Parsons Youth Blog

2012-02-05T09:13:00.004-05:00

Adjusting to life in a village (Part 1)

Life in a village is hard to explain. No matter what I write or attempt to explain there is really no describing the sometimes daily experiences you may have, it’s just something you have to experience first hand. However, in saying that I will try to do just that describe the frustrations, difficulties, joys, adventures, and comical times living in a village brings. In the next few blog posts I will describe one or maybe even a few events of each (although I could think of tons more).

The Joys of village life:

For some reason our minds always want to jet to the difficulties and frustrations of village life, I believe there is much spiritual warfare behind this. However, we do find simple joys and pleasures as well.

It’s interesting what you do for fun in a village. There are no McDonalds place places, although you can buy African food when your out and about. However, most of this I would not recommend. There are no playgrounds with swings or slides to go to. However, I did see children using small pieces of plastic to slide down a rocky hill, this looked painful and maybe even dangerous, but the kids seem to be enjoying themselves. And each night the young men play soccer in the market area which is a big sand pit and stirs up quit a bit of dust, but this hardly counts as a park. And there is no Diary Queen for a nice ice cream surprise.

Instead we are forced to fine fun and leisure in other ways. Let me give you a few examples. One afternoon on a walk to the river we came across some young boys riding donkey’s. The boys allowed Jordan to go for a ride on the back of one of the donkey’s with daddy’s help of course. On other days the girls enjoy looking for tadpoles in the Niger river, which is the second biggest river in Africa and in which we live a short 5 minute walk from. The girls have attempted to raise these tadpole into frogs but so far everyone has died somewhere in the process.

We found out that in a village a jump rope can be loads of fun. If you break this out with a bunch of kids fun is sure to irrupt. Even some of the adults get into the action with the jump rope.

For the adults we find other hobbies to keep us entertained. For me (Jody) I have taken up planting a garden. I know this seems very un Jody like, but for some reason watching something grow each day that you had a hand in planting and preparing seems fun. And walking around the Market on Wednesdays is always an adventure at the time being. Finally to close the day Sarah and I look forward to sitting down with a little Jack Bower (TV series 24) before bed, which sometimes makes your mind wonder as you lay in bed.

I’m sure that hardly any of you read our list of joys and think wow, so cool, I wish I was playing with a jump rope, or riding a donkey or even catching tadpoles in a river. In fact if you did I’m sure you could find places in America to do all these things. However, for some reason doing them here, in this place, as a family brings us joy.

The other day I took a walk to the top of a small hill on the edge of our village that seems to be the highest point in Boubon, our village, and that overlooks the mighty Niger River. The view was absolutely amazing as the river darted around Islands and stretched in both directions for miles. When I think about standing there and taking in this scene, a scene that a picture doesn’t do justice too. I think wow, I’m blessed to see and experience this village.

Jordan on a Donkey

Not the top of the hill I wrote about in the blog but this one is close by.

Missionary Dating—Looking Back into the Present (Part 1)

2009-07-14T17:13:00.004-04:00

Most teenagers, it seems, struggle with dating an unbeliever, at some point or another in either high school or college. We are told from a young age that are we are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, but this does not eliminate the emotions that go through our bodies when our hands touch or our eyes lock. Who can resist those feelings? We were designed by God with those feelings and often those emotional impulses quickly persuade us that maybe God’s word is not as clear or even important in this area than we were taught.

In the paragraphs that follow I hope to outline the biblical command not to be unequally yoked. Then seek to help teenagers and young adults see that in order to truly find the marriage and love they really desire they must establish patterns in dating lives now. In a sense, they must have their eyes unswervingly fixed on the future and through that lens, look back into the present.

Let's deal with the biblical command to not be unequally yoked found in 2 Corinthians 6:14. 2 Corinthians is a joyful letter to the church at Corinth for their repentance from sin and the strong rebuke of Paul in 1 Corinthians. However, Paul also appeals to the people of Corinth not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Why, do we suppose Paul, in such a joyful letter throws in such a statement as this?

By reading 1 Corinthians we can see where the people of Corinth have come from. Corinth was a wicked city in which at one time had more than 1000 cult prostitutes where men would come to worship idols and even God by sleeping with a prostitute. The sin that was so prevalent and open in the city was great and for the church of Corinth to continue to align themselves with unbelievers would certainly lead the people back into grave sin and idolatry.

So Paul urges the people not to connect themselves with the unbelievers around them in hopes that the people would continue to serve the Lord and stay clear of sin. The Old Testament book of Judges clearly shows us the result of binding ourselves with unbelievers. When the Israelite people started to intermarry the people of the surrounding lands their hearts and lives were quickly drawn away from the Lord who had brought them out of Egypt and into the promise land. Instead, the Israelites started to adopt the gods of the other nations as their own which would eventually lead to their downfall.

Teenagers and young adults, ask yourself the questions that Paul asks in 2 Corinthians 3:14-16, “…what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness…or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever…” The answers you will find are very clear, we as believers and the unbelieving world around us have two very different and competing goals. The goal of a Christian is to glorify God and find our joy in exalting Christ, the goal of an unbeliever is to glorify themselves and find joy in exalting themselves.

These two goals are competing and waging war against each other in the world around us. One seeks to exalt Christ, the other seeks to exalt man, and in a dating and marriage relationship the war that rages on between these two competing worldviews intensifies greatly. Paul is pleading with the people, and through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, giving us a command from God to avoid trying to mesh these two worldviews together, because they don’t fit together. One seeks to eliminate Christ and the other longs for the enhancing and exaltation of Christ to the nations. One seeks to glorify the greatness of mankind while the other seeks to be humbled by our sin so as to see our need for Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross for our sins, His burial and His Resurrection. One seeks eternal life without God and the other seeks eternal life worshipping Christ high and exalted forever and ever.

Young people and singles of all ages, let’s strive to see the importance of such a command in scripture, as not being unequally yoked. The war between the believing world and the unbelieving world rages on and we must be diligent not to get caught in the middle ignoring the clear teachings of scripture to justify our own desires. This is very dangerous ground to be treading on, ground that tends to be uneasy and slippery. For just as the Israelites, in the book of Judges, were influenced by their unbelieving spouses in ways that led them to idolatry, we too will be influenced by the unbelievers we are in a relationship with. This worldly and sinful influence will lead us into great sin, and the exaltation of ourselves and our needs and I fear ultimately the rejection of Almighty God.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this article!

The Downward Spiral of Sin and the Hope of the Cross - An Introduction to the Book of Judges

2009-07-07T17:17:00.004-04:00

If we have not heard it, we have at least said it to ourselves: “It’s just a little sin, it’s not hurting anybody." This is the mindset of a scary number of Christians today. We somehow believe that we can make a distinction between great sins and little white sin. Yes, I will agree that the consequences for some sin are greater than others. However, let’s not forget that great acts of sin are the result of little sin that have been allowed to stick around in our lives and fester until they give way into devastating moral collapses. In the weeks ahead, I will do my best to work through this dark book with the light and glory of Jesus Christ guiding our every step.

The people of Israel have just come into the promise land. After 40 years of wandering in the desert eating manna and quail, the Lord has filled His promise and brought the people into a land flowing with milk and honey. They are now to carry out the command that the Lord has given to them in the law.

One of the first commands that they are to carry out is to completely destroy the people of the land (Deuteronomy 7:2). They are to destroy them because these nations have rejected the Lord and serve other gods. However, Judges shows us that the people of Israel fail to complete this command (Judges 1:27-36). This sin quickly moves into the forsaking of the second command not to intermarry with other nations (Deuteronomy 7:3). Because the people of Israel did not destroy the people in the land, they give into marrying the people of these nations (Judges 3:6), who served other gods. These marriages eventually lead Israel to do exactly what the law said they would do, forsake the Lord and worship other gods (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). So Israel collapsed into great moral failure and worshiped the gods of the nations whom they did not destroy (Judges 2:11-13).

This is exactly how sin works in our day and age. We give sin a small, and what seems like a harmless, foothold, and it leads us down a path to destruction. We become so convinced, by Satan and the spiritual warfare going on around us, that our little sin will not effect anyone. Eventually that little sin leads to greater sin and ultimately moral collapses in our lives. Look at plague of pornography on our culture, for example. What we do in our personal homes behind closed doors in the dark, seeps out into how we think and what we think about the opposite sex. This leads us to believe we are missing something in our marriages or by waiting for marriage and leads us to look for sexual fulfillment outside the bonds of marriage. What started in private, now has the ability to rip lives and homes apart and is doing so in our culture.

So what do we need to do? We need to constantly be reminded and think of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins, His burial and His resurrection from the dead. If we look at Judges 2:10 we see that a generation had grown up who did not know the work the Lord had done for Israel. Their mind or eyes were not fixed on the Lord and therefore sin continued to reign in their lives leading them further and further from the Lord. Therefore, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and see the work He has done on the cross for our sins. The saving power of Jesus by His sacrificial death, burial and resurrection has the power to help us overcome sin and lead us to repentance and holiness.

A person truly marked with salvation, by grace alone through faith in Christ alone, will not be content in giving sin a foothold in their lives. They will despise the sin that seeks to reign in their lives and push them to idolatry. They will look to Christ for forgiveness and seek to repent of and turn away from any and all sin in their lives no matter how insignificant that sin may seem to be. And they will be marked with the holiness of Jesus Christ and will find hope, peace and eternal life.

So I leave us to ponder these questions:

Do I have sin in my life that I must repent of and turn away from?

Have I truly experienced the mercy and grace of God in salvation, by looking to the death of Christ for my sins, His burial and resurrection and given my life completely and totally to him in all areas?

A Call for Man-Fishing by Pastor Charles Blake

2009-05-28T22:48:00.006-04:00

The following is an article written by Pastor Charles Blake for our church newsletter.

Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19*).

In the goodness and mercy of God, we have been called to the glorious task of evangelism. Of course these days there is a lot of confusion about evangelism. In an effort to clarify the issues, let me ask and answer a number of questions.

What is evangelism? The root of the word is evangel – which is a Greek word brought into English. The evangel is the good news. Specifically it is the good news about Jesus Christ.

We engage in evangelism whenever we tell others about Jesus and call them to faith and repentance. Evangelism may be done by individual Christians. Or, it may be done in a corporate setting like the church’s worship or other special gatherings set up specifically to tell others the good news.

Why should we evangelize? Jesus commands us “to go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Paul declares we are ambassadors of Christ. Therefore, it is “as though God were making an appeal through us” and so we beg people “on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). We tell people about Jesus because we must. As Paul said, “I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16).

What is the goal of evangelism? We could answer this question from two different perspectives, which are not mutually exclusive. In one sense, there is a God-ward goal. That is, we seek to tell others about Jesus because that story brings glory to God. Telling people what God has done in Christ is one way of exalting Jesus. In another sense, there is the man-ward goal. Here, the goal is the salvation of the man or woman to whom we speak. Our longing is to see sinful men and women repent of their sins and profess faith in Jesus.

Why is evangelism necessary? It is necessary because people are lost and headed to hell. Mankind is born “dead in [their] sins and trespasses” (Ephesians 2:1). By nature, we are children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). The natural man is facing an eternity in hell under the wrath of God. That is bad enough. But there is more. For the Bible teaches unless a person hears the good news of Jesus, he/she will never heed the good news. Paul writes, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14).

How do we evangelize? First, we are living witnesses. Our presence in the earth is a testimony to God. In other words, there is a truth to lifestyle evangelism. In the ancient world, markers were left in a land to claim that land for a distant king. In a real sense, we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and left in this land to bear a testimony to God; we are His markers. That testimony is borne in all aspects of our lives. This is part of why Paul instructs us saying, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). The way you eat, the way you drive, the way you wait in line, the way you do your work, the way you dress – all of these things are saying something about God.

More technically, we evangelize verbally. Our faith is a word-based faith. There is a spoken message. This message is shared when we tell others about the horror of sin and its consequences and the good news of the incarnation of the God-man, Jesus Christ – of His life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.

There is also a corporate side to evangelism as well. When we set aside one day in seven to remember what God has done for us in Christ Jesus we are giving a testimony to the world around us. When we gather for worship each Lord’s Day – rain or shine, holiday or any day – we are giving a testimony to the world around us. And when we sing about Jesus together, we are engaging in a verbal declaration of the evangel. When we give attention to the Word of God being preached in our hearing we are interacting with the evangel.

Where shall we evangelize? Everywhere. We should evangelize in the pulpit. Thus, each week, I seek clearly to set forth the bad news and the good news and to call men, women, and children to faith and repentance. We should evangelize in the home – our children and our spouses and our grandchildren and our friends whom we invite in need to hear about Jesus. We should evangelize at work and at school. We should evangelize on the street and in our neighborhoods. We should evangelize all around the world.

Who should we evangelize? Everyone. Every man, woman, and child needs to hear about Jesus and be called to faith and repentance. On the authority of the Word of God, we must say, if you will call upon the name of the Lord you will be saved (see Romans 10:13). But alas, periodically I hear people say, if you believe certain doctrines – like the sovereignty of God in salvation, then you must not believe in evangelism. I do not see how these two glorious truths exclude one another. Does God know who will be saved? Yes. Do I? No. What am I to do? I am to tell everyone who will listen that if they will look to Jesus in faith, they will be saved.

When should we evangelize? Today. For the Bible says, “now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Today is the day to tell others about Jesus and to call them to faith in Him and repentance towards God.

*All Scripture is taken from the New American Standard Bible.

Deal or No Deal, When Is Enough Enough? - A Study in Joshua 5-12

2009-05-24T08:00:00.003-04:00

Not so long ago I was watching the popular game show Deal or No Deal. As with many of the contestants, the lady playing desired the million dollar prize, so much that she kept shouting “NO DEAL” at every offer the banker throw at her. Finally, with just two cases remaining one holding one million dollars and the other holding a far less amount, the baker offered her over $500,000. Yet, still she cried out “NO DEAL” in hopes that her case contained the one million dollar jackpot. However, in the end her case did not contain the one million dollars she had hoped for and she walked away with a far less amount.

What drives a person to say no to a sure $500,000 prize? What drives a person to say not to a sure deal? I believe the answer to this question is found in the 10 commandment, “Thou shall not covet.”

As we look at the book of Joshua, the Lord is giving the people the promise land. This land is flowing with milk and honey and it is a sure thing, a promise from the Lord. They were instructed to go in to and take the land and the Lord would be with them, fighting for them. So the people of Israel crossed the Jordan River, were circumcised, and after that they took the city of Jericho. We see then that Achan disobeys the Lord’s command not to plunder the city of Jericho. He takes for himself some possessions and hides them in his tent. This one man’s sin led to the Israelites being beaten in battle against the small town of Ai. Achan is later discovered and he says in Joshua 7:21, “I coveted,” and for this sin he and his whole family are killed and all his possessions are destroyed. The Israelites then go on to attack and destroy not only Ai but many other nations as well. The Lord gives the people the land.

Achan’s sin of coveting the things in the city of Jericho, which cost him his life and the life of his family, is the same sin that many struggle with today. Our culture thrives on obtaining stuff. Whether it’s for the purpose of convenience or so that we may feel successful, we so often are never satisfied with what we have. We are like this lady that I saw on Deal or No Deal, so focused on the million dollar prize that anything less is unacceptable and in our blind ambition we press on with a heart of Covetness. This blind ambition pushes us to gain more stuff, more conveniences, and more glory of ourselves.

But why do we do this? Why are we never satisfied? Why are our hearts filled with Covetness desires? I believe the realty is because we are not satisfied in Christ alone. Achan was among the people of Israel, he was being given the promise land, what more could He ask for? Yet in his heart he was coveting more, and in giving into that desire it cost him his life and the life of his family. I fear if we are not careful, our covetness desire for the things of the world will lead us to destruction as well.

What is interesting to note though is just as the Lord promised the nation of Israel a promise land He has promised us a promise land as well. The land that we seek to gain is called the New Heavens and the New Earth and all those who have believed and trusted that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried and on the third day rose from the dead will spend eternity there worshiping Christ.

This land is so great and so glorious that we cannot grasp the reality of it. However, we can get a small peek by looking at Revelations 21. This glorious land that we hope to attain is not to be prized above its Ruler and creator, for Christ Himself is what makes this land so glorious and in Him alone will we be satisfied for all eternity. This eternity with Christ should be enough for us. So that instead of living our lives to move up the social and economic ladder by acquiring more stuff which will never bring satisfaction we might instead be satisfied with Christ alone. For as John Piper says, “God is more gloried in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.”

A Practical Overview of Deuteronomy

2009-05-20T12:48:00.001-04:00

Over the last several years of my ministry, I have learned the importance of teaching and preaching straight through entire books of the bible. However, I fear in recent years this method of Bible study is disappearing from our personal studies and even our churches. The danger of eliminating this approach to the scriptures is first, that we may not always interpret scripture accurately due to fact that we may have eliminated the context of the passage. And second, we run the risk of creating biblical illiteracy in our churches. I believe that eliminating a straight forward reading, preaching and teaching of entire books of the Bible will have and is having devastating consequences on the church. In the next few paragraphs I will attempt a thorough but brief study of the entire book of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy was written in the form of an ancient Suzerain treaty. A suzerain treaty is a treaty that is written between two opposing countries and contains a preamble, a historical prologue, the law, blessings and curses and the witness. The greater country who is writing the treaty is declaring to the smaller country their dominance over it and instructing the smaller country on how they should respond. This is NOT a treaty among equals but a treaty written by a more powerful dominant nation to a weaker nation. Let’s take a look at this treaty form in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy starts with a preamble (Deuteronomy 1:1-5) telling us who is writing this treaty. God is the author of Deuteronomy and He is making a Covenant with His people. It is not a Covenant or treaty that is written among equals, but a Covenant written by the Almighty God and given to His people who are created by Him in His image. This Covenant issued by God to us is a Covenant of Grace.

Following the Preamble, Deuteronomy then puts forth an historical prologue (Deuteronomy 1:6-4:49) telling the history the Lord has with His people. He has provided, protected, and promised to bring the nation of Israel into the promise land. This very history is the same history we have with Christ today. He protects, provides, and has promised to give us an inheritance in eternity by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

The biggest section of this book contains the stipulations or laws (Deuteronomy 5-26). The main point we see from the law is that no one can live up to the law perfectly. Therefore, because we have broken the law of God and sinned we realize that we are rightly under the judgment and condemnation of God. This knowledge of sin and judgment to come, that the law so clearly makes evident, shows us that we are in need of being saved from being justly punished for our sins in hell. The New Testament clearly points to the reality that Christ has come to save us from such a judgment. He has done this by His humbling Himself and coming in the form of a man, living a perfect life, dying and undergoing the wrath of God on the cross for our sins, being buried and conquering sin and death by rising from the dead on the third day. This act of love by Christ has allowed all those who by faith have trusted in Christ to experience the grace and forgiveness of God. The law of the Lord in this section of Deuteronomy points us to this realization.

Deuteronomy then moves to the blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 27-28). This section describes the blessings Israel will receive if they keep the law and the curses that will come upon them if they disobey the law. This section clearly shows us that if we have trusted in Christ alone for salvation we will receive the blessings of eternal life with Christ. However, if we reject Christ as our Lord and Savior we will be cursed forever in hell. God in His grace offers us a way to escape the judgment of God through Jesus Christ and receive blessings forever in eternity with Him.

Finally, the last section of Deuteronomy is called the witness (Deuteronomy 29-34). Witnesses were called to rightly condemn a people if they broke the law of God. This section tells us that both heaven and earth and the book of the law are witnesses against us. When we stand before Christ in judgment for our sins we will have no excuse for rejecting Christ as Savior and Lord. For the whole created order and the scriptures, which can make us wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15) will rightly condemn us for our sins and the wrath of God will fall upon us.

I hope this straight forward look at Deuteronomy in its context has allowed you to see our need to place our trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ for salvation. My prayer is that through the book of Deuteronomy those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior may trust in Christ for salvation. And to those who have received Christ, I hope to encourage you to read, teach and preach through entire books of the Bible for the edification of the church and the glory of Jesus Christ.

Dating Mistakes

2009-03-16T17:46:00.006-04:00

Teenagers often make great dating mistakes. These mistakes can have implications and consequences that last for a lifetime. These implications may include but are not limited to pregnancy out of wedlock, sexually transmitted diseases, low self-esteem, depression, and emotional attachment that is hindering to one's physical, mental and spiritual growth. Believe it or not, our teenagers may experience some of these implications and others as well, even if they abstain from sex before marriage. So then, as parents of current teenagers and young children, who will be parents some day, what must be done? The answer, I believe, is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We must teach our children and teenagers what Biblical love is. The Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:16). So therefore, “we love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). The love that we show should be modeled upon the love that Christ showed us on the cross of Calvary. This love is a sacrificial, selfless and continual love that does not play with one’s emotions or seek to fulfill one’s self gratification.

The love of Christ is eternal and cannot be removed from those who call upon the name of the Lord for salvation. It’s a love that is never ending and eternal. It’s a love that cannot be divorced from us. For Romans 8:35-39 tells us that nothing can “…separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Our marriages and our relationships then should be based off of the love of Christ. That he underwent the wrath of God, died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead. Until we understand and receive this great love of God on our behalf, our dating and marriage relationships will fall short of the love they could and should possess. The love of God then is our guide to healthy relationships and a proclamation of the love of Christ, for marriage is a Biblical institution given by God to model and proclaim Christ and His love for the church (Ephesians 5:22-33).

So then we must first model the Gospel of Jesus Christ by allowing the love of Christ to overflow from us to our families. Second, we must teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is overflowing with love, to our families. Finally, we must help direct and guide our families to Jesus Christ, for He will save all who call upon Him and give them an eternal home with Christ where His love will be unceasing and abounding forever.

Cary Schmidt the Associate Pastor at Lancaster Baptist Church in Lancaster, California wrote an Article for The Baptist Voice entitled, “Dating Mistakes, How parents let their kids go too far, too fast, too soon.” In this article (And blog posts below) he gives 11 mistakes that are commonly made by parents as their teenagers start dating. These are practical steps that can be taken by parents to help our teenagers not make mistakes that have lasting implications on their lives. I believe the earlier parents start to develop these steps, the more success they will find in leading their teenagers rightly. I will list all eleven for you and if they interest you, follow the links below to the complete article.

Special thanks to Cary Schmidt for allowing me to directly quote his article. May God use you to greatly impact the Kingdom of Christ.

Eleven mistakes commonly made by parents when their teenagers start dating:

1. They let a sibling be the chaperone.
2. They go to bed when a friend is still in the house.
3. They allow “minimal” physical contact.
4. They trust other parents.
5. They allow perpetually open lines of communication—phone, texting, emailing, etc.
6. They allow the couple to be in a different room in the house.
7. They take trips and vacations with a “friend.”
8. They push their kids into dating out of a personal childhood fantasy.
9. They don’t thoroughly and biblically explain appropriate boundaries.
10. They leave their kids to themselves in dealing with and developing their relationships.
11. They think a dating relationship will compensate for other family problems.

The Full Article as posted on Cary Schmidt's Blog:
The Top Ten “Dating Mistakes” Parents Make (Part 1)
The Top Ten “Dating Mistakes” Parents Make (Part 2)
The Top Ten “Dating Mistakes” Parents Make (Part 3)

Rebellion of the Tongue: Little White Lie or Anti Gospel - A Study in Numbers 30

2009-02-26T12:58:00.010-05:00

A few years back I was told something that never actually came about. It's funny that I still remember an incident like that, but not uncommon. Whether that individual who told me what they did lied to me, or just did not follow through with their statement. I do not know which is true, but it still bothers me. I’m certain that we all have stories or experiences like mine, because nobody enjoys being lied to, or being promised something that is never carried out. But is lying ever right and what does the Bible say about lying?

As we look at Numbers 30, it speaks of holding to a vow that you make. Keeping our vows or promises to people are extremely important. Making sure that when we commit to carry something through, that we actually carry it through, is at the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 tells us that the very essence of Christ is truth. There is no falsehood, there is no lying, there is just perfect truth and honesty. Christ will and does always carry out His word perfectly. If we then are seeking to be conformed to the image of Christ, truth should always be on our lips.

When we look at all of history, God has made some very big promises. God promised Abraham that his decedents would be numerous (Gen. 12:2), that He would bless them with land (Gen 12:7), but most importantly, He promised Abraham a Son in whom all the other promises rested in (Gen. 15:4-5). Throughout history we see that God was faithful to keep every word that came out of his mouth so that God is absolutely truthful in every way.

The faithfulness of God to keep His promises are what brought forth Christ and eternal salvation for all who would call upon the name of the Lord. Therefore, the very person of Christ came as a result of the truthfulness of God and the truthfulness of Christ is what we base our hope on when He promised to return for us to bring us into His eternal rest.

We can see then that truthfulness is at the heart of the Gospel of Christ, for without it we are lost in our sins for eternity.

We must then be careful not to persist in lying, even what we consider little white lies, and the breaking of our promises. To persist in such away would be preaching something with our lives that is directly opposite and contrary to the nature of Christ and His glorious work on the cross. To persist in such a way is to reject the Sovereignty of God in our lives. To persist in such a way is to live in rejection of the very truth that took on flesh and bore the wrath of God on the cross for our sins, was buried, rose on the third day and ascended into Heaven where He waits to come again to judge the living and the dead. And finally, to persist in such a way is to proclaim an Anti Gospel of death and hopelessness which rejects the very reason we were created for, which is to worship and proclaim Christ.

So then I implore and encourage you, look to and worship Christ for His faithfulness that abounds forever and for the truthfulness of the Gospel that radiates from the throne of Christ. May the truth and faithfulness of Christ spur us then to be honest, to speak the truth, to think before you make promises, so as not to break them, and to make your Yes be Yes and your No be No. In this way, may the truth of God, which is Christ, reign in our hearts and lives and ultimately conform us into the very image of Christ.

The Doctrine of Baptism - Gospel Truth or Personal Experience

2009-02-19T19:11:00.003-05:00

Recently a friend of mine took a trip to Israel. As they traveled around viewing the biblical sights, they came to the Jordan River, the very river Christ was baptized in. Today, for a small price you can also have the experience of being baptized for the first time or even the second time in the very river Jesus was baptized in. But is this what Jesus had in mind for us when he was rightly and gloriously baptized? And is this attempt to mimic Christ appropriate, or does it just trivialize an ordinance that Christ has given to the church, making baptism out to be just an experience.

I believe that by treating baptism as just an individualistic experience, as I believe the event today at the Jordan river is doing, would mean substituting the joy of the Gospel for a fleeting experience. Baptism is not just an individualistic sign of our belief to be done in obedience to Christ. Baptism is far more important than to be reduced to some ritualistic activity, but is the very proclamation of the Gospel and the glorious Christ whom we serve.

As my love for Christ and His church has grown greatly over the years, I am convinced that Baptism is less about myself and more about Christ and His church. In a “me” driven society, it is easy to make Baptism all about my profession of faith or the decision that I have made to follow Christ in baptism, instead of a church ordinance that proclaims the gloriousness of the gospel.

What then is Baptism? Baptism is an ordinance of the church and one of the first things believers do to be obedient to Christ. Baptism is a weighty and solemn occasion, not a time for funny jokes and cannon balls into the baptistery. Romans 6:3 tells us that we are baptized into Christ’s death. It goes on to tell us that through baptism we are buried with Christ, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead, we to shall be raised unto newness of life.

The water we are baptized by immersion into is a sign for judgment in the Old Testament. During the time of Noah the world was judged by water, but Noah and his family passed through the water (1 Peter 3:20-21). The Israelites passed through the water at the Red Sea, this was a form of baptism (1 Corinthians 10:1-2), but the judgment of God fell on Pharaoh’s army and washed them away. Jonah came through the water, which acted as a judgment from God, in the belly of a great fish. Christ even says in Matthew 12:38-42 that just as Jonah spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a fish under the judgment of God, Christ will spend 3 days and 3 nights in the earth under the judgment of God for our sins.

So then baptism by immersion is a beautiful picture of Christ redeeming us from the wrath of God unto eternal life. It’s a proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a call for all to believe by faith in the substitutionary death, burial and resurrection of Christ and submit to His Lordship so that they may be resurrected into eternal life with Christ. Therefore we should rejoice in baptism, not with giddiness and jokes, but with humble joy and an overwhelming sense of the mercy and grace of Christ.

Finally, Baptism is for the church and is not an empty individualistic expression of faith. If Baptism is so clearly a proclamation of the Gospel of Christ, why would we dare take it from the church which is in desperate need of hearing the Gospel proclaimed. Baptism is then not something we do to experience some personal feeling or for personal worship. Baptism is Christ marking out through His church, men and women who are in Christ Jesus.

From these scriptures and many more, we must redeem such a glorious ordinance from an empty sign of self-glorification to an all surpassing glimpse of the glory of Jesus Christ and the redemption that He brings to all who call upon the name of the Lord.

Sexual Rebellion - A Study in Numbers 25

2009-02-14T21:51:00.006-05:00

We live in a culture and world that pushes you to explore your sexuality. Among teenagers, sexual conduct is becoming more common place and sexual images are becoming easier and easier to obtain. However, sexual rebellion does not start and end with teenagers. Many adults live their lives in sexual rebellion as well. What then does the Bible say about sexual immorality and what is God’s purpose and intent for sex?

In Numbers 25, the people of Israel are at Shittim near the plains of Moab. The scripture tells us that the men of Israel were committing acts of sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab and were worshiping the gods of the Moabites. Because of their sexual impurity and idolatry, the Lord’s anger burned against the people of Israel and He commanded Moses to kill the men involved with such wickedness.

Because of the Lord’s anger the people were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting. While they were weeping, an Israelite man brought a Midianite woman into the tent of meeting and started having sex with her. Yes you read that correctly. An Israelite man is committing sexual immorality IN the tent of meeting, where the Passover and Day of Atonement sacrifices are made, where the Levites minister before the Lord and where the Lord Himself dwells. While this act of sexual immorality is taking place, a priest named Phinehas takes a spear and pins the man and woman to the ground killing them both. Phinehas is praised for his actions and his zeal for the honor of God.

You may be as horrified as I was when reading this passage about a man degrading the tent of meeting with such obvious sexual immorality. Some may even compare this to having sex in a church building, but I believe that this still is not a sufficient enough comparison. The New Testament calls the body a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19; Ephesians 2:21). So then, just as the tent of meeting is where the Lord dwelt, the body of a believer is where the Lord dwells today. So then, sexual immorality in our lives is also horrific, just as the sin of this Israelite was and we must be horrified by our own sin. For our bodies were not made for sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:13).

It must also be noted that sexual immorality always leads to idolatry (Ephesians 5:5) or the breaking of the first commandment. The Israelites went quickly from sexual immorality to idolatry. Sexual immorality is the de-glorification of God and an exaltation of self-gratification, self-centeredness, and self glorification. When we persist in any form of sexual immorality such as fornication (sex outside of marriage), pornography, improper touching, adultery, and even lust, we are glorifying ourselves in our sinful behavior and exalting our fleshly nature rather than the creator and sustainer of the universe who is forever praised, Jesus Christ.

What then is God’s intention for sex? First, God designed sex for procreation (Genesis 1:28). By having children we are proclaiming the good news of the Gospel of Christ. Second, God designed sex for pleasure. If in doubt of this purpose, check out the joy of sex in Song of Songs. Third, God designed sex to image the intimacy, love and faithfulness that Christ has for His church (Ephesians 5:31-32). All three of these purposes for sex are summed up into one final purpose, to glorify God. A sexual relationship between a man and a woman must glorify God. Therefore in order to glorify God in our sexual relationship we must not separate any one of these three purposes from another or we will lose a part of what God intended sex to be. I believe the only way we can truly capture all three biblical designs for sex is by saving sex for a marriage relationship, something the Bible teaches plainly (1 Cor. 7:1-2).

A quick warning I feel obligated to give because the scripture clearly gives, is that any sexually immoral person will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven (Gal. 5:21; Col. 3:5-6; Rev. 21:8). This is quite the warning and one I hope we all listen to very closely. A believer who has trusted in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection will not live in sexual immorality, but will seek the glory of Christ in their personal purity.

Finally, how do we deal with such a great temptation as sexual immorality? I challenge you to grow in your knowledge of the greatness of Christ, for this is our #1 defense against sexual sin. Phinehas, the priest, had such a high view of God that he took drastic steps to maintain that honor. He was praised and rewarded for his zeal and we too must have such a high view of Christ that we demonstrate a zeal for the honor of the Lord in our own lives. Drastic steps may need to be taken in order to eliminate sexual sin, such as removing computers or the Internet from your home, throwing away movies or videos, confessing to a friend that will hold you accountable, or breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Whatever it is and whatever you have done can be forgiven by our merciful and graceful Savior, but repentance, the turning away from sin, is a must. I encourage you all to “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18a) so that you may live holy lives as you await His return (2 Peter 3:11-12).

For more reading check out the book, “Sex and the Supremacy of Christ” by John Piper (Read free PDF version online here).

The Rebellion of Balaam - A Study in Numbers 21-24

2009-02-11T15:20:00.003-05:00

It seems that when I sit down to watch the College Football National Championship, the winning QB, if he is not a senior, is asked if he is coming back to college for his Senior year or going Pro. This question seems a bit unfair to ask this QB at this moment. What is to be his response? If he answers “I’m going Pro,” it could really be quite a downer after the most important game of his life. So he usually gives somewhat of an impression that he’ll be back. Later, however, we usually find out the real intention of his heart as the temptation of making millions and playing on the next level are too great. As I look at Balaam, I get the same impression I get with this winning QB. Balaam knows how to answer all the questions, he knows the right things to say, but in the end you really see his true heart.

The nation of Israel had just moved into the plains of Moab having just defeated the Amorites, the land of Jazer, and the land Bashan. Balak, the king of Moab, is fearful that he would be the next nation destroyed by the Israelites so he sends for Balaam, a mystic, to come and curse the people of Israel. Balaam, on hearing Balak’s request, rejects the offer. However, when Balak sends his men a second time, the Lord allows Balaam to go to Balak but commands him to say only what he tells him to say.

The Lord was angry with Balaam on his journey, so he sent the Angel of the Lord to oppose him by standing in the middle of the road three different times with a drawn sword ready to slay Balaam. The first two times the donkey veers into a field or the side of the road to avoid the Angel, but the third time the donkey lies down.

After Balaam beats his donkey three times, for he does not see the Angel of the Lord, the Lord opens the donkey’s mouth to speak to Balaam and ultimately to rebuke him. Balaam’s eyes are then opened and he is able to see the Angel of the Lord, this causes Balaam to acknowledge his sins. The Lord then commands Balaam to continue to Balak where he eventually blesses the people three times instead of cursing them.

As you read through the text of Numbers 21-24, Balaam seems to know and say all the right things and ultimately seems like a good guy. But, 2 Peter 2:15-16 describes Balaam as one who “loved the wages of wickedness.” And in the end, Balaam dies at the hands of Israel with the pagan kings as an enemy of God (Numbers 31:7-8).

Although, Balaam knows the right things to say and even do, his heart is inherently wicked and ultimately condemns him. As believers, do we find ourselves like Balaam, knowing the right answers but ultimately being condemned by the wickedness of our hearts?

1 Corinthians 4:5 tells us that the Lord, “will expose the motives of men’s hearts.” What will be exposed in our hearts? Will it be an undying love for Jesus Christ that causes us to work out such a great salvation found in the death, burial and resection of Jesus Christ with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)? Will it be a heart filled with the mercy and grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ that causes us, “...to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Or will it be a heart that may know the right answers but whose love for the Lord has been weighed, has been measured, and has been found wanting.

I pray that the Church of God may grow evermore in their love for Jesus Christ.

Biblical Church Membership

2009-02-05T16:31:00.005-05:00

It seems that the local church is becoming less and less a priority among people, even among people whom claim their allegiance to Christ. With the emergent church movement pushing for the concept that each person individually is the church, to the church hopper who hops from church to church every time they are remotely offended.

It seems that less and less people are committing themselves to local churches, especially among the younger generation. Why do we suppose this is? Is membership really all that important or even biblical? And what about those who refuse to be committed to a local church through membership? These are the questions we will seek to answer.

Why do we suppose, especially among the younger generation, that church membership is less and less a priority? Many people have bad experiences with a church. This bad experience causes them to right off all churches with a view of church membership. However, what has happened to loving the church as Christ loved the church. Christ died for a church that needed His grace and mercy and we ought to be slow to condemn a church or the church because our feelings were hurt. Our desire as part of the church should be to work through problems and issues within the church with a desire to see the church made holy and brought to sanctification.

But is membership biblical? When we look at the scripture first off we see several examples of membership in the scripture. In Acts 2:41, after Peter preaches at Pentecost, about 3000 were added to their number. If 3000 thousand were added, what were they added too? There seems to be a church that the people are added specifically too. 1 Timothy 5:9 speaks of widows being put on a list so as to be helped. So we see that lists were formed and created in the New Testament so as to give church leadership guidance on how to go about shepherding the flock of God.

John Piper says of membership in his sermon titled How Important Is Church Membership? (You can listen, watch, or read it online), “It seems to us that in the New Testament, to be excluded from the local church was to be excluded from Christ.” John Piper's sermon also gives five areas of scripture that are either denied or minimized if church membership is not held to be biblical:

1. Church Discipline (Matthew 18:15-17), for this is not possible without membership.

2. Excommunication (1 Corinthians 5:12-13), although often misinterpreted there is biblical excommunication which cannot exist without membership.

3. Submission to church leaders (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; 1 Timothy 5:17), if you are not committed to a church through membership how can you willing submit to church leaders, especially in disciplinary issues that make us holy for being made holy is the goal of discipline.

4. Shepherding the Flock (1 Peter 5:2-3), Pastor’s are required to care for the flock of Christ, but who is the flock of Christ, membership is one way of saying I am the committed to the Lord.

5. The Metaphor of the Body (1 Corinthians 12:12-31), this metaphor falls apart if Christians do not unite themselves together in like mindedness in a church.

There could be so much more said on this topic, yet time is gone. So let me encourage you to find, participate and be involved in a local church through membership not because your name on a list somehow saves you, for only the death, burial and resurrection of Christ does that. But because you are committed to being made holy in the image of God through biblical discipline and discipleship for the glory of Jesus Christ.

For more information, read…

How Important is Church Membership? by John Piper
Why Join a Church? by Donald S. Whitney
Membership Matters - What is the History of the Church? by Michael Lawrence

Snake Bitten in the Wilderness - A Study in Numbers 21

2009-02-02T13:55:00.005-05:00

Famous atheist and evolutionist Richard Dawkins, in his book titled The God Delusion, writes, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”

As a Pastor teaching through the Old Testament, I am always dealing with the character of God. As you read through the Old Testament you will see many occasions where God is pouring out His wrath and judgment on either Israel or some other nation or people. And often in our society and even sometimes in our churches we say that God’s judgment on these people is too harsh. But is it? And what about the mercy and grace of God, where do those fit into the character of God? Is the God of the Old Testament mean and vengeful and the God of the New Testament merciful and loving? For the answers to these difficult questions, let’s look at Numbers 21.

We see that the nation of Israel has been denied passage through the land of Edom and they are traveling around the land when the people begin to complain against Moses and the Lord. They are unhappy about being in the wilderness and they are unhappy with the food the Lord has supplied for them. Yet the people forget that the reason they are still wandering in the wilderness, eating the food they despise, is because they rejected going into the promise land. They could have been eating milk and honey in the promise land, but instead are eating manna in the desert because of their rejection against God.

Because the people are complaining against the Lord for His provisions and blaming God for their circumstances, the Lord in His judgment sends fiery serpents to bite the people causing many people to die. But is God’s judgment on the people too harsh? Are the serpents too much for the people’s sins? After all, the people were just complaining against the Lord. This complaining, however, demonstrates their lack of contentment and causes the people to rebel against the Lord in a direct assault on the Almighty God. Sin is always high treason against the creator of the universe and cannot and will not be taken lightly. Treason in any context is never taken lightly and treason against the Lord will result in judgment, discipline and punishment.

So then sin in the camp brings great distress and judgment and so also sin in our lives brings great distress and judgment. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death.” Death is the result of all sin and death is a fair and just punishment for our sins. So that the people of God being bitten by fiery serpents is fair and just, even as our sin is great enough to condemn us to hell, which is called the second death. Sin then cannot be taken lightly and it’s paramount that we acknowledge that our sin is against God and great enough to send us to hell.

However, God did not leave the people to die, but he provided a way for them to be saved from death. The Lord tells Moses to make a Bronze serpent and set it up in the middle of the camp. Everybody bitten by the serpent may look at the bronze serpent and live. Thus the people are saved from the fiery serpents. In the same way, John 3:14-15 tells us, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” Just as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness and all who looked to it were saved, so Christ was lifted up on the cross of our sins so that all who look to Christ will be saved.

God in His great love for us did not leave us stranded in the wilderness to die with no provision for sins, but God’s provision lies in Christ Jesus our Lord. The great love of God the Father is lavished on us through the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross for our sin, His burial and His glorious resurrection from the dead. Just as God provides a way out of sin for the Israelites in the wilderness, God provides a way out of sin for us today and that way is through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

So then the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament, full of wrath, justice and discipline, but slow to anger, great in mercy and abounding in amazing grace. Have you looked to Christ Jesus alone for your salvation? Have you acknowledged your great sin and rebellion against God seeking forgiveness and mercy which moves you to repentance and a changed life? If not, today is the day of salvation, look to Christ, acknowledge your sin and be changed and saved, so that you can also sing with conviction and maybe through tears the lyrics of that great hymn, “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”

Purity in the Church - A Study in Ephesians 5:3-8

2009-01-20T19:35:00.005-05:00

Over the next couple of weeks we will be discussing Purity in the Church. Purity seems to be one of those issues that is under attack in our culture. And it seems now, that even our churches are straying farther and farther from living pure and holy lives. But in a culture that is obsessed with sex, what is the big deal? If sex is such a good thing, that even the Bible speaks highly of it, why does the Lord call some sexual activity immorality? These are just a few of the questions we hope to address as we look into the importance of a church marked with purity.

If the church today is going to make an impact on the surrounding culture, what must be done? Answers to this question vary depending on your age, your community and your out reach preferences, however, I want to look at the answers to this question from a Biblical perspective. Ephesians 5:3-6 speaks of avoiding sexual immorality and impurity. This includes fornication (sex outside of marriage), homosexuality, and other forms of sexual impurity that lead a person to lust and a depraved mind and all forms of lust and covetous are sure signs of a depraved mind. Ephesians 5:7 then goes on to call the church the light of the world. We are to avoid sexual immorality because the church is to be the light of the world.

By living in sexual immorality and impurity we are no different than the world around us. Romans 12:2 calls us not to conform to the patterns of the world. The church of God must not persist in sexual immorality, for by doing so our witness to the world, the light of the Gospel that must go forth from us, is dulled and the world unaffected.

I propose then that in order to impact the world for Christ, we must do more than change our music style or let the world know that Jesus loves them, although, both of these may be necessary for our churches. I propose that our members in our churches seek to live lives of purity. For what our churches really need is to be holy. Our churches must be purged of all forms of sexual immorality and the people of God must repent and seek forgiveness from the Holy God. If our churches today do not reform their thinking about purity and sexual immorality then we will continue to debate what must be done in order to reach the world while overlooking a key answer in that question, purity.

Let me leave you with some good news, Philippians 1:6 tells us that God which started a good work in us, will complete it in the day of Christ Jesus. Does this mean that no matter what we do, as long as we confess Christ with our lips that Christ will see us through to eternity with Him? Absolutely not! It means that the true church of God, those who have received grace and mercy through faith in Christ and, because of this, have an undying devotion to Jesus Christ with both their lips and their life, will be brought to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. This church will seek purity and impact the world most definitely for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Christ,
Pastor Jody

For further reading check out “Sex and the Supremacy of Christ” by John Piper and Justin Taylor, get it online for free here (PDF), and a sermon preached by John Piper called “The Enthronement of Desire."

Rebellion in the Wilderness - A Study in Numbers 16

2009-01-19T13:59:00.006-05:00

Rebellion is nothing new, but over the last several decades of human history it seems that our culture is cultivating a spirit of rebellion among teenagers. You can see it in the clothes that are being marketed, the music that is being produced, the TV shows and movies that are being made and the video games being created. However, I hate to just throw teenagers under the bus because the people who create such clothes, music, shows and games are adults and many people buying or watching such entertainment are adults as well. So I ask the question, is this spirit of rebellion which is so prevalent in our society such a big deal, or is it simply a phase our teenagers will grow out of with no long term implications? And who ultimately does a spirit of rebellion seek to exalt?

When we look at Numbers 16 we see that the people of God have just refused out of fear and lack of faith in God to go into the promised land. Their punishment is to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until all people 20 years old and older have died. While in the wilderness the people of God begin to rebel against Moses, who is the very leader God assigned to lead the people. They accuse Moses of setting himself above the assembly (Numbers 16:3), of lording power over them (Numbers 16:13), and of misguiding the people (Numbers 16:3,14).

This rebellion is sparked by a few men who gather “250 chiefs of the congregation” (Numbers 16:2); they all gather together to oppose and rebel against the leadership of Moses. They are so tired of Moses elevating himself above them and they seek the power and prestige that Moses has attained. The problem is, however, Moses has not elevating himself, but the Lord has chosen Moses, the Lord has elevated Moses for the Lord’s purpose and the Lord’s glory. If you remember, Moses wanted nothing to do with leading the people of Israel. In fact, he tried to talk the Lord out of using him, and Numbers 12:3 calls Moses the humblest man on the earth.

So what implications can we draw from this passage of scripture about rebellion? First off, I think that leaders, especially in our churches, who have been called and set in place by God, should aspire to the humility of Moses. When rebellion arises against a pastor, elder, or deacon in the church, that rebellion is ultimately against the Lord and His sovereign choice of leadership in the church (Ephesians 4:11-12). Leaders in the church ought to be men worthy of honor due to their humility and love for the people in whom they ought to diligently and sometimes tirelessly serve.

Second, a spirit of rebellion always harbors a desire to exalt oneself to power rather than to exalt Jesus Christ, whose substitutionary death, burial and resurrection for our sins is the very essence of power. When we rebel against authority that has been set up by God in our lives, whether it’s our parents, teachers, bosses, pastors or the government, we are seeking the exaltation of man rather than Christ. We are seeking, like these men in Numbers 16 who are rebelling against Moses, to exalt ourselves. We are not content with the ministry or position that God has called us to, but we pridefully complain and envy the positions, promotions and ministries of others.

There is only one who is worthy to be exalted and Philippians 2:1-11 tells us that that person is Jesus Christ. Christ ought to be high, exalted and lifted up and as long as we continue in a spirit of rebellion we seek to elevate the created rather than the creator who is forever, ever praised Amen. So then what do we do about the Spirit of rebellion that is hovering in our world? We must first seek to ask the question why do I do what I do and whose glory do I seek? Then we must recognize that as long as we continue in rebellion, as small or harmless as it may seem to us, we are devaluing the glory of Christ, and such rebellion can and will have devastating and lasting implications on our lives.

Purity Is A Necessity

2009-01-14T13:13:00.010-05:00

Parents,

During the next few weeks in Wednesday night youth group, we will be discussing purity in the church. Purity is one of those touchy issues in our culture that causes ears to pop open and uncomfortable feelings to set in when mentioned. Yet I believe that we must address this topic for the well being of our teenagers, the strengthening of the church, the proclamation of the Gospel and the glory of Christ.

First, we must teach purity for the well being of our teenagers. To not follow the commands of Ephesians 5:3, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity…” we set our teenagers up for a life of regret and remorse filled with emotional baggage that can utterly hinder and destroy a future marriage someday. The Bible says that the Lord does forgive, however, the consequences and results of our actions linger on for rest of our lives. How blessed is the testimony of the one who can say I am truly a one women man or a one man woman.

Second, we must teach purity for the strengthening of the church. There are so many ideas floating around our churches on what would strengthen our churches. Some ideas are better or different worship, more programs, better preaching, more hymns, less hymns or even nicer and better facilities. I am going to say that one of the most important things that can strengthen our churches is the holiness and purity of the church. When a church desires to follow the commands of the Lord in Leviticus 19:2, “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy” then you will find a strong and vibrant church.

Third, we must teach purity for the proclamation of the Gospel. Christ himself is the very example and definition of the word purity. Not only did He teach purity, but he modeled purity, for He lived a sinless life. And He desires for the church to be the visible body of Christ to the world around us (Ephesians 1:22-23). We must model the purity of Christ in our lives so to preach and reach the surrounding world with the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Fourth, we must teach purity for the glory of Jesus Christ, because purity is the very thing that brings Christ glory. To live a life of purity is to live a life of contentment in the Lord. It is to live a life that says that Christ is my joy, my crown, my treasure and my everything. To dabble in impurity demonstrates a life discontent in Christ and filled with idolatry and every impure thing which the Lord despises. Contentment in Christ is to long for the glory of Jesus Christ.

So what can you do as parents to help your teenagers live lives of purity? First off check yourself; teenagers should see purity modeled in the lives of their parents. What TV shows or movies do you watch and are they marked with impurity? Second, parents ought to talk to their teenagers about purity; no matter how awkward you may feel. Third, establish rules and explain the purposes of your rules for your teenagers to help protect them from failure. Fourth, pray for your teenagers. And finally lead your family to have a greater knowledge and love for Jesus Christ, for this knowledge and love for Christ will drive each one to purity.

Please pray for myself and your teenagers these next couple of weeks as we discuss what the Bible says about purity and encourage your teenagers to come to Wednesday night youth group.

Pastor Jody

Contact Me

2009-01-12T21:54:00.002-05:00

Please use the form below to contact me.

Super Summer

2009-01-12T20:08:00.015-05:00

Event:

Super Summer

*This event is for students entering the 8th grade through first year of college.
View event website here.

Purpose:

Super Summer is a week of intense training for young people who are already sold out to God and want to learn more about how to reach their generation for Christ.

Date:

June 22-26, 2009

Cost:

COMING SOON!

Location:
Cedarville University

More Information:

COMING SOON!

Resources:

Student Registration Medical Release Form (PDF)

Super Summer Rules (PDF)

Parsons Medical Release Form (Word)

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact Jody Fox at Parsons Baptist Church (614) 491-1185.

Impact Weekend

2009-01-12T20:08:00.011-05:00

May 19-30, 2009

MORE INFORMATION COMING

YEC

2009-01-12T20:07:00.009-05:00

Event:

Youth Evangelism Celebration (YEC)
View event website here.

Date:

Overnight Friday, April 10 - Saturday, April 11, 2008

*We will be staying up all night!!!

Cost:

COMING SOON!

Location:
The conference will be at Wright State University's Nutter Center. After the conference, we will be coming back to Columbus for other activities.

Conference Information:
The speaker for the conference is David Nasser. David is part speaker, author, visionary and ALL minister. His greatest passion is to connect people to the living God.

For a list of other guests who will be at the conference click here.

More Information:

We will be meeting at the church at 5:00 pm on Friday. We will be driving to the Nutter Center for the conference. After the conference, we will be coming back to Columbus for other activities.

MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON!

Resources:

Parsons Medical Release Form (Word)

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact Jody Fox at Parsons Baptist Church (614) 491-1185.

The Revolution Conference

2009-01-12T20:06:00.011-05:00

Event:

The Revolution Conference
View event website here.

Purpose:

The Revolution Conference is an opportunity for your student to see the big picture of the gospel and challenge our youth group to live up to the challenge of the Great Commission.

Date:

Overnight Friday, March 13-Saturday, March 14, 2008

Cost:

This event costs $65. This includes meals while at the conference, housing and conference expense. Permission slip and money due by Wednesday, February 4th.

Location:
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY

*We will be staying at the Legacy Center which is right on the campus of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The Legacy Center is a hotel run and operated by the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. For more information on the Legacy Center visit legacycenteratsouthern.com.

More Information:

We will be leaving the church at 3:30 pm on Friday, March 13th and traveling down to the Conference. The Conference begins at 7:00 pm. We will spend the night at the Legacy Center (See above section titled Location for more information) and attend the Conference all day on Saturday. We will leave for home around 4:00 pm and be planning on arriving back in Columbus some where around 8:00pm. Teenagers will need to bring money for fast food once on the way down for dinner and once on the way back for dinner. Other than that everything else is covered in the expense.

During this conference such topics as developing a biblical perspective of calling, culture, politics, and philosophy will be discussed. The Harris brothers (View their website here), authors of “Do Hard Things, A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations” will challenge teenagers to rebel against low expectations and do great things for God.

To view a list of the key note speakers and worship leader, click here.

Resources:

Conference Schedule (PDF)

Break Out Session Information (Word)

Parsons Medical Release Form (Word)

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact Jody Fox at Parsons Baptist Church (614) 491-1185.

CedarMania

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Event:
CedarMania

*This event is for 6th-8th grade students.

View event website here.

Purpose:
CedarMania is an overnight event designed to challenge junior high students spiritually, provide them with fun activities, and unite them in fellowship.

Date:
Overnight Friday, March 13-Saturday, March 14, 2008

Cost:
Just $25 per person! Add $10 for a CedarMania long-sleeve t-shirt, see design here (PDF). Medical release forms and money must be turned into Jody by Sunday, March 1st.

Location:

Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio

Things to Bring:

Bible
Open Heart to the Lord
Good Attitude
Wear warm clothes, like comfortable gym clothes, and shoes. Weather permitting; the scavenger hunt will include outdoor activities.
Please bring as little as possible.
Because we won’t sleep, sleeping bags are not necessary.

More Information:
We will be leaving Parsons Baptist church at 6:00 pm on Friday and returning home at 8:00am on Saturday. This event is a high-energy, action-packed, ALL NIGHT event with:
1. Student praise band & videos
2. An amazing speaker (Mark Irving, pictured right)
2. Exciting competitions and crazy games
3. Late-night pizza party
4. Hot breakfast before heading home

Resources:
Registration and Medical Release Form with Parent Info Sheet (PDF)

Parsons Medical Release Form (Word)

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact Jody Fox at Parsons Baptist Church (614) 491-1185.

Ski Trip

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Event:

Ski Trip

Purpose:

This event is designed to unite the youth group with fellowship and fun.

Date:

February 6-8th, 2009

Cost:

Skiing - $70

Snowboarding - $75

Money, final count, and release form due by Wednesday, January 28th.

Location:

Peak'n Peak Ski Resort in Western New York (Check out their website)

Things to Bring:

Money for Fast Food (We will be eating fast food twice, the rest of the meals will be provided for you.)
If you would like to buy snacks at the resort you can. Although, keep two things in mind: Food will be provided for you at the resort and the resort food is always over priced.
Warm Clothes (Hats, coats, gloves, snow pants, face masks, extra gloves and anything else that may help protect you from the elements.)
Sleeping bags and pillows, we will be sleeping on floors.
Good Attitude
A Friend

More Information:

We will be leaving the church on Friday, February 6th at 5:30 pm and will be traveling up to the Corry Christian and Missionary Alliance Church where we will spend the night sleeping on the floor. Then on Saturday, February 7th we will be hitting the slopes for the entire day (9:30am—10:30pm). On Saturday night we will be sleeping over in homes of people whom Jody knows and trusts, including his parent's home. On Sunday morning, February 8th we will be attending church and then returning home. We should arrive back home sometime between 6 and 7pm.

Resources:

Parsons Medical Release Form (Word)

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact Jody Fox at Parsons Baptist Church (614) 491-1185.

Dare 2 Share

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Event:
Dare to Share

Purpose:
This conference will train and equip your students to share their faith with their peers. (You can learn more about the Dare 2 Share ministry by visiting our list of Great Websites)

This is a 3 minute promo video.

Date:
January 30-31st, 2009

Cost:
$59 dollars per person. Money and release forms are due by Sunday, January 25th.

Location:
Columbus Convention Center (Learn more at their website)

More Information:
We will be meeting at Parsons Baptist Church at 5:30 pm (Please eat dinner before you come). By 6:00 pm, we will have left for the Dare 2 Share event in downtown Columbus at the Columbus Convention Center. When the event is over we will be traveling back to the church and arriving around 10:45 pm. You will need to pick your student up for the night and take them home to sleep. The next morning we will leave the church around 7:30 am for the conference and will not return until 9:45 pm. They will need money for lunch and dinner, we will be eating fast food.

To see a list of the speakers and artists that will be at the conference, click here.

Resources:
Parent Letter from Dare 2 Share (PDF)
Schedule of Events (PDF)
Waiver & Release Form (PDF)
Parsons Medical Release Form (Word)

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact Jody Fox at Parsons Baptist Church (614) 491-1185.

Great Websites

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Dare 2 Share

Dare 2 Share is a great ministry with the mission of energizing and equipping teenagers to know, live, share and own their faith in Jesus!

There is an excellent section (Here) that teaches you to share your faith with different worldviews, like Mormons, New Agers, and Muslims.

What does the Bible have to say about Bleeding Love–type relationships? Check out this article from Dare 2 Share to learn more.

Uglow

Uglow is another great ministry that has the mission to encourage and empower the body of Christ to "Light the Way."

Uglow helps to answer 3 questions:

1. How do I change the direction of my life?
Here's the answer.

2. How do I grow in my faith with Jesus Christ?
Here's the answer.

3. How can I share Christ with other people?
Here's the answer.

Desiring God

This is the website of the ministry of John Piper. Desiring God exists to say God's ultimate goal is to glorify himself and that's good news.

There are tons of great resources from Sermons, to John Piper's Blog, to articles written by John Piper, to the Desiring God online store.

You can find a lot of books available in PDF format for free. Two of them are Don't Waste Your Life and Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die.

The Rebelution

The official definition of the 'rebelution' is "a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture." This ministry of Alex and Brett Harris is a type of counter-cultural youth movement among Christian young people.

The website includes a blog, information about the book Do Hard Things (Including Chapter One available online for free), and information about the Rebelution movement.

The battle cry of The Rebelution is just three words, but it's an explosive concept: Do Hard Things. That's it.

John Piper Quote

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"Persecution can have harmful effects on the church. But prosperity, it seems, is even more devastating to the mission God calls us to."

-John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad , pg. 98

Thank You!

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Thank you for contacting me! I will do my best, time permitting, to respond to your thoughts. However, I cannot promise I will respond.

About Me

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My name is Jody Fox (Blogger Profile) and I am currently the student youth pastor at Parsons Baptist Church in Columbus, OH.

I grew up in Corry, PA where I was involved in Cross Country, Basketball and Track and attended the Corry Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. After gradation, I attended Cedarville University where I ran cross country and track for four years and graduated in 2002 with a degree in youth ministry and missions.

I took the youth pastor position at Parsons Baptist Church and married the love of my life in the summer of 2002. My wife and I currently have two children and one on the way.

In 2006 I started a program at Southern Theological Seminary seeking a Masters of Divinity degree in missions. Currently I am still working towards my degree.

I have currently been working with teenagers full time for 6 ½ years and I believe they have the potential to change the world for Jesus Christ. I am committed to teaching and preaching the whole counsel of God’s word pointing all scripture, both Old and New Testaments, to the glory and honor of Jesus Christ. I am convinced what is going to change the hearts of people, including teenagers, is a massive view of the glory of Jesus Christ.

This blog is primarily a summary of messages I have been working on for my student ministry. I pray that it will first exalt Christ, second, give a massive view of God and third, impact a culture and world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Please feel free to drop me a note or contact me. I would love to hear your thoughts, feedback, stories or even disagreements with what has been written. If you wish to be contacted please leave me an e-mail address where I can reach you and I will do my best, time permitting, to respond to your thoughts. However, I cannot promise I will respond.

I pray that the word of God may continue to impact the whole world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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