Audio Sermon Links

Here is the link of the new page I added where I'll post links to audio from sermons I have the opportunity to preach.  At the moment, I'm using a freebie audio hosting site so the links won't play audio directly--you have to down load them.  But come on, you've got room on your mp3 player for some more sermons, right?  Of course you do. 

Perry Noble Is Still An Idiot

I wrote a post some time ago titled Perry Noble is An Idiot in response to something he posted on his blog where he opined that the reason people don’t accept the gospel is because Christians are so doggone mean, bigoted, and narrow-minded. In other words, the gospel has no power to save, it must be packaged correctly. Poppycock!!

Well, Perry Noble has proven once again that he is a dimwit in his latest post on the Rob Bell brouhaha. He writes that, again, all those who are criticizing Rob Bell are just so mean. Why, Bell’s wife and kids might have to read the stuff written about him. Further, he says that Bell’s only error in the book is that he denies the existence of hell as revealed in scripture.

Let’s take the second observation first. I’m actually very surprised to read Perry Noble say that Rob Bell is wrong about his view of hell. I didn’t think Noble was that orthodox. However, he claims that Bell is a sincere follower of Christ and a nice guy. He gushes like a school girl numerous times how Bell has preached sermons that helped him grow in his faith so he obviously believes that Bell is an orthodox Christian pastor who is wrong on this one issue. The fact is, though, that he’s not just wrong on this one issue but in fact denies the gospel as revealed in scripture. Bell says on page 154 of his book, Love Wins, that “[Jesus] doesn‟t say is how, or when, or in what manner the mechanism functions that gets people to God through him. He doesn‟t even state that those coming to the Father through him will even know that they are coming exclusively through him”. Boys and girls, this is a theological heresy called “Inclusivism” which means that people from other religions will get to heaven through Christ without knowing that it was Christ who saved them. For instance, a muslim will get to heaven and say “Huh? This whole time I was praying to Allah but it was God who saved me…through Jesus Christ?? Seriously?? Wow, never saw that one coming.” Bell makes perfectly clear that he believes in inclusivism one page over (155) when he says “There is inclusivity. The kind that is open to all religions, the kind that trusts that good people will get in, that there is only one mountain, but it has many paths. This inclusivity assumes that as long as your heart is fine or your actions measure up, you‟ll be okay”. This is heresy and the fact that Perry Noble doesn’t call this out should be a HUGE red flag.

Rob Bell is a false teacher??  No way!!

Now, as to his second assertion that Christians have been so mean in attacking Bell proving, in Noble’s words, we are an army that shoots our own wounded (thereby including Bell in the army which means he affirms Bell as a Christian rather than a false teacher). I have read reviews of the book by Denny Burk, Kevin DeYoung, and others. I have read blog posts about the book and the press before and after. After reading that material, I can say, pretty confidently, that the writers were direct, firm, and pointed in what they wrote critiquing Bell. However, to call them mean-spirited and un-Christlike is patently absurd. Sorry, Perry, but if it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, well don’t sit there like Macaley Caulken with your hands on either side of you cheeks acting all shocked when people call it a duck. And if people close to Bell don’t want to see him called out for being a false teacher, maybe he should think about repenting, trusting Christ to save him, and renouncing his false teaching.

So, in short, Perry Noble once again demonstrates that he is an idiot.

Hebrews 7:4-10 The Greatness of Melchezidek

About two weeks ago, I had the privilege to teach from the book of Hebrews.  You can check out the audio from the class here.  Click here for the study notes from the class.

Proposition 8 Voted Down

As should be no surprise to anyone, a federal judge has declared California's Proposition 8, the ban on gay marriage, to be unconstitutional (here).  Now, let's be clear about this.  We're not talking about a judge saying that a law was unconstitutional.  No, this judge has said that an amendment to their state constitution is unconstitutional.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; 
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!


Isaiah 5:20 (NASB)

Reasons To Leave A Church: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Kevin DeYoung recently published a post on reasons to leave a church.  Since, last year around this time actually, I led my family to leave the church we had been at for 3 years knowing when and more importantly why to leave a church is something that I think Christians need to think about.  Of course, in my context, it was due to a greedy, arrogant man who was called a pastor and his group of "yes men" who were willfully blind to the fact that he was unqualified due to his lack of character.  However, you may be in a situation where you have to ask "Do I need to get out?"  If so, here are some good ideas to think through.

“What right do you ever have to leave a church?” I can remember that question being asked by my ecclesiology professor in seminary. It is a good question and one that would benefit us all to wrestle with. As Kevin has recently pointed out on this blog, there is biblical warrant and there are practical reasons for entering into covenant through local church membership. Having entered into that covenant our breaking of it should never be done lightly. Clearly, there are reasons to leave a local church. But what are they? I have been thinking about this for the past ten years and this is my attempt at answering the question:

Good Reasons for Moving On—The Four P’s

1. Providential moving—If my job, family, or life has moved me from Dallas to Austin then I should probably find a local church in Austin, let alone if I moved from Michigan to North Carolina. It is right and good to belong to a local church and covenant with brothers and sisters in my own “backyard.”

2. Planting another church—It may be that I haven’t left my home town, but the church I belong to has decided to send me out with others to plant another church in the area. Notice though, that I am being sent out by my church, not leaving with a group of people because I am disgruntled or think it is a good idea.

3. Purity has been lost— It may take different forms, but primarily this occurs when the Word is no longer proclaimed. It could be that heresy is being taught, the Bible is never read or preached, or a much more prominent manifestation these days is that the Word is no longer seen as sufficient; it is used as a seasoning for the message of the week rather than the diet by which the congregation is fed and nourished upon. However, we must be careful here; patience should always be exercised and I must always test my own heart to see if I am “making a mountain out of a molehill.”

4. Peace of the church is in jeopardy due to my presence— This “reason” is hard to suggest for fear of it being abused, as it is by far the most subjective “reason.” However, there are cases where an individual/family can personally become a hindrance to the ministry of the local church and it is best for that person/family to move-on. If this is the reason I am contemplating leaving the church, then I must first test myself and discern whether it is because of sin on my own part. If that is the case then I must be quick to repent rather than move-on. This “reason” should always be approached with trepidation,

Possible Reasons for Moving On – The Three S’s

1. Spouse—An unbelieving or non-church attending spouse is not willing to attend this church, but will attend another with you.

2. Special Needs—Every family has special needs, so this one needs to be handled with care. A possible example may be that my family has a disabled child and another faithful church in the area has a wonderful ministry to disabled people which can help us.

3. Special Gifts—Another faithful church in the area may have asked for you to use your special gifts in their midst for the building up of the body (i.e. organist). Never decide this one on your own. If it is a possible reason, then it is too easy to think too highly of oneself and go running to the greener pastures. This is always something that should be taken to the leadership of your current church and wrestled through.

Reasons Often Used Which are Insufficient

1. Children’s Ministry—The Children’s ministry at another church is better. This cannot be a reason for changing churches. It is rather an opportunity for you to get involved in the children’s ministry of your church.

2. Buzz—Many people will flow to whatever church in town has the current “buzz.” The argument will be that the Spirit is at work there and we want to be part of it. But buzzes come and go. And so do the people that follow them.

3. Youth Group—The unhappiness of our teenage children in the current Youth Group, because of activities, other youth, etc. is not a reason for leaving the church we have covenanted with. I know this one will be controversial. Believe me, I have empathy as a parent and a former Youth Pastor. But our children are not the spiritual directors of our home. They should not be choosing the church we attend based upon their social status and network.

4. Church has changed—Churches always change. Unless the changes are unbiblical than we don’t have a reason to move on. We don’t move on when our wife or husband changes! We are we so quick to do so with the church we have covenanted with.

5. New Pastor—A new pastor is not a sufficient reason to change churches. It doesn’t matter how stiff, impersonal, unfunny, etc. he is. The list is endless. It doesn’t even matter if he is not the most interesting preacher. He is the man God called to this church for this time. And this is your church. Again, unless he is unbiblical why move on? You haven’t covenanted with a man, but with this body.

6. I’m Not Being Ministered to—I tell every one of our new member classes, “If we all walked into church each week and had a list of people we were going to try and ‘touch,’ encourage, or minister to, do you know how dynamic this church would be? Just on Sunday mornings, let alone if we did it during the week. If we each were concerned about the other person and walked in each Sunday with that in the forefront of our mind instead of, “Why didn’t he talk to me?,” “Why doesn’t anyone care about me?,” “Why isn’t anyone ministering to me?” Start ministering to others and you will find that you are being ministered to.

7. Music—Not a reason—whether it is slow, fast, traditional, contemporary, Psalms, hymns, or gospel choruses. Stop using it as an excuse!

8. There are others…we haven’t even mentioned the service is too early, the coffee is terrible, the pastor doesn’t know how to shuck corn (Yep…those are all true ones I have heard).

Men leading the church?? Outlandish says Eggebroten

Albert Mohler reviewed an article by Anne Eggebroten, a femi-nazi writer published by the liberal magazine Sojourners, where she recounts her experience visiting Grace Community Church led by John MacArthur. To her horror, she found the church being led by (gasp) men. The pastors were all male. The teachers all had Y chromosomes. The horror of it all!!!

Now, I have some friends that are eglaitarians (they believe that the idea that men and women are assigned different roles by God is not the correct interpretation of scripture and that men and women are both equally qualified to teach and preach in the church) and on many points they would agree with Eggebroten. However, they would not agree with the following understanding of scripture.

She states that there is "evidence that the ‘pastoral epistles’ (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) were written in honor of Paul long after he died and reflect a second-century debate over women’s roles in the church–whether to conform to social customs for the sake of winning converts, or to advocate radical social equality (and even celibacy) in the last days before the Second Coming.”

See, my e-gal friends don’t deny the inspiration and authority of scripture. They just interpret it differently. This lady, however, is denying the fact that the scripture is what Christians recognize it to be—the authoritative word of God. In my mind this is an insidious and satanically inspired attack on the faith—questioning the validity of God’s word.

Check out the whole article when you can.

Church Removes Cross

Christ Community Church in Michigan has changed its name to c3 Exchange and in an attempt to be more inclusive has removed the cross from its building. No, I'm not making this up. If you subscribe by email, you may have to click through to the blog to watch this video. Also, you can click here just in case the video didn't embed correctly.

Perry Noble is an idiot

Oh, by the way, the title of this post is not just some sensationalist attempt to attract readers nor is it a personal observation. Rather, it is my professional opinion.

For those of you that don't know, Perry Noble is the CEO, not pastor, of New Spring Church. The church is one of those seeker sensitive type churches that preaches easy believism and "cheap grace". Frankly, the man couldn't preach his way out of a wet paper sack but his "sermons" are light on truth and non-confrontational so that makes him attractive to people who don't want the truth.

Anyway, on his recent blog post, he opines:

I know SO many people who really don’t have a problem with Jesus…but they have major problems with the church, and so because of that they simply refuse to receive “the product” (Jesus) because of who/what is associated with Him (the church.).

First of all, that is one of the single, most pedantic statements I've ever heard. Jesus, the Lord and Savior, the Lamb of God, the Second Person of the Godhead, is here reduced to a "product"? Are you kidding me? Secondly, we are reduced from being ambassadors for the gospel proclaiming salvation through the name of Christ for those who repent of their sins to the position of wearing little paper hats and plastic name tags saying "Would you like fries with that?" If this man is even saved he obviously has no clue whatsoever about the gospel.

People don't reject Christ because of Christians. They reject Christ because they "suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:8) and "those who perish...did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved" (II Thess 2:10). Further, Jesus is not a Big Mac or McDLT with His hot side staying hot and His cool side staying cool and you can either get Him or run down the road to Burger Bar and get something else. Jesus is the Lord of hosts, the King of kings, and you will either repent of your sins and confess Him as your Savior or you will burn in hell for all eternity. Period.

We can't afford to water down the gospel as this man obviously would like us to do. There are people who need to hear about Jesus. Have you told anyone today?

Heaven's Holy City--Revelation 21:9-22:5

Pastor David Harrell of Calvary Bible Church in Joelton has been preaching through the book of Revelation for some time now. His most recent sermon can be heard on mp3 by clicking here. I would encourage you to check the sermon archives out if you get a chance.

Martin Luther on the Word of God

John Piper, in his book The Legacy of Soverign Joy (to read it click here) examines the attitude the great Reformed theologian Martin Luther had towards scipture. Since I'm committed to verse by verse exposition of scripture, I found the following exerpt to be particularly encouraging. I trust you will be encouraged as well.

One of the great rediscoveries of the Reformation -especially of Martin Luther- was that the Word of God comes to us in a form of a Book. In other words Luther grasped this powerful fact: God preserves the experience of salvation and holiness from generation to generation by means of a Book of revelation.

In 1539, commenting on Psalm 119, Luther wrote, "In this psalm David always says that he will speak, think, talk, hear, read, day and night constantly—but about nothing else than God's Word and Commandments. For God wants to give you His Spirit only through the external Word". This phrase is extremely important. The "external Word" is the Book. And the saving, sanctifying, illuminating Spirit of God, he says, comes to us through this "external Word."

Luther calls it the "external Word" to emphasize that it is objective, fixed, outside ourselves, and therefore unchanging. It is a Book. Neither ecclesiastical hierarchy nor fanatical ecstasy can replace it or shape it. It is "external," like God. You can take or leave it. But you can't make it other than what it is. It is a book with fixed letters and words and sentences.

Gender Neutral Dorms?

Wow. I never would have believed it would happen. Some colleges have gone to gender neutral housing on campus (see here). Can you say "risky"? Um, yeah, I think so. All I can say is if my daughter were going to college and I found out her roommates name was "Chris" that it better be short for Christine.

Most colleges required students who don't live at home to stay in a dorm at least the first year of college. Therefore, this is simply not a good trend to have among college campuses.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil
Isaiah 5:20

How Should We Respond to the Health Care Bill?

I think Rusell Moore provides a great perspective:

It’s not that I think Christians should be disengaged from issues of justice (God forbid!). It’s just that I wonder if we wouldn’t represent Christ and his kingdom better if we did it with a certain tranquility of Spirit, a tranquility that signals we’re not afraid of the rise and fall of temporal kingdoms and their policies.

Steve Camp--Foolish??

A friend of mine, Nathan W. Bingham, posted an exerpt from a interview with Steve Camp that quite frankly had me laughing about the prosperity gospel (which, of course, is no gospel at all).

I was on a famous Christian TV show several years ago before their demise. During a ‘commercial’ break, the host of the program told me if I would give $100 to his ministry the Lord would give me back $1,000… I asked him politely, “Sir, where does it say foolish written on me?” He was a bit shocked and asked me, “don’t you believe that the Lord will bless you by giving your money to our ministry?” I told him, “No I don’t.” And that furthermore he didn’t even believe such a thing. He was again a bit surprised by my response and said, “Yes I do.” I answered, “No, you don’t.” He said, “YES, I do.” I said, “NO… you don’t.” With a puzzled look on his face he frustratingly said, “Why do you keep telling me that I don’t believe this?” I said, “Simple. If you really believe this, then why don’t you give your $100 to God, He’ll give you a $1,000 back, and you’ll quite asking me for mine?” He looked at me with that dumbfounded kind of quasi pseudo-theological televangelist deer in the headlights don’t bother me with doctrine look, and replied, “I never thought of that before.” I quietly muttered, “I think that’s the problem.”

"Oh, snap!"
-Biz Markie (1989)

The Dreaded "S" Word-A Sermon From I Corinthians

Byron Yawn, pastor of Community Bible Church, has begun preaching through the book of I Corinthians. If you'd like, you could listen to the second sermon in his series by clicking here. I am certain you will be encouraged.

Exposition of Hebrews Part 5

Doug Searle over at Taking Up Space is teaching through the book of Hebrews and posting the audio from his classes online. Click here for the study notes to lesson 5. Click here for the audio.

Different Types of Antinomianism

A friend of mine, Les Puryear, has written a post on his blog titled Different Types of Antinomianism. I think it is in response to different conversations in the blogosphere about the nature and purpose of the Old Testament law in the lives of Christians. In one camp are those who correctly recognize that while dietary law (i.e. don't eat pork or shellfish) and ceremonial law (i.e. the OT sacrifices which Calvary did away with) are no longer in force, the moral law revealed in the Old Testament is still the standard of what is pleasing to God in the life of His children. I humbly suggest that you get over there right now and read this fairly short post which describes several different types of this concept of antinomianism. You'll be glad you did.

Exposition of Hebrews-Part 4

A good friend of mine, Doug Searle, has been teaching verse by verse through the book of Hebrews. The notes for the study are on his blog here. I have been greatly encouraged and hope you will be too.

Part four of the lesson was in two parts but only one got recorded. You can get the lesson notes for both parts at the link above and listen to part one of the lesson here.

Albert Mohler-Air Conditioning Hell

On his blog, Albert Mohler writes an essay examining theological liberalism. You should read the whole thing, but I found the following to be probably the most thought provoking portion of the piece:

A new apologetic move is now evident among some theologians and preachers who do affirm the inerrancy of the Bible and the essential truthfulness of the New Testament doctrine of hell. This new move is more subtle, to be sure. In this move the preacher simply says something like this:

"I regret to tell you that the doctrine of hell is taught in the Bible. I believe it. I believe it because it is revealed in the Bible. It is not up for renegotiation. We just have to receive it and believe it. I do believe it. I wish it could be otherwise but it is not."

Statements like this reveal a very great deal. The authority of the Bible is clearly affirmed. The speaker affirms what the Bible reveals and rejects accommodation. So far, so good. The problem is in how the affirmation is introduced and explained. In an apologetic gesture, the doctrine is essentially lamented.

What does this say about God? What does this imply about God's truth? Can a truth clearly revealed in the Bible be anything less than good for us?

Exposition of Hebrews: Part 3

A good friend of mine, Doug Searle, has been teaching verse by verse through the book of Hebrews. The notes for the study are on his blog here. I have been greatly encouraged and hope you will be too.

Part three can be heard in two parts: (1) and (2)

Phil Johnson-The Neo Liberal Stealth Offensive

Phil Johnson has an article published over at the 9Marks blog that you simply MUST read called The Neo-Liberal Stealth Offensive. I'm giving you a short preview below but you have to click here and read the whole bloomin' thing. It's that good.

The gospel's most dangerous earthly adversaries are not raving atheists who stand outside the door shouting threats and insults. They are church leaders who cultivate a gentle, friendly, pious demeanor but hack away at the foundations of faith under the guise of keeping in step with a changing world.

Historic evangelicalism has two clear distinctives. One is a commitment to the inspiration and authority of Scripture. The other is a conviction that the gospel message is clear and non-negotiable.

With the advent of the seeker-sensitive movement, however, evangelicals began to be influenced by a new species of entrepreneurial leaders who marginalized those core doctrines by neglect. Most of them didn't overtly deny essential biblical truths; but neither did they vigorously stress or defend anything other than their own methodology.

FOUR LIBERAL TRENDS EVANGELICALS MUST RESIST
1. They recklessly follow the zeitgeist.
2. They want the world's admiration at all costs.
3. Their "faith" comes with an air of intellectual superiority.
4. They despise doctrinal and biblical precision.

Now, go read the whole thing. You won't be sorry.