7 Reasons We Need Life Groups

Below is an excerpt from a sermon recently preached by Pastor John Piper. He could have preached the same points at Harvest and been in perfect rhythm with the heartbeat of our church. You can find the rest of the sermon here.

He has given pastors to the church “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). I believe in what I do. And I believe that it is not enough. Here are the seven reasons I gave the small group leaders.

1. The impulse avoid painful growth by disappearing safely into the crowd in corporate worship is very strong.
2. The tendency toward passivity in listening to a sermon is part of our human weakness.
3. Listeners in a big group can more easily evade redemptive crises. If tears well up in your eyes in a small group, wise friends will gently find out why. But in a large gathering, you can just walk away from it.
4. Listeners in a large group tend to neglect efforts of personal application. The sermon may touch a nerve of conviction, but without someone to press in, it can easily be avoided.
5. Opportunity for questions leading to growth is missing. Sermons are not dialogue. Nor should they be. But asking questions is a key to understanding and growth. Small groups are great occasions for this.
6. Accountability for follow-through on good resolves is missing. But if someone knows what you intended to do, the resolve is stronger.
7. Prayer support for a specific need or conviction or resolve goes wanting. O how many blessings we do not have because we are not surrounded by a band of friends who pray for us.

So please know that when this small-group ministry of our church is lifted up, I don’t think it’s an optional add-on to basic Christian living. I think it is normal, healthy, needed, New Testament Christianity. I pray that you will be part of one of these small groups or that you will get the training and start one. This is the main strategy through which our pastors and elders shepherd the flock at Bethlehem: Elders > small group leaders > members to one another.

We Are Not In a Position to Bargain

Will Metzger has written a tremendous "training manual on the message & methods of God-centered witnessing called Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person by Whole People. I would commend this resource to anybody desiring to take their study of personal evangelism significantly deeper.

[Jesus] is a master (king) and a teacher (prophet). . . . Can you have only the Savior (sin-bearer) Christ in your heart? No, it is impossible to divide Christ. If he truly comes into your life, all of him enters. The overwhelming usage of the word Lord in the book of Acts shows us clearly how Christ was presented to nonbelievers. The phrase “accept Christ as your personal Savior” is not found. Rather, “God has made . . . Jesus . . . both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36); “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:5); “Believe in the Lord Jesus” (Acts 16:31).

These apostles were not preaching salvation by “making Christ Lord of your life” in a good-works fashion. He is already Lord; therefore, our evangelistic call must be to come to him as to the feet of a monarch, in submission to his person and authority. We cannot come to a king with one hand behind our backs, standing upright, signifying secret reservations and unwillingness to give over control of our lives. We are not in a position to bargain. We must bow with both hands outstretched and open. . . .

This is the picture of the true penitent’s attitude of heart (not that we are able to render perfect obedience). Because we are not whole people we can not give a holistic response. Yet God receives the part for the whole, the seed as evidence the flower will bloom. In the mercy of God, it is later in our Christian lives that we are shown the implications of our initial submission to him as king. (p. 72)

Should Christians Say That Their Aim Is to Convert Others to Faith in Christ?

Here's a great article by John Piper on a topic that is very relevant to our current study on evangelism.

First of all, why am I asking this question? Three reasons:

1. Because in our delicate and dangerous setting of global religious pluralism, how we speak about our aims can get us kicked out of a country or worse.
2. Because we want to follow Paul’s pattern of honesty: "But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2).
3. Because we need biblical clarity about our role in converting others to Christ, lest we shrink back from the aim of conversion for mistaken reasons.

Let’s begin with a definition...

Read the rest of the article.

New Life Group Curriculum this Fall: Share Jesus Without Fear

We're starting a new curriculum this fall in our Life Groups. We'll be studying the topic of personal evangelism, using the book Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay. We're excited to see what the Lord has for us as He stretches our faith and leads us in obedience to share our faith.

The discussion questions for each week are posted on this page to the right.

Life Groups are essential to getting involved at Harvest. If you're new to Harvest and ready to plug-in to a Life Group, sign up on a Sunday morning at the information table or contact the church office.

Powlison on Marriage

HT: Between Two Worlds

The Gospel of Judas

In our current sermon series, "The Holy Bible," Pastor John spoke Sunday about the "canon," that is the final collection of books that compose our Bible because they are "God-breathed" or "inspired" (2 Tim 3:16). John mentioned specifically a book that is not in our Bible, the Gospel of Judas.
Here is a link to an interview of a trustworthy scholar named Daniel Wallace, who, among other things is the Executive Director for The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts. In this interview he answers some of the following questions concerning the so-called gospel:

What is the Gospel of Judas?

Why wasn’t it included in the canon?

Does the Gospel of Judas change our perspective on either Jesus or Judas or the shape of early Christianity?

HT:JT

Randy Alcorn: How Do I Take Charge of the TV

Randy Alcorn has a helpful post on his blog regarding the need to take charge of TV viewing habits, especially in light of having kids at home during their summer break. Justin Taylor condensed the points. Here they are.

1. Keep track of how much time you spend watching.

2. Decide in advance how much TV to watch per week.

3. Use a schedule to choose programs for the week--then stick to your choices.

4. Keep your television unplugged, store it in a closet, and/or put it in a remote part of the house (prevents mindless flip-on).

5. Periodically "fast" from television for a week or a month. Notice the "cold turkey" effects. (Avoids addiction, reminds you of all that can be done when TV off).

6. Choose programs that uplift rather than undermine biblical values.

7. Use the "off" switch freely. If it's wrong and you keep watching, you're saying "I approve." (Unless it doesn't present temptation and you're critically analyzing it).

8. Use the channel changer frequently.

9. Watch and discuss programs together as a family--to avoid passivity and develop active moral discernment through interaction. (Avoid the second TV set that splits the family and leaves children unsupervised).

10. Don't allow young children to choose their own programs--that's the parent's responsibility.

11. Don't use television as a baby sitter.

12. Spend an hour reading Scripture, a Christian book or magazine, or doing a ministry for each hour you watch TV.

13. Consider dropping cable, Showtime, HBO, or any other service that you determine is importing ungodliness or temptation into your home.

14. If you find you can't control it--or you're tired of the battle--get rid of your television.

HT: Between Two Worlds

Psalms: Helpful in Darkness

For my on this topic by Ed Welch, see his book Depression - A Stubborn Darkness: Light for the Path.

HT: Between Two Worlds

Joel Osteen and the Glory Story: A Case Study

Here's a great article on what is known as the "Prosperity Gospel."

"Name it, claim it"; the "health-and-wealth" or "prosperity gospel" : these are nicknames for a heresy that in many respects is only an extreme version of perhaps the most typical focus of American Christianity today more generally. Basically, God is there for you and your happiness. He has some rules and principles for getting what you want out of life and if you follow them, you can have what you want. Just "declare it" and prosperity will come to you. (1) God as Personal Shopper.

Read the rest here.

Summer Reading Recommendations

Justin Taylor gives a nice summary of Al Mohler's summer reading recommendations.
Between Two Worlds: Mohler's Summer Reading Recommendations

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Giving and Taking Daughters

Pastor John spoke this past Sunday from Nehemiah 10. One of the topics that came up in his sermon was that of protecting our children in terms of looking out for who they date, court, and marry. Here's a resource along those lines: What He Must Be: . . . If He Wants to Marry My Daughter by Voddie Baucham. You can read some sample excerpts here.

Removing Snares

On Sunday Pastor John spoke of “removing snares” as the third point of his message from Nehemiah 9. Jesus also spoke of removing snares: “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30 ESV).
As an illustration of this kind of radical snare-removing sacrifice, John Piper recounts the story of a man who had to make an incredible, yet necessary, sacrifice.

On July 20, 1993, Donald Wyman was clearing land near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, as part of his work for a mining company. In the process, a tree rolled onto his shin causing a severe break and pinning Wyman to the ground. He cried for help for an hour, but no one came. He concluded that the only way to save his life would be to cut off his leg. So he made a tourniquet out of his shoe string and tightened it with a wrench. Then he took his pocket knife and cut through the skin, muscle, and bone just below the knee and freed himself from the tree. he crawled thirty yards to a bulldozer, drove a quarter-mile to his truck, then maneuvered the standard transmission with his good leg and a hand until he reached a farmer’s house one-and-a-half miles away, with his leg bleeding profusely. Farmer John Huber Jr. helped him get to a hospital where his life was spared.***

Wyman had a life-or-death decision, and he chose life at the cost of his leg. Jesus’ point was similar: when it comes to sin, you have a life-or-death decision to make. Keep on living a lifestyle of sin, and you will die - eternally! Or, by God’s grace and the power of His Sprit (Rom 8:13) you can make the necessary radical decision(s) to remove sources of sin and temptation from your life so that you can live.
Our High School Ministry spoke on this very topic this last week. What radical decisions need to be made so as to remove snares from your life? Maybe you need to breakup with your boyfriend/girlfriend. Maybe you need to cancel the cable/internet subscription, or remove the TV/computer from private places. Maybe you need to not hang out with certain people. These kinds of decisions may save your life, NOT because by making them you earn your salvation or favor in God’s eyes but rather because by them you can “make your election and calling sure” (2 Pet 1:10), that is, prove that faith you claim to possess is indeed saving faith.

***John Piper, Future Grace (Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah Publishers, Inc., 1995), 329.

The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength . . . Against Sin!

Joy is among the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), that is to say, joy comes as a result of living by the power of and in obedience to the Holy Spirit. This Spirit-produced joy is a weapon against sin. How so? Paul says, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do" (Galatians 5:16-17 ESV). You can't walk "in the flesh" and "by the Spirit" simultaneously; it's either/or, not both/and. There is no "best of both worlds" in this case. If you are experiencing the joy of the Lord, then you will not be experiencing the fleeting pleasures of sin. The reverse is likewise true. For this reason the joy of the Lord is your strength against sin.

Turning from Self-Preservation

John G. Paton (1824-1907) was a missionary to the New Hebrides islands (now Vanuatu). As Mr. Paton was preparing to go overseas he faced opposition from people within the church. Those whom he was seeking to reach for Christ were cannibals, so there were some who sought to dissuade him on account of the danger that he would encounter.

Another time an old Christian tried to discourage him from going by warning him, ‘The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals!’
John replied by reminding him that he himself was an old man, who could expect to die soon, and to be laid in the grave, where his body would be eaten by worms. John then went on: ‘If I can but live and die serving and honouring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my resurrection body will arise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.’*

How easy it would have been to capitulate to the “wisdom” of this older saint. Unlike Nehemiah, John Paton wasn’t facing opposition from his enemies but rather seemingly well-meaning Christians. Perseverance in this case requires dead certainty that God has not only called you to a task but has also provide the necessary resources in Christ to complete the task.

*Quoted from Jim Cromarty, King of the Cannibals: The Story of John G. Paton (Darlington, England: Evangelical Press, 2002), 65.

Where Is Your Ultimate Prize?

Pastor John has asked us to pray for three specific items (see post below), the first of which is asking God to make our priorities His priorities, that is, valuing His glory above our own private pursuits.

The Colossian church had some of this going on, and therefore, Paul gives thanks to the only One who is able to make this happen, namely, God Himelf: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel . . .” (Colossians 1:3-5 ESV).

Notice where the faith and love are rooted: “because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.” No wonder Paul exhorts this church two chapters later to “seek” and “set [their] minds on things that are above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2 ESV).

This line of thinking was prompted by something I read about William Wilberforce, the British Abolitionist of the 18th century:

Wilberforce knew his prize awaited him in heaven, and so he was free to spend himself entirely on earth for God’s work. Where is your ultimate prize? You prize something the most. You can figure out what it is by asking what you spend all your physical, financial, social, and mental resources trying to build, protect, or accomplish. What is it? Is your life increasingly lining up with the great promise of the Scriptures [enjoying the glory of God in heaven forever]—or with something else?*”

*Quoted from Mark Dever, The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2006), 44.

Revere! Revive! Reveal!

It isn’t uncommon to feel like our prayer lives can be filled with generic requests (e.g., “God bless this church.”). The problem with vague generalities in prayer is that it is difficult to be passionate about them and it is also hard to know whether the request has been answered. Pastor John has given us some very specific items to be praying for. Here they are again to aid you in praying specifically for this church. Keep these requests in mind as you pray together with your Life Group.

Revere - Pray that God would work in our hearts to help us admire and treasure His glory, particularly, its display in this church. Pray that we’ll be so caught up in the greatness of God that our small, fleeting, private pursuits fade away and lose their grip on us.

Revive - Pray that God would bring great spiritual awakening (revival) to this church and to our city at large. Pray for the specific components of revival such as zeal for personal holiness, eagerness in turning away from sin, love for God’s truth, genuine concern for one another, compassion for the loss, boldness in our evangelistic witness, etc.

Reveal - Pray that God would make it unmistakably clear how He would have you participate in His work here at Harvest. Pray for God to stir up within you a fresh passion to serve Him in a way that is consistent with how He has gifted you to serve AND a specific opportunity to focus your passion and gifts.

Lives Moulded by the Gospel

The entry below comes from Of First Importance, which is a blog that gives on a daily basis a "thoughtful quote to help you remember what's "of first importance": the gospel of Jesus Christ." It relates well what Pastor John has been preaching. If we're going to be used of God in this city, then we must be gripped by something great, namely, the gospel.

Lives Moulded by the Gospel
“The doctrines of the gospel are meant to mould us so that our lives begin to ’set’ in the likeness of Christ. We have made little or no impression upon the world, for the very reason that the gospel doctrine has made a correspondingly slight impression upon us. It cannot be overemphasized that men and women who have accomplished anything in God’s strength have always done so on the basis of their grasp of truth.”

- Sincalir Ferguson, The Christian Life (Carlisle, Pa.: Banner of Truth Trust, 1981), 8-9.

Get Outta My Face

In light of Pastor John's current parenting/discipleship sermon series, "Sacred Exchange: Passing the Faith to Another," I commend to you a new resource that is available for parents of teens: Get Outta My Face: How to Reach Angry, Unmotivated Teens with Biblical Counsel by Rick Horne.

Here is the author's explanation of his goal in writing this book.

“The good news of this book is that it is not difficult to learn how to reach teens. In the following pages I attempt to unpack some of the rich, timeless wisdom of Proverbs and other sections of Scripture that God has given to equip us. As you continue reading, you will learn:
• How to talk effectively to an angry, disinterested, or unmotivated teen (who usually doesn’t want to talk to you).
• How to nurture this young person’s willingness to make better choices (when he or she often doesn’t think that other options make any sense).
• How to restore a rich relationship (when both adult and teen may have given up hope that the relationship can get better).
But Christian parents can be encouraged to know that the Designer has shown us in Scripture how to talk effectively to anyone made in his own image—even teens whose sin breaks out in anger, bitterness, complacency, rebellion, defiance, or disinterest…We all want to help these young people recognize their self-destructive ways, learn new and effective methods of dealing with life, and ultimately come into a deep and life-changing relationship with Christ. That’s the goal of this book.”

Through The Bible in a Year on Your iPod

The post below comes from Justin Taylor's blog "Between Two Worlds."  What a blessing!

Someone asked about getting the ESV audio daily as a podcast to coincide with the reading schedules. Here's how to subscribe to this in iTunes:

1. Go to the ESV Reading Plans page.
2. Right-click (Ctrl-click on a Mac) the “RSS” link of the feed you want.
3. Choose “Copy Link Location” or “Copy Shortcut.”
4. Start iTunes.
5. Choose Advanced > Subscribe to Podcast
6. Paste the URL from step three into the box.
7. Click OK.

For the original post, click here.