One day we will all die and stand in judgment before God. "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment," -Hebrews 9:27. On that day, what will you trust in? Christ or Works? Last night while out sharing the gospel, I was able to speak with two men...Juan and Luis. Shortly into our conversation, it was clear to me that Juan was professing his works to get him into heaven. He said "there are millions of things that you can do." This is frightening to me since he was not professing Jesus' work on the cross. We are only justified by the blood of Jesus: Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. -Romans 5:9. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. –Ephesians 2:8-9 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, -Titus 3:5 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. –Galatians 2:16 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, -2 timothy 1:9 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your...

While sharing the gospel and passing out gospel tracts, what would you say to someone that says, “I have my church”? They don’t profess Christ.   They do not even call themselves a Christian or claim to be born again or say, “I’m saved”. They just say “I have my church” and walk away. What does that mean? What do you think they were meaning by that statement? I’ve never heard this statement before but last night (Oct. 14th, 2011) I heard from three different people.   I am overwhelmed by it. If you profess to be a Christian, what are you really professing- Christ or your church? It is an important question and it carries with it eternal implications. When you stand before God and give an account for your whole life, will you say the words “I had my church” as your defense? It doesn’t make sense yet is this not essentially what these people were saying to me as I handed them a tract? So many people profess to be “Christians” but they don’t actually profess Christ. They are not standing on Christ as their righteousness. They are standing on their own righteousness whether it be good deeds they have done, like repeating the sinner's prayer after someone, or that they go to church. Going to church will not save you.   Only Christ can.   Standing before the Holy Judge one day you will realize what a flimsy defense it is to say, "But I went to church.".   Jesus’ words are ringing in my head, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” -Matthew 7:13 Thankfully, I was able to have a conversation with one of the ladies that made this statement. Her name is Cheryl. Cheryl was on our town square with her family. She shared with me that her son is a minister and knows my pastor. Then she told me that her grandchildren were visiting from Utah, which launched us into a discussion about Mormons. Cheryl has a high...

We look out upon a pagan nation, or even at the lives of our unregenerate neighbors, and think of the impossibilities of the mission of the gospel, yet we sit at the dinner table and open His word to heartily take up the pursuit of grasping His holiness as if grasping the fullness of it were mere childs play. It is our lack of understanding of the latter, namely His holiness, that makes the former such an obstacle. Fuel for missions and the willingness to face the challenges they propose must come from an intimate, yet never encompassing, knowledge of His holiness first. Isaiah had a vision, then Isaiah had a commission! (Isaiah 6:1-8) It is this inexhaustible holiness that must be our source and strength. All other supplies of energy that we seek will fast fade into the night. Not even a fervent zeal and love for the souls of men can sustain us. It must be Him and Him alone. Press into Him. Press hard into Him and when you rise to face Satan and all his hellish crew, you will have the strength of Heaven itself pressing your forward. Holy Spirit give us this daily bread....

This picture has become one of my favorites that we've taken over the years: That's my wife sharing the gospel with about 10 teens (some off camera) including a coach. It was a great conversation and the gospel was preached clearly and with conviction. I just love these kinds of encounters because they remind me that all this business about contextualization and making things "relevant" is simply for those who are too ashamed to stand on the truth of the gospel as it is and trust Christ with the results. God truly does draw His elect to hear. Praise Him for his wonderfully powerful grace....

One Christian Man - 2 Corinthians 11:21-27 "...But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." The Modern Church - 2 Americans 11:21-27 "...But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—We speaking as wise—we also dare to boast of that. Are they Americans? So are we. Are they born in a professing Christian land? So are we. Was their daddy a preacher? So was ours. Are they part of "40 Days of Purpose"? We are better ones—we are talking like a madman—with a lot of activity but no power in the culture, no imprisonments, with countless UFC fight nights at the youth lock in, and secure in life. Five times I received at the hands of the Starbucks dude in the church coffee shop a extra hot latte. Three times I had to sit somewhere other than "my" seat in the auditorium. Once I parked at the back of the parking lot. Three times I was confused about the word justification, but then again that's all the times the pastor speaker mentioned it this year; a night and a day I was up cleaning cups, plates, glitter and beach balls after the church missions conference; on frequent mission trips but never preaching the gospel, in comfort from rivers, comfort from robbers, comfort...

I like to read a lot, but I'm not a band-wagon reader. I don't jump on "popular" books even from solid sources when everyone else is. I really enjoy books by dead people, especially those whose teachings have stood the test of time. I simply don't have time to weed through the stuff. I'm not saying it's wrong to read every new-wave thing that comes out - I personally don't. So, up front I haven't read the book Radical by David Platt. That in itself might dismiss most of you from reading the rest of this, but I think we can get a feel for a book by a synopsis, various excerpts, or friend whose read it. I've gotten a decent grasp over what the book is about and I'd like to offer just a short thought The book, from what I can tell, basically lays out the fact that many Christians have sacrificed living for Jesus for the comfortable American Christianity (oxymoron) that's out there. It compels the reader to follow Christ in radical ways; Biblical ways. On the outset I think the book has the wrong title. I think the book should be called "Normal." Here's why: By propping the book up upon the title Radical it's making out the normal Christian life that the scriptures show us to be something other than what American Christianity has to offer. It seems to me to be saying that normal Christianity is American Christianity and radical Christianity is following Jesus and doing what He commands. A few questions: Is there such thing as a radical Christian? Or, are we seeing abnormal "Christianity" and we're so Biblically illiterate that we don't know the difference? Where in scripture does it teach that a Christian has the option of being "normal" or "radical"? Where does scripture teach of a "radical" faith and "radical" obedience? I think that idea is pushed onto the text, rather than drawn from it. I would say it's more of a rebuke to our flesh to call what the scripture shows us as examples of simple faith normal rather than radical. It shows us...

"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."—1 Corinthians 9:22. Paul's great object was not merely to instruct and to improve, but to save. Anything short of this would have disappointed him; he would have men renewed in heart, forgiven, sanctified, in fact, saved. Have our Christian labours been aimed at anything below this great point? Then let us amend our ways, for of what avail will it be at the last great day to have taught and moralized men if they appear before God unsaved? Blood-red will our skirts be if through life we have sought inferior objects, and forgotten that men needed to be saved. Paul knew the ruin of man's natural state, and did not try to educate him, but to save him; he saw men sinking to hell, and did not talk of refining them, but of saving from the wrath to come. To compass their salvation, he gave himself up with untiring zeal to telling abroad the gospel, to warning and beseeching men to be reconciled to God. His prayers were importunate and his labours incessant. To save souls was his consuming passion, his ambition, his calling. He became a servant to all men, toiling for his race, feeling a woe within him if he preached not the gospel. He laid aside his preferences to prevent prejudice; he submitted his will in things indifferent, and if men would but receive the gospel, he raised no questions about forms or ceremonies: the gospel was the one all-important business with him. If he might save some he would be content. This was the crown for which he strove, the sole and sufficient reward of all his labours and self-denials. Dear reader, have you and I lived to win souls at this noble rate? Are we possessed with the same all-absorbing desire? If not, why not? Jesus died for sinners, cannot we live for them? Where is our tenderness? Where our love to Christ, if we seek not His honour in the salvation of men? O that the Lord would saturate...

The Macedonian Call - Acts 16 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. I've always found this passage in Acts an interesting one because clearly we see not only the Spirit's forbidding and calling in Paul's missionary journeys, but Paul's keen awareness, sensitivity and obedience to it. When's the last time you were pushing forward (or at least willing to) persistently with the gospel that the Holy Spirit actually forbid you to go to a certain place? When's the last time the gospel burned in your heart like a fire shut up in your bones that you had to speak it to someone but were not allowed? I find that it's the Holy Spirit that has to do the total opposite with me. He has to prick me to go rather than forbid me. This is a rebuke to my flesh and it stings, but it cures at the same time. When's the last time you were so keenly aware of the Spirit's moving in your life you could, without argument or fleshly rationality, obey it and be satisfied? I would imagine that at this point of the church being absolutely on fire that I would rationalize that the gospel needs to go everywhere now! It probably would never enter my mind that I would actually be prevented from going somewhere to preach it. But the Spirit blows wherever it wishes. Lord, please help your church to become more forbidden and called all at the same...

"The highest form of selfishness is that of the man who is content to go to heaven alone." -J.C. Ryle...

God meant to have a speaking church: not a church that would fight with the sword—with that weapon we have nought to do—but a church that should have a sword proceeding out of its mouth, whose one weapon should be the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I should think from what I know of some preachers that when they had their Pentecost the influence put upon them in the form of tongues of flowers; but the apostolic Pentecost knew not flowers, but flames. What fine preaching we have nowadays! What new thoughts, and poetical turns! This is not the style of the Holy Ghost. Soft and gentle is the flow of smooth speech which tells of the dignity of man, the grandeur of the century, the toning down of all punishment for sin, and the probable restoration of all lost spirits, including the arch-fiend himself. This is the Satanic ministry, subtle as the serpent, bland as his seducing words to Eve. The Holy Ghost calls us not to this mode of speech. Fire, intensity, zeal, passion as much as you will, but as for aiming at effect by polished phrases and brilliant periods—these are fitter for those who would deceive men than for those who would tell them the message of the Most High. The style of the Holy Ghost is one which conveys the truth to the mind in the most forcible manner,—it is plain but flaming, simple but consuming. The Holy Spirit has never written a cold period throughout the whole Bible, and never did he speak by a man a lifeless word, but evermore he gives and blesses the tongue of fire. --CH Spurgeon...

Remember how your fathers, in times gone by, defended God's truth, and blush, ye cowards, who are afraid to maintain it!Remember that our Bible is a blood-stained book; the blood of martyrs is on the Bible, the blood of translators and confessors. The pool of holy baptism, in which many of you have been baptized, is a blood-stained pool: full many have had to die for the vindication of that baptism which is "the answer of a good conscience toward God."The doctrines which we preach to you are doctrines that have been baptized in blood,—swords have been drawn to slay the confessors of them; and there is not a truth which has not been sealed by them at the stake, or the block, or far away on the lofty mountains, where they have been slain by hundreds. It is but a little duty we have to discharge compared with theirs. They were called to maintain the truth when they had to die for it; you only have to maintain the truth when taunt and jeer, ignominious names and contemptuous epithets are all you have to endure for it.What! do you expect easy lives? While some have led through seas of blood, and have fought to win the prize, are you wearied with a slight skirmish on dry land? What would you do if God should suffer persecuting days to overtake you? O craven spirits, ye would flee away, and disown your profession!Be ye the pillar and ground of the truth. Let the blood of martyrs, let the voices of confessors, speak to you. Remember how they held fast the truth, how they preserved it, and handed it down to us from generation to generation; and by their noble example, I beseech you, be steadfast and faithful, tread valiantly and firmly in their steps, acquit yourselves like men,—like men of God, I implore you!Shall we not have some champions, in these times, who will deal sternly with heresies for the love of the truth,—men who will stand like rocks in the center of the sea, so that, when all others shake, they...

"Evangelism and theology for the most part go separate ways, and the result is great loss for both. When theology is not held on course by the demands of evangelistic communication, it grows abstract and speculative, wayward in method, theoretical in interest and irresponsible in stance. When evangelism is not fertilized, fed and controlled by theology, it becomes a stylized performance seeking its effect through manipulative skills rather than the power of vision and the force of truth. Both theology and evangelism are then, in one important sense, unreal, false to their own God-given nature; for all true theology has an evangelistic thrust, and all true evangelism is theology in action." -J.I. Packer...

This past Saturday we were supposed to take the gospel to downtown Atlanta for the day. The weather, under God's sovereign guidance however, prevented us from doing so. So, Stephanie and I decided to take a drive to the local mall and browse around to kill some time that day. Of course, we took gospel tracts along with us to hand out as we walked around. Our "mall" routine normally ends with a stop in Borders bookstore before heading out the door. I always like to look around at the new and interesting titles in there. Well, our final stop turned out to be a good one. We decided to make a stop in the "Religious" section of Borders. You know, where they sell the Koran right next to Rob Bell, T.D. Jakes and the KJV (By the way, the only one I recommend out of those mentioned is the KJV). Overwhelming sometimes! In that same section on the other side of the shelf was the "atheist" and "agnostic" section. Richard Dawkins and Dan Brown were all over the place. So, Stephanie and I decided to do some stealth evangelism. We grabbed Dawkin's magnum opus "The God Delusion" and here is what we did! Now, I am going to leave it to you to guess just how many books we actually did this to on this isle! So, there you go. A really simple way to spread the gospel on a day when the weather keeps you in. Pray for the poor souls that will find the tracts in these devious books....

OK, so lately I've been thinking about sharing some practical evangelism steps for people with busy lifestyles (that would include most of you right? and if you aren't busy then you should have plenty of time). I often seem to overlook the fact that just because you know something doesn't mean that it might be "street wise" or "common sense" knowledge for others. I believe what God teaches a man in practical Godliness is meant to be communicated to others; hence, the reason for this blog. So, as plainly as I can, in almost instruction manual form, I will lay out a very simple plan for you. The only thing that is left, on your part is a striving for unconditional love for God, conditional love for your neighbor, the help of the Holy Spirit (which by the way is a promise) and a willingness to be used by God. Think you got it? I think so! Here we go: Step 1. Fishin' Lures - Make sure you at least have $10 bucks in your bank account. Go here and order a pack of these. Once they arrive at your house, rejoice and pray over them that God will use them and you to reach the lost. Step 2. The Tackle Box - The two major tackle boxes that we use to carry our lures are our car and our pockets. Stick 'em on your center console or in the passenger seat of your car. I'll explain some tips on why you do this later. The point is to have your lures ready at all times. Make it a habit to carry them with you like you do your wallet. Truth be told, they are more important than your wallet. Step 3. Let's Go Fishin' - Here is where the rubber meets the road, or the lure meets the water, or err...well, you get the point. Just as a side note: Practical, disciplined, everyday Godliness is much much harder than just showing up on Sunday morning and being a cultural Christian. So, if this is tough or new as a routine...

Most solid and very intelligent theologians would admit that figuring out end-time events is very difficult. It personally makes Jell-O Pudding (now imagine Bill Cosby saying "pudding" in that distinct voice) out of my brain. Here is something though that is clearly understood: Jesus Christ is returning. 2 Thessalonians 1:5 "This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might..." I really think Christians are certain that Christ is returning. Notice that I didn't give a qualifier as to "when" Christ is returning. But if I had to stick an evangelistic urgency thermometer in the mouth of most Christians to gauge this matter I am afraid it would be ice cold. Why? You answer to God for that one. We as Christians are called to live as if Christ would be returning at any moment. We are to live in expectance of it, at any time. This produces urgency in our lives to reach the lost, but for most I see this loose, lax, and lazy approach like we've gotten a phone call from Jesus saying that He would be back around 1:45 AM Tuesday November 4th 2025 and we've got plenty of time...why rush, eh? If anything about end-time events in scripture is clear, the passage above is very clear. So with that in mind, I would like to ask you a simple question. If that "thermometer" were in your mouth, what temperature would it be?...

Colossians 2:8 says, "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." I have listed here, for anyone interested in the ministry, things you will never hear us say when sharing/preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I wrote that list because of the fact that I have heard so many people describe a "summary" of the gospel as asking Jesus to do things, or accepting Jesus into your heart (at this point I interject, "Well, why not into my liver?"), or giving Jesus something. All are concepts that stem from a lack of understanding of the true message and nature of the gospel. All are concepts that I will not use because it is clear from scripture, not from my feeble-brained reasoning, that those concepts, which use words and have theology behind them -although it may not be accurate theology- are unbiblical. How you speak about something shows what you know about something. The words that you use are important. If someone uses unbiblical terminology when sharing the gospel then I would have to assume one of two things. One, the person really doesn't know the gospel intimately or two, they have something up their sleeve (producing numbers for church growth etc). I once heard a great analogy of the difference between accurate gospel preaching and quick short-hand unbiblical preaching that try's to get it done in a succinct, quick way and "dumbs it down" (as mentioned above). This is a paraphrase, as much as I can remember, of that analogy. There was once a parachute making factory. They made the best parachutes out there. Every time a soldier yanked the rip cord the parachute opened like a charm. They took their time with every fold of the parachute making sure the folds were precise and there was no slack. When they packed the parachute, they made sure that every part of the parachute went into the backpack nice and neat so that when the soldier pulled the cord there...

You think it will earn you the persona of the "super spiritual" one in your church. You think God will somehow love you more because you are doing something that 98% of the professing Christian population doesn't do. You think that those poor people out there are just begging for someone to come and preach the gospel to them. You think that people are "hurting" and they just need Jesus to make things better. Your gospel is a plea to live more moral and make better choices and follow Jesus rather than repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ. You don't think unregenerate sinners are enemies of God. You substitute biblical gospel terminology for something more appealing to the crowd. (i.e. generalized statements about sin and not direct specific statements) You think Jesus is someone who heals a wounded man rather than supernaturally raises a dead man. You think God actually needs you. You actually think you can save someone. In contrast here are 6 reasons to evangelize It brings glory to Christ. Christ has commanded it and those who love Him joyfully and humbly keep his commandments. God has not only ordained the ends of salvation sovereignly but also the means by which it comes about; namely the preaching of His gospel. God has given you this awesome privilege of partaking in preaching His gospel. The King has made you a herald! It keeps you humble and reminds you of the gospel of your salvation every time you share it. You actually think that God is "OK" with you just "living your Christian life" in front of others. ...

I had posted something earlier about making a cross to get the attention of the lost and see how it worked. (See that post here) Well, I made one and it worked great. Here are some pictures of us using it. This crowd was actually drawn over by it and we shared the gospel with them! And of course my wife says I cannot take a serious picture. It was a lot of fun using the cross to begin conversation about the gospel. We had lots of people walk by and make comments about it and some even stopped to talk. You can't go wrong fishin' with a cross....

"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise." 1 Corinthians 3:18 "We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute." 1 Corinthians 4:10 "Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24 I want to challenge you with something. Where I come from everyone knows everyone. The county that I live in is a fairly large county, but that doesn't stop you from running into familiar faces all the time. This is a blessing and a challenge. What do I mean by that? Most people would say that they are terrified to speak to total strangers about the Gospel because they are, well, strangers. They say that they would rather take the time to build a relationship over time with someone and then speak to them. I have found this, by experience, not to be the case and it's not because I am "good" at speaking to strangers. Talking with people I've known for a while terrifies me. Why? Because there is more to lose, in a sense. There is a greater sense of fear there. I look at this fear like a tree. The more you let it grow, the harder it is to chop it down. If it is a seedling then you can just snatch it right out of the ground with your bare hands. This fear, however, is irrational and not from God. (2 Timothy 1:7) I have pinpointed the root of my fear. It is idolatry. Covetous idolatry of self to be exact. I value myself more than Christ. I, in whatever sense, am ashamed of the Gospel in those situations. I really hate that about myself. It frustrates me and makes me cry out to God for deliverance in this. Have you struggled with the fear of identifying with Christ in public; in...

"You may know the truth of the doctrine, but you do not know the doctrine in truth if it makes you gaze on the wrath to come without emotions of pity for immortal souls." Charles Spurgeon I’ve had people often tell me, “Do as I say, not as I do.” I have often pondered that and I have come to the conclusion that anyone who says that has a contradiction of belief and practice. What they are truly saying is, “I know what is right, but I want to follow what my own heart says, so that justifies my actions and somehow by telling you to do what is right that also helps me justify my actions.” What a contradiction! For they preach but do not practice. Jesus said in Matthew 23:1-3, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses\' seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice.” I also know men who are so very careful and precise in their theology as to walk as it were on eggshells with every word of their doctrine to make sure they are in line with God’s word. I am one of them. I know men who debate singular meanings of one word for hours, even using the original languages and definitions, in an attempt to get a right understanding of truly what God’s word is saying. I am one of them. I know men who exhort that the Gospel is the only means by which men can be saved and they would affirm in their heart that it is every Christians duty to preach the Gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15). I am one of them. Here is what I don’t understand. If you, as a Christian, care so much about right doctrine as to spend hours pouring over God’s word, over every “jot and tittle” as to make a surety of your belief as to exactly what the Gospel is in its content and you neglect intentionally and regularly going...