FBCF Blog

Small Actions: Big Impacts

By Pastor Josh Wamble

I have recently begun teaching an Introduction to the New Testament class at Re:Center Ministries. This afternoon, we finished talking about the early years of Jesus’s life and started discussing the beginning of His public ministry. One of the first things that Jesus does after his baptism and temptation is begin calling his disciples. That reminded me of something that led us to a really good discussion. John tells us that Andrew was one of the first two disciples that Jesus called. He started out as a disciple of John the Baptist, but he began following Jesus when John the Baptist identified Jesus as the “Lamb of God.”

Andrew is only mentioned in 12 verses in the NT. That is not many. And, in fact, 8 of these 12 references are describing how Jesus called his disciples or lists of the disciples. So, there are only 4 references to Andrew that do not refer to him simply as one of the disciples. Mark 1:29 tells us that Jesus entered the house of Andrew and Peter and healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and Mark 13:3 tells us that Andrew and some others were questioning Jesus about the timing of His glorification. The final two references to Andrew (John 6:8 and 12:2) describe Andrew taking messages to Jesus. When Jesus feeds the 5,000, Andrew is the one who told him that the boy had two fish and 5 loaves of bread. Later, He tells Jesus that a group of people has come and wishes to see him.

All of this is simply to point out that Andrew does not seem to be a significant figure in the NT. We don’t know much about him. He is not mentioned at all outside of the gospels except for in Acts 1:13 where Luke lists the disciples who returned to Jerusalem to pray. In fact, I wonder how many of you even remember that Andrew was one of the disciples. However, there is one very significant action that Andrew took. It was a very small action, but it had a huge impact on the rest of the NT and the rest of world history! The very first thing that Andrew did after leaving John the Baptist and joining Jesus was to go and tell his brother Peter that he had found the Messiah/Christ the one they had been looking for for so long.

As you all know, Peter is a very significant figure in the rest of the NT. He was one of Jesus’s “inner three.” He was the first of Jesus’s disciples to proclaim that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” He was with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. He and John were the first two disciples to see the empty tomb after Jesus’s resurrection. He preached the first sermon in Acts. He was the anchor of the church in Jerusalem for the first several years of its existence. His preaching and testimony about Jesus was the basis for Mark’s gospel. He wrote two of the NT letters. Now, the point that I am trying to make is that all of this started with Andrew introducing him to Jesus. Such a small action that had such a large impact!

There are many people like Andrew throughout history. I wonder if you all know the names of Mordecai Ham or Robert Eaglen. I didn’t until I looked them up. Mordecai Ham was an Independent Baptist evangelist who lived during the late 1800s into the mid 1900s. He is not very well known. In fact, the only information I could find out about him is that he was not a great guy. He was a racist, and somewhat antisemitic. However, while he was preaching one night in 1934, Billy Graham heard the gospel and trusted in Christ. Like Andrew, God used the imperfect and mostly insignificant actions of this man to introduce Billy Graham to Jesus! And we all know what type of impact Billy Graham has had on the Kingdom.

Robert Eaglen is even less well known. He was a primitive Methodist circuit preach who lived in the mid to late 1800s. As a circuit preacher, he travelled through different areas and preached at multiple churches at the same time. During his life, he took care of at least 27 circuits containing multiple churches each if not more. Like the majority of the people who have lived, his legacy and memory has been mostly lost to history. However, on January 6, 1850, he preached a sermon on Isaiah 45:22 at a Methodist chapel in Colchester, England. Charles Surgeon happened to ‘accidentally” be in attendance that day. Spurgeon heard the gospel, and believed in Christ! In an article for Ministry magazine, Arthur S. Maxwell wrote this:

Probably Robert Eaglen went home that day to his Sunday dinner wondering, like many another preacher, what good he had accomplished: But who can tell what results may accrue from even the humblest ministry in the Master’s service? We must labor on in faith and hope, confident that while we may but humbly scatter seeds, or water another’s sowing, God, in His own good time, will give the increase.[1]

Jonathan Edwards is the most influential theologian and one of the most influential intellectuals in American history, but unless you are into early American history, you’ve probably never heard of his father Timothy Edwards or his grandfather, Solomon Stoddard; yet, these men were both pastors who God used mightily in Jonathan Edwards’s life.

There have been so many people in my life whose small actions have had huge impacts—teachers, coaches, parents of friends I had growing up, tons of people in our church (many of whom have passed on to be with the Lord). I have been able to share with some of those people just how God has used them and how their everyday faithfulness has had such a big impact on me, but many of them may never know. None of you know the name Walter Lockhart, but he was my pastor from the time that I was 5 years old until after I graduated college. “Mr. Walter” had such a huge impact on my life in so many different ways—too many to count. He was such a good pastor to me and my family! God used him to form me in ways that I am sure I am not even fully aware of. I will remember him and the way he was to me forever. Right now my eyes are wet with tears as I remember him and think about how God used him in my life. I wish that you all could have known him.

You all have people like this in your lives as well. Take some time to think about all the people that God has used in your life to form you into who you are—parents, family, teachers, pastors, church members, and others. Take some time to thank God for His providence, for how He has put the right people in your lives at the right times, and for how He has used them.

Also, take some time to think about yourselves. Who has God put in your lives that you can have this type of impact on. How can God use you to impact the faithfulness of others? As insignificant and small as many of the mundane actions of our lives seem, God often uses them for big impacts on other people. Commit yourself to talking with people about Jesus and His gospel. Who knows how God might use the people that you introduce to Jesus? Who knows how God might use the people that you make a point to have dinner with or forgive or seek forgiveness from or sing beside in worship or go on a mission trip with or serve in some small way?

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Paul writes this, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He will surely do it.” God will surely do it. He will surely sanctify His people and form us into the image Christ, but often the way He does that is by using insignificant people like you and me and our small insignificant actions. Let’s look for opportunities to be used by God this way!

[1] https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1943/09/sermon-that-converted-spurgeon

Small Actions: Big ImpactsJosh Wamble2023-03-08T14:43:57-05:00

The Lord’s Supper: Part Four

By Pastor Josh Wamble

At the beginning of the month, we started a short series exploring what the Bible says and what Christians have thought about the Lord’s Supper throughout history. If you have missed some of these services, you can listen to the audio of them here: Part One: 2/5/23, Part Two: 2/12/23, Part Three: 2/19/23, and Part Four: 2/26/23. You can also read summaries of the first three parts here: Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.

This past Sunday, we spent a little over an hour with all four of our pastors on stage together discussing and answering questions posed by our congregation relating to the topic of the Lord’s Supper. This is something that we only do twice each year. If you were not able to attend that service in person, we hope that you will find some time to watch or listen sometime this week. Again, you can find the link here.

The Lord’s Supper: Part FourJosh Wamble2023-02-27T19:21:49-05:00

The Lord’s Supper: Part Three

By Pastor Josh Wamble

At the beginning of the month, we started a short series exploring what the Bible says and what Christians have thought about the Lord’s Supper throughout history. If you have missed some of these services, you can listen to the audio of them here: Part One: 2/5/23, Part Two: 2/12/23, and Part Three: 2/19/23. You can also read summaries of the first two parts here: Part One and Part Two. Below, we will briefly summarize the five questions we talked about this past Sunday (2/19).

Who Should Participate in the Lord’s Supper?

Different Christian traditions have different understandings of who should be allowed to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Most (but not all) churches and denominations believe that only believers should be allowed to participate. Some groups think that only members of their specific church should partake. Others think anyone who is part of a church in the same denomination should take part. I argued that there are four criteria that should be considered.

1. Professing Believers

Only believers should participate in the Lord’s Supper ceremony. Because of what the Lord Supper is and what it represents, it really doesn’t make sense that someone who is not a believer would want to anyway. In the Lord’s Supper we are looking back at the cross as our foundation of salvation and looking forward to the return of Jesus as the hope of our salvation. Why would someone who does not believe either of those things are true or is not trusting in those truths for his salvation want to symbolize that it is true? As we said, the Lord’s Supper is a sermon in pictures or in action. Why would someone want to preach (through his actions) that he doesn’t think is true?

Beyond those questions, the Bible is explicit that only believers should take part. In 1 Cor. 11:24-25, Paul tells the church to eat the bread and drink the wine/juice in remembrance of Jesus’s death and in anticipation of His return. As we said above, someone who doesn’t believe those things are true would not be doing that. 1 Cor. 11:29 also tells us to rightly judge (or discern/recognize) the body as we are eating and drinking. Whether that refers to the body of Jesus or the church (the body of Christ), again someone who is not believing is not rightly doing that. Finally, in 1 Cor. 10:16-17, Paul says that when the church celebrates the Lord’s Supper we are sharing in the body and blood. Once again, a nonbeliever is not sharing in Jesus’s body and blood; so, she should not act like she is. (For more evidence of this in 1 Cor. 5:9-11, see number 3 below.)

The Lord’s Supper is only for professing believers.

1. Professing Believers Who Have Been Baptized

In our Focus in February series in 2022, we explored the topic of baptism the way we are with the Lord’s Supper this year. Those discussions can be heard here, here, and here. We said that baptism is the public profession of faith. Baptism is how a believer declares publicly before the church and the world that he has turned his back on his old way of life and has submitted himself to Jesus’ lordship. A person (even a believer) who has not declared that she has renounced her old life and started following Christ, should do so before publicly declaring that she is devoted to continuing to follow Christ. She should be baptized quickly and then participate in the Supper frequently.

Baptism is also an act of obedience to the command of Christ. In 1 Cor. 11:28, Paul tells believers to examine themselves before participating in the Lord’s Supper. When a believer who has not yet been baptized examines himself, he should come to the conclusion that he is in disobedience. Again, he should be baptized soon and then participate in the Supper frequently after that.

Because of our conviction that proper baptism is only performed by the believer being fully immersed in water, we believe a person should be baptized that way before taking part in the Lord’s Supper.

The Lord’s Supper is only for professing believers who have been baptized.

1. Professing Believers Who Have Been Baptized (by Immersion) and are Members in Good Standing in a Local Church

In 1 Cor. 5:9-11, Paul is instructing the church on how to treat a believer who is part of their church who is refusing to repent of a very grievous sin that has affected the whole congregation. In that passage, he tells the church that they are not to judge those outside the church, but they are to judge those inside the church. He doesn’t mean to judge in the sense of pronouncing judgment on someone. It is not our place to cast verdicts of whether someone is a believer or not a believer. What he means is to judge in the sense of being discerning and wise. He tells them that when someone is acting like an unbeliever (refusing to repent) that we should treat them like one with hopes and prayers that they will repent and prove that they really are believers. We should also make efforts to draw them to repentance—pleading with them to do so as we remind them of the gospel that they once professed to believe.

One of the things he tells them to do is to refuse even to eat with them. We argued that he is not talking about eating a regular meal but that this is a reference to the Lord’s Supper. In Acts 2:42 and 2:46, Luke uses that same idea to describe the life of the early church in Jerusalem. He says that they devoted themselves “to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” “The breaking of bread,” many think, is referring to the Lord’s Supper. He says that they were daily “breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” Again, I think this is a refence to the Lord’s Supper that was often a part of a larger meal (as it was in Matthew 26, when Jesus instituted the Supper at the end of the Passover meal).

If that understanding is correct, then Paul is telling the Corinthian church not to have the Lord’s Supper with someone whose life displays an unbelieving heart (by refusing to repent of an open sin that is causing division in the church).

The Lord’s Supper is only for professing believers who have been baptized (by immersion) and are members in good standing of a local church.

1. Professing Believers Who Have Been Baptized (by Immersion) and are Members in Good Standing in a Local Church Who are Old Enough to Understand What the Lord’s Supper is and What it Represents

The Bible doesn’t give a specific age limit on who should participate in the Lord’s Supper, and we shouldn’t either. However, the Bible does offer some guidance that parents and churches should consider when deciding whether or not a child should take part in the Lord’s Supper.

As already noted, 1 Cor. 11:28 tells us to examine ourselves before joining in the Supper, and 1 Cor. 11:29 tells us to judge/discern/recognize the body rightly. A child who is a believer who has been baptized and is a member of the church should also be mature enough to examine himself and rightly understand the meaning and purpose of the Lord’s Supper before he participates.

The Lord’s Supper is only for professing believers who have been baptized (by immersion), are members in good standing of a local church, and are old enough and have the maturity to examine themselves and understand the meaning and purpose of the Lord’s Supper.

How Should We Participate in the Lord’s Supper?

In 1 Cor. 11:27-34, Paul cautions the church against having the Lord’s Supper inappropriately and warns us of serious consequences for doing so.

First, he tells us not to eat or drink in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27). One church leader explained that the problem is not unworthy participants but unworthy participation. Paul is not telling us to be careful that we are worthy—we aren’t. We are all rebellious and disobedient. None of us have loved God with all of our heart, mind, soul, or strength, but we have been invited to the feast anyway! He is telling us to be careful that we participate in a worthy manner. Are we eating and drinking with faith—trusting that Jesus’ sacrifice has covered our sin and our guilt and believing that He is ruling over His church right now and will come again one day to judge the earth and reward His people? Are we confessing and repenting of sin or letting it root its way into our heart? Are we fighting sin in our lives and helping others in the church to do likewise? Are we taking sin seriously?

Second, he tells us to make sure that we are judging the body rightly (1 Cor. 11:29). ‘The body” may refer to Jesus’ physical body, but I think it refers to the church—the body of Christ. Are you loving your fellow church members? Are you living a life in deference to others and their needs? Are you committed to one another? This is a major part of the problem with how the Corinthians were celebrating the supper that Paul is addressing in this part of his letter.

Where or When Should We Participate in the Lord’s Supper?

This question doesn’t have in mind whether or not there is a specific location or a specific time for observing the Lord’s Supper. Instead, we want to think about the circumstances and context surrounding when we have the Supper, where we have the Supper, and who we share the supper with.

It is our conviction that the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance given to the local church. Five times in 1 Cor. 11:17-39 (vv. 17, 18, 20, 33, and 34) Paul uses a phrase like “when you come together.” Clearly, his instructions about the Lord’s Supper are centered on a regular gathering of the church. Churches should observe the Lord’s Supper together, but this brings up several questions.

Should individuals or groups of individuals (such as family gatherings or wedding ceremonies) observe the Lord’s Supper together? What about smaller groups of church members? Should a church’s youth group or men’s or women’s ministry observe the Lord’s Supper when they are gathered (at a camp or retreat, for example)? What about a group of church members who are on a mission trip? What about para-church organizations (mission agencies, conferences or retreats, Christian schools, or etc. that exist to help and support local churches)? Should those groups celebrate the Lord’s Supper together?

In some ways these are hard questions. Perhaps you have been in one of these situations before. It is always a little awkward to not take part in something everyone else is doing. Often, we find ourselves in these situations with people that we love and like. We might fear that our decision to let the bread and wine/juice pass by us without taking them could be interpreted as us thinking that we are better than those around us or thinking that we have a better theology or belief system or just that we take the Lord’s Supper more seriously. Sometimes, the response might be to ask us to explain why we are deciding not to take part or for our friends to try and explain to us why we are wrong and should just go ahead and participate. These situations can be very awkward and uncomfortable, and it is often easier just to participate without thinking too much about it.

However, we should think about everything we do in worship to the Lord, and the passages regarding the Lord’s Supper explicitly tell us to examine ourselves and discern what we are doing before we eat and drink. We should take some time to think about these things. Because the Lord’s Supper is given to local churches to celebrate together and is related to the practice of church discipline (“do not even eat with such a one”), only churches should observe the Lord’s Supper. This means that individuals, families, wedding parties, para-church organizations, and other groups that are not churches should not observe the Lord’s Supper together.

The question about subgroups of a church (youth group, men’s/women’s groups, mission teams, etc.) is a little more complicated. However, because of what the Lord’s Supper is and what it represents, I think our normal practice should be to observe the Lord’s Supper when the church is gathered together in its regular worship service.

Of course, we don’t want to make a rule or put a regulation in place that is more restrictive than what the Bible says or where the Bible doesn’t give any explicit command at all, but we should be thinking about these things, and our practice should be based on the principles and understandings that are given in scripture.

How Often Should We Observe the Lord’s Supper?

Like the question on age, the Bible does not explicitly give us instruction on how often we should observe the Lord’s Supper. Some churches do so quarterly (4 times per year), some monthly, some weekly. In Acts 2:42, we read that the early church in Jerusalem was continually devoting itself to the breaking of bread. Does this mean they were observing the Lord’s Supper daily? Many Catholic churches have a mass every day. In Acts 20:7, Paul says that the church in Ephesus gathered on the first day of the week to break bread. Does this mean that they gathered for this purpose on the first day of every week or just the week that Paul was in town? We are not given straightforward and binding answers to these questions anywhere in the Bible.

Sometimes, people say that churches should observe the Lord’s Supper more often (weekly or monthly) because not doing so would cause the church to miss out on God’s grace or because not doing so would be disobedient to scripture. We’ve already pointed out that the Bible never gives a clear cut command regarding how often the Lord’s Supper should be observed. All we see are examples of when other churches in previous times did so—and even these examples are not very clear. Beyond that, we do not believe the Lord’s Supper conveys the grace of God the way the Catholic or Lutheran churches do; so, believers are not missing out on that grace by not observing the Lord’s Supper more often.

Others argue that the Lord’s Supper should be observed less often. Sometimes they will say that observing the Lord’s Supper more often just increases the danger. If it is possible to have the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy way and if doing so endangers people of serious consequences, then we should limit the frequency with which the Lord’s Supper is celebrated. Everyone has fewer chances of doing it wrongly if we are not doing very often. Others say it is better to have the Lord’s Supper less frequently because this helps to preserve its significance or meaning. The more often something is done, the more common it becomes; so, we should limit how often we have to Lord’s Supper in an attempt to preserve its weighty and serious character. However, just because something is done often doesn’t make it less significant. We practice other elements of worship regularly, and they are still meaningful and have significance. In each worship service we sing, pray, preach, read scripture, and share fellowship, and doing so often doesn’t strip them of their significance or meaningfulness.

Here we observe the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of each month. That is a significant in crease in frequency from just a few years ago when we were having it once each quarter. We like it. It is a special time for our church. Maybe we should consider having the Lord’s Supper more often, but the Bible gives no clear commands on this question.

Who Should Serve the Lord’s Supper?

The Bible also doesn’t tell us who should serve the Lord’s Supper. In fact, the Bible doesn’t put any restrictions in place at all. As regards who distributes the bread and juice, I think anyone can regardless of age, sex, dress, or any other descriptions.

As far as who leads the service, we should be a little more discerning. We should make sure that the person leading us in the Lord’s Supper understands and is able to explain what the Lord’s Supper is and why we observe it. He should be able to warn others with the warning we find in scripture, and he should be taken seriously enough for these warnings to have some weight to them. Since we said that in observing the Lord’s Supper and there is a need for explanation, perhaps we should limit who leads this service to someone who is qualified to preach.

This study on the Lord’s Supper has been really good, and we have considered several questions, but you may have others. If you do, please let us know. You can email or text your question to me or one of your other pastors, or you could ask one of us in person the next time you see us. At this week’s Sunday evening service (2/26 6:00pm) we will spend the entire doing nothing but answering these kinds of questions. All four of our pastors will be on stage discussing these issues and questions together. We would prefer for you to be at that service in-person and ask your question for the benefit of everyone listening. We hope to see you then!

The Lord’s Supper: Part ThreeJosh Wamble2023-02-21T13:36:42-05:00

The Lord’s Supper: Part Two

By Pastor Josh Wamble

Last week, we started a short series exploring what the Bible says and what Christians have thought about the Lord’s Supper throughout history. If you were not here for that, you can listen to the audio here. This past Sunday (2/12) we spent some time talking about four views of the Lord’s Supper different Christian traditions have held throughout history. If you were not able to attend that service, that audio can be heard here. Below, we will briefly summarize these six historical views.

1. Transubstantiation

This is the understanding the Catholic church has. This label is a combination of trans (to change or transform) and substance (the core or essence of a thing).

There are three aspects to this view. First, when the priest says the words of institution, the bread and wine experience a transformation. Although the bread still looks and smells and tastes like bread, the essence of the bread has been transformed into the actual physical body of Jesus. In the same way, although the wine still looks and smells and tastes like wine, its essence is transformed into the actual physical blood of Jesus.

This brings us to the second aspect of this view. Because this is really Jesus’s body and blood, the Lord’s Supper (Mass) is a re-sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus is being sacrificed again and again for the sins of those participating in the mass.

Thirdly, like the Catholic understanding of baptism, they believe that the mass is ex opera operato. This is a Latin phrase that means literally “from the working, the work” or “from the operating, the operation.” What this means is that the mass works in and of itself. It does not require any faith or repentance or even understanding of the person involved. It is a completely outward ritual or ceremony that works (to provide forgiveness of sins) in and of itself.

Those who believe this way point to a few passages in the Bible. They emphasize a literal understanding of Matthew 26:26-28 and John 6:48-58. When Jesus says, “This is my body.” and “This is my blood.”, they say that he is being literal. They believe that they are just trying to take those passages literally as well.

2. Consubstantiation

This is the understanding the Lutheran church has. Martin Luther was responding to and reacting to the errors of the Catholic church’s misunderstanding of the Lord’s Supper. He wanted to continue to understand Matthew 26:26-28 literally. He insisted that Jesus meant that the bread and the wine was actually his body. However, he did not believe that the Jesus was being sacrificed each time the Lord’s Supper was observed.

He did not think the bread and wine actually became Jesus’s physical body, but he thought Jesus’s body was present “in, with, and under” the bread and wine. (“Con” means with.) He believed the substance of the bread and wine coexists with the body and blood of Christ. Most Lutheran churches have followed this teaching to the present.

3. Spiritual Presence

John Calvin was another Christian leader who lived around the same time as Martin Luther. He too had begun reading the Bible for himself and coming to understand things differently than the Catholic church had been teaching for many years.

Like Luther, he agreed that we should take passages like Matthew 26;26-28 seriously, but he understood them to mean that the bread and wine represent Jesus’s body in a symbolic or figurative way. He did believe that Jesus was present in and during the Lord’s Supper, but in a spiritual sense not physically. He reminded his followers of passages like Matthew 18:20 where Jesus promises his followers that he is present with them whenever they gather together and Matthew 28:20 (The Great Commission) where Jesus promises his followers that he will always be with us. Calvin said it’s pretty clear that these passages are speaking of Jesus being spiritually present with his people not physically, and that is what is happening during the Lord’s Supper as well.

He definitely agreed with Luther that there was no sacrifice happening during the Lord’s Supper, but he did think of the supper as a “means of grace”—God’s grace was imparted to the participant during the supper. Unlike the Catholic view, this was not ex opera operato. God’s grace comes only to those who participate in the supper with faith and repentance trusting in the gospel that it points to.

Today, most Presbyterian churches understand the Lord’s Supper this way. Many Methodist churches do as well.

4. Memorial View

Another important Christian leader at the same time at Luther and around the same time as Calvin was Ulrich Zwingli. While Luther was in Germany and Calvin was in France, Zwingli was leading a movement in Switzerland. (Later, Calvin ended up in Switzerland, also.) Like Luther and Calvin, he had begun reading the Bible for himself and realized that much of what the Catholic church had been teaching for many years differed from what the Bible said. He began leading Christians in Switzerland to follow the Bible.

His views on the Lord’s Supper also differed drastically from what the Catholic Church had been teaching. He also differed from Luther and Calvin. He agreed with Calvin that the bread and wine represent Jesus’s body and blood. He understood Matthew 26:26-28 symbolically or figuratively. He pointed to other passages such as John 6:35, 10:17, and 15:5 where Jesus made similar statements (“I am the gate,” “I am the door,” and “I am the vine”) that were obviously meant symbolically or figuratively.

Unlike Calvin, Zwingli believed that the Lord’s Supper was a memorial that pointed back as a marker or reminder to what had already happened on the cross. He emphasized 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 where Paul quoted Jesus saying to eat the bread and drink from the cup “in remembrance” of me. Zwingli believed that the Lord’s Supper is a remembrance service.

Historically, most Baptist churches have understood the Lord’s Supper this way. Many Pentecostal churches have as well. However, some Pentecostal churches also believe that there is a connection to physical healing in celebrating the Lord’s Supper. They believe Isaiah 53:5 (“with his wounds we are healed.”) means that Jesus’s death secured healing from physical diseases and sicknesses; so, they think the ordinance that memorializes Jesus’s death is connected to these healings also.

As far a which of these views is correct, I think we should completely deny both of the first two positions. We are not offering any kind of sacrifice in any way when we have the Lord’s Supper. Hebrews 10:1-18 makes it clear that when Jesus died on the cross He offered Himself once for all as a single sacrifice for all time. That sacrifice never needs to be repeated; it fully accomplished all that God intended for it to accomplish and as Hebrews 10:14 says, “perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” The basis of our salvation was accomplished for all time at the cross. Likewise, the bread and wine are not in any way transformed into the body and blood of Jesus during the supper.

I believe that we should think about the Lord’s Supper using a combination of the final two views. Primarily, I believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial. We are told to “do this in remembrance” of him (remembering both his death and his promise to return). It is also true that Jesus is spiritually present with his people when we eat the meal together. However, He is no more (or less) present during the Lord’s Supper than He is during the sermon or singing or other aspects of the worship service. Moreover, the Lord’s Supper is a means of grace. We do encounter God’s grace when we partake of the supper together, but only in so far as the supper points us to and draws our hearts to the truths of Jesus’s death and return. In other words, we experience God’s grace as we trust in and believe the truth that the Supper points us to.

The Lord’s Supper: Part TwoJosh Wamble2023-02-21T13:38:20-05:00

The Lord’s Supper: Part One

By Pastor Josh Wamble

This past Sunday evening, we started a short series exploring what the Bible says and what Christians have thought about the Lord’s Supper throughout history. If you were not here for that, you can listen to the audio here. We looked mostly at two passages, and two aspects of the Lord’s Supper became clear during that time. First, the Lord’s Supper has a vertical dimension to it. It has something to do with our relationship with God. Second, the Lord’s Supper has a horizontal dimension to it. It has something to do with our relationship with other believers.

The Lord’s Supper Has a Vertical Dimension

When we look at Luke 22:14, 20, we see that the Lord’s Supper was anticipated (v.15). This was not a spur of the moment addition to the Passover meal that Jesus came up with on the fly. The Lord’s Supper was planned by God and implemented by Jesus at the right moment.

We also see that the Lord’s Supper is only temporary. It points to something else (Luke 22:16 and 18). Revelation 19:7-10 tells us that there will be a day when a reunion takes place between the Lord and His people. This is what the Lord’s Supper is meant to point us to. It is a reminder that a better Supper is coming—a marriage feast. Until that day, we have the Lord’s Supper together in expectation of what is to come.

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic meal. The bread and the wine/juice point to something else. In Luke 22:19, we are told that the bread represents Jesus’s body and the wine/juice represents His blood. The bread helps us to think of Jesus’s sacrifice for us (“do this in remembrance of me”), and the wine/juice helps us to celebrate and trust in the new covenant that Jesus’s death established (“the new covenant in my blood”).

The Lord’s Supper Has a Horizontal Dimension

In Luke 22:17, we read that Jesus instructed His disciples to share the meal among themselves—with one another. There is an aspect of the Lord’s Supper that is focused on the relationship between those who are celebrating it together. In 1 Cor. 11:26, Paul tells us that every time we share this meal together, we are proclaiming something that is true. To proclaim something is to announce it or spread it’s message. In seminary, the preaching class was called “The Ministry of Proclamation.” The Lord’s Supper is a visual sermon or gospel presentation. Every time we share the Lord’s Supper, we are preaching the gospel to one another! We do so in two ways.

First, we proclaim His death to each other. We look back to what Jesus has done and how it has affected us. We remind one another that Jesus’s death is the foundation of our standing and acceptance before God. This is the very foundation of our faith and our hope. We remind one another that we are in this together. We are trusting in the same things. We are believing and following together. We can count on each other.

Second, we proclaim His coming to one another. Paul says we proclaim His death until He comes. As we see each other eat the bread and drink the wine/juice, we are helping each other and being helped to look ahead. We are reminding each other of this hope that we are moving toward. We are advancing toward holiness and righteousness and the fullness of our salvation—and we are doing so together! We are helping each other to make it. Sharing in the Lord’s Supper meal is a reminder that we are a community of faith following Jesus together!

I wonder if you have ever thought of this horizontal aspect of the Lord’s Supper. Some traditions refer to the Lord’s Supper as “communion.” It is a communion between us and God but also between us and each other. It is one of the ways God uses the church to mold His people into the image of Jesus.

The Lord’s Supper is a blessing to you and your faith as you look backward to Christ’s death and forward to His return, but it is also a way for you to encourage and strengthen the other members of our church as you proclaim these truths to your brothers and sisters. At our church, we have the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of each month. Sometimes it is during the morning service, and sometimes it is part of the evening service. You cannot take part in this proclamation encouraging and strengthening the church if you are not present. Would you prioritize being in attendance during these services?

The Lord’s Supper: Part OneJosh Wamble2023-02-21T13:39:07-05:00

The Five Points of the Gospel

By Pastor Josh Wamble

If someone asked you what they had to do to get saved, could you answer? What if someone asked you why Jesus became a human or why He had to die—couldn’t God save humanity some other way? What if someone asked you to explain the gospel?

“Gospel” is one of those words that gets used a lot in Christian and church contexts, but sometimes there is confusion surrounding just exactly what it is that we are talking about. There’s a genre of music called “gospel.” There are four gospels in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). But, when Christians talk about the gospel, they are usually referring to the message of salvation. The word evangelism comes from the Greek word that means gospel or good news.

So what is the gospel—the good news—the message of salvation? What must we include in order to be faithful to the full message given in the Bible? What must someone believe in order to be saved? There are different ways of summarizing the gospel. Some use four points or headings. Some use six points or headings. Some use different acronyms like G.R.A.C.E. or F.A.I.T.H. Below, I will summarize the gospel in five points—one for each finger of your hand.

The Gospel Summarized in Five Points

1. God is Holy.

God is holy. He is completely set apart from his creation. He is morally pure and always does what is right. He is good and true and just and impartial. He is rightly focused on Himself and His own glory.

2. We are not Holy.

When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, he did so as our representative standing in for all of humanity. Therefore, all humans are born with a sinful corrupted nature and guilty before God. We are not holy. We are not morally pure, and we often do what is wrong. We are not always good. We often are not truthful. We do not always treat others justly and often show partiality toward ourselves or others that we are connected to. We are not rightly focused on God and His glory. We often focus on ourselves and our own glory above God’s. Sometimes, we value parts of creation above God. We have rebelled against the God who created us, loves us, and provides for us!

3. This is a Problem.

Our guilt and sinfulness create a division between us and God. How can God remain holy and reconcile Himself to us? If God always does what is right, then he must do what is right toward guilty sinners. How can God forgive sinners without becoming unjust and unrighteous? Forgiving guilty sinners would require God to show partiality and no longer be true. He would no longer be good. (Think of a judge who lets people go free even though they are clearly proven to be guilty beyond a doubt.) If God is to remain holy, he must pronounce a true and right judgement against sinners. This is a big problem.

4. Jesus is the Answer to this Problem.

God could have left us in this position of guilt and rebellion against Him, but He chose not to. God has provided an answer by taking on humanity in the person of Jesus. Since Jesus is fully man and fully God, He can serve as a mediator between God and us. We can be reconciled to God in the person of Jesus! Jesus is fully human, but since he is not descended from Adam, He was not born with a sinful and corrupted nature or guilty before God. Since Jesus never sinned and lived a perfectly holy life (good, just, right, true, morally pure, impartial, and rightly focused on God and His glory), He is not guilty of sin. This means that Jesus can serve as a perfect sacrifice—a substitute for guilty/sinful humanity. Jesus takes our guilt and suffers our punishment before God. In addition, we are credited with His holiness and righteousness since He lived a perfect/holy life as our representative! This means that God can forgive sinners and remain holy. He doesn’t simply overlook our guilt and sin. He does what is right by justly and impartially judging our sin in Jesus. Since Jesus is fully God, he is able to fully consume God’s wrath toward our sin so that justice is fully done.

5. How Will You Respond?

Salvation is not an automatic thing. God requires us to make a choice. Will we continue in our rebellion and sin following the course of Adam or will we surrender and swear allegiance to Christ as our new representative? We must turn from our love of sin, abandon our own attempts to reconcile ourselves to God, and trust in the only solution that God has provided in Christ.

Sharing the Gospel with Other People

Remembering these five headings (1. God is holy. 2. We are not holy. 3. This is a problem. 4. Jesus is the answer. 5. How will you respond?) can make sharing the gospel with people much less intimidating. You don’t have to remember everything the Bible says or know how to answer every question someone might have. Remembering just these five points will give you confidence to talk to people about God’s plan of salvation.

Speaking with people about the gospel also requires wisdom and some discernment. Once you get a good understanding of the person you are talking with, you will not always have to go into great detail about all five of these points.

The person you are talking with may know and feel greatly that they are sinful, but may not believe that God is holy. He may think that a good God would not allow some specific thing that has happened to him. In this case, you would need to spend more time on the first point showing that God really is holy and all that that means.

Another person that you talk to may believe that God is holy but think that she is a pretty good person. In this case, you could almost skip over the first point and focus more on the second point and how serious her sin and guilt before God is.

A person who believes that God is holy and that we are sinful but thinks God should just forgive everyone, would need to be confronted with the third point and why this is such a big problem—how a holy God cannot just overlook sin and guilt and remain holy.

A person who agrees with the first three points may think that his sin is so great and the problem is so big that God cannot forgive his sin. In this case, you would need to spend time explaining the fourth point—how Jesus is the answer to this problem and has made a way to reconcile us to God, provide forgiveness for our sin, and remain holy.

Finally, if the person you are talking to understands the problem and how Jesus answers it but thinks that means that God will automatically forgive everyone, you will need to explain how in her sin she is still following Adam in rebellion against God. You will need to help her see that she needs to turn from her rebellion and sin and swear allegiance to Christ as her new representative before God and trust Him to reconcile her to God.

In all of these scenarios, we need to remember that the Holy Spirit is the one who converts and rely on Him to do so. We should never try to convince someone or convert someone under our own power or ability or cleverness. We should always join prayer with our explanations of the gospel asking God to give us the words and wisdom to explain the gospel well and asking Him to convict our friend of sin and open his heart to believe!

As people who have been changed by the gospel, we should always be seeking opportunities to share that same message of salvation with those around us—our family and friends and coworkers and neighbors and even strangers when we have opportunity. We should look for opportune times and pray that God would provide those.

I hope that this five point summary of the gospel is a help to you in your sharing the gospel. I hope that it will give you more confidence to do so. I pray that God will use this tool to make us more evangelistic people and a more evangelistic church!

The Five Points of the GospelJosh Wamble2023-01-31T20:42:58-05:00

Leaving a Faithful Legacy

By Pastor Josh Wamble

I wonder if you have thought much about the legacy that you will leave behind when you die. I hope that you have. Almost every time I attend a funeral (looking at the pictures displayed, having conversations with others about the person who has died, and listening to the eulogy), I find myself thinking about that person and their impact on me but also about my own life and what people will say about me when I die—what my legacy will be. I hope that you have thought about the legacy you will leave behind for your children and other family and your friends, the impact your life is having on others.

But, I also wonder if you have ever thought about the legacy you will leave behind in your church.

The last few years have been really good for our church, but also really hard for our church in especially one way. It seems like a generation of older people is leaving us. Each year around Christmas time, our deacons host a lunch for the widows and widowers in our church. Recently, some of us came across a picture of that group from 2017. There were ten widows in that picture. A short five years later, and now only three of them are still here. Others who were not widows in 2017 have passed away since then as well.

That generation of believers and members of FBC, Fairdale have had a huge impact on me in many ways not least of which is how I think about the church and the importance of following Jesus together. They each left individual legacies behind, but when I think about their legacy and their impact on me as a group—as a generation of members here—one thing I think of is how generous they were with their church. I moved to Louisville in 2005 and joined the church soon after. I was a young seminary student from TN. I had never heard of Fairdale, KY before. I didn’t know the history of the church or the community. Yet, in spite of all that, they welcomed me here so willingly and genuinely.

In 1 Corinthians 13:5, we are told that love “seeks not its own advantage” or “does not insist on its own way.” Over the years, whenever decisions were being discussed or changes were being put into place or newer people were being put into different positions at the church, they never “sought their own advantage” or “insisted on their own way.” They never made things difficult—and they could have. I imagine it’s difficult for a 70-year-old or an 80-year-old to have a 35 or 40 year old pastor or group of pastors.

It’s probably difficult for someone who has been a member of a church for as long as they have been to see different people with different ideas and approaches begin serving in leadership and decision-making positions and doing some things differently than they had been done in the past. In none of these situations did they ever “seek their own advantage” or “insist on their own way.” They were quick to welcome new members and visitors to our church—and in a very open way. They welcomed people to come in and be as much a part as they had been for so many years and still were. They made it so easy for younger people and newer people to be members here and to serve here!

I could name so many people who were here in 2005 who are no longer with us. Much of the good things happening in our church today are because of how faithfully and energetically they served here and were involved here in their younger years—but also because of how faithfully and energetically they supported and encouraged and followed and helped their church family and especially the leaders of their church in their later years.

I hope that we are all thinking this way as well. I hope that you are thinking of what your legacy will be to the next generations of members here. In 30 or 40 or 50 years, what will the younger members be saying about you—about us? May we all seek to follow the example that has been set for us so well—serving and supporting, working and encouraging, helping and following “not seeking our own advantage” or “insisting on our own way!”

Leaving a Faithful LegacyJosh Wamble2023-01-24T11:01:55-05:00

Differences in English Bible Translations

by Pastor Josh Wamble

As you probably know, the bible was not originally written in English. Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and most of the New Testament was written in Greek. Several chapters in Ezra and Daniel as well as a few words and phrases in the New Testament were written in Aramaic. Many dedicated scholars, pastors, missionaries, and other believers have studied these original languages and devoted their lives to translating the different parts of the bible into languages that can be understood today.

About 500 years ago, men like William Tyndale, Myles Coverdale, John Wycliffe, and others risked their lives to translate the bible into English for the first time. Their motivation was to make it so that the regular person could read the bible for himself instead of having his biblical knowledge limited to what the priest told him it said. These men became convinced that if regular people were allowed to read the bible and preach the bible, God would use it to change lives. William Tyndale famously said, “I defy the pope and all his laws. If God spares my life, I will have it so that a boy that drives the plow knows more of the scriptures than [he] does.” Tyndale was convicted of heresy (for translating the bible) and strangled. Then his dead body was burned. John Wycliffe died of a stroke. The Catholic church allowed him to be buried because his was so loved by the people. However, about 30 years later, they dug up his body, burned his bones, and drowned the ashes in water.

Today, there are 7,388 languages spoken in the world. The full bible has been translated into only 724 of those languages. Another 1,617 have the New Testament only. 1,248 have some individual books of the bible. There are still 3,799 languages without the bible. In most of these cases, translation work has not even begun. More information about these statistics and the status of bible translation work around the world can be found here.

How different the case is for those of us who speak English! There are an estimated 900 different English translations of the bible (or parts of the bible)! We might ask, “Why are there so many?” and “Wouldn’t some of that effort be better spent working on languages that don’t have the bible?” Those are legitimate questions, but that this article will not be answering them. Instead, I want us to think about the English translations we do have and how they differ from each other. Not all English translations are equal. Some are better than others. Some are more faithful to the original than others. All 900 translations can be grouped into one of 4 categories, and I want us to briefly think about them below. There is some overlap in these categories; so, it is probably better to think of them as a continuum instead of hard boundaries. The picture above helps us to see what I mean.

1. Interlinear

Interlinear bibles are written in Hebrew or Greek and English. They are called interlinears because the lines are interchanged between the different languages. An interlinear New Testament will have a line in Greek then a line in English. The next line will be in Greek again followed by another English line. Each pair of lines go together. The first line will be in Greek. The next line in English will be arranged so that the English word is directly below the Greek word that it translates. These types of bibles are helpful for people who have some knowledge of Greek or Hebrew, but they are hard to read as a simple English translation. The words are in the order of the Greek or Hebrew bible which is not always the same order they would appear in English, and they are not very smooth or grammatically correct English.

2. Word for Word (Formal Equivalent)

ESV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, HCSB, etc.

In a word for word translation, the translator is attempting to render each Hebrew or Greek word into a corresponding English word. The goal is to take seriously not only the message of the book but the actual words that were chosen by the original author. If the bible is inspired by God, then we should take the actual words he inspired seriously and try to be as accurate as possible when translating those words into English or any other language.

These translations are good for reading, studying, teaching, and preaching. However, there are translators who do not think this is the best approach. They offer several criticisms of word for word translations. These translations are often charged with being “choppy” or “wooden.” They don’t always flow smoothly when reading them—especially when reading them out loud. Another criticism is that they are often hard to read because they don’t sound like natural English. The phrases or sentences are not always expressed the way that a natural English speaker would say them. Finally, sometimes translators make the argument that the meaning of a biblical passage is found in the sentences or paragraphs and not in the individual words. That takes us to the next category of English translations.

3. Thought for Thought (Dynamic or Functional Equivalent)

NIV, NLT, GNT, CEV, etc.

In a thought for thought translation, the translator is attempting to translate each Hebrew or Greek thought into a corresponding English thought. The meaning or message of the bible is expressed in words working together to form phrases and sentences and paragraphs not the individual words themselves. These translators want to help the English reader to understand what the original author meant by translating each Hebrew or Greek thought into an English thought not necessarily translating each Hebrew or Greek word into an English word. They often try to “smooth out” the Greek or Hebrew so that it sounds more like natural English. For example, they may take a long sentence that Paul wrote with 30 or 40 Greek words and divide it into several shorter English sentences that convey the same thought or meaning.

These translations can be good for reading large sections of scripture at one time. They can also be helpful for younger readers or adults who are not as good at reading. However, there are some criticisms of these translations as well. One criticism is that if God inspired the very words the original writers chose then faithfulness would require us to translate those very words into English and other languages. Two final criticisms are related to one another. First, in these translations, the translator is trying to translate the thought or message of the author, but they can only know those thoughts by the words the original author used. Secondly, the resulting translation ends up being closer to the translator’s interpretation or explanation of what the bible says than to the actual words of the bible itself.

4. Paraphrase

The Message, The Living Bible, etc.

Paraphrases are not translations at all. Instead, the goal is to take large sections of the bible and summarize them or restate them in someone else’s words. Because of this, these bibles often lack chapter and/or verse markings.

These bibles can be good for reading large sections of the bible, but since they are not really translations, it is best not to use them for study, preaching, or teaching.

We are in a unique position in human history. Never before have people had such easy access to the bible in the common language that they regularly speak. Even in today’s world, English speakers are in an exceptional position because of the many bible translations available to us. Not all of these translations are created equal. I recommend you get a good reliable word for word translation (We mainly use the ESV at our church.) to use as your main bible for serious study.

Differences in English Bible TranslationsJosh Wamble2023-01-17T13:54:08-05:00

Six Books Every Christian Should Own

By Pastor Josh Wamble

Believers in 2023 are in a unique position. We have more access, easier access, and less expensive access to bibles (in many different English translations) and other Christian writings than at any other point in history!

Not all believers need to be scholars, but we should all have an interest in studying and understanding the bible. If God has spoken to us in his word, we should work hard to understand it that it might have an impact on the way we live. Another peculiar blessing of our place and time is that there are lots of other books and tools available that can help us to do just that. Below are six suggested books that every Christian or Christian family should own.

Bible

It is somewhat obvious that all Christians should have a bible. However, not all bibles are of the same quality or even usefulness. Maybe we will post an article here in the near future explaining the different types of bible translations and translation philosophy, but we don’t have room to go into those details in this article. It would be too long.

Every believer should have a good bible that is conducive to quality bible study. This means a bible translation that is in what is called the “formal equivalent” bible translation philosophy. In simple terms, this means a bible that is a “word for word” translation instead of a “thought for thought” translation or paraphrase. (Thought for thought translations or paraphrases are useful in some contexts and for some purposes, but they are not ideal for serious bible study.) Formal equivalent/word for word translations include the ESV, NASB, HCBS/CSB, KJV, NKJV, and etc.

A bible with cross references is helpful also. These bibles have cross references printed either in a center column or at the bottom of the page. They help readers make connections between different parts of the bible in a few different ways. They point out other places in the bible that deal with the same topic. In the NT, they point out where to find original OT passages that are being quoted. In the gospels, they point out where to find the same event being described in the other gospel accounts.

Finally, good study bibles can be very helpful. There are many different study bibles, and not all of them are of the same quality. The ESV study bible is very good as are Life Application study bibles that can be found in multiple translations. The Reformation Study bible is a good resource that can also be found in different translations. The study notes in these bibles help us to understand the context, history, and meaning of bible passages. Study bibles and some reference bibles also provide introductions to each book that can help us understand their context and the history that they are set in.

One caveat needs to be said about reference and study bibles. The text of the bible is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. It is absolutely true. However, the study notes, the introductions, and even the cross references are not inspired. They are the work of one person or a committee of people (depending on which bible it is). If it is a good study bible, then we can generally rely on them, but we should still test them against the other parts of the bible and make sure that we are convinced that they are reliable and not just take them as accurate without thinking the issues through for ourselves.

Bible Concordance

Concordances are essential tools in studying the bible. A concordance is essentially a large index of the bible. It allows you to look up a word and see every verse where that word occurs. Because different translations may different wording, many concordances are published as concordances of specific translations. This tool can be really useful to the believer who is trying to understand what they bible says about specific topics, how a certain word is used by different biblical writers, and how different verses or passages are related through common words, expressions, or phrases.

Bible Dictionary

Every believer or Christian family should also have a good bible dictionary and/or bible handbook. Bible dictionaries and bible handbooks are usually one volume books that are similar to encyclopedias. They contain short articles explaining different words used in the bible, names mentioned in the bible, measurements used during biblical times, and certain animals and even plants that are mentioned in the bible. Bible dictionaries and handbooks also help us to understand the geography and history of the places mentioned in the bible. Some even include maps and other illustrations. There ae several good bible dictionaries and handbooks put together by different Christian publishers such as Crossway, Broadman and Holman, and Zondervan.

Bible Commentary

Commentaries can be very helpful to believers as well. Commentaries are extended explanations of the bible. They come in two types. First there are one volume commentaries. These are large books that offer comments and explanations on either the whole bible or either the old or new testaments. These types of commentaries are attractive because you can purchase one or two books that cover the entire bible. For this reason, they are convenient and relatively inexpensive. The downside of single volume commentaries is that they are usually written by one person; so, the result is a single person’s perspective on every book in the bible. Because of this, sometimes, certain idiosyncrasies, quirks, and “hobbyhorses” or pet topics of the author can influence how the passage is explained. Nevertheless, there are some good one volume commentaries available including Matthew Henry’s commentary (though it is about 300 years old) The John MacArthur Bible Commentary, The New Bible Commentary: 21^st Century Version (Commentary on different books and sections in this commentary are written by 15-20 different authors), and others.

Other commentaries come in sets. These sets are produced by a specific publisher and overseen by an editor or group of editors. In commentary sets, each commentary covers a single book of the bible or a small group of books. The benefits of a commentary set include more space being devoted to each book of the bible so that specific verses and passages can be explained in more detail. Another benefit is that each volume is written by a different person, and usually it is a scholar who has a specific expertise in that particular book or section of the bible. The downside of a commentary set is that they are usually fairly expensive; however, they can be purchased one volume at a time spreading the cost out over a extended period of time. Some good and relative less expensive commentary sets include the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary and Tyndale New Testament Commentary sets and the Christ Centered Exposition commentary set.

Systematic Theology

A good systematic theology is another type of reference book that every Christian family should own. Systematic theologies are organized around topics. They take a specific topic, look at all the bible references to that subject, and try to systematize those references into a summary of all that the bible has to say about it. They include chapters or sections that cover what the bible says about God, creation, humanity, sin, Jesus, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church (including church membership, church government structures, baptism, the Lord’s supper, etc.), judgment, the end times, heaven, hell, and etc. Most believers are not going to read straight through a systematic theology (most are well over 1000 pages long), but they are good for looking up a specific topic to get a good understanding of the bible’s teaching and to answer questions. Most also include indexes for looking up specific bible references or words. There are several good systematic theologies written by Baptist scholars from a Baptist perspective. Wayne Grudem has one called Systematic Theology. He has also condensed it down to a smaller version called Bible Doctrine, and an even smaller paperback version called Christian Beliefs. Another Baptist scholar named Millard Erickson has written a good systematic theology called Christian Theology. There is also a condensed version of this book called Introducing Christian Doctrine.

Hymnal

Every believing family should also own a hymnal. Singing is an important part of the Christian life. If you remember, in the gospel accounts when Jesus and his disciples celebrated the first Lord’s Supper, it says that they sang a hymn together. The book of Acts also records many times when the early believers sang songs together in their worship of God—both in gathered corporate services and in homes. Many of the NT letters also address singing together. In fact, as you know, the longest book in the bible (Psalms) is a collection of sons to and about the Lord. We are called to worship God together and individually. We should be worshipping together as families as well.

There are different types of hymnals available. Some recently published hymnals include older established songs as well as newer songs. The words of the songs we sing also have a teaching function. The things I believe are rooted in what the bible says, but the way that I think of those beliefs often come to mind in the words of good Christian songs that I have learned over the years worshipping with other believers.

Online Resources

Finally, many of the resources discussed above can be found online. There are some really good websites that give the user the ability to read multiple translations, commentaries, histories, geographic tools, and etc. These websites also allow the user to search the bible for different words or phrases taking the place of a written concordance. There are also hymnals that can be accessed online, and of course many hymns and worship songs are available on YouTube as well. A couple of the best online bible study websites are biblehub.com and biblegateway.com. Hymns and other songs can be found at hymnal.net and hymnary.org.

Online resources can be very convenient and cost effective. Almost everyone has access to internet resources via computer, tablet, phone or all three these days. However, of the six reference tools listed above, It is almost essential to have at least two of them as a hard copy—a good bible to study from and a good systematic theology book.

It is essential for believers to read, study, and know what the bible says. It is God’s word to us, and we should not neglect it. May these tools help us to know it better so that we might live it out in our own lives and through the life of our church!

Six Books Every Christian Should OwnJosh Wamble2023-01-20T19:44:01-05:00

New Year’s Resolutions?

By Pastor Josh Wamble

I wonder how many of you made New Year’s resolutions for 2023. People have different feelings about resolutions. Some people like to start a new year off with commitments and resolutions—often involving exercise, or eating differently, or getting up earlier/going to bed earlier, or etc. Other people do not value making resolutions at all. They look at the situation practically and realize that most of the resolutions that are made are broken within the first couple of months if not the first few weeks or even days of the new year. I heard someone say recently, “My resolution for 2023 is to finish the things I started in 2022 because in 2021, I made a commitment to reach the goals I set in 2020 after falling short of them in 2019.”

There are a variety of thoughts about making resolutions, but periodic evaluation and setting goals in life is a healthy practice. In Joshua 24, Joshua has reached the end of his life and is giving his final challenge to the Hebrew people. He will no longer be around to lead them as they begin settling the promised Land. He knows that they will be tempted to acquiesce to their cultures, their lifestyles, and even their gods and religious practices. Joshua charges them to make a commitment now that when they take possession of the Promised Land, they will not fall into these temptations.

In Josh. 24:25-28, after the people committed themselves to remembering the Lord and serving him only, Joshua set up a stone as a memorial. He meant for this to be a reminder to them of their decision and commitment. As they continued in life after Joshua’s death, whether they were faithful to the Lord or not, this memorial would, hopefully, remind them of that commitment. If they were faithful, it would serve as an encouragement to them. If they did not remain faithful, it would (hopefully) serve as an indictment against them leading them to repent and turn back to the Lord.

These kinds of reminders and “signposts” or “road markers” in life can be helpful for everyone but especially for believers. At certain points in life, it is healthy to look back, and evaluate, and make adjustments. Birthdays are a good time to do this—look back over the past year and make honest assessments about how your life is going and changes or adjustments that might need to be made. Major life changes (weddings, births, moving to a new house or new city, taking a new job or promotion, etc.) lend themselves to this type of evaluation. Anniversaries and other annual events are a good opportunity for that as well.

Whether you make “official” new year’s resolutions or not, let me encourage you to take some time over the next few days as we begin a new year to make this type of evaluation. Maybe you want to look at your life in general, finances, health, relationships, or other things. Let me also encourage you to do this specifically with your relationship with God, your commitment to him, your church involvement, and other religious categories. Below is a short list of areas to consider.

1. Bible

Would you take some time and evaluate the time and effort you spend in reading and studying the bible? Do you have a deliberate plan for reading and studying the bible or do you just do so sporadically and when you can “find the time”? In John 17:17, Jesus prays that his followers (us included) would be sanctified in the truth. Then, he says that God’s word is truth. The Bible is what God uses to mold his people into the people that he would have us to be—righteous, gracious, merciful, humble, Christlike.

Many people make resolutions to read through the bible in the new year. Maybe you are one of those. (If so, there are links to several different plans to do just that at the end of this blog post.) But, maybe that seems too ambitious to you. You could decide to read either the OT or NT this year. You could commit to reading the whole bible in 3 years or 5 years. You could decide to read one book of the bible several times in the year (maybe once a month) and get really familiar with that book. Whatever you choose to do, would you at least take a few minutes and think about how you currently spend time in God’s word and how you might expand that in this new year?

2. Prayer

Would you take some time and evaluate your prayer life? In several of his letters, Paul says that he prays constantly. Hopefully you do as well. Hopefully, you are always praying whenever things come up in life or whenever people or situations come to mind. I want to challenge you to commit to prayer in an even more systematic way this year.

Maybe you can commit to more consistently praying with your church family (on Wednesday nights, on Sunday mornings at 9:00, or monthly at the men’s and women’s prayer breakfasts). Maybe you can commit to praying through the church’s prayer list daily during the week. Maybe you can commit to using the church’s directory as a prayer guide and pray for all the members of the church on a schedule that works for you (monthly, once every 2 months, etc.). Maybe you can commit to praying for your pastors and deacons and other church staff. Whatever you choose to do, would you at least take a few minutes and think about how you currently spend time in prayer and how you might expand that in this new year?

3. Encouragement

Would you take some time and evaluate how you encourage other believers? In Hebrews 10, God’s word tells us to consider how we might stir one another up to love and good deeds. One of the lines in our church covenant says, “We will seek to gather regularly to worship God, listen to the preaching of the word, and encourage one another.” I wonder if you ever spend time considering how you might be an encouragement to other believers—especially other church members.

Maybe you could encourage other members by attending church more consistently. Hebrews 10 also says, one of the ways we can stir one another up to love and good works is “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another . . .” Maybe you could take some time each week to send notes or cards of encouragement to other church members. Maybe you could join a Sunday School class or other bible study group and encourage others as you fellowship and study the bible together. Maybe you could encourage other church members by serving together in different ministries of the church. Whatever you choose to do, would you at least take a few minutes and think about how you currently spend time encouraging other believers and how you might expand that in this new year?

Again, whether you make “official” new year’s resolutions or not, let me encourage you to take some time over the next few days as we begin a new year to evaluate yourself, your life, and your relationship with God. May God use our individual commitments regarding the bible, prayer, and encouragement to make us more Christ-like followers and to strengthen and sanctify our church collectively over the next 12 months!

Bible Reading Plans

1. Robert Murray M’Cheyne bible in a year reading plan—https://www.mcheyne.info/calendar.pdf

2. Read through the whole bible in a year—https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/old-testament-and-new-testament.html

3. Read through the whole bible in a year chronologically—https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/chronological.html

4. Read through the whole bible in a year arranged by the bible’s storyline—https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/15998 (This one can be done individually or online with friends)

5. Read through the bible in a year one book at a time—https://www.navigators.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/navigators-book-at-a-time-bible-reading-plan.pdf

6. Read through the NT in a year—https://www.navigators.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/navigators-5x5x5-new-testament-bible-reading-plan.pdf

7. Read through the bible in two years—https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/busy-life-plan.html

8. Create your own plan—https://biblereadingplangenerator.com/?start=2023-02-01&total=365&format=calendar&order=traditional&daysofweek=1,2,3,4,5,6,7&books=OT,NT&lang=en&logic=words&checkbox=1&colors=0&dailypsalm=0&dailyproverb=0&otntoverlap=0&reverse=0&stats=0&dailystats=0&nodates=0

New Year’s Resolutions?Josh Wamble2023-01-03T14:03:20-05:00

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