Following Christ and entertainment

John Piper asks a helpful question: “Do you glorify God in your movie watching?” I just think we need to test our hearts big time. Big time. Why are we able to enjoy hell bound, God ignoring, Christ dishonoring, false world views because we can give it a little twist at the end that it […]

Reflections on Twenty Years of Ministry: Godly Heritage

This is the fifth of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC. I am grateful for a godly heritage. I can go back many generations in my genealogy, and all are believers. I grew up in a home where my parents loved each other and loved Christ. I was […]

Principles of giving

A preacher went to visit a farmer and during the course of that visit asked him, “If you had $200 would you give $100 to the Lord?” “I would, preacher.” “If you had two cows, would you give one to the Lord?” “Yes, I believe I would.” “If you had two pigs, would you give […]

Reflections on Twenty Years of Ministry: Hearing People

This is the fourth of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC. One thing I particularly prayed for when coming to GBC was peace and unity. We have it. The question is, why? Obviously, such a gift is due to the grace and kindness of God. But there is […]

Reflections on Twenty Years of Ministry: Church

This is the third of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC. I am thankful for the church. But it wasn’t always that way. When I started seminary, I wanted to teach. Somewhere along the way that changed, though I would be hard-pressed to identify when and where. But […]

Justification and its fruit

John Piper has a brief but helpful discussion of the relationship between justification and sanctification. He emphasizes why it is important to understand justification as imputed — a declaration of our position before God: The only instrument by which I am made a participant in Christ’s righteousness is God’s acting through my faith. I am […]

Why do you serve Christ?

May I ask a straight-forward question? Why do you do what you do for Christ? That is, what is the motive for your actions? What drives you and compels you? Specifically, when you think about how you serve God, can you also determine why you serve God? Some serve God from a sense of “holy […]

Reflections on Twenty Years of Ministry: Family

This is the second of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC. As I think about ministry at GBC, I am thankful for family. Specifically, I am thankful for my family. Paul tells the Corinthians that it is better to remain single because the interests of a married man […]

A sweet aroma

A writer for Leadership Journal recounted the following story: Deep-sea divers recently recovered a leather case containing 40 small vials of perfume oil from the wreck of the Titanic. The little bottles, which probably would have been sold in New York as the ingredients for cologne, belonged to a businessman from Manchester, England. When they […]

Myths about hell

Pastor and blogger Joe Thorn recently wrote about five commonly held myths about Hell. These false beliefs are common (much too common), and his brief responses are helpful. Read them here: Hell is a place where Satan reigns. Hell is where sinners party. Hell is temporary. Hell is the absence of God. Hell is for […]

Reflections on Twenty Years of Ministry: Grace

This is the first of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC. When I think about ministry and about 20 years of ministry at GBC, I am thankful for grace. The word “grace” comes quickly to the lips of most believers, but are we genuinely convinced of our need […]

God uses nobodies to accomplish much

Chuck Swindoll in The Grace Awakening, affirms the reality that God uses “nobodies” to accomplish His eternal purposes: Grace means God uses nobodies. Grace also means He makes nobodies into somebodies. The problem is this: Our shame screams so loudly and our guilt is so huge, we convince ourselves we’re not useful and we think […]

Sunday Leftovers (8/15/10)

While I came to GBC with no intention of leaving, I never thought 20 years would come so quickly and I would still be here! What happy and satisfying years these have been for me, Raye Jeanne, and our daughters, Elizabeth and Emily. The Lord has been gracious to mature us in our marriage and […]

Fighting against lust

Many years ago, John Piper gave this brief exhortation to help in the battle against lust — look at something greater than the puny desires of sinful, sexual indulgence: “The sky is a great power against lust. Pure, lovely, wholesome, beautiful, powerful, large-hearted things cannot abide the soul of a sexual fantasy at the same […]

Stimulants to gratitude

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about gratitude this week. Mostly I’ve considered things for which I am grateful as I consider the work of God in the ministry at GBC (more on that Sunday). But in my contemplation, I’ve also come across two thoughts that should stimulate gratitude in all of us. The first […]