I would like to get your thoughts on a simple line of words. Here't goes... St. Francis of Assisi is credited with saying "Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words." This is not true. He didn't say this but so many people know it and ascribe him as the author. Well, the Bible says it is absolutely necessary to share the Gospel by using words. More specifically, share the Gospel from God's wo
rd. There's general revelation, e.g. creation points to the Creator. There's special revelation, i.e. the Word of God. Without words, it's just general revelation, which is not specifically the Gospel. People all over the world recognize the general but never hear the specific. It’s been said; Oh the grace of God that I've heard the Gospel so many times when others have never heard it once! We must share the Gospel with words! Here's my version: Preach the Gospel from God's word, and when necessary, preach it to yourself!
What are your thoughts?
Respectfully,
George Fuller
Founder & CEO
Ikthoos, LLC
www.Ikthoos.org
www.IkthoosMagazine.com
"Connecting the Christian Community" online & in print!
But what about sharing the Gospel? What about singing praises to God. Have you ever thought about the singing that most of us are used to hearing in church is not a normal occurrence to everyone else?
I really like this video. I encourage you to share it with those you know. Post it on your Facebook timeline.
Notice Santa on one side. Notice people singing about the
past and their future; He was born and everyone will one day fall on their
knees! Worship and be in awe of God and His gracious Gift; Jesus! That's what Heaven is all about!
Book Review of C. J. Mahaney’s “Worldliness” If we kept track of the actual hours we spend each day letting the world influence us through TV, web, radio, signs, and other forms of media and entertainment, how would it compare to the actual hours we spend each day letting the Creator of the world influence us through His word? Recently, I’ve been reading through C. J. Mahaney’s book, “Worldliness” with a group of guys at church. Let me just say this up front; Do you remember getting a cut as a kid and having your mom pour some type of antiseptic into that open cut? Well, buckle up. This book might just hurt. But it’s a good pain. This type of pain shows you’re still alive. Right up front, it’s mentioned that this is not a book about legalism. In fact, a great definition of legalism is given that anyone would benefit from knowing. Often we throw around labels of conservative vs. liberal or traditional vs. contemporary. These labels put walls up, often separating us from one another. However, the Christian life is meant to be lived out within the context of “one another.” A hot button within our western Christian culture is the subject of music; more specifically, music within the church. But what about what’s playing in our cars or piped through our ears buds? Chapter 3, “God, My Heart, & Music” does a great job provoking the reader to love and good works (Heb. 10:24). You won’t want to skip this chapter. The authors of this small book are not speaking from on high. They write though experience. They write through a well defined, well thought-out, and well aimed understanding of God’s word and how it applies to every one of us. Coram Deo, literally “before the face of God,” is the way everyone should live. God is everywhere at all times. We can hide from others and even deceive ourselves (James 1:22), but what does God look at? You’re right, He looks at the heart, the inner man. This book will encourage and sharpen anyone who reads it and really thinks through it. Don’t judge this book by its cover. Go read this book!
Don't put me in a box just yet because I typed the word
"reformed." Consider the next few lines and feel free to leave
comments. By the time you read this, hopefully you will be challenged to think
through the areas of: the meaning of church, the pastoral office, and our role
within the church.
The Bible says there are apostles, prophets, evangelists,
pastors and teachers within the church.
Ephesians 4:11-16 reads:
11 And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists,
the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the
faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[e] to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer
be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of
doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather,
speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the
head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by
every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly,
makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Interestingly enough, many think that the first 3 are sent
out and the last 2 are kept in office in a building. Still more interesting, we
talk about "speaking the truth in love" within the context of church. Verse 12,
which is often overlooked, specifically says, "to equip the saints for the work
of ministry, for building up the body of Christ..." This, too is done within the
context of church. So why is it that the apostle, prophets, and evangelists are
sent out and not "employed" within the context of the church?
Look at verse 11 again. Did you see a typo? Should I have
capitalized the "P" for pastor? I don't mean to disrespect the office
of a pastor but why is so much importance placed solely on him when the others
mentioned in the verse are not emphasized much at all?
The Great Commission is not; Go therefore and invite people
to church and let the pastor make disciples. Where are those that go? Why
invite to church? Is there supernatural power in each threshold of the doors of
our church building? No.
Where did the word "church" come from? Simply
stated, the word "church" came from the Scottish English word
"kirk" which means "house of the Lord." Lords were common
place in Scotland.
If one had to go to the building where the church gathers,
one would might say, "I'm going to church." But church is not a
building.
"Ekklesia" better captures the true meaning of
what the Bible calls "a called out assembly." A better form and
meaning of the concept of "church" can be found in the Spanish word
"iglesia"
Wikipedia says,"Both words, kirk and church, derive
from the Koine Greek (kyriakon (dōma)) meaning Lord's (house),
which was borrowed into the Germanic languages in late antiquity, possibly in
the course of the Gothic missions.
The biblical definition of church is skewed in our culture.
It is often pulpit centered, not Christ centered. It’s often about
"checking the box" within our conscience by spending 1.5 hours in a
building and calling it church, not being involved in the lives of others the
rest of the week. This isn't church. It is far from it. Church is not trustees,
offering plates, pews, and music. Church is the exceptional name given to an
assembly of Jesus followers that meet together on a regular basis for sharpening (Proverbs 27:17) and edifying. Evangelism is only done within theses meetings when the Gospel is shared. However, evangelism must be done without. It is the daily living and confessing of the Gospel to those around you. The Gospel must be shared by with words (verbal or written) and confirmed with that same person's actions (Read James). Yes, the church has evangelist within but they go out.
I challenge you to consider the church in other parts of the
world. I encourage you to consider this excerpt from the Voice of the MartyrsNewsletter:
"Every Sunday for 10 weeks, the Shouwang Church in
Beijing had tried to gather for worship. Each Sunday, "Shen" had watched as
police arrested some of his fellow church members and hauled them away. This
week was Shen’s turn. Shen expected to spend a few hours in jail alone until
authorities released him. His "crime," aft er all, was simply that he had
attended a forbidden outdoor worship service with the unregistered Shouwang
Church, where he was a member. After sitting in jail for a while, Shen was
ushered to a visitors’ room where he was greeted by three neatly dressed men.
To Shen’s surprise, the three men were members of the official state-run
church, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM). The TSPM was founded by the
government, and every TSPM pastor is trained at a seminary run by the Communist
Party. The men "educated" Shen about the benefits of the Three-Self church and
asked him if he thought Shouwang Church’s defiance of government orders was
biblical and within God’s will."
Why are we content with the way we're doing church? More
importantly, why are we not actively being the church? I'm not saying we need
to go do the exact opposite of any given established church just to be
different. I'm asking us to consider what the Bible says about the church and
how well we are doing what we read (James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and
not hearers only, deceiving yourselves). This is how we gauge church; by the Bible.
Ikthoos, LLC wishes you, your family, and
your friends ~
Happy Thanksgiving!
Top 3 Ways to Have a Great Thanksgiving
1. Give thanks: Pray and take time to express
thankfulness, to God, with others. Thank Him for the little things; e.g. your
heart beat, your eyes, your ability to smell. Outwardly show thankfulness for
those around you. Articulate gratitude for those that prepared your
Thanksgiving Day meal. Communicate appreciation for our country and for those
that have fought and died to protect our freedoms.
2. Think of others: Many are struggling
during this time of year; e.g. some people cannot leave their homes, some are
without financial means, some are dealing with a loss in the family, some are
going through medical difficulties, some are away from their family.
3. Do for others: Pure religion and undefiled
before God, the Father is this; to visit the fatherless and widows in their
affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world (James 1:27). Do
something meaningful for those listed in #2. Visit a local nursing home and
talk with a veteran. Help clean up after the Thanksgiving meal. Go pay for
someone else's gas at the pump. Give someone a card showing your appreciation.
Complaining vs. Thanksgiving
How would you fill in the blank? "I'm
thankful for___________."
Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks... (Ps.
75:1)
Do all things without complaining and
disputing... (Phil. 2:14)
On any given day of the week, we often
complain more than we
express thankfulness. The Bible specifically
says complaining is a heart attitude.
Complaining can be seen in how we react to a
situation that doesn't go our way. Complaining itself is specifically against
God. It's where we don’t want what He wants for us. Its placing ourselves in
His position, falsely believing that we can do a better job. Thankfully,
through Jesus, we can put off complaining and put on a more godly behavior.
We often complain about the littlest things.
Alternatively, we should be thankful, to God,
for the littlest things.
Thanksgiving, or "giving thanks" should be
specifically expressed to God.
It too is a heart attitude. We often say, "I'm thankful for __________."
However, we should more accurately ascribe
thankfulness in this way;
