For His Glory

A command to enjoy the Lord

2012-01-26T12:40:00.000-05:00

Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.

Deuteronomy 28:47-48

Is enjoying God optional? Is gladness in God only for those who are "super-spiritual"? This text from Deuteronomy teaches that the answers to these questions is a resounding, "No". Through Moses the Lord is communicating to his people, Israel, how they are to live. They should expect blessings if they follow the Lord and curses if they turn away from him. However, the path of obedience is to be walked not by those who are begrudging, legalistic, and disengaged.. Rather, our service to the Lord is to be full of joy, gladness, and delight. It is not enough just to serve the Lord, we are do to so with affections being stirred by him. Lord, help me to prefer obedience, to enjoy walking within your commands, and finding delight in your Word.

"Delight yourself in the Lord . . . " Psalm 37:4.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - January 29

2012-01-26T12:20:00.000-05:00

Rocky Stubbs will be preaching from Galatians 2:16-20; 5:16-23 this Sunday when Crestview gathers to worship the Lord. The message is titled Marks of a Spirit Filled Believer. May the Lord bless his church and may we have tender hearts and open ears to hear His Word.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

I Will Sing of My Redeemer

Fellowship

Choir: Lord Most High

Firm Foundation

Sing to the Lord

Lord, I Lift Your Name on High

How Can I Keep from Singing

Prayer

Sermon Text: Galatians 2:16-20; 5:16-23

Sermon Title: Marks of a Spirit Filled Believer

Room at the Cross

Offering Prayer

Offering

Firm Foundation

New Testament relevance of commands in Leviticus

2012-01-13T10:24:00.000-05:00

So, how should Christians apply the commands and instructions found in Leviticus (and other Old Testament books for that matter)? Copied below is a section from the Introduction to Leviticus in The ESV Study Bible on the relevance for Leviticus today (Crossway, 2008) p. 212-213. Here is a link to the article on the ESV Study Bible on-line site.

NT relevance of commands in Leviticus.
What do these legislative texts of Leviticus have to do with the church today? At this point, only a broad picture may be presented, and it will be painted in three brushstrokes, merely offering examples of the value of Leviticus for the Christian believer.

First, the sacrificial system of Leviticus has ceased for the people of God; it has been fulfilled in the coming of Christ (cf. Heb. 9:1–14, 24–28; 10:1–14). Yet studying these laws is important because they enable the reader to understand how the work of Christ saves people, since the sacrifices point to different aspects of the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice of himself.

Second, the festal calendar of Israel enumerated in Leviticus (Lev. 23:1–44) has strongly shaped the Christian church’s traditional calendar. The three main national pilgrim feasts of Israel are the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Booths. For those churches that follow the traditional calendar, these celebrations find their climax in Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost. To fully understand the Christian celebrations, one must see their initial purpose in the OT. At the same time, some aspects of the legislation in Leviticus (such as the laws regulating clean and unclean foods) had the goal of separating Israel from the other nations. Although this separation has been done away with in the Christian era, these laws still teach the people of God to be morally clean (see note on 11:1–47).

Third, the entire Levitical Holiness Code (chs. 17–27) deals with sanctification, i.e., the idea of holiness affecting how one lives in the covenant community. The NT applies to Christians the same principle of life stated in Leviticus 11:44, “be holy, for I am holy” (quoted in 1 Pet. 1:16). In fact, many of the moral requirements reflected in the Holiness Code reveal the kinds of moral conduct that are still either pleasing or displeasing to God (cf., e.g., Lev. 19:11–18, 35–36). On the other hand, several details of the Holiness Code concern more symbolic aspects of holiness that should no longer be followed in the Christian era (such as laws prohibiting garments of two kinds of cloth, 19:19; prohibiting the shaving of the edges of one’s beard, 21:5; and excluding people with physical defects from presenting offerings, 21:17–23). Further, the NT envisions a people of God that transcends national boundaries, and thus it dissolves the bond between the specifically theocratic system of government that was OT Israel. Therefore, current civil governments need not replicate the civil laws specific to the Mosaic theocracy (such as capital punishment for adultery in 20:10 or for blasphemy in 24:16, or the Sabbath year and Jubilee year in 25:1–22), although of course all governments must pursue justice (and Leviticus may certainly help Christians develop their notions of justice).

Preparation for Corporate Worship - January 15

2012-01-12T16:36:00.002-05:00

Size of a baby from 7-12 weeks after conception

January 22, 2012 marks the 39th anniversary of the legalization of abortion on demand in the United States with the famous Rowe v. Wade decision by the U. S. Supreme Court. Over these last 4 decades over 53,000,000 babies have been murdered through the process called abortion. A silent holocaust is occurring in our "Land of the free" at at a rate of 1,200,000 abortions annually, 33,000 of those in the state of Georgia.

Sunday's sermon is titled Abortion and God's Glory. We will be considering what God has said in his Word on this subject. Forgiveness and healing through the marvelous grace of Jesus Christ is extended to all who have been damaged by abortion. We will be considering ways our church can strive to expose and fight against abortion. The sermon text will be Psalm 139:13-16.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Brethren We Have Come to Worship

Fellowship

Choir Special: Your Faithfulness

My Redeemer Lives

I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

Jesus Saves

Mighty to Save

Prayer

Sermon Text: Psalm 139:13-16

Sermon Title: Abortion and God’s Glory

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior

Offering Prayer

Offering

My Redeemer Lives

Tips for reading Leviticus

2012-01-10T17:46:00.000-05:00

I am currently re-reading the Bible. My plan is to read through it all in 6 months, finishing this June. That works out to about 6 pages a day in my Bible.

This week I have been reading Leviticus. Poor Leviticus has such a bad reputation. Many a well meaning Bible student has floundered in this daunting third book of Moses. It is an instruction manual for priests -- and it reads like one too. All the different sacrifices, procedures, and cleanliness laws contain a good deal of repetition with very little exciting narrative.

Here are some tips that help me when studying Leviticus. You may find them helpful as well:

Understand the outline of the book first. Most good study Bibles provide an outline of the chapter groupings. Always keep in mind where you are in the big picture of the entire book.
Read entire chapter groupings together at a faster pace in one sitting. Rather than trudging through guilt sacrifices for one day, grain sacrifices the next day, and sin sacrifices the next, cover all the sacrifices in one sitting (see chapter groupings in the outline). Read more quickly over the repetitive portions noting specific differences between mostly similar material.
Consider how Leviticus points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Look for foreshadows in Leviticus that are perfectly fulfilled by Jesus' perfect redemption on the cross.
Understand how Leviticus is fulfilled by Christ and closely related to the book of Hebrews. Before or after reading Leviticus, read Hebrews. It shows how Christ has fulfilled the Levitical law.
Grow in appreciation of the exacting precision of God's holiness. God says, "Be holy, because I am holy" (Lev. 11:44). This book teaches us that God cares about the details of our behavior. Though Christ has fulfilled and brought to completion the Levitical law, the Spirit-filled life of a Christian is to be just as holy, pure, and blameless.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - January 8

2012-01-05T16:53:00.002-05:00

Am I really a Christian? Anyone who is a follower of Christ has asked themself this question at some point. After all, depending on the answer, heaven and hell hang in the balance. When Paul wrote his second letter to the church in Corinth he urged them to examine themselves to see if they were in the faith. He wanted them to test their lives to see if they were really Christians. When Crestview gathers for corporate worship this Sunday we will be studying 2 Corinthians 13:5 and considering the distinguishing marks of genuine Christians.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

O Worship the King

Fellowship

Choir Special: Worship the King Medley

Great is the Lord

Wonderful Grace of Jesus

Grace Flows Down

How Great is Our God

Prayer

Sermon Text: 2 Corinthians 13:5

Sermon Title: Am I Really a Christian?

Softly and Tenderly

Offering Prayer

Offering

Take the Name of Jesus With You

200 million people do not have a Bible . . .

2012-01-04T14:53:00.001-05:00

The Earth's 7 billion people consist of over 16,000 people groups who speak over 6,000 different languages. Of these languages 1/3 have full translations of the Bible and 1/3 have some measure of partial translation, usually just the New Testament. This leaves 1/3 who have no portion of the Bible in their language. None. This last third, with no Bible, includes over 200 million people.

Stats from Operation World, 7th Edition, by Jason Mandryk, p. 1

The End for Which God Created the World

2012-01-03T15:26:00.003-05:00

During the week between Christmas and the New Year, in preparation for the sermon on New Year's Day, I re-read Jonathan Edwards' The End For Which God Created the World. This book was originally published in 1775. It can be read on-line for free, can be obtained through the 2 volume set of Edwards Works, or in the re-print by John Piper titled God's Passion for His Glory.

I highly commend the reading of good, old, books from brothers and sisters in Christ from previous generations. If you are in the habit of only reading things published in the last year of two, you will probably find reading old books challenging at first. It takes some time to learn how take-in a book an old book. But for those who are up for the journey and the work, it can be richly rewarding.

C.S. Lewis recommend that every third book one reads should be outside one's century. I don't maintain that ratio, but I share his enthusiasm.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - January 1

2011-12-30T17:04:00.004-05:00

Sunday morning will be the first day of 2012. When Crestview gathers for corporate worship we will occupy our minds and hearts with the following consideration: What is the highest motivation for God? What is uppermost in his mind? What chief end that stirs all of God's perfect actions? Isaiah 48 is one of many locations where the answer to these questions are revealed by the Lord himself. Start the 2012 off on the right foot as we gather to worship and consider God's Passion for His Glory.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Standing on the Promises

Fellowship

Might is Our God

How Great Thou Art

Oh the Glory of Your Presence

Like a River Glorious

Prayer

Sermon Text: Isaiah 48:9-11

Sermon Title: God’s Passion for His Glory

There is a Fountain

Offering Prayer

Offering

Mighty is Our God

Preparation for Corporate Worship - December 25

2011-12-22T17:24:00.000-05:00

This Sunday is Christmas Day! I hope you are planning to make corporate worship with the church a part of your celebration of the birth of Christ. (Here are some reasons for you consider making corporate worship a priority this Sunday.) We will not be having Sunday morning Bible studies this week, only the corporate worship service at 10:15 AM.

We will be studying the first Christmas and the events leading up to the birth of Christ in Matthew 1:18-25. This amazing account of the faithfulness of both Mary and Joseph is a wonderful display of obedience. How would you have responded to the news of a pregnant fiance? A key fact that is reveled in this text is the virgin birth of Jesus. Have you ever considered how important this miracle was?

Praying for the Lord's nearness to be experienced together . . .

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Good Christian Men Rejoice

Fellowship

Solo: Mary Did You Know

Scripture Responsive Reading: Luke 2:7-11, 13-14

Joy to the World

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

O Little Town of Bethlehem

O Come All Ye Faithful

Prayer

Sermon Text: Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon Title: The Birth of Jesus

Jesus Paid It All

Offering Prayer

Offering

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - 6 PM

2011-12-22T17:08:00.000-05:00

For those who are in town, our church will be having a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 6:00 PM. Guests are welcome!

We will be singing, reflecting on the purpose of the incarnation of the Son, and celebrating the Lord's Supper. It will last about an hour.

Hope to see you with us!

Toxic Charity

2011-12-22T12:55:00.001-05:00

Do you ever wonder if our charitable acts of kindness toward someone in need actually do more harm than good sometimes? Do you sometimes feel that we engage in charitable acts to make ourselves feel better rather than meeting a person's real need? If so, you'll want to read How Charity Can Be Toxic, Just in Time for Christmas

Do you think you can safely ignore God?

2011-12-21T15:07:00.003-05:00

I Read the following this morning in What is the Gospel by Greg Gilbert:

"Many people think of God as a kind, affable, slightly dazed and needy but very loving grandfather who has wishes but no demands, can be safely ignored if you don't have time for him, and is very, very, very understanding of the fact that human beings make mistakes - much more understanding, in fact, than the rest of us are." (p. 38)

The two words that struck me were "safely ignored." The truth is, one ignores God at great risk to oneself. Exodus 34 says God will not leave the guilty unpunished:

"The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:5-7

Exodus 34 also says that he forgives iniquity. How is it possible that he punishes the guilty AND forgives iniquity?

It is only through the cross of the Christ that this tension is resolved.

Lessons learned while preaching through The Gospel of Mark

2011-12-20T14:58:00.001-05:00

Expositorypreaching and W. A. Criswell

In 1944, at the age of 34, W. A. Criswell became the seniorpastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. Criswell’s greatest legacy was his preaching,more specifically, his commitment to expository preaching. For over half a century he preached from theFirst Baptist pulpit, over 4,000 sermons until his retirement in 1995.

In 1946 Criswell began an expository preaching tour throughthe entire Bible. He began in Genesisand 17 ½ years later he finished Revelation. That may sound like a long time, but if you do the math, I am mystifiedhow he got through it all so quickly. Ihave heard it told that members of First Baptist Dallas used to mark theirmembership based on what book Criswell was teaching through. “I joined in Genesis”, “I joined in Hosea”,or “I joined in Acts.”

David L. Allen writes,

“When he announced his intention topreach through the Bible, the nay-sayers emerged from within the church. “You’ll kill the church!” some warned. “People won’t come” moanedothers. “What will you do when you get to the book of Numbers” carkedsome. As Criswell put it, “you never heard such lugubriousprognostications in all of your life.” During those years, the churchneeded no ecclesiastical undertakers; in fact, her ministries flourished. Criswell proved you could build a great church on the expositional preaching ofthe Bible as the inerrant Word of God.” [1]

Expositorypreaching and the Apostle Paul

Expository preaching is not something new. Paul instructed Timothy to place preachingthe Bible at the top of his ministry priorities:

All Scripture is breathed out byGod and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for trainingin righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every goodwork. I charge you in the presence ofGod and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by hisappearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and outof season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but havingitching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their ownpassions, and will turn away from listeningto the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 3:16-4:4)

Expositorypreaching and Crestview

I must confess that as a young, developing pastor, I have along way to go. I am humbled and challenged by the command to preach. I am inspired by the example of men likeCriswell who have faithfully carried the torch of preaching in theirflocks.

This past Sunday we completed our study through the Gospelof Mark. It has been a rich and valuablejourney. Starting with the first verseof chapter one on June 13, 2010, we have studied every word, every sentence,every paragraph of this wonderful gospel. 55 sermons later, I pray that by God’s grace we have deeper faith, love,and hope in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Preaching through Mark is not just profitable for the church, itnourishes my soul. Here are some of thelessons and insights that the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to see andappreciate from Mark:

1. The word of God is crucially important –Jesus describes eye-opening characteristics and miraculous fruit that come fromthe ministry of the Word of God. TheWord of God must be central in any real ministry to people (Chapter 4).

2. Resolute devotion to the mission - Jesusrepeatedly announces that he has come to suffer, die, and rise again. He leads the way to Jerusalem where he willsuffer and die. I, too, must be resolvedto carry out the ministry for which God has put me on this earth, regardless ofthe cost (Chapters 8-10).

3. Being a disciple of Jesus is neither simple,nor convenient - Jesus explains that a disciple will deny himself, take uphis cross, and follow him. This means Imust change to become what he wants me to be – not the other way around (Chapters8-10).

4. Empty temple ritual was worthless - Jesushad no place for hypocrisy and empty religious rituals, neither should I(Chapters 11-13).

5. Jesus died as a ransom for many - Faithin Jesus’ substitute sacrifice on the cross for my sins is my only hope forforgiveness from my rebellion against God. His resurrection is proof that his sacrifice was accepted by theFather. This is a truth that I need tosavor and one I must share with a dying world (Chapters 10, 14-16).

6. Jesus is coming again - Jesus tells hisdisciples that the day is coming when he will be seen riding on the clouds withgreat power and glory to gather his elect. I must remain alert and watchful, living in obedience, waiting for thatday to arrive (Chapter 13).

7. Jesus was misunderstood - Jesus wasrepeatedly misunderstood, by the Jewish religious leaders and even his owndisciples. Should I expect anythingdifferent? (Entire book)

8. Jesus is amazing – One of the repeatingthemes through the gospel is the awe, astonishment, and fear that people havewho come into contact with Jesus. Am Iamazed by Jesus? (Entire book)

I thank my church for the privilege to stand before them week afterweek to unfold the beauties of our Lord found in the Word of God.

Lord willing, we will beginstudying Genesis beginning the first Sunday in February. In the opening wordsof his commentary Kenneth Matthews declares:

“Genesis stands as second to nonein its importance for proclaiming “the will of God” (Acts 20:27). It presents the literary and theologicalunderpinning of the whole canonical Scriptures. If we possessed a Bible without Genesis, we would have a “house ofcards” without foundation or mortar. . . . Just as we have no gospel withoutthe cross, we would have no salvation story without the sacred events of Moses’first book.”[2]

I am looking forward to studying this key foundational booktogether. My plan is to devote 14sermons to this study, which means we will likely finish in May. In each sermon we will cover multiplechapters as we investigate the major divisions and storylines. At times we will fly high to see the panoramaof the book at other times we will dive low to catch key details. I want to encourage you to embark on your owndaily personal study of Genesis during January. This is one of the best ways to prepare and reap maximum benefit fromthe preaching of the Scriptures.

[1]David L. Allen, "With A Bible In MyHand": The Preaching Legacy Of W.A. Criswell” (http://www.preaching.com/resources/past-masters/11548836/)

[2]Kenneth A. Matthews, Genesis 1-11, TheNew American Commentary (Nashville:Broadman & Holman, 1996), 22.

Elders Lead!

2011-12-16T08:49:00.000-05:00

Bobby Jamieson has written a helpful article illustrating the ways that elders can/should lead the church: Elders Lead! This will look different from church to church, but he makes a good point - elders should LEAD.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - December 18

2011-12-15T17:08:00.001-05:00

Sunday when Crestview gathers for worship we will be studying Mark's account of the resurrection, Mark 16:1-20. For 16 chapters Mark has been building the case that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Now, after being mocked and crucified, the gospel's dramatic and stunning conclusion is reached. Three days after the crucifixion the tomb is empty! He has risen!

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Angels We Have Heard on High

Fellowship

Advent Candle

Choir Special: Once Upon a Holy Night

Scripture Responsive Reading: John 1:1-14

Angels from the Realms of Glory

The First Noel

Offering

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 16:1-20

Sermon Title: The Resurrection

Crown Him With Many Crowns

Only Trust Him

Offering Prayer

Offering

Go, Tell it on the Mountain

New name for the Southern Baptist Convention?

2011-12-14T09:39:00.001-05:00

There is a renewed movement to change the name of the Southern Baptist Convention. Here is a report from Baptist Press. About a decade ago there was a similar movement, but the convention decided at that time to retain the current name.

I believe the major motivation for a name change resides not with the words "Baptist" or "Convention", but with "Southern". The name "Southern" Baptist Convention originated when the convention formed at the time of the Civil War. Just as the states separated from one another, so did southern and northern Baptists.

The current name is not a hindrance or obstacle to me and my church in Griffin, Georgia. However, I attended seminary in California and lived in the San Francisco Bay area for 9 years. While I would not say that the SBC name was a hindrance to our ministry and church planting efforts, I did on several occasions need to explain that our church was not just for relocated southerners. I did speak to people whose initial response was that a Southern Baptist church was not for them because they were from California.

The SBC is truly a global Baptist convention. For this reason, I would be in favor of a name change to help include and facilitate the ministry of our fellow SBC churches and missionaries who are outside the southern United States. However, it is not quite that simple. There are numerous considerations that come with a name change - legal issues, branding, public perception of the change, not to mention costs to re-tool logos, websites, and documents.

If the name was changed, how long do you think it would take to become common use? I bet it would take at least a generation. For the next 20 years I would find my self explaining, "Our church is in friendly cooperation with the Great Commission Baptist Convention (or whatever the new name might be),you might be more familiar with the old name, the Southern Baptist Convention".

I can't help but recall the time the music artist Prince changed his name to a symbol and became "the artist formerly known as Prince." Regardless of what name is selected, for at least a generation, if not longer, we will be known as "the denomination formerly known as."

What do you do when Christmas falls on a Sunday?

2011-12-13T16:49:00.002-05:00

If you have not noticed yet, December 25 falls on a Sunday this year. So the question is, what will your family do on Christmas morning? How will corporate worship fit into your celebration?

Christmas morning is always a special time for a family, especially when you have young children like I do. The excitement of entering the living room to open presents are some of the greatest memories a child has. On Christmas morning our family has the tradition of finishing the advent calendar (we read the Christmas story and place baby Jesus in the manger), opening presents, and then I cook waffles for the family. After a couple of hours of enjoying the presents we hop in the van and drive to see family for the evening. However, in order to worship with the church, we will need to modify our normal Christmas morning traditions this year.

Our church will gather at 10:15 on Christmas morning for our weekly gathering for corporate worship (we will not have Sunday school). The temptation will be strong to skip worship that week in favor of presents and family. Let me encourage you to decide ahead of time what your plans for Sunday morning will be and make them known to your family so there are no surprises. Parents, this is particularly important with your children. Let them know the night before, "We will be going to worship with the church tomorrow, so in the morning you can play with your new presents until 9:00. Then we are all going to get dressed and go celebrate the Lord with our church family."

Here are several reasons to make corporate worship a priority on Christmas morning:

It is a great opportunity to teach the family about the priority of worship. That morning we will be singing Christmas songs and the sermon will be on the birth of Jesus. What better way to celebrate Christmas than by taking time to worship the Lord as a family.
It is good for your soul to remember the Lord is first in priority. Gathering with the church for worship helps to protect one's heart from materialism. Christmas can be an incredibly selfish and hedonistic day. Combat these temptations by corporately reflecting on the purpose of the incarnation of the Son of God.
It is a great opportunity to encourage the church. Consider the role that your church family has in your life and celebrate the Savior with them. Remember that Christmas Day is lonely for many. You might be the one whom your lonely brother or sister needs to see that morning.
It is a special day in our culture to invite non-believers to worship. Many people are more open to attending worship on Christmas Day. Invite someone to attend with you. In our service they will hear the gospel proclaimed - guaranteed.
The Lord's day trumps Christmas Day. It was the practice of the New Testament church to gather weekly on the first day of the week for corporate worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Revelation 1:10). This is the practice of our church. Unless providentially hindered, our commitment should be to meet for worship.

Let's all plan to join together joyfully and expectantly Christmas morning with our church.

What if there were three wise women?

2011-12-10T16:34:00.001-05:00

Saw this on a tee shirt this weekend, and thought it was hilarious:

You do know what would have happened if it had been three wise women instead of three wise men, don't you?

They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - December 11

2011-12-08T16:31:00.001-05:00

Crucifixion was a degrading, horrific way to die. Romans refused to allow any of their citizens to be put to death this way. It was reserved for criminals, slaves, and foreigners. 2000 years later the cross is glamorized. Just walk in a Christian bookstore and look around. It is pictured as peaceful, clean, and sanitary. It was none of those things. For Christians to glory in the cross of Jesus, is a stunning reversal. A cross is not something to be celebrated, it is not to be thought of fondly, it is not beautiful . . . unless. Unless it was used to accomplish something to be celebrated. When Crestview gathers for corporate worship this Sunday we will be studying Mark's account of the crucifixion, 15:21-27, and considering the amazing ransom from sin that was accomplished by our Lord on that rough, hard, cold piece of timber.

Order of Service

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Fellowship

Advent Candle

Choir: Once Upon a Holy Night

Angels From the Realms of Glory

There is Power in the Blood

Emmanuel

Jesus, Name Above All Names

His Name is Wonderful

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 15:21-47

Sermon Title: The Crucifixion of Jesus

Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross

Offering Prayer

Offering

There is Power in the Blood

Week of prayer for international missions

2011-12-06T11:12:00.001-05:00

This week our church is focusing on prayer for international missions. Here is a link to the on-line prayer guide.

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest

to send out laborers into his harvest.

Luke 10:2

Have you noticed the increased visibility of Mormonism lately?

2011-12-05T14:26:00.001-05:00

You may have noticed the new "I'm a Mormon" ad campaign that has been running the last several months. Television spots and billboards feature young, attractive, upwardly mobile individuals who appear to be set financially, enjoying their lives, and excelling in their careers. Atlanta is one of the cities the Mormon church in Salt Lake City has targeted for these ads.

Whether coincidental or not,the ad campaign comes at a time when Mitt Romney, governor of Massachusetts and professed Mormon, is one of the leading Republican candidates for President of the U.S.

Perhaps something unnoticed by those of us in Griffin, one of this year's Broadway musical hits is "The Book of Mormon." It won 9 Tony awards.

It is important that Christians not be mislead by Mormonism. The Mormon church is not a protestant Christian denomination, they are a religious cult. It is a movement that seriously departs from historic Christian orthodoxy. The Bible has a great deal to say about false beliefs and those who advocate them. We are warned about false prophets, false christs, a different Jesus, a different spirit, false apostles, and "another gospel." Here is a chart comparing the significant doctrinal differences between Christianity and Mormonism.

For those who are interested in learning more about Mormonism, I encourage you to read through the resources available at 4truth.net.

Another helpful tool is Michael Licona's on-line book, What To Say To Mormons When They Knock at Your Door.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - December 4

2011-12-01T16:24:00.001-05:00

This Sunday when Crestview gathers to worship we will be studying The Trial of Jesus, Part 2, from Mark 15:1-20. This is the Roman phase of Jesus trial which concludes with the governor Pilate delivering Jesus over to be crucified. "With his stripes, we are healed.' Soli Deo Gloria!

Order of Service

When the Morning Comes

Fellowship

Advent Candle

Choir Special: O Come All Ye Faithful/O Lord, You’re Beautiful

Arise

My Redeemer Lives

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 15:1-20

Sermon Title: The Trial of Jesus, Part 2

Just As I Am Medley

Offering Prayer

Offering

My Redeemer Lives

The Story of Christmas

2011-11-30T12:35:00.001-05:00

This is an excellent video explaining how the birth of Jesus fits into the overall panorama of salvation history.

Hallowing God's name, mission, and the Lottie Moon Offering

2011-11-29T17:39:00.001-05:00

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he began this way,“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). You have likely prayed this many times, buttake a minute to reflect on this initial petition. What does it mean to pray that God’s name be“hallowed?” It is important tounderstand what we are praying because this prayer had radical implications forus and the mission of our church.

The Greek word here translated “hallowed” means to set apartas sacred, to make holy, to purify, or to cleanse. The word is an imperative, passive verb,which is why the word “be” follows hallowed. This is important, because this is not a prayer pleading that God becomepure. God is pure. He is perfectly holy. Rather, because this is an imperative passiveverb, this prayer is pleading that God’s name be hallowed, that his realnature be recognized and valued.

So praying, “hallowed be your name”, is a petition for me tohonor the Lord as infinite in holiness and all his other perfections. In other words, this is a prayer that I wouldbe stirred to worship. Do you pray thisway? Do you pray that your appreciation of the Lord would be deep and vibrant,that your affections for him might be white hot, that your thoughts of him wouldrightly contemplate his attributes. Doyou pray that the name of the Lord would be hallowed in your life?

This prayer is more expansive than one’s individual life. It is a world-wide prayer that is directlyrelated to the mission of this church. JohnStott draws us to this understanding when he writes,

“Here lies the supreme missionary motivation. It is neither obedience to the GreatCommission, nor compassion for the lost, nor excitement over the gospel (asimportant as each of these are!), but zeal for the honor of Christ’s name . . .no incentive is stronger than the longing that Christ should be given the honorthat is due His Name.”

As I pray that the name of the Lord be hallowed, it is ayearning to see the hallowing of the Lord in my family, in our church, in ourcity, in Atlanta, New York, London, Addis Ababa, Bogota, and Shanghai. This is a cry that he move cold hearts totreasure him and that the hallowing of his name might breakout in every darkcorner of this planet.

In his milestone book on missions, Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper explains this further,

“Missions is not the ultimate goal ofthe church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, becauseGod is ultimate, not man. When this ageis over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces beforethe throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. Butworship abides forever. Worship,therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions.”

Crestview is to be engaged in God’s mission so that his namewill be hallowed here in Griffin and in every tribe, tongue, people and nationacross the planet. God has designed hismission to be carried out through his church. He works through regular believers, like me and you, to proclaim thegospel to individuals who are dead in their sin and facing the wrath ofGod. He uses the members of his churchas his mouth (proclaiming the gospel and praying for the mission), his hands(giving financial support to accomplish the mission), and his feet (going tothe ends of the earth with the best news in the world).

Lottie Moon

Crestview has a long standing tradition each December ofreceiving a special offering to support the expansion of the hallowing of God’sname through international mission work – the Lottie Moon Christmas Offeringfor International Missions. In 1873Lottie was appointed as missionary to China where she would invest 39 years ofher life. She wrote many letters tobelievers in the U.S. urging that a collection be made in to enable moreworkers to join her. As a result of thatoffering three additional missionaries were sent to help further the expansionof the work in China. In 1918, six yearsafter Lottie’s death, this annual Christmas offering was named to honorher.

When you participate in giving to this offering, you aresupporting the 4,952 missionaries who work through the International MissionBoard. Any time you see an IMBmissionary, realize that your giving to this special offering, as well asCrestview’s ministry budget, is making their work possible. We become fellow workers with them as wefinance their ministry. This pastFebruary we had two IMB missionary couples visit with our church. This offering goes tosupport them, and others serving around the world in similar ways.

It is exciting to think of the kingdom impact that Crestviewhas had over the years by joyfully participating in this annual missionsgiving. I praise God for what he hasenable Crestview to give toward this offering:

2001 $7,931

2002 $10,126

2003 $18,911

2004 $5,370

2005 $3,424

2006 $4,071

2007 $4,746

2008 $2,927

2009 $3,702

2010 $2,182

Totalover 10 years - $63,390

I am thankful that many of youhave taken up the Malachi 3 Challenge togive 10% or more of your income to the Lord through this church from Novemberthrough April. A percentage of yourgifts to the church ministry budget goes toward international missions, so beencouraged. An exciting thing about theLottie Moon offering is that 100% of it goes straight to the mission field to beutilized by our missionaries. I realize that times are tight, and that our own church has realneeds, yet international mission work cannot and shouldnot be put on hold. The Great Commissionis far too important.

Occasionally I am asked, what is Crestview’s “giving goal”for the Lottie Moon offering. Here itis: the goal is that every member of ourchurch would ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you might give to thisoffering, and then be obedient to Him. Atfirst you might not think that you are able to participate in the Lottie Moonoffering. What ways can yousacrifice? What things could you give upin order to contribute to this offering? Personally, I would rather money that would be spent on my Christmasgifts to be devoted to getting the gospel to the ends of the earth.

One creative way our church has found to support thisoffering is to have a Christmas card mailbox. Rather than paying postage to mail Christmas cards to members, use themailbox located in the hallway to deliver and pickup cards. Then, give the money saved on postage to theoffering. What a great idea!

Giving Envelope Distribution

One new change that you will see for 2012 will be themonthly mailing of offering envelopes to your home. Many churches have adopted this practice as away to communicate with members and give a month reminder of the opportunity tofinancially undergird the church. Infact, some churches have reported that distributing envelopes this way hasresulted in substantial increases in giving. Several have asked if they can opt out of the mailing to save the churchpostage. This is discouraged because, inaddition to the envelopes, the mailing will include important communication andupdates on the church. We do not wantanyone to be left out. Sometime aroundthe third week of December you should receive your envelopes for January. If you have any questions, or do not receiveyour envelopes for January, please contact Brenda in the church office.

Covenant Eyes - a helpful guard, but not a solution to the heart

2011-11-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have Covenant Eyes on both my computer and my smart phone, and you should too. This is a program that tracks all my Internet activity and sends weekly reports to my wife and a trusted friend. Covenant Eyes is a tool to help me remain "above reproach" (1 Timothy 3:2). It is a beneficial tool in the fight to keep my eyes and thoughts righteous.

At SBC Voices Jared Moore has posted an insightful article: The Hidden Danger of Covenant Eyes: It's Not the Gospel. Moore rightly points out a computer program does not stop the heart from sinning. External accountability may provide some pause, and even stop sinful actions. Yet, only by the Holy Spirit can we successfully wage war against the sinful desires of the heart.

An exposition of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000

2011-11-28T13:45:00.001-05:00

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 is our church's statement of faith. I have come more and more to appreciate this confession of Biblical doctrine. During the second week of our church's Discovering Membership class, I read and then answer questions from prospective members about this statement of faith. This always proves to be a fruitful session. In fact, I have had numerous people tell me how encouraging it is to them simply to read through the statement of faith during the class. The BF&M 2000 is an profitable tool for teaching and training.

In 2002, Baptist Press published a series posts by faculty from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary giving exposition on each article of the BF&M 2000. Often there is a story behind particular elements of the BF&M 2000, these posts help give a fuller picture of what is included and why. As the late Paul Harvey would say, ". . . and now you know the rest of the story." Here are links to each of the posts:

Article 1: The Scriptures
Article 2: God
Article 2a: God the Father
Article 2b: God the Son
Article 2c: God the Holy Spirit
Article 3: Man
Article 4: Salvation
Article 4a: Regeneration
Article 4b: Justification
Article 4c: Sanctification
Article 4d: Glorification
Article 5a: God's Purpose of Grace, Election
Article 5b: God's purpose of grace, perseverance
Article 6: The Church
Article 7a: Baptism
Article 7b: The Lord's Supper
Article 8: The Lord's Day
Article 9: The Kingdom
Article 10: Last Things
Article 11: Evangelism and Missions
Article 12: Education
Article 13: Stewardship
Article 14: Cooperation
Article 15: The Christian and the Social Order
Article 16: Peace and War
Article 17: Religious Liberty
Article 18: The Family

Preparation for Corporate Worship - November 27

2011-11-24T13:00:00.000-05:00

Over the next two Sundays we will be studying Mark's account of the Trial of Jesus. We will look at the Jewish phase of the trial this Sunday as we study Mark 14:53-72. This text shows us a stark contrast between Jesus' faithful, steady, calm perseverance at the hands of sinful men and Peter's panicky, scared, self-preserving denial that he knows Jesus. Will we walk daily in Jesus' steps or in Peter's? Will we faithfully confess Jesus as Lord to the world, or will we deny him?

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Advent Candle

O Worship the King

Fellowship

Choir: You’ve Won My Affection

Standing on the Promises

How Great is Our God /How Great Thou Art

My Tribute

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 14:53-72

Sermon Title: The Trial of Jesus, Part 1

Living for Jesus

Offering Prayer

Offering

How Great is Our God

Thanksgiving without a giver?

2011-11-21T21:44:00.001-05:00

How can someone who does not believe in the Lord celebrate Thanksgiving? They are giving thanks, but to whom exactly? Al Mohler poses these questions in his 2006 Washington Post article Thanksgiving Without a Giver?

At the core of the human soul, if I am honest with myself, I realize there is a Being greater than me. I did not create myself. I do not make the rain fall, the animals to grow, or the plants to produce. The miracle of the birth, development, and learning of a child is not within my power to engineer. There behind it all is the Lord providing for me, his creation. The Lord is the provider. He has done so to lead me to repentance and faith in him:

"Do you presume on the the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" Romans 2:4

Eat, Drink, and Relax

2011-11-21T21:23:00.001-05:00

Here is an interesting article from Christian History regarding the Separatists' (a.k.a. Pilgrims) celebration of the first Thanksgiving: Eat, Drink, and Relax.

Bible Design and Binding Blog

2011-11-18T10:38:00.001-05:00

Several weeks ago I was approached with the fun news that our church wanted to give me a gift to express their appreciation for my service as senior pastor. What a joy! It just so happened that over the previous several weeks the binding on my Bible had started failing and the cover was starting to degrade (I tend to put my Bibles through quite a work out). So with that offer, I began the search for a Bible that will be a quality, long-term tool.

My search was not related to a particular translation (I use the English Standard Version), but rather it was focused on finding a Bible that is bound well, has high quality paper, and a durable cover. In short, I was looking for a Bible that would not need to be replaced in a few years. I want to be using it for decades to come.

Here are the components I was looking for:

Wide Margins - In the extra margin space I keep notes and cross references. Much of this is indispensable information that helps me during study and teaching, but especially during counseling and small group meetings.
Cross References - I don't need a study Bible with extensive notes and commentary (I keep those in my study), but I do like to have extensive cross references available to me anytime.
Black Letter - Many Bibles are printed with the words of Jesus in red. In my opinion, this printing practice encourages a faulty understanding of inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. The red words are not more important or inspired than the black words. So, if possible, I want to use a black letter Bible.
Concordance - There are many times I can remember a key word in a passage, but cannot recall the reference. The concordance helps me to find what I am looking for quickly.

The Bible Design and Binding Blog has an abundance of detailed information regarding all types of Bibles. I found it to be a great help. So, if you are looking for a Bible, perhaps as a Christmas present for someone, you might check out this site.

So, what Bible did I get? This one.

Thanks again to a wonderful church who does an wonderful job taking care of me and my family.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - November 20

2011-11-17T16:49:00.001-05:00

Sunday, when Crestview gathers to worship, we will be studying the abandonment of Jesus from Mark 14:26-52. In these last hours leading up to the arrest of Jesus, his disciples pledge their devotion and loyalty to him. All, however, will fall away when the threats of the crowd and the intimidation of the Jewish leaders become too threatening. Jesus faces his darkest hour -- alone. As Zechariah prophesied, "I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered." What tangible lessons does God have for us this Sunday as we study this together?

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Wonderful Grace of Jesus

Choir Special: Made Me Glad

Lord, Reign in Me

Count Your Blessings

I Come to the Cross

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

Give Thanks

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 14:26-51

Sermon Title: The Abandonment of Jesus

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Offering Prayer

Offering

Wonderful Grace of Jesus

2011 Georgia Baptist Convention

2011-11-16T16:30:00.001-05:00

Returned last night from the 2011 Georgia Baptist Convention held at North Metro First Baptist Church in Gwinnett County, northeast of Atlanta.

Items of note:

The convention overwhelmingly approved the report of the GBC Study Task Force. This task force was formed to examine how Georgia Baptists could most effective and efficient in their efforts to share the Gospel with those in Georgia who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The report was titled "5 Smooth Stones." Here is a website presenting the conclusions of the task force which are summed up in the headings:

Spiritual Renewal
Kingdom Generosity
Church Revitalization
Church Planting
Authentic Evangelism

The election for president was contested between John Waters, vice president, and Fred Evers, chairman of the executive committee. Waters, pastor of FBC Statesboro, was elected by a slight majority.
The 2012 cooperative program budget was approved, yet there appears to be ongoing discussion about what is included in the CP budget. With the Great Commission Resurgence that was approved by the SBC in 2010, the state convention budgets are under a microscope. How will the GCR be reflected at the state level? No doubt, there is more discussion to come on this in future years.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - November 13

2011-11-10T16:53:00.001-05:00

Finally, Lord willing, I will be teaching on The First Lord's Supper from Mark 14:12-25 this Sunday. The last two weeks the Lord has directed our steps to other texts. The Lord's Supper is a simple, yet beautiful reminder of the body and blood of Christ that redeems sinners. Rightly understood and rightly practiced, the Supper itself is a public declaration of the gospel. It is a practice that is helpful to a church and one that is needed in our lives. The Lord has given us a good give in this ordinance. May we practice it Biblically as we cherish our Savior.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

My Faith Has Found a Resting Place

Fellowship

Choir Special: Trading My Sorrows

Only a God Like You

Here I Am to Worship

My Jesus, I Love Thee

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 14:12-25

Sermon Title: The First Lord’s Supper

Just As I Am

Offering Prayer

Offering

Here I Am to Worship

Pilgrim's Progress & the Glories of Heaven

2011-11-09T12:01:00.000-05:00

Sunday afternoon I had the privileged to speak at my grandmother's funeral. I closed by reading a portion of Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. Published in 1687, this allegory of the Christian life has never gone out of print and has been translated in to over 200 languages.

The book records the story of the main character, Christian, and his journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. Along the way he meets many characters which are familiar to us, passes through various trials, and enjoys many blessings. Finally he and his companion Hopeful reach the last obstacle a river, symbolizing death, standing between them and reaching their goal of heaven, the Celestial City. The portion I read at the funeral was from Part 1, the 10th stage. Here is a link where you can read on-line for free.

I am grateful for the gift that Bunyan has for communicating the trial of death and the glories of heaven. May my heart yearn more to be at home with the Lord.

For to me to live is Christ,and to die is gain.

If Iam to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.

Yet which I shallchoose I cannot tell.

I amhard pressed between the two.

My desire is to depart and be with Christ, forthat is far better.

Philippians 1:21-23

My Grandmother - Mildred Ballew

2011-11-05T11:58:00.000-04:00

Yesterday my grandmother, Mildred Ballew, went home to be with the Lord. She was 93. Mama was a great example to me and my family and loved her Lord. Her health had in steep decline in the last several months. Early last week the doctors determined there was nothing more they could do regarding heart and lung issues. They told her that she would likely live no more than a couple of months, to which she replied, "Praise the Lord." Her longing for her Lord and heaven was a compelling desire for her. She is now looking at Him face to face. To God be the glory.

Rocky Stubbs will be preaching Sunday with Crestview. Please pray for me as I speak at Mama's home going service Sunday afternoon in South Carolina.

Secret Church - Tonight 7PM

2011-11-04T11:47:00.001-04:00

Crestview is hosting the secret church simulcast tonight at 7PM. Here is a link to the secret church site which has a couple of videos to prime your mind and heart for what is in store this evening. If you have not pre-registered, yet would like to attend, we have several spots still available.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - November 6

2011-11-03T17:03:00.001-04:00

Starting about AD 33, churches through the ages have gathered for worship. One of the consistent and unique aspects of their worship has been the eating of bread and drinking of juice or wine in remembrance of Jesus Christ. Have you ever considered the origins of this strange practice? Do you know why Christians remember Jesus Christ in this way? We will be studying these things this Sunday as we look at Mark 14:12-25, The First Lord's Supper.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Are You Washed in the Blood

Fellowship

Choir Special: Through the Fire

Let Everything That Has Breath

Our God Saves

Awesome in This Place

The Power of Your Love

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 14:12-25

Sermon Title: The First Lord’s Supper

Have Thine Own Way

Offering Prayer

Offering

Our God Saves

The Malachi 3 Challenge

2011-11-01T15:03:00.000-04:00

Financial generosity is one of the many fruits that flowoutward from the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ. On Sunday, October 30, my message was devotedto showing that the Bible teaches that giving is to be a joy-filled disciplinewhich is empowered by the grace of God in the life of a child of God (here is the link to the audio file: Why Should Believers Give?). God has been unimaginably generous to usthrough the cross and resurrection. Inview of his mercy and grace toward us, our entire life is changed. Romans 12:1 calls us to recognize that our lifeis given back to God as a “living sacrifice.” The Bible has a special word it uses to describe this kind of living –it is called “worship.” Worship is notsimply the singing of songs, it is utilizing every component part of ourexistence to glorify God. Our financesare one area where we have the opportunity to offer living sacrifices to ourSavior.

Giving is an actof love toward God

Financial generosity at its heart is an act of love towardGod. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 15:14). As disciples, we know his commandments aregood for us and we follow them out of love and devotion to the Master. His directives are not burdensome, ratherthey are the path of freedom and joy. This means that Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 6:19-20 is valuable forus: “Do not lay up for yourselvestreasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in andsteal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth norrust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” If we are toobey this, we must give careful attention to how we utilize our money.

Every dollar we receive comes to us loaded with potential,potential for either good or evil, godliness or selfishness, kingdom investmentor worldly waste. We are managers of themoney that God gives to us. We do notown it. He does. How we spend money is a direct reflection ofour love of God. That is why Jesus goeson in verse 21 of Matthew 6 to show how our worship is reflected by how wespend our money, “For where your treasureis, there your heart will be also.”

Notice that Pauluses Jesus’ vocabulary to encourage the Ephesian church toward financialgenerosity, “As for the rich inthis present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on theuncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything toenjoy. They are to do good, to be rich ingood works, to be generous and ready to share, thusstoring up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, sothat they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Timothy6:17-19). You can tell whether or not a person loves the Lord by the waythey spend their money. When a person’sheart is captivated with the Lord, one place it will be demonstrated is in thecheckbook.

Giving is an actof faith in God

Giving is also a tangible way to trust God. Something in our nature craves thrills. That is why roller coasters, sky diving,bungee jumping, rappelling, and auto racing exist. Even some of the more familiar daily parts ofour life are seasoned with this idea of the thrill of danger or potential loss– business, investing, sports, and even the way boys play in the backyard areproof of this. God has created us withthis thirst for risk, not so we become daredevils, but so we learn to trust himto live up to his promises. The Bible isfilled with thousands of promises. Why? So that we learn to trustGod at his word and not in ourselves. Weare dependent upon him, and he wants us to know it.

Giving away substantial amounts of money (10% of your incomeis substantial!), compels us to recognize the Lord provides for us. It is a risk to give money away. Committingto give away 10% or more of your income off the top, as your first expense ofthe month, is an expression of obedience and trust in the Lord. The temptation is to think that we need tosave it in order to pay for some unexpected expense or for something we wantbuy. Consider how giving is anexpression of faith in God’s grace to provide what we need:

“The point isthis: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sowsbountifully will also reap bountifully. Eachone must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or undercompulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make allgrace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at alltimes, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians9:6-8

“We want you to know,brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches ofMacedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy andtheir extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.”2 Corinthians 8:1-2

Blessings arepromised to those who give to the Lord

I am certainly no proponent of the false teaching that isprevalent these days labeled the “prosperity gospel”. Such teaching states that God will bless youwith material riches, property, cars, houses, and physical health if you obeyhim. This kind of teaching contradictsthe clear teaching of the Bible that obedience to the Lord will often lead todifficulty, persecution, poverty, and even physical death. Our hope is not in the blessing of riches,but in the blessing of the faith, hope, and love in our Lord whatever weexperience in this world.

That said, God promises blessing will come to those who livein faith and obedience to him. Thisblessing may come in many forms (material, spiritual, emotional, physical,circumstantial). But have no doubt, theLord will bring blessing. When we obeyin financial generosity, we step out in faith and trust that the Lord’sblessing will be superior to whatever enjoyment or sense of safety would havecome had we not given.

The Malachi 3 Challenge– a six month experiment in giving

At the close of my message this past Sunday, I asked our church to take up the challenge laid down by the Lord in Malachi 3. The prophet Malachi spoke during a time whenGod’s people Israel were far from him. Their hearts were not devoted to the Lord and it was reflected in theway they spent their money. They werenot bringing tithes and contributions to the Lord. Look at the stinging rebuke the Lord brings, thesolution he prescribes, and the promise to bless their obedience:

“For I the Lorddo not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turnedaside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will returnto you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘Howshall we return?’ 8 Will man rob God? Yetyou are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes andcontributions. 9 You are cursed with acurse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bringthe full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Andthereby put me to the test, says the Lord ofhosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down foryou a blessing until there is no more need. 11 Iwill rebuke the devourer for you, so that it willnot destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not failto bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for youwill be a land of delight, says the Lord ofhosts.” Malachi 3:6-12

For six months, starting in November and goingthrough April, will you step out and test the Lord by taking up hischallenge? There are very few places inScripture where the Lord invites us to test him, but this is one. Prayerfully consider the following:

If you are not giving, or if your giving is inconsistent – For six months will you committo consistently give a full tithe, 10% of your income, to the Lord through hischurch, the bride of Christ? Test thisfor six months and see what blessings the Lord will provide. The Lord has guaranteed that he will befaithful to you.

If your giving is already planned and systematic - For six months will you commit to increaseyour giving over and above 10% of your income, to the Lord through his church,the bride of Christ? Giving 10% is aguideline, not a ceiling to your giving. For six months will you experiment with stretching your giving and seewhat blessings the Lord will provide?

Are you short on money?

2011-10-29T15:47:00.003-04:00

Ifyou are short of money, ask several questions:

1. DoI really need it? God has promised to meet our needs, not our wants.

2. IsGod testing my trust?

3. DidI misuse what God gave me? Did I notplan and save?

4. HaveI violated a biblical principle – sin? If so, confess and repent.

5. DoesGod have a better plan for my life? Is he showing me that my standard of living and preferences need to be adjusted?

The disease of competition

2011-10-29T12:44:00.000-04:00

A good diagnosis from Thabiti Anbabwile:

It’s difficult to resist.
It grows in our heart–pastor and people, pulpit and pew.
It taints the way we talk about ourselves, yet sometimes motivates our best efforts.
It makes us ashamed, but lives on pride.
It destroys contentment, but promises happiness.
It rejoices at the losses of others while mourning our own.
It turns everything into itself, and ruins everything by doing so.
It presents itself as defense, but it’s usually on the offense.
It prompts both noble sacrifices and wretched cheating.
It may make us Niccolo Machiavelli or Frederick the Great.
We feel it toward others but resent it being expressed toward us.
It could either make us fearful or stir great courage.
We wish it weren’t there, and yet we hope for its fruit.
The disease: Competition.

Read the whole article here.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - October 30

2011-10-28T14:56:00.000-04:00

We are going to take a brief hiatus (one Sunday, Lord willing) from our study through Mark to consider an important question - Why should believers give? Last week we studied the account of Mary's beautiful and costly gift of nard, which she poured over Jesus in worship (Mark 14:1-11). This Sunday we are going to dig deeper to understand why Christians should respond to the grace of God with financial generosity. What would motivate Mary to do such a thing? The opportunity to give away our money as an act of worship should be a happy discipline for those who have experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In view of the mercies of God toward us, let's not rob ourselves by hording what God has given to us! My goal Sunday is to show that the Bible clearly teaches that financial giving is to be a joy-filled habit, motivated and empowered by God's grace, in the life of a child of God.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Since I Have Been Redeemed

Fellowship

Choir Special: Worthy is the Lamb

At Calvary

The Wonderful Cross

My Jesus I Love Thee

Jesus Messiah

Prayer

Sermon Text: Selected Passages

Sermon Title: Why Should Believers Give?

Softly and Tenderly

Offering Prayer

Offering

At Calvary

Discussion with David Platt about Secret Church

2011-10-22T11:34:00.001-04:00

Trevin Wax has posted an interview with David Platt about the upcoming Secret Church simulcast on Friday night, November 4.

If you plan to attend the simulcast with Crestview and have not pre-registered to attend, please let us know you are coming so we can be prepared.

Earlier this week I posted a promo video and other information.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - October 23

2011-10-22T11:27:00.002-04:00

Sunday when Crestview gathers for corporate worship the focus of our study will be Beautiful and Costly Worship from Mark 14:1-11. At this point in our study through Mark's gospel we are now rapidly approaching Jesus' crucifixion. In this text we see the stealthy conspiracy of the Jewish religious leaders to put Jesus to death spring to action with Judas coming along side them as an accomplice. Mark sets these developments against a most beautiful and financially extravagant act of worship. Much of this account, we will see, challenges believers today delight themselves in the Lord through similar acts of beautiful and costly worship.

We will also be celebrating the Lord's Supper. So, come as a united church prepared to remember the body and blood of the Lord as we proclaim his death in anticipation of his second coming.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Jesus Saves

Fellowship

At the Cross

There is a Redeemer

I Exalt Thee

Your Name

Prayer

Lord’s Supper

Reading Church Covenant

Sermon Text: Mark 14:1-11

Sermon Title: Beautiful and Costly Worship

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior

Offering Prayer

Offering

There’s a River of Life

Secret Church - Friday, November 4

2011-10-19T13:05:00.001-04:00

Secret Church 11 Promotional Video from Jonathan Whitt on Vimeo.

On Friday, November 4 from 7:00PM to 1:00AM Crestview will be hosting the Secret Church simulcast. David Platt, senior pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, will be teaching. Most probably know David as the author of the bestseller Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream.

What is Secret Church?
It is 6 hours of intensive Bible teaching and prayer for the persecuted church. The objective is for you to pass along what you learn in this gathering so that you can make disciples of Christ in all nations for God's glory.

Marriage, Family, Sex, and the Gospel
These periodic simulcasts focus on one particular theological topic, on November 4 the topic will be Marriage, Family, Sex, and the Gospel. This week we received the 160-page study guides. The content is exciting and especially needed in today's world. The evening will begin with a look at gospel foundations (the character of God, sinfulness of man, sufficiency of Christ, necessity of faith, and urgency of eternity) and the consider God's design for sexuality, marriage, parenting, singleness, orphans and widows. Next, the focus will shift to man's distortion of these things (divorce, homosexuality, abortion, polygamy, and pornography). Finally, the study will finish by looking at the issues of sexual distinction in the church, sexual sin in the church, and sexual satisfaction in marriage. These are critical topics that believers need to learn to think about Biblically.

Registration
Registration is $7 at the door, which includes the study guide. Please let us know if you plan to participate so we can be sure we have study guides for everyone. Let us know you are coming by pre-registering on-line here. Do it now before you forget.

Do not pass up this excellent training opportunity!

Preparation for Corporate Worship - October 16

2011-10-13T10:22:00.000-04:00

This Sunday when Crestview gathers to worship corporately, Brandon Vaughn will be preaching. His message is titled, When God Shows Out, and will be an exposition of Psalm 66. You do not want to miss what the Lord has to say through Brandon!

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

I Will Sing of My Redeemer

Fellowship

Choir Special: Holy Is the Lord

Beautiful One

I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners

I Am Thine, O Lord

Prayer

Sermon Text: Psalm 66

Sermon Title: When God Shows Out

I Am Thine, O Lord

Offering Prayer

Offering

I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

Preparation for Corporate Worship - October 9

2011-10-07T10:14:00.000-04:00

This Sunday we will complete our study in Mark 13 looking at verses 24-37 with part 3 of the sermon Stay Awake! Signs of the End of the Age. Jesus promises his disciples that there is a day coming when he will visibly and physically return to the earth. Just as his prophesied first arrival two thousand years ago came true as promised, so too we can rely on Jesus' promise that there is a day coming when all will see him return, riding on the clouds. This day will be a great day of joy and blessing for believers, but a great day of terror and judgment for those who have rejected him. We must be attentive, walking daily in obedience to the Lord and filled with his Spirit. Only the Father knows the day the Son will return. Stay awake!

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Soon and Very Soon (192, vs. 1-2)

Fellowship

Choir: Worthy is the Lamb

Baptism

Cry of My Heart

Firm Foundation

Like a River Glorious

The Power of Your Love

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 13:24-37

Sermon Title: Stay Awake! Signs of the End of the Age, Part 3

Open Our Eyes, Lord

Offering Prayer

Offering

Soon and Very Soon

Preparation for Corporate Worship - October 2

2011-09-29T17:07:00.002-04:00

This Sunday our congregation will continue the study on Mark chapter 13 that we began last week. The message will be Stay Awake! Signs of the End of the Age, Part 2. We will work our way through Mark 13:14-27. This passage contains a great deal of things that raise questions. What is the "abomination of desolation" and the prediction of an immense tribulation? We will seek to answer these by looking at the text. This passage also reveals to us the hope of all believers - the glorious return of Jesus. There is a day coming when Jesus Christ will return in great power and glory. Do you long for that day? Are you ready for him to arrive?

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Higher Ground

Fellowship

Parent & Child Dedication

Choir Special: Immortal God

Sing to the King

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

How Can I Keep From Singing

I Will Rise

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark 13:14-27

Sermon Title: Stay Awake! Signs of the End of the Age, Part 2

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Offering Prayer

Offering

Great and Mighty is the Lord Our God

5K this Saturday . . .

2011-09-28T12:11:00.003-04:00

This Saturday I'll be running the Christian Women's Center 5K. Anyone want to join me? Here is more information on the run and the ministries of CWC.

Why can't I own Canadians?

2011-09-28T10:38:00.001-04:00

Michael Horton writes a humorous, yet enlightening article related to rightly interpreting the Bible: Why Can't I Own Canadians? Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth. He is critiquing Dr. Laura Schlesinger's quotation of Leviticus 18:22 as the reason that homosexuality should not be practiced today.

Horton's article is not written to defend the sin of homosexuality, but rather to address poor use of the
Scriptures. Horton writes, "Sure, we learn from Leviticus 18:22 that God considers homosexuality an abomination. Yet our critics (at least the clever ones) will point out that the same code threatens excommunication for eating any meat with blood in it (Lev 17:10) and eating animals that chew the cud or part the hoof (like pigs) is strictly forbidden as “unclean” (Lev 11)."

Horton goes on to explain how the Levitical law should be understood by believers today.

The Word of God Increased

2011-09-27T13:29:00.001-04:00

The book of Acts records the exponential expansion of thechurch in the years following Jesus’ resurrection as the apostles faithfullyproclaimed the word of God. The Holy Spiritbegan a awe-inspiring work of converting thousands upon thousands of people asthey heard the word of the Lord, repented, and believed. What started in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago,continues to this day around this planet. Consider for a minute the key role that the word of God played in thisamazing spiritual awakening recorded in Acts:

So those who receivedhis word were baptized, and there were added that day about threethousand souls.

Acts 2:41

But many of those whohad heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to aboutfive thousand.

Acts 4:4

And now, Lord, lookupon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your wordwith all boldness . . . and they were allfilled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God withboldness.

Acts 4:29, 31

And the word of Godcontinued to increase, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly inJerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Acts 6:7

While Peter was still saying these things, the HolySpirit fell on all who heard the word.

Acts 10:44

But the word of Godincreased and multiplied

Acts 12:24

So the word of theLord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Acts 19:20

Over and over again, doctor Luke records that the vehiclethe Holy Spirit used to bring about spiritual regeneration was the preaching,teaching, hearing, receiving, and believing the word of God. The Lord has chosen that his word is theinstrument that is to be used to bring life! This is an important truth for our church’s health.

It gladdens me to see the hunger that our church has for theWord of God. Preaching through theGospel of Mark has been a joy for me and I have heard many testimonies of thefruit of these sermons in your lives. There is a growing expectation week-to-week of the exposition andapplication of the Bible. We have twosmall groups meeting on Sunday nights with the focus upon review andapplication of the morning sermon.

I am also encouraged that our Sunday morning classes andother small groups that meet throughout the week are all committed to therigorous study of the Scriptures. Additionally,some have recently shared with me renewed a commitment to daily personal study. It is a very healthy indicator for a churchto delight in the Lord and what he has said to us through his written Word.

Several times in Acts Luke explains that the gospel expandedinto new towns and across cultural barriers with the phrase, “the word of God continued to increase”. This means, 1) the word of God was spoken tomore people, and 2) it was highlyesteemed by those who heard it.

The word of Godspoken to more people

Is the word of God increasing in your life? As you hear and study the word, are yousharing what you learn with others? Areyou applying what you learn to your life? I think this is what it means for the word of God to increase. The word of God goes for to accomplish theLord’s purposes. It has come to you fora purpose. Treasure it, apply it, andtell others about it.

The word of Godhighly esteemed

The increase of the word also means that it is highlyvalued. The preaching of the word, thestudying of the word, the speaking of the word to others, is not some haphazardactivity. It is not some intermittenthobby reserved for weekends. If the wordof God is highly esteemed in your mind and heart, then there is a strongdevotion to listening to and obeying what God has said. “Lord,to whom shall we go? You have the wordsof eternal life. . . “ (John 6:68).

Do you remember when you began to like the Bible? That may seem like a strange question, butthere are many people who do not like the Bible. Do you know what they are called? Non-believers. That’s right, believers are those whogenuinely love God’s word. We love toread it, we love to hear it preached, we love to memorize it, we love todiscuss it with others.

Whenever I have had the occasion to meet the author of abook, it is striking the change in my attitude toward the book. I might have had the author’s book on myshelf for years, but after meeting the author, I typically read the book withan entirely new appreciation. The sameis true of believers. When the HolySpirit dwells within us and we have come to treasure the cross of Jesus Christ,our outlook on the Bible changes. Webegin to highly esteem God’s word.

The increase ofthe word of God triggers the spread of the gospel

Finally, one last note. In the quotes from Acts above, did you notice how the increase of theword of God was an integral element of other people coming to faith in JesusChrist? And the word of God continued to increase, and the number ofdisciples multiplied greatly (Acts 6:7). What a believer learns about Jesus must behappily shared with others. Someone hassaid, “Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.” Church, you have found the living water, youhave found the bread of life. We have acommunity around us with those who are starving, lost, and dying apart fromChrist. Why? Because they do not know the Scriptures nortreasure the God who is revealed through them. Who do you know who needs to hear about Jesus Christ?

Don't contribute to the hardening of your child's heart

2011-09-26T09:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday a Sunday morning small group in our church began the DVD teaching series Instructing a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. In the first lesson yesterday, Tripp challenged parents with this thought:

Children must see you (parent) loving God. Do not contribute to the hardening of your child's heart by practicing a form of godliness in your home that denies His power. Biblical Christ-centered parenting begins with the father's and mother's devotion to the Lord.

Pagan teaching with a Christian face

2011-09-26T08:09:00.000-04:00

Here is an interesting article on prosperity gospel false teaching featuring Q&A with David W. Jones, professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

90 Days of P90X - Done!

2011-09-24T10:27:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, I finished 90 days of P90X. It has been a great experience for me. Back in April my brother introduced me to P90X and my wife found a half price set of the DVDs on-line for Father's Day for about $65. I wanted to drop a few pounds, but primarily goal was to to find an alternative to running which would allow me to stay in shape while not taxing my lower back.

P90X did the trick. I dropped about 12 pounds, but most of what I experienced was a redistribution of weight - converting fat to muscle. While I was more conscious about trying to eat well, I kept up my calorie intake. My weight loss was due to regular and consistent daily workouts. My waist line decreased by 2" as my chest, shoulders, and arms built muscle. My lower back has not given me any problems in 90 days. Prior to starting, I questioned whether the workouts would help me stay in cardio shape. I had done no work with weights since high school and did not realize what an integral part of healthy exercise they are. When I went running last Saturday, the first time in three months, I was shocked at how strong my lungs were. The legs were not used to the road, but I was in great cardio shape.

I have never been big on any kind of video exercise program. I have always been one to get out of the house to exercise - running, basketball, soccer, ultimate frisbee. I had my doubts that I could watch a DVD on my laptop and get in a taxing workout, all from the confines of my 10'x10' back porch. Boy was I wrong. Here is a description of the daily workouts.

Most of the workouts take about an hour to complete (Yoga takes an hour and a half, so I saved that one for Saturday mornings). After getting the DVDs, the only other equipment needed is a pull-up bar and a set of dumbbells (I used a 15lb set). The workouts push hard with interval work - you switch movements every 30-60 seconds with only a short break in between.

I was in fair shape before starting, but that first week on the program was difficult. I had a hard time completing the workouts, was regularly pushing pause to catch my breath, and was sore all the time. Yet I stuck with it. As the weeks passed, I learned the workouts, got stronger, increased flexibility, and began seeing results.

So what's next? Another round! I'm taking a break this week, but I plan to begin P90X round 2 next week. Am I still running, yes. But I'm going to be working it in to my P90X schedule for the near future.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - September 25

2011-09-22T14:59:00.001-04:00

The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Under the Command of Titus, by David Roberts, 1850

Over the next three Sundays we will be studying the 13th chapter of Mark's gospel. In this fascinating chapter we see Jesus fulfilling his office of prophet (in addition to priest and king). Jesus foretells of the destruction of Jerusalem and of his second coming. He give signs which will foreshadows what is to come. Mark 13, however, is not a detailed blueprint for the future, it reveals that the world is moving toward the Lord's intended end. With this confidence, believers are given multiple exhortations of how we are to live as we look for Jesus to return and bring things to his appointed conclusion. This Sunday's message is part 1 of Stay Awake! Signs of the End of the Age.

Order of Service

Welcome& Announcements

Whenthe Morning Comes

OGod, Our Help in Ages Past

EverlastingGod

Arise

Hosanna

Prayer

SermonText: Mark13:1-13

SermonTitle: StayAwake! Signs of the End of the Age, Part 1

JustAs I Am Medley

OfferingPrayer

Offering

EverlastingGod

Preparation for Corporate Worship - September 18

2011-09-15T16:52:00.002-04:00

This Sunday when Crestview gathers for corporate worship, we will look at the last portion of public teaching by Jesus recorded by Mark. In Mark 12:35-44 Jesus closes out his denouncement of the superficial religion practiced in the temple and lead by the Jewish religious leaders. Unfortunately, concerns identified by Jesus were not just problems in his day, they persist in ours as well. Study the sermon text ahead of time and come prepared to worship together.

Praying for the Lord to be exalted. . .

Order of Service

Welcome& Announcements

I’llFly Away

Fellowship

ChoirSpecial: Glorious

HolyIs The Lord

Singto The King

LetThere Be Glory and Honor and Praise

IWorship You, Almighty God

Prayer

Lord's Supper

Reading of Church Covenant

SermonText: Mark12:35-44

SermonTitle: Bewareof Superficial Religion

HaveThine Own Way

OfferingPrayer

Offering

HolyIs The Lord

Choosing a Bible: Part 3

2011-09-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is the third installment of a series of posts on Choosing a Bible. The purpose of this series is to help you think about the translation you use. In case you missed it:
Part 1
Part 2

After reading the first posts and checking out the translation philosophy of your the Bible you are using, let's begin to think critically about translations.

Leland Ryken has written a helpful short booklet titled Choosing a Bible, Understanding Bible Translation Differences (Crossway, 2005). Ryken makes the case for believers to use an "essentially literal" Bible translation. Here is an outline of the case he makes:

Chapter 1: How do Bible translations differ from each other?
1) The goal of the Bible translation. Prior to the middle of the 20th century the goal of Bible translation was to translate as far as possible the original languages into English. However, in the mid-20th century, dynamic equivalent translations became very popular. The goal was not to translate the original words, but to translate the ideas or thoughts.
2) Thought-for-thought or Word-for-word? Ryken explains that when the task of translation moves to thought-for-thought, rather than word-for-word, the result is a translation with significant liberties begin taken with the original text. A dynamic equivalent translation is actually a translation plus commentary, but the reader has no way to know where the translation ends and the committee's commentary begins.

Chapter 2: Five negative effects of dynamic equivalence
1) Taking liberties in translation. The assumption is that only the thought or idea is really critical the precise wording is unimportant.
2) Destabilization of the text. If one lays side-by-side various translations and sees the multiple ways that texts are translated, even using words with widely divergent meanings, then it is obvious that there is no standardization of what the Bible says. This undermines confidence in the Bible across the board.
3) What the Bible "means" vs. what the Bible says. Words mean things. The only way to understand what the Bible means is to look at individual words, construction, and grammar.
4) Falling short of what we should expect. When people pick up a Bible they assume they are reading what was actually written by the Biblical author. Not a translation with hidden commentary. Commentaries are good, but should be separate books or for study notes in study bibles.
5) A logical and linguistic impossibility. It is a fallacy to think that one can translate the meaning without the words of the original. There is no such thing as a disembodied though emancipated from words. Ideas and thoughts depend on the words and are expressed by them.

Chapter 3: Ten reasons we can trust essentially literal Bible translations
1) Transparency to the original. Essentially literal translations strive to bring the reader as close to the original language as possible, and may only deviate slightly when the literal translation would have been unintelligible to an English reader.
2) Keeping to the essential task of translation. A Bible translation is just that, a translation. It is not a commentary.
3) Preserving the full interpretive potential of the original. If the original language was open to interpretation, then so should be the translation. The full richness and exegetical potential is given to the reader.
4) Not mixing commentary with translation. The translator is a steward of what someone else has written, not an editor or theologian who needs to explain what was written.
5) Preserving theological precision. If the original language used specialized words, like "justification" then the reader should learn what those term mean, not need a translator/editor to change them.
6) Not needing to correct the translation in preaching. If a preacher must regularly correct the translation of his Bible, then his church will come to distrust their Bibles.
7) Preserving what the Biblical writers actually wrote. If interpretive difficulties were left by the original authors, then they should be passed along to today's reader as well. Essentially literal translations do not try to resolve all interpretive difficulties.
8) Preserving the literary qualities of the Bible. Essentially literal translations strive to preserve the poetry and figurative language of the original.

9) Preserving the dignity and beauty of the Bible.
10) Consistency with the doctrine of inspiration. An essentially literal translation is most consistent with the doctrine of plenary or verbal inspiration. This is the belief that every word of the Bible is the revelation of God.

Ryken sums up the booklet with this conclusion:

"English Bible translation stands at a watershed moment. For half a century, dynamic equivalence has been the guiding translation philosophy behind most new translations. Each successive wave of these translations has tended to be increasingly bold in departing from the words of the original text. Stated another way, we can trace an arc of increasingly aggressive changing, adding to, and subtracting from the words that the biblical authors wrote. The issues that are at stake in the current debate about Bible translation are immense." (p. 30)

Choosing a Bible: Part 2

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is the second installment of a series of posts on Choosing a Bible. The purpose of this series is to help you think about the translation you use. In case you missed it:
Part 1

Have you ever read the translation philosophy for your Bible? What is a translation philosophy you ask? It is the assumptions and methods used by the translation team to move the text from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into English. You can find this on the first few pages of your Bible. It is usually located after the title page and before Genesis 1.

Over the last 100 years three distinctly different translation philosophies have developed:

1. Essentially Literal - the goal is to reproduce, as closely as possible, a word-for-word translation and, when possible preserve the original word order. Translations that fall under this category are:

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
English Standard Version (ESV)
King James Version / New King James Version (KJV/NKJV)
Revised Standard Version / New Revised Standard Version (RSV/NRSV)

2. Dynamic Equivalent - the goal is to reproduce a thought-for though translation. The idea is that whenever the original text would have been foreign or unclear to a contemporary English reader, the translation team identifies the meaning and then uses equivalent terms for translation. Translations that fall under this category are:

New International Version (NIV)
Today's New International Version (TNIV)
New Living Translation (NLT)
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Good News Bible (GNB)

3. Paraphrase - the goal is to produce a translation which reflects the tone, events, and ideas in ways that people actually think and speak today. There is no attempt to reproduce the words or thoughts of the original. Translations that fall under this category are:

The New Testament in Modern English (Phillips)
The Living Bible
The Message
The Street Bible

Go read your translation philosophy and identify where your translation falls on this spectrum.

Why Plant Churches?

2011-09-13T15:54:00.001-04:00

Here is an excellent article from Tim Keller: Why Plant Churches

Here is a quick summary: Why is church planting so critically important?

We want to be true to the Biblical mandate

Jesus' essential call was to plant churches
Paul's whole strategy was to plant urban churches

We want to be true to the great commission

New churches best reach new generations, new residents, new people groups
New churches best reach the unchurched - period

We want to continually renew the who Body of Christ

New churches bring new ideas to the whole Body
Planting new churches is one of the best ways to surface creative, strong leaders for the whole Body
New churches challenge other churches to self-examination
A new church may be an evangelistic feeder for a whole community

As an exercise in kingdom-mindedness

Choosing a Bible: Part 1

2011-09-13T11:27:00.001-04:00

Today begins a series of posts on choosing a Bible for personal reading and study. This isn't about the particular cover you select or whether you need large print. More specifically, I am going to focus on the particular translation of the Bible you use. Have you given much thought to your Bible translation? Why do you use the translation you do? How does your translation of the Bible aid your understanding of God's truth?

People have varieties of reasons they select a particular translation. Maybe some of the following reasons fit you:

I use the _________ translation because it is what I have grown up using, "I've been using this Bible for 20 years."
I use the _________ translation because I was given this Bible as a gift, "Hey, it was free!"
I use the _________ translation because I understand it better than others I have seen, "I don't like 'thees' and 'thous'."
I use the _________ translation because it had a cover I liked and was not too thick or heavy. "Check out my fluorescent color, ultra-thin, reference Bible, complete with inlaid Celtic cross and waterproof pages!"
I use the _________ translation because that is what my pastor uses for preaching. "I like a Bible that matches the one he reads."

In this series of posts I want to encourage you to think about your translation and have solid reasons for using it.

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). In an ideal world we would all study in the original languages and no translation would be necessary. But, since that really is not practical, the scriptures must be translated into English to be understood in our culture.

Because the the Scriptures are inspired and true, and since every word is true, we should use a translation which best helps us to get back to the original text. Using an essentially literal translation follows directly on the heels of the belief that all the words of the Scripture are inspired. Consider the following:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone'sown interpretation. For noprophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as theywere carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:20-21

The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,purified seven times.

Psalm 12:6

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD issure, making wise the simple;the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of theLORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD aretrue, and righteous altogether.

Psalm 19:7-9

Sanctify them in the truth;your word is truth.

John 17:17

Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you aregods'? If he called themgods to whom the word of God came- and Scripture cannot be broken

John 10:34-35

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I havenot come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Matthew 5:17-18

Preparation for Corporate Worship - September 11

2011-09-09T11:08:00.003-04:00

God has communicated much with us. He has communicated what he demands of humanity. His instructions to us are life-giving. To fail to follow him is to bring destruction upon own heads. What is the greatest instruction that God has given humanity to follow? Is there one command that summarizes all of God's expectations of us? We will see Jesus' answer to this especially important question this Sunday when we study Mark 12:28-34.

Continue to worship daily while preparing for the corporate/gathered worship with the church this Lord's Day!

Order of Service

Welcome& Announcements

PraiseHim, Praise Him

Fellowship

ChoirSpecial: Trading My Sorrows

That’sWhy We Praise Him

AmazingGrace, My Chains Are Gone

TheLily of the Valley

HowCan I Keep From Singing

Prayer

SermonText: Mark12:28-34

SermonTitle: TheMost Important Commandment

WhiterThan Snow

OfferingPrayer

Offering

That’sWhy We Praise Him

Preparation for Corporate Worship - September 4

2011-09-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

This Sunday will be a bit different for Crestview. This is the weekend of our annual family retreat. A large group of us will be spending Friday through Sunday in Norman Park, Georgia. The family retreat is a way for families to spend time together paying, relaxing, and worshiping the Lord. Saturday morning I will be teaching on the importance of family worship. Sunday we will worship together at the same time the rest of the church gathers in Griffin.

For all who will be in Griffin, Bible studies and corporate worship will be held like any normal Sunday. Rocky Stubbs will be bringing a message from Joshua 24:14-29 titled Stones of Remembrance. Come prepared to celebrate the infinite value of the Lord together.

Order of Service

Welcome& Announcements

WhenWe All Get to Heaven

StandingOn the Promises

HowGreat is Our God

GraceFlows Down

AmazingGrace! How Sweet the Sound

Prayer

SermonText: Joshua24:14-29

SermonTitle: Stonesof Remembrance

SearchMe, O God

OfferingPrayer

Offering

StandingOn the Promises

90 hours to read the entire Bible

2011-08-30T10:30:00.000-04:00

I shared these statistics with our church this past Sunday:

90 Hours = amount of time it takes a person of average reading ability to read the entire Bible.
If this person read for 30 minutes a day, they would complete the Bible in 6 months.
If this person read for 15 minutes a day, they would finis in 12 months.

Compare this to the average American's daily intake of television of 3-5 hours per day. If this same amount of time were devoted to Bible reading, how long would it take to read the entire Bible:

18 days @ 5 hours per day
30 days @ 3 hours per day

Unverified stats across the internet indicate that only about 10% of Christians have read the entire Bible (not the best source, I know, but I bet it is pretty close).

No doubt Jesus' words to the Sadducees apply to many Christians, "Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God" Mark 12:24.

How to Give to Your Church

2011-08-30T10:16:00.000-04:00

One of the great joys of believers is the recognition that weare totally and completely the Lord’s. Several weeks ago I preached on Jesus’ well known declaration, “Render to Caesar the things that areCaesar’s and to God the things that are God’s,” from Mark 12:17. As I studied for that sermon, I was remindedagain that I have no right to call any portion of my life my own. As a slave of Christ, it is a delight and pleasureto render all of my life to him. Thereis no more satisfying way to live, and no better master to be found!

The original Greek word translated “render” means to give,pay, or repay. One of the ways that weshould apply the words of our Lord is by using our money as an apparatus forworshiping him. Just like voices,guitars, pianos, hands, feet, attitudes, acts of love, and words, can all be employedas instruments of worship, so too can money. Every payday your bank account gets a fresh deposit of worship-readydollars. What an exciting opportunity itis to take a percentage of what you have earned and give it away for kingdompurposes -- God loves a cheerful giver! (2 Cor. 9:7).

How much should Igive away?

The Bible gives us principlesfor giving. The “tithe”, or giving 10% of one’s income, is a precedent that isseen in the Old Testament (Lev. 27:30). Whatis more, did you know, after the annual tithe, festival tithe, and triennialtithe, Israelites were giving away about 25% of their income for God’s work(Num. 18:21, Deut. 12:17-18, Deut. 26:12)? Jesus assumed that his followers would give and affirmed the tithe, butpushed those who gave to engage their hearts (Matt. 6:2; 23:23). Giving away 10% of your income is anexcellent guideline and starting point.

Where should Iinvest my income for kingdom purposes?

Members of this church have committedwith one another to lead believers and unbelievers to have a passionaterelationship with Jesus Christ. We are eachdependent upon one another to undergird the ministries of this church in orderto fulfill this mission. As anexpression of our covenant with each other, the primary focus and largestportion of your financial giving should be directed to support Crestview.

So, how about you? How are you doing in the discipline of giving? Are you honoring the Lord with yourincome? Are you fulfilling your covenantto this church to provide significant financial support? Are you rendering to God what is God’s? I pose these questions because I do not wantyou to miss out on the joy of giving. Donot deprive yourself -- give!

Church Finance 101

In a recent meeting with our church's finance team, they asked that I givethe church a brief practical tutorial on how to give to the church. For some, this might be second nature, but formany giving can be confusing. I hope thefollowing will help you to better understand the practical logistics of supportingyour church financially.

How to give toCrestview

Locations to Give. There are several ways to give, but the mostconvenient is to place gifts in the offering plate during the worship service,or to give during your Sunday morning Bible study class. Gifts can also be delivered to the churchoffice during the week or sent via mail. We also have the capability of receiving automatic payments via bankdraft (“bill-pay” type services). Contact the church office if you are interestedin setting up automatic monthly gifts like this.

Church Ministry Budget vs. Designated Gifts. This is the most misunderstood facet ofgiving to Crestview. Income to thechurch is recorded in two ways:

Church Ministry Budget. This is thegeneral operating fund of the church and should be our member’s highest givingpriority. Our budget for 2011 is$373,202. This includes support offoreign, national, and local missions; salaries for church personnel; church ministries;administration; facilities maintenance and operations; and debtretirement. Unless specificallydesignated, gifts are used to fund the church budget. If we are meeting (or exceeding) our budget,we will have all we need for missions and ministry.
Designated Gifts. You are encouraged to give at the first 10%of your income to the Church Ministry Budget. Yet, there are times when it is advantageous to the church to channelmoney toward a specific purpose. This is where designated gifts come in. Designated gifts are intended to be special giftsin excess of one’s normal giving. Thechurch has set up seven individual funds where gifts may be directed (Missions,Property, Building and Grounds, Ministry, Love Offering, and Memorial Fund). We collect two special Missions offeringseach year – “Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions” and the “AnnieArmstrong Offering for North American Missions”. Additionally, gifts to the “Property Fund” arebeing used to pay for the first phase of construction on the Birdie Roadcampus.

The process of giving a designated gift is toindicate on the memo line of the check the portion of the total that is for thebudget and the portion for the designated fund:

Example #1: “Budget: $400, Missions/Lottie Moon: $100”

Example #2: “Budget: $400, Missions/Annie Armstrong: $100”

Example #3: “Budget: $400, Property: $100”

If you desire to contribute to a designatedfund other than these three examples, please contact the church office ahead oftime to verify how to properly designate your giving.

Cash Giving. In order to be included in your end-of-yearcontribution statement, cash must be placed in an offering envelope. Loose cash is credited to the Church MinistryBudget.

Giving by Check. Checks should be writtento “Crestview Baptist Church”. The memoline of the check should indicate whether or not any of the funds are designatedfor a particular fund. Like cash, checksshould be placed in an offering envelope.

Offering Envelopes. Offering envelopes help ensure that properaccounting occurs. On the face of theenvelope, in addition to your name, you should indicate whether any of thefunds are designated. In the event ofconflict between the envelope and the memo line of the check, the memo line ofthe check governs.

Non-Cash & Estate Gifts. Gifts of stock, property, vehicles, and similarkinds of non-cash gifts are welcome, but special IRS procedures must befollowed by the church. Estate gifts,those left to the church through an individual’s will, are also welcome. In all of these cases, the church officeshould be contacted prior to the donation so that correct legal andadministrative processes can be followed.

End-of-Year Contribution Statement: EachJanuary the church office prepares contribution statements for the previousyear. These statements can be used fordocumentation of tax-deductible gifts for income taxes. Per IRS requirements, only monetary gifts maybe included on the contribution statements. Donations of tangible goods (clothes, food, supplies, etc) cannot beindicated on the contribution statement. If requested at the time of donation, the church can issue a donationstatement for a non-cash gift. However,the church cannot be responsible for determining the value of the gift.

2011 Deacon Nominations

2011-08-29T05:15:00.000-04:00

Over the next several weeks our church will be prayerfully considering and nominating men to be considered as deacons. This is a wonderful privilege as well as a great responsibility for our members.

Earlier this year I preached an important series of messages titled, By His Design, Understanding God's Design for Leadership in the Church. Two of the messages specifically addressed deacons:

What are deacons and what do they do? from Acts 6:1-7
What are deacon qualifications? from 1 Timothy 3:8-13

Mission Columbus

2011-08-26T09:36:00.001-04:00

This past week I had the opportunity to travel with a group of pastors from our association to Columbus, Georgia, to visit Mission Columbus.

Mission Columbus is the ministry of the Columbus Baptist Association, a network of approximately 50 Baptist churches in the Columbus area who pool their resources and provide volunteers to staff this ministry. With the heart of a teacher, associational missionary Jimmy Blanton explained to our group their philosophy of ministry and the benefits of churches cooperating together for mission purposes.

They are housed in the building of a church that was dying 15 years ago. The church had dwindled down to just a few members. Rather than holding onto the past, with great commission hearts and a vision for "what could be", the members of the church gave their property and facilities over to the Columbus Baptist Association for the purpose of local mission work and church planting.

Today the campus is being used for:

"Healing to fish" - an on site medical clinic provides a range of medical services for those who cannot afford such otherwise.
"Feeding fish" - a food pantry and clothes closet provides daily staples.
"Training to fish" - volunteers conduct a 6 month training program for women, teaching the scriptures as well as practical job skills. The women are training in interviewing skills and are provided nice clothes for job searching and interviews. Volunteers staff a nursery and take care of children so mothers can participate in the program.
"Church plant incubator" - the large worship center seats about 200 people and is utilized by new church plants. They can meet in the facility until they have the membership and financial strength for their own meeting location. Three new churches are currently using the facility.

According to Mr. Blanton, there are plenty of other places in the Columbus area where people in need can find assistance. Giving away food and clothing is not unique. However, the Columbus Mission is one of only two locations in their area where the good news of Jesus is intentionally shared with every person who comes for help. To receive assistance, every individual first meets with a volunteer counselor. In this interview the counselor learns of the persons needs and then shares the Gospel with them. All who profess faith in Christ are put into direct contact with the association church that is nearest to their home. He shared stories of individuals who came for help, were converted, connected to a church, and now have restored families and jobs.

Individuals seeking assistance can apply for help once every 90 days and they only given enough food to last about a week. Mr. Blanton said that the purpose of the Columbus Mission is not to enable poverty, but to help lead people to the Savior while meeting a temporary physical need.

For me, visiting Mission Columbus and meeting Jimmy Blanton was an inspiring experience. It was instructive to see the way one association is trying to work together to effectively minister to their community in the name of Jesus Christ.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - August 27

2011-08-26T08:34:00.002-04:00

How many controversies in this life occur due to ignorance of what is contained in the pages of the Bible? How many difficulties could be avoided if we better knew the Word of God? This Sunday, when Crestview gathers for corporate worship, we will continue studying the interrogation of Jesus by the Jewish religious leaders who are seeking to trap him in his words. This week, in Mark 12:18-27, we will find a group of Sadducees question him about marriage after the resurrection.

Also, if you are going to be worshiping with Crestview this Sunday, plan to stick around afterwards for lunch.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

I Will Sing the WondrousStory

Fellowship

Choir: I Bless YourName

Redeemed, How I Love toProclaim It

That’s Why We Praise Him

Our God Saves

The Power of Your Love

Prayer

Sermon Text: Mark12:18-27

Sermon Title: TheProblem of Biblical Ignorance

Have Thine Own Way

Offering Prayer

Offering

That’s Why We Praise Him

Huricane Tracker

2011-08-24T17:25:00.001-04:00

Ahh. Hurricane season in the south. For 10 years prior to coming to Crestview, I worked as a construction project manager. I learned that a lot of productivity and money depends on a project manager's decisions regarding the weather. Do you bring in that crew of workers if it is going to start storming mid-day? What if you tell them to stay home and then you loose a day when rain does not materialize? I kept a daily pulse on the weather in order to help manage our project sites. Our construction teams were almost as good at predicting the weather as the Weather Channel.

As Hurricane Irene is churning in the Atlantic I tip my hat to my construction friends out there who have been trying to anticipate the hurricane's path. Here is a link to a great interactive site that tracks storms and hurricanes. I looks like Irene is going to head north up the Atlantic seaboard, but you might want to bookmark this page. Hurricane season doesn't end until November.

What a blessing it is for our church to have a meeting facility and for me to have an office in which to study, pray, and work. The weather can change and it really doesn't affect me now!!

A congregation singing loudly is great encouragement

2011-08-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

As you prepare for gathering with your church this Sunday for worship, are you preparing to sing to the Lord with enthusiasm? The corporate singing of the church should be a loud exercise. Yes Loud.

The volume of the sound of the voices of the church singing to the Savior in one accord is VERY encouraging. Being engulfed in the vocal praise of the saints is surely a foretaste of heaven.

You may have experienced the discouragement of gathering with a church who does not sing with gusto. When songs are sung quietly, without enthusiasm, the singing is far from an encouragement. In such a case it is likely not that the lyrics of the songs that are faulty, but rather the attitude and habits of the congregation.

Paul exhorted the Colossian church in this way, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (3:16). We need to sing with one another. We also need to hear one another sing. This does not mean we need more electronic amplification. If anything, our churches need less electronic amplification so that the sound of the singing congregation can be recovered as the blessing that it is.

So, join with your church this week, and sing to the Lord with all your might, so that you might be an encouragement to your brothers and sisters.

Greg Gilbert has has written a good post on this topic, Singing to Build Up, at the 9 Marks blog.

Preparation for Corporate Worship - August 21

2011-08-19T11:26:00.002-04:00

With the famous words, "render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and render to God the things that are God's," Jesus again foils another attempt by the Jewish religious machine to trip him up. Sunday we will study the discussion leading up to this well known pronouncement by Jesus and consider applications it has for our lives. We will be studying Mark 1:13-17.

The gathered church will also be celebrating the Lord's Supper this Sunday as part of the worship service. A great way to prepare for this is to spend time leading up to Sunday reflecting on 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

Order of Service

Welcome & Announcements

Come Thou Fount

Fellowship

Rock of Ages

My Redeemer Lives

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

Prayer

Lord’s Supper

Reading of Church Covenant

Sermon Text: Mark12:13-17

Sermon Title: Jesus onWorship and Taxes

Softly and Tenderly

Offering Prayer

Offering

Rock of Ages

John MacArthur: "Beer, Bohemianism, and Christian Liberty"

2011-08-18T08:34:00.000-04:00

John MacArthur offers wise words to those who would seek to follow their liberties and freedoms at the expense of the instructions of the Bible: Beer, Bohemianism, and Christian Liberty.

The harvest is not at the end of the meeting

2011-08-17T15:36:00.000-04:00

“No sermon should be considered alone. We are ministering to people week after week, and one message fortifies another. The harvest is not the end of the meeting; it is the end of the age.”

–Warren W. Wiersbe

I am steadily amazed at how the Lord uses the steady, week-in, week-out preaching of the Word in his church. Like the dripping of water that erodes away stone. One drop might not look like much, but the cumulative effect should not be underestimated.

I am thankful for the privilege to preach the Word and for a church who desires and enables me to do so.

Thabiti Anyabwile has an encouraging post on this.

Shortcomings of scholars who dismiss the Jesus of the Bible

2011-08-16T09:09:00.001-04:00

It is popular for television channels such as National Geographic, PBS, History Channel, Discovery Channel (to name only a few) to interview liberal scholars about the life and person of Jesus Christ. Over the last 200+ years such scholars have approached the study of the Bible with an anti-supernatural bias and have denied the deity of Jesus and denied the reliability of the Bible.

In his chapter on "The Person of Christ" in A Theology for the Church (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Academic, 2007, page 533), Daniel Aiken, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, lists 10 shortcomings of the method and conclusions of this popular brand of liberal scholarship:

Their anti-supernatural worldview biases their evaluation of the biblical material even before they begin. They are not really open to where the data might lead because they have determined in advance where it must lead: to a purely human Jesus who cannot be God.
All the information we have on Jesus demands that he look like a first century Jew who spent his life in Israel.
The object of Christian faith is the triune God revealed in history and the Old and New Testaments. There is a promise of a Savior (Old Testament) and the coming of that Savior (New Testament). The flow of redemptive history is something [liberal scholars] fail to fully consider and appreciate.
The Jesus of history and the Jesus of faith cannot be separated, for they are one in the same.
All the evidence points in the direction that the high Christology of the church has its source in Jesus and that worship of Jesus as God was there from the beginning. (This is to say that is suddenly and starkly arrives on the scene in the first century and did not grow up as a myth over many generations).
If Jesus was little more than a witty sage or cynic philosopher who spoke only in short pithy sayings or parables, why was he crucified? What threat was he either to Jewish authorities or the Roman government?
Liberal scholarship, such as the Jesus Seminar, is now new. It is simply a recent attempt to "demythologize" Jesus. Strip away anything and everything that looks supernatural and see what is left. The result: such a Jesus could not have inspired worship, much less martyrdom, on the part of his followers.
If these scholars are so fair and objective with the evidence, why is it that they cannot agree among themselves who Jesus was?
The Gospels were written from the standpoint of faith for the purpose of spreading the faith. This is honestly admitted in the biblical texts themselves, and it does not lessen their credibility but actually enhances it.
Numerous eyewitnesses were alive when the Gospels were written. They most certainly would have functioned as custodians and protectors of the testimony concerning Jesus.