personal and courteous.

Our prayer is that the God of sovereign grace will be pleased to smile upon our efforts to further His kingdom, and that multitudes throughout he world will be forever changed by reading the books we produce.

Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone Be The Glory!

BOARD OF PASTORAL REFERENCE
In order to assure that this publishing business remains on track we have established a Board of Pastoral Reference to oversee the direction of this work. These men have served the Lord faithfully for many years. It is a delight to place their names before you.

-Earl Blackburn, Heritage Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA
-Richard Denham, Missionary to Brazil for over 50 years
-David Dykstra, Reformed Baptist Church of Lafayette, NJ
-Erroll Hulse, Leeds Reformed Baptist Church, Leeds, England
-Peter Jeffery, Libanus Evangelical Church, Morriston, Swansea, Wales
-Tom Lutz, Edgewood Baptist Church, Anderson, IN
-Conrad Mbewe, Kabwata Baptist Church, Zambia, Africa
-Geoff Thomas, Alfred Place Baptist Church, Aberystwyth, Wales
-David Vaughn, Missionary to France
-Todd Wilson, Grace Covenant Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL (my pastor)

CHURCH BOOK TABLE PROGRAM
More than 85 churches have taken advantage of our no risk Church Book Table program. Now your church can participate as well. Contact us for more information. Get started today — call (205) 443-0311 or e-mail sgcb@charterinternet.com.

So check out their inventory and for sure to get on their mailing list so you can see the great specials Michael sends out.

Thoughts and Ideas on Future Posts

Thanks to a good friend in Tennessee who has done this on her site I thought I would ask if there are any questions, ideas or topics you would like covered on this blog. They can range from homeschooling to politics to theology or any number of other subjects. Just leave a comment on what you would like covered and I will work on writing some posts on those subjects.

Every subject in some manner deals with theology as it is our understanding about God that informs all we do. One cannot escape the fact that what we believe, or do not believe, about God will in the end drive what we believe about everything else. Thus my posts will seek to see whatever subject that is looked at from a biblical perspective and how it relates to our view of God.

I look forward to your suggestions.

Grace and Peace,
Tony

Around the Web and Blogosphere (2/2/10)

On the American Vision’s site is an excerpt from Joel McDurmon’s book God versus Socialism: A Biblical Critique of the New Social Gospel called What is the State? One can know who their, or others, God is by who or what they put their trust in and for many that is the state. We live in a time when the state is seen as the solution to all man's problems and God is seen, if at all, as a fall back plan. The state does have a place in God’s economy but it is not the position and place it holds in the US and much of the world today.


While I am sure the substance of these sermons may be difficult for some I think Pastor Weavers Sermons on the Civil War are a must hear. Whether, when you are done with the series, you hold to his views or not the material he provides is that which must be dealt. Since most history is written to broad brush the Civil War so as to make the South bad and the North good and the war being all about slavery Pastor Weaver will shed light on aspects you may not have heard or contemplated. You can download the 14 sermons here. I would also recommend his sermon on the Black Robed Regiment that speaks on the part pastors took in the revolutionary war and stands in stark contrast to today’s call for churches to sit on the sidelines when it comes to politics.


If you like the music of Sovereign Grace Music they are having a great sale this month. The music they produce is $6 for CDs and $5 for downloads, also for orders over $15 shipping is free in the US.


If you would like a source of articles on soteriology check out Caleb’s blog Biblical Soteriology. There are many great articles there.