The Gospel to an Old Dying Football Coach

In the spring I'm going to a conference for pastor's called Together for the Gospel. Here's a video from one of the featured speakers, John MacArthur.

John MacArthur - Study Video from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Dude Looks Like a Lady

In our Bible study last night we looked at 1 Corinthians 11 and saw how the blurring of gender roles and distinctions can be a big problem, even in the church. The main summary statement we used to help us understand this passage was, "the Church glorifies God when it follows the model of the Trinity rather than the trends of the culture."

One of the examples I used was from a few years ago when boys would wear their girlfriend's jeans to school. Just when I was beginning to think hope pray that this trend was a thing of the past, I came across this gem today from the New York Times. Al Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary gives his excellent commentary here.

Can't we just go back to the good old days when kids just wore gang attire to school?

Caring for the Orphan: The Local Angle

Not too far up the road from those of us in Jackson, GA there is a wonderful opportunity to minister to the fatherless. The Georgia Baptist Children's Home is doing a lot to help orphans and a variety of other kids in need.

I posted them earlier, but just to be sure, here are other links where you can find a lot of information that will help you know how to better carry the love of Jesus to some of the 143 million orphans in the world.

http://www.orphansunday.org/; http://www.loving-shepherd.com/; http://www.irvingbible.org/index.php?id=1448/; http://lifesongfororphans.org/; http://www.togetherforadoption.org/; http://www.cryoftheorphan.org/display.asp?Page=Home; http://www.russellmoore.com/2009/06/26/orphan-care-and-the-great-commission-resurgence/; http://www.russellmoore.com/2009/10/05/together-for-adoption-interview/; “The Manliness of Adoption: Testosterone and Pure Religion”, sermon preached by David Prince at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, http://www.ashlandbaptistchurch.org/aabc/_files/media//6-21-09am.mp3

Orphan Care and Racism

Russell Moore has writen an excellent article about transracial adoption and racism in the church. You can read it by clicking here.

Why Orphan Sunday?

Sunday, November 8 is Orphan Sunday. So, why preach about orphans instead of how to be happy with your job or how to achieve the maximum potential in your relationships? Because there are around 143 million children in the world right now that will go to bed tonight without a mother’s kiss or a father’s hug. Because it is not good that there are so many fatherless children in our world. Because the church will face God’s judgment if it turns a blind eye to the orphans.

The most important reason that we will spend these two weeks addressing the orphan is because God has a heart for the orphan and He has commanded that His people share His compassion for them. Consider the following verses as you prayerfully consider whether or not you share God’s compassion towards the fatherless.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. Isaiah 1:17

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

Helpful Resources

http://www.orphansunday.org/; http://www.loving-shepherd.com/; http://www.irvingbible.org/index.php?id=1448/; http://lifesongfororphans.org/; http://www.togetherforadoption.org/; http://www.cryoftheorphan.org/display.asp?Page=Home; http://www.russellmoore.com/2009/06/26/orphan-care-and-the-great-commission-resurgence/; http://www.russellmoore.com/2009/10/05/together-for-adoption-interview/; “The Manliness of Adoption: Testosterone and Pure Religion”, sermon preached by David Prince at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, http://www.ashlandbaptistchurch.org/aabc/_files/media//6-21-09am.mp3

Make-Up, Gold Pianos and the Great Commission

I'm asking for your money.  No, I'm not starting my own television ministry and no I'm not making my wife paint her hair blond or her face purple.  But yes, I am asking for your money and your time.

Recently, we got word that many missionaries with the IMB will be receiving drastic cuts in their pay.  For a while we have been hearing about missionaries who are either not able to go out or who must go home because of a lack of funds.  Global economic crisis or not, this news should unsettle us.  If we are not the ones who are going to take the gospel to the nations, we must be the ones who are giving sacrificially so that the gospel can go to the nations.  Times are tight but we are still rich.  Let's use our riches to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ so that others will repent and enjoy eternal life.

I'm asking you to give but not to me.  The best way to give right now is to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering.  All of the profits for our Run for the Moon 5k Run/Walk go to the Lottie Moon offering.  You can find out how to get involved by clicking on the News and Information link at towaligabaptistchurch.net.  This is a great way to participate both physically and financially.  If, for whatever reason, you are not able to participate in Run for the Moon, give to Lottie Moon anyway.  It doesn't have to be through Towaliga Baptist Church.  If you belong to another church, ask your pastor for details on how you can help keep missionaries at their post.

When you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering, you can give confidently that your money is not going to buy a gold piano or to pay the light bill at some celebrity preacher's mansion.  Instead, your sacrificial giving will be in full compliance with Christ's command to make disciples of all nations.  

What's In Your Heart?

"Have you ever considered why there are no accounts of Jesus slamming a door in angry frustration or inflicting the 'silent treatment' on someone who hurt him?  Why didn't Jesus get irritated or bitter or hostile?  The simple but astounding answer is that when his engine was heated by circumstances, what was in his heart came out: love, mercy compassion, kindness.  Christ didn't respond sinfully to the circumstances in his life - even an undeserved, humiliating, torturous death - because the engine of his heart was pure.  What was in his heart spilled over.  It was love!"

Dave Harvey, When Sinners Say "I Do"