Gospel Living

Funny Good Friday submission:

As children, we learn that lying is wrong.  As we get older, however, we find certain situations in which lying seems morally superior to the alternative; a lie may save an innocent life, or shield someone from irreparable harm.  Listen as Dr. Michael Grisanti tackles the question, "Is it ever right to bend the truth?" MP3 Download

I'm ashamed to say it, but one of my first thoughts with the unveiling of the new pope was, "Hey, wasn't he supposed to be black?"  And don't believe that to be such a strange thought. Prepare yourself for the prophecies popularized by the 2012 Thomas Horn and Cris Putnamthe book, Petrus Romanus: The Final Pope Is Here .   In it, they explore the alleged prophecies of St. Malachy, a 12th-century Catholic bishop with a decent prediction rate concerning the 112 popes who would follow.  Because Francis I represents the final pope of Malachy's prophecies, we should therefore expect the destruction of the Roman Catholic Church and the ascension of the Antichrist. In short, the book is psuedo-prophecies aimed at psuedo-spiritual, and Dave James at Herescope captures the reality of this book .  While we can conjecture as to whether events are aligning to a biblically-prophetic scenario, it is but an educated guess, as only the Lord knows the day and the hour.  T...

The gospel of Christ provides the only substantive hope for victims of sexual abuse: <center><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/61888061" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></center> How can pastors and biblical counselors lead people from the fog of confusion and shame?   The 2013 Respond Conference is a free one-day conference that teaches us how to open the appropriate scriptures and provide hope for hurting souls.  Another promo: <center><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/62349377" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><center>

Our culture wonders aloud what to expect in the blessed by-and-by.  Perhaps books and cartoons fill your mind with images of clouds, golden gates, harps, and St. Peter.  According to God's own revelation in Scripture, what should we anticipate seeing and doing in the hereafter? David Cleland, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Savannah, GA , preached an excellent series of sermons that answer that question. Heaven, Part 1 Heaven, Part 2 Heaven, Part 3

Perhaps one of the best-known verses of Scripture is John 3:16.  Its context, Nicodemus' discussion with Jesus at night, seems to provide words that seekers and new believers need to hear.   As the passage becomes so familiar, however, we tend to gloss over the deeper truths of the passage and may fail to realize its lasting impact on our lives. Listen as John MacArthur explains this passage to the men gathered at the 2013 Shepherds' Conference. MP3 Download:   English | Spanish | Portuguese

My favorite show as a tyke was Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, a show demonstrating that education needn't be flashy to be engaging.  It also demonstrated what happens when a Christian decides to redeem a medium of entertainment.  We miss you, sir.

I encourage you to take advantage of the following lecture series: One of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith involves the biblical truth of one God in three persons, i.e., the triunity of God. Our faculty lecture series in chapel during February focused on this essential belief. The lectures are listed/hyperlinked below so that you too can benefit from the fruitful labors of our TMS faculty. Enjoy! Trinitarianism & Creationism Dr. Bryan Murphy   Trinitarianism & Inspiration Dr. William Barrick   Trinitarianism & Salvation/Sanctification Dr. Andrew Snider   Trinitarianism & Eschatology Dr. Michael Vlach   Trinitarianism & Church History Professor Nathan Busenitz

A temptation Christians face is to view pastors as those who serve God full-time, while the rest of us are somehow only "part-time" servants in the ministry.  While the pastorate indeed demands unique responsibilities, all Christians are full-time servants of God , regardless of their humanly employment.  How can pastors and church leaders impress this on their congregations?  Listen to Mark Tatlock explain how to equip people to be witnesses at work: Download MP3 .

What kind of authority should the man of God wield in his home and in the household of God?  In his 2013 message at the Shepherds' Conference, " Glass Houses ," Chris Hamilton explains what managing well looks and does not look like. Listen to find out why spiritual leadership must begin at home: MP3 Download

A growing sensation in Evangelical circles across the world, Joseph Prince captivates audiences with the message of God's grace.  According to his bio on his ministry website , Prince is a " highly sought-after conference speaker, Joseph has impacted church leaders internationally by preaching the unadulterated gospel of Jesus with boldness. " His success seems to begin with a biblical commitment that God seems to have honored. A founding member of New Creation Church, Joseph initially served as an elder and associate pastor. However, his unanimous appointment as senior pastor in 1990 marked a turning point in the history of the church, which started experiencing phenomenal growth. Under Joseph’s leadership, the church congregation has grown by more than a hundredfold—from about 150 to more...

Whether its licking peanut butter from armpits , grown men singing "Call Me Maybe," or doing the Harlem Shake , peppy youth groups seem to prefer the silly rather than the sanctified.  Perhaps churches think this is so deep it will change kids' hearts: This Sunday, find a church that upholds the sufficiency of Spirit-inspired Scripture rather than this cheesy corn.

SlimJim told me to update my blog.  So, with tears of repentance, I post these encouraging banners adorning the 2013 Shepherd's Conference .