GRACENOTES
March 2016
Equipping the Saints of Grace Bible Fellowship
Ministry Update Grace Campus Ministries
Song Spotlight The Solid Rock By Austin Thompson
By Derek Brown
A few years ago, Grace Campus Ministries (GCM) was born from the desire of a few young professionals to serve the students at Stanford University. By providing regular Bible studies, small group accountability, leadership training, and opportunities for fellowship, the founders of GCM pursued the simple goal of edifying saints and evangelizing the lost among students at The Farm.
Establishing a Ministry Through prayer and the diligence of GCM’s charter members, the ministry was soon recognized as an official religious group on Stanford’s campus. This formal status allowed GCM to reserve rooms in campus buildings for regular Bible studies and other functions, In This Issue and occupy an information table at the Caring for the Conscience annual undergraduate and graduate acby Cliff McManis tivities fair. Over the next few Interview with years, GCM would establish a presence Rebecca Milco on campus through weekly Bible studA Story of Grace in the ies, regular outreach Chien Family events, small groups, and other activities. When I arrived On the Street with during the summer James Bynum of 2014, I inherited this well-grounded ministry and looked forward to the coming academic year. Because Stanford didn’t start school until late September, I had plenty of time to meet the leadership and start planning for on-campus ministry in the fall. GCM and Cardinal Life Shortly after I arrived, however, I was introduced to Colin Eakin, a local surgeon who had recently started attending Grace Bible Fellowship. He also was embedded in ministry to Stanford students through a ministry called Cardinal Continued on page 12
.
When
I graduated from high school and began my undergraduate studies at Point Loma Nazarene University, one thing became very clear when it was time to find a local church congregation—there was a war going on in the Evangelical world about the style of music appropriate for congregational worship. Although the arguments and division surrounding musical preference in worship had already existed for some time, my newfound independence as a young college student caused me to truly meditate on the core of the issue for the first time. Thankfully, God in His sovereignty through the Holy Spirit has given us biblical truth to inform our theology of worship: …be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:18-19; cf. Col 3:16). Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth (Ps 96:1). You can imagine how relieved I was to learn that God is pleased with a diversity of music! While Scripture doesn’t forbid believers from having musical preferences, these personal preferences are not to be the priority when approaching Almighty God in reverent worship. Having spent the majority of my life singing songs in church, one of the things I enjoy most are new arrangements of traditional hymns. For centuries God has richly blessed the church with edifying music and lyrics, and I find it a great joy to participate in songs that have encouraged the saints throughout history. A great example of this can be seen in the classic hymn, “The Solid Rock,” and its modern day equivalent, “Cornerstone.” While the music for each song, set by William B. Bradbury and Hillsong artists respectively, contains a different refrain, both utilize Edward Mote’s lyrics for the verses: My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. Continued on page 13
1
In the fourteenth chapter of his letter to the Romans, the
apostle Paul provides his readers with several vital principles to help them navigate gray areas—matters that the Scriptures do not directly address. Questions about holidays, movies, entertainment, and even some specifics of church life can often burden Christians because they seem to preclude clear, straightforward answers. Issues of preference can also cause rifts between brothers and sisters in Christ because of the potential for disagreement. In Romans 14:22-23, as Paul develops his thoughts on preserving peace amidst controversial gray area issues, he begins with a key piece of instruction in verse 22; a statement that relates to something Paul already said much earlier in the passage in verse 5. Let’s look at these passages together. Verse 5: One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. Verse 22: The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. Be Fully Convinced in Your Own Mind When it comes to matters of preference, you have to start by being fully convinced in your own mind and not wavering on what is right or wrong in a given situation. You have to search the Scriptures, pray to God, and seek His wisdom through godly counsel on the matter in question. And you have to become convinced in your own mind on that issue before you can act. For example, abstaining from alcohol 100% of the time might be the right thing for you to do before God. And that is why Paul says you need to be fully convinced in your own mind. Another way to say it is how Paul says it in verse 22: “The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God.” You have to settle this matter between you and God first. This is where we must start when it comes to gray areas. Another common example: Is it wrong to watch television? Knowing my lifestyle—the way I think, the distraction and temptation it can be—it might be wrong. Actually, my wife and I came to the conclusion early in our marriage that we were not going to own a TV, so we banished the television for years. Then we ended up with a television because someone gave us one. So, after a few years of not watching television, we turned it on and we were shocked. You talk about offended sensibilities—we were like, “Whoa, I can’t believe that explicitly carnal and raunchy commercial!” But then you watch enough of those crude
2
commercials and you become numb to it. Sin, worldliness, crudity and smut become normal with time through over-exposure. And therein lies the danger. Your conscience becomes dull. You’ve got to think through all of these issues in your own personal life, starting with yourself and your home. What are your convictions before God going to be? You have to settle these matters in your own mind. Why exercise such rigor over these issues of preference? Paul tells us in the latter part of verse 22: “Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” What does this mean? It simply means that the Christian who doesn’t violate his own conscience over matters of preference will be spiritually happy. He or she will have true joy and a peaceful conscience. Here’s the key principle: Don’t violate your conscience. Now, it might be that your conscience is ill-informed. You might be ignorant or naïve, or you might not have proper biblical theology on a given issue. In these cases it is possible to feel inappropriate guilt. You might think something is sinful when it isn’t. This happens when your conscience has not been properly programmed or informed with biblical truth. You might have a terrible background and you haven’t been able to land on the biblical position yet. And now you can’t partake in a particular activity without violating your conscience. Paul still says, “Don’t violate your conscience!” God may, in time, bring you to a point where you have the freedom to partake in that activity without violating your conscience. But for the time being you cannot violate your conscience. “Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide?” As we discuss this issue of the conscience, you might be reminded of the movie Pinocchio and one of the main characters, Jiminy Cricket. He sings a song in that movie that contains the phrase, “Always let your conscience be your guide.” You might think highly of the cricket’s counsel. Actually, that is a rather pathetic theological statement. Personally, I don’t trust my conscience half the time; and an unbeliever has a depraved conscience, so Jiminy is actually giving us terrible advice. But that’s not what Paul is telling us here. He’s not saying, “Let your conscience be your guide.” He’s saying: “Do not violate your conscience.” There is an important difference between these two bits of counsel. Our conscience might be uninformed or ill-informed, so it can’t be our ultimate guide. But if we come across something in which we cannot partake because it will violate our conscience, then we must abstain from that activity. In the latter sense our conscience doesn’t serve as a guide to what is right, but as an indicator to what might be wrong. The conscience has a limited function so it cannot serve as our ultimate guide.
GraceNotes
Volume 1, Number 3
Contents This is an important principle because Paul makes the command to not violate one’s conscience central to his counsel in Romans 14. Note verse 23: “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” The phrase “he who doubts” refers to when you begin to violate your conscience in the decision that you made. Any decision with which we are confronted must be decided in faith without any doubting whether it is the right thing to do. Why is this so important? Because whatever we do without faith—without believing that God approves of what we are doing—is sin. Let’s make this concrete. What about a decision to join some friends at a local club? You don’t plan to drink, but they might, and you will be in a place where there will be a lot of people drinking. Here’s Paul’s answer: If there is even an inkling of hesitation or doubt on your part that joining your friends is the right thing to do, you cannot go. Gray areas are gray areas, but what you are called to do when confronted with a gray area is black and white. Scripture is clear: Do not violate your conscience. Do not go. A useful phrase that crystalizes Paul’s principle in verse 23 is this: “If you doubt, then don’t!” Caring for the Conscience Now let’s look back at Romans 14:20. The opposite of mutual edification is mutual destruction, so Paul commands us in 14:20: “Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food.” The implication is that we must not live in such a way that our actions cause a fellow believer to sin or stumble over preferential matters. Although it is true that “all things indeed are clean” it is “evil for the man who eats and gives offense” (v. 20). In other words, although the strong Christian knows that pork, for example, is clean and perfectly good for eating, it is wrong to eat that meat if it offends the conscience of the weaker brother. The conscience matters. One of the golden rules for discerning between matters of opinion or preference is that every single Christian—whether you are weak in faith or strong in faith—is that you should never, ever violate your own conscience. Nor should you act in a way that would violate a fellow Christian’s conscience. That is one of Paul’s main exhortations in this entire passage. In fact, there are times when it is good to refrain from legitimate activities and liberties if such refraining keeps a brother or sister from stumbling. Paul continues, “It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble” (v. 21). And this exhortation is not just for strong Christians and it is not just for weak Christians; it is for every believer in the church. Everybody has a part to play. †
1 Ministry Update | Grace Campus Ministries 1 Song Spotlight | The Solid Rock 2 The Pastor’s Study: Caring for the Conscience 4 Meet the Members: Rebecca Milco 6 Local Outreach | Evangelist James Bynum 7 8 Signs You are a Discipleship Bully 8 Depending on God: A Story of Grace in the Chien Family 9 GBF Life | The Value of a GBF Ministry Internship 10 Staff Interview: Austin Thompson 13 GBF Regional Bible Studies 17 GBF Staff Picks | Parenting 18 Glimpses of Church History: John Newton the Great Letter Writer 19 GBF Staff Piks | Parenting
Pastor Cliff’s Newest Book What the Bible Says About Gray Areas is the third volume in the BIG TRUTH little books series, published by GBF Press. For other titles in this series, see page 15 in this installment of GraceNotes. Books can be purchased at Grace Bible Fellowship or on Amazon.com.
20 Engage | Politics and the Bible Editor-in-Chief Cliff McManis Managing Editor Derek Brown Associate Editor Breanna McManis Advisory Board Bob Douglas, Sam Kim, Tim Wong, Peter Lam
3
Meet the Membe Interview with
?Where First of all, could you tell me about your background? did you grow up? Rebecca: I was born in Sonora (a small town 130 miles north east of Sunnyvale), and I’ve lived in about fourteen different places in California and New England. I was graced to come back here after thirteen years of being away from family. Coming back home was always a prayer of mine.
? When and how were you saved?
that kind of resented not being able to live outside of that shadow for a while. But then I saw what a grace it was in terms of the godly heritage that they instilled, and when I think of the true generosity and sacrifice in the ministry that they gave to the congregation—and it was always this unconditional service; it was never for a reward—it was strictly because they knew that God was empowering them to serve in that way. And so, for as much as it seemed like a disadvantage growing up, it was actually a great benefit, and I’m grateful.
Rebecca: I was reflecting upon just how gracious it was that God had placed me in a believing family and how I had been able to hear, with my dad’s sermon preparations each week, the whole concept of what it is to be given God’s grace. And yet, that was always head knowledge. When I went away to college at age seventeen, I began feeling like I was out of control. I had moved a lot of times and I was anxious for something stable. When I went away it triggered something in me where I needed to control something. I started doing that with food, and ended up putting myself in the hospital by April of that next year. It was when I was admitted into the hospital that evening, sitting beside my mom and reflecting on feeling like I had been trying to make up for my sins— as if I could punish myself and that would be enough. I didn’t honestly believe that I was forgivable—anyone else could be forgiven, but not me. And my mom was there beside me, and she reminded me that even if I had been the only person on earth, Christ would have died; He would have reconciled. I remember holding out my hands and saying, “The nails should have gone through these.” It was the first time that I could actually receive God’s mercy as the gift it was and not feel like I could add anything to Christ’s sacrifice—to finally be able to see the truth that it was an offense to try.
?growing How was it being the daughter of a pastor while you were up? Rebecca: My brother and I used to walk around the parsonage and pretend we were little fish because we felt like we were in this fish bowl. It was one of those things where I often wouldn’t say anything about being a pastor’s daughter because I knew the box that you are instantly put in. And I think there was a part of me
4
? What do you do for a living? Rebecca: I hang out with nine and ten-year-olds! I teach fourth graders and fifth and sixth for part of the day. Teaching where I am at now is a tremendous gift, because the previous nine years I had been in a public school (a char-
rs: Rebecca Milco Breanna McManis
ter school), but had been praying to be released from that situation because I felt like so much of what was expected was undermining the Bible. And I was told that I wouldn’t be asked to do anything that would violate my conscience. So this past spring as we were studying through Numbers, Moses is told for the first time to go ahead and attack, after he was told all those times, “I’ll lead you by a different way to the promised land.” And it was one of those things where God graced me with being able to say no to something that I had in my hands as a good job, having no idea where I would be headed. And to see how He unfolded a place that was so tailor-made for me—it was just absolutely phenomenal, where the kids are hungry to study God’s Word and they have so many questions about the Bible. To be able to share that freely now is so refreshing.
? What subjects do you teach? Rebecca: All subjects except Art and P. E. I’m also teaching the fifth and sixth graders Writing and Literature.
? When did you first come to GBF? Rebecca: It was August of 2013.
? What then made you decide to become member? Rebecca: Just seeing how much Scripture is valued, and how there is a love for the brothers and sisters here that is very rich; it’s not just a matter of that surface level camaraderie. It’s a genuine interest in the well being of others and where they are in their walk and wanting to support one another in prayer. I think all of those things are very appealing.
?cameWhat have been some of the highlights for you since you first to GBF? Rebecca: There are a lot! I think the women’s ministry events have been a huge gift in terms of really helping me connect on a deeper level with people and learning how to pray for others. And I would say that the evenings when I’ve been able to attend the prayer meetings have been very much the same, where you just feel like you have a
greater idea of what the pulse of the needs are and how to be interceding.
?What ministries are you involved in? Rebecca: I’m currently working with the children’s church.
? And how do you like that? Rebecca: It’s been very good. I’m amazed at how much you see what the kids have been given at home and how it comes to light when they’re speaking through their knowledge of the Scriptures. They are just taking at face value that what God says is true and that He’s faithful to His Word.
?wouldn’t What is something that most of the people at GBF probably know about you? Rebecca: I have something called Synesthesia, which is like a little brain bonus, as my friends call it. It’s where my senses aren’t totally divided. So everything that I hear, I’ll also see. It’s kind of bizarre—I don’t know how to describe it exactly. But that’s why my email address is about seeing colors! And I would say one thing that was very enlightening to me last year as we were going through 1 Corinthians 12, was looking at the different gifts and not realizing, until Pastor Cliff had shared about it, that the gift of faith is the one that does not necessarily directly impact people and yet it still benefits them. It was the first time that everything clicked into place about how that is different.
? How can the GBF body be praying for you? Rebecca: I guess that I would be spent well. Paul writes about being expended and not taking any thought to that. However God wants to use this life; pray that it would be a well poured out offering to Him like it says in Philippians 2. †
5
Local Outreach | Evangelist James Bynum By Breanna McManis
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gives this command to His disci-
ples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Here at GBF, we encourage the saints to put this essential command into practice through various evangelistic outlets.
gospel of Jesus Christ. But for many believers, the very word “evangelism” can sound rather intimidating. It is all too easy to assume that spreading the gospel implies some sort of great expedition across the world or standing on a street corner with a sign and a booming voice. But the beauty of the gospel is found in its simplicity as well as its effectiveness; God can work in mighty ways through even the smallest means.
When it comes to spreading the good news of Christ, “I’ve seen people get saved believers should never allow by reading gospel tracts,” says Byinexperience or anxiety to num. “Even something as simple hinder their execution of this as handing out tracts is important divine charge. The tendency because it is a spiritual, God-glorito sit back and let other saints fying act, and people get saved!” who are “more qualified” Bynum’s evangelistic miniscarry out this mission is an try is particularly unique in that unfortunate reality in many it is geared to help believers from churches. But the command all different walks of life. The goals of spreading the gospel was of this particular outreach minisnot given to those who have try include spreading the gospel a heart for missions or those to unbelievers, as well as helping who are particularly well believers learn how to share their spoken and confident in evfaith boldly. To encourage this, Byery area of theology; rather, num has started sending regular it was given to every single emails to various church members child of God. For this reason, who have shown an interest in his we believe that it is essential ministry, and has also been referfor our saints to participate in ring people to his evangelistic website (RepentAndLive. various evangelistic ministries where they can practice spreadcom) for tips and resources on spreading the gospel to ing the good news of Jesus Christ to those who are lost. others. The purpose of this, as Bynum James Bynum is one of our memsays, is to build teamwork, encourage bers who has been heavily involved others in their ministry, offer resources, in street preaching and evangelism and bring the word “evangelism” to over the course of several years. Evanpeople once a week. gelism needs to be rooted in the local “Evangelism is hard!” says Bychurch, and James has been faithful num. “But being a disciple of Jesus in spearheading several evangelistic Christ means being purposeful and gatherings for the saints at GBF. overcoming the fear of man. After all, “It is the evangelist’s job to make we can’t save anyone—we are merely Jesus known to all the world by prothe seed-sowers. Our job is to take this claiming the gospel,” says James. great message and give it to someone else, and then watch God work in their Where does this start? In the lives.” church. The church makes up the Body of Christ, and it is within the church We highly encourage all members that believers can and should begin in the church body to join, even if they practically following Christ’s comwant to simply listen in. mandment by planting seeds of the For more information, please congospel to fellow churchgoers. Whether tact James Bynum at StreetPreacherthis means inviting friends and co-workers to Sunday service Man@gmail.com and learn more about his specific minisor passing out gospel tracts in downtown San Jose, all believtry at www.RepentAndLive.com. † ers need to fulfill their greatest commission by spreading the
6
8 Signs You are A Discipleship Bully By Derek Brown
No one likes a bully. Most of us recoil when we encoun-
ter a person who preys on the weak and uses verbal and physical abuse to display his superiority. But bullies aren’t only found on grade school or high school playgrounds; they can be found in churches as well, particularly in discipleship relationships. This kind of bullying, however, does not need to express itself in verbal or physical abuse. It can manifest itself in a subtle form of spiritual tyranny where the teacher, by virtue of his position and self-perceived knowledge, tends to overwhelm and micro-manage his disciple. Sadly, when these kinds of discipleship scenarios progress unchecked, both parties—the discipler and the one being discipled—will find their spiritual life stunted and their relationship with one another in serious jeopardy. What about you? Are you a discipleship bully? Am I? How can we know if we have become or are on the path to becoming a discipleship bully? I will suggest eight signs. 1. You are easily annoyed by the person you are discipling. A sure sign that you are straddling the line between helpful teacher and overbearing micro-manager is that you’re constantly annoyed and frustrated by the person you are discipling. If his slowness to grasp biblical truth, his predicable failures to follow through on his promises, and his lack of personal discipline all draw your self-righteous indignation and prompt you to thank God that you were never that immature (see Luke 18:9-14), look out: you are growing into an unbearable discipleship bully. 2. You are unable or unwilling to learn from the person you are discipling. If you resist learning from your disciple’s passion for Christ, his insight into Scripture, or his knowledge of the human condition, then you are probably displaying the early character qualities of a discipleship bully. Granted, discipleship by definition requires that a student is learning from a teacher, so there will always be an asymmetrical structure to the relationship. The teacher must be able to say, at some level, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). But the wise man is willing to learn from anyone (Prov 9:8-9), and it is nothing but pride that
tempts us to think we cannot learn from those who are younger or less mature than we are. When discipling new Christians, for example, we can often learn much by their childlike trust in God’s Word and their newfound passion for evangelism. Recently, I received helpful insights from a younger brother about how I could improve our college ministry. 3. You are unwilling to admit when you have been wrong. None of us are infallible, so none of us can interpret Scripture perfectly or apply biblical truth to every situation without making a mistake (James 3:2). Usually, it’s not the occasional bad advice that will rupture a discipleship relationship but the teacher’s unwillingness to admit he gave bad advice. If good leaders are those who make good second decisions, then good disciplers are those who give good second counsel. Be on guard! If in your desire to protect your godly image you struggle to admit to the one you are discipling that you were wrong, you are showing signs of early-onset discipleship bullying. 4. You do most of the talking and little listening. A good teacher not only knows what to teach, he also knows how to teach it. And knowing how to best apply the truth to your disciple will require that you understand him and his current situation (see Prov 20:5). But if you are in the discipleship business because you like to hear yourself talk, then it is unlikely that you will do much listening (see Prov 18:2). You will probably drone on and on about your opinions and your insights, but much of it will never land because you never took the time to get to know your disciple. 5. You become personally offended when a disciple does not follow your counsel. Rather than grieving that the disciple refused to believe and obey God’s Word, you take the dismissal as a rejection of your own wisdom and insight. You might even feel slightly surprised Continued on page 11
7
Depending on God: A Story of Grace in the Lives of Kevin, Lusi, and Carissa Chien By Breanna McManis “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.” - Psalm 27:13-14
For GBF members Kevin and Lusi Chien, the year of 2015 was one marked by uncertainty, heartache, and intense spiritual testing. It was also a year in which they experienced more of God’s grace and a restored hope in His sovereignty than they ever anticipated. In spite of the unimaginable circumstances in which they found themselves, there were a few truths that they were determined to cling to: that God is sovereign and good, that He did not make a mistake, and that they needed to think on what is good and right and not worry about the trials of tomorrow.
Shortly after their daughter, Carissa, celebrated her first birthday, Kevin and Lusi took her to the doctor for her one-year checkup. They were quickly taken aback when blood tests revealed that there was something potentially very wrong with her kidneys. The blood tests indicated that Carissa had abnormally high levels of creatinine, which is an indicator of kidney function. The normal range of creatinine is around 0.2-0.4; Carissa’s tests indicated that her levels were at .73. In other words, at the age of one, Carissa’s kidneys were functioning at 40%. “This news was an absolute shock to us,” says Kevin. “Not only is it a very rare condition, but neither one of us had any sort of family history of kidney problems. Although we were overwhelmed with emotion, we decided that we needed to get a second opinion from a specialist.” Kevin and Lusi then took Carissa to a pediatric nephrologist, where a number of tests were run with discouraging results: the exact problem could not be identified, and Carissa was deemed likely untreatable. The specialists concluded that it may be a genetic problem, meaning that her kidneys would eventually fail in roughly eight to ten years. But in the wake of this news, Kevin and Lusi say that they developed a different type of love—a hopeful love— for their daughter. “Psalm 27:13-14 was a real encourage-
8
ment to me during those times,” says Kevin. “I would have despaired had I not turned to that psalm.” Eventually, the Chiens felt it was important to share the hard news with their close family and friends, particularly their parents. For them, it was one of the most difficult things that they had to do during the entire process, but they also viewed it as an opportunity to witness to Lusi’s unsaved parents. This reality was confirmed when Lusi’s parents exclaimed that, should their granddaughter be healed, they would commit their lives to Christ. “Through all of this, I experienced an overwhelming peace, as if my family was caught in the eye of a hurricane,” says Kevin. “I knew that this was God’s promise at the time; that His amazing peace in Christ was a miracle in itself.” However, this peace was tested when further tests revealed a rapid decline in Carissa’s kidney function. This time, their specialist gave her eight to ten months until total kidney failure. According to Kevin and Lusi, this specialist “had never seen anything like it.” Because of their daughter’s rapid decline, the Chiens decided that they needed to get a biopsy performed on Carissa. After being shut down by several specialists, they found one doctor, Paul Grimm, who agreed to perform a biopsy. After one last blood test that was performed the Tuesday after Labor Day, Carissa’s levels were at .40—her creatinine had fallen dramatically and was now normal. “Her doctors had no explanation for this,” Kevin says. “But we know that God is sovereign. He chose to heal our daughter.” After two more tests that confirmed the miraculous news, Kevin and Lusi experienced an indescribable joy in their Creator as well as a desire to share their story with anyone who would listen. And they have already seen God’s handiwork: both Lusi’s parents and a visiting scholar from China who heard Carissa’s story have committed their lives to Christ. “In all of this, we have learned that the path towards God is dependence and the path away from God is independence,” says Kevin. “We are thankful to God regardless of what happens, and we are thankful for peace and for God working in the lives of others.”†
GBF Life | The Value of a GBF Ministry Internship By Wilson Patton
I cannot express how the Lord has blessed me. Coming to
Stanford, I was spiritually depressed, doubting my faith, and fearful of future classmates who would seek to undermine or destroy my faith. I felt like a bruised reed (Matt 12:20). But, praise God, because He showed me grace and mercy when I deserved His chastening. The Lord blessed me with an incredible small group of Christian brothers and a Bible study leader, Colin Eakin, who taught us straight from the truth of God’s Word. Coming from a Charismatic, Arminian background, my faith transformed over the eighteen months I learned to rest in the Word of God and the assurance of my salvation.
group of five boys in Sunday school has taught me how important it is to be very interactive when teaching kids. Ministering to that group of boys has also helped me to see that it is a privilege to teach children (Matt 19:14). I cannot take the responsibility of teaching children lightly. They are precious to God, and to teach them is both an incredible gift and an intense responsibility. After all, Jesus clearly loves children and they are prime candidates for receiving the truth.
It was one night during my sophomore year that I began to seriously consider a call to vocational ministry. I was eating ice cream (a favorite pastime of mine) with Colin, and he encouraged me to consider vocational ministry. I immediately latched on to the idea, but through the next year, I learned an important truth about pastoral ministry. Vocational ministry is not a career; it’s a calling. One can have passion for the Word of God, the gospel, and the glory of God and still not necessarily be called to vocational ministry. Still, my desire to potentially pursue vocational ministry remained through my junior year of college. During this time, I was blessed to get to know Derek Brown. Derek was willing to help me discern if I was called to pastoral ministry, and so we developed the idea of a ministry internship at GBF. Through the internship, Derek would disciple me and I would have the opportunity to study, serve, and even teach under his guidance and leadership. April of my junior year, I quit the varsity men’s gymnastics team at Stanford to do the ministry internship. I am so happy to have made that decision! Derek came up with a great plan for the internship that included both study and more active ministry. He compiled a list of books and articles for me to read on topics covering systematic theology, the work of a pastor, spiritual pride, and more. Additionally, I was assigned twelve 800-1,000-word essays on theological and ministry topics. The reading and writing assignments have been a blessing to my soul. Meditating on the gospel truth has inspired me to worship and love the Lord more deeply. Reading about the danger of losing one’s “awe of God” was a great rebuke to me. It caused me to recognize how often I approach God in prayer or the study of His Word without standing in complete awe that I am communing with the Creator and Savior of my soul. It exhorted me to have a more worshipful, reverential fear of God. In addition to reading and writing, I have been blessed to teach in children’s Sunday School, young adults Sunday School, and also to work in the church office. Teaching a
God says through James, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). That is one of the scariest verses for anyone who teaches or aspires to teach Scripture. God will judge teachers of His Word more strictly. When I teach the Bible, I am teaching the very Word of God, and this Word can save and sanctify, but teaching it wrongly can lead a flock on to sin or to hell. The task of teaching is deadly serious. This truth particularly struck me when I was preparing to teach on Romans 3:19-26 for the young adult Sunday school. Please pray that I would always take serious the warning in James 3:1 and labor to teach well. Through my experiences teaching, the Lord has taught me much about the temptations and sin that can come with teaching. Of all these sins, pride has been and probably always post the greatest opposition. Pride causes me to seek insights through my own intellect instead of relying on the true Teacher, the Holy Spirit. Pride causes me to have concern about receiving glory from man rather than glorifying God. Praise God that He has been gracious in showing me, through the ministry of saints at GBF that the greatest antidote to pride is the gospel! God’s free grace and love towards me, an evil sinner, destroys any basis for pride. The gospel enables a Bible teacher to forsake self and cling to Continued on page 17
9
Staff Interview with Austin ? First of all, can you briefly describe your childhood and early background? Did you grow up in a Christian home? Austin Thompson: Well, more details from my testimony can be found in Rescued By Grace. But I grew up in a Christian home. I was born in San Diego and I moved to Arizona five days after I was born. I was saved when I was three-and-a-half. My mother had been explaining the gospel to me as we were driving down the road, and I articulated it back to her. I then started to pray and ask the Lord if He would forgive me of my “naughty things” and come into my life so that I could spend eternity with Him.
Interview with Breanna McManis
the San Francisco Opera and all over the world. During my second year at USC, when I lived in the Christian fraternity, we were doing a west coast premier of The Tempest. So here I was, doing the biggest performance of my career. I had a full page in the LA Times and I was very successful, but when I finished singing I couldn’t wait to get back home to the fraternity house to be with my brothers in Christ. And I think it was then that it clicked for me that the opera community and performing arts did not have as much to offer me as my desire to be with other Christians and encourage them in their faith and to walk alongside them. So it was kind of a change of heart.
? Where did you go to college and what did you study? Austin: I did my undergraduate degree at Point Loma Nazarene University and I got a Bachelor of Arts in Music. I went on to do my graduate work at the University of Southern California (USC), where I got my MM in Vocal Arts Performance.
? When did your interest in music start? Austin: I like to say that I came out of the womb singing. I have always been singing, so I always tell people that I was born with a song in my heart and that it just kind of flows out of me. Sometimes it takes more energy not to sing than to sing. But I remember my mother asked if I would be interested in taking piano lessons when I was seven, and I said yes. I had no idea when I said yes that I was committing to taking piano lessons from seven years old all the way through high school. I think it was because she identified a gift of music in me at a very young age and wanted to make sure that I would follow through on it. She would always say, “Someday when you stand before the Lord, I want you to be accountable for your gift.”
? So what then made you decide to eventually leave that path of opera performance? Austin: As a young man, I felt a strong desire to be in vocational ministry. As I started to mature into my teenage years and into my undergrad, I shifted away from that, probably because of immaturity. I just wasn’t ready yet. So the doors opened for performing, and I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun, and I got to sing with top young artists who today are singing at the MET and
10
?decide When did you start coming to GBF and why did you eventually to become a member? Austin: I showed up on the McManis doorstep on May 29th, 2013. A mutual friend told me about this wonderful family with four kids, and the husband is a pastor at a church. It had been a long time since I had had a good, godly mentor, and I had been praying for years for God to place a godly mentor in my life for the next season of my life. And so I thought that would probably be a great start! So it was a temporary thing at first. But I remember asking Cliff on the Saturday before church, “What time do we leave for church?” And I loved it. It took me a while to get comfortable with the area and the people, but I was drawn to and enjoyed the McManis family so much that it just really grew on me. I loved being there and I loved Pastor Cliff’s teaching.
?at GBF. Tell me about the ministries that you oversee and are involved in
Austin: I oversee the youth ministry, the music ministry, the
Thompson media ministry, and I work closely with the sound ministry. I have a great team for all of them. And then my extra time is spent assisting Pastor Bob with administrative details for major church events, whether it’s GBF Camp, Hope House, ice-skating, or Fellowship Meal in the park.
?GBFWhat has been your favorite part of being a member of the body? Austin: The gracious nature of our church body. Grounded in a true love for Christ, they are encouraging when times are good and when times are bad, and they are always so quick to extend grace. Because I think it’s easy to be critical and often hard to be gracious, and so the mark of a healthy, encouraging local fellowship is one that is gracious.
?aboutWhat is something that most people at GBF wouldn’t know you? Austin: I once won a dog show with my beagle! It was an open event for the whole town. They had an obstacle course, and my dog, who was normally just the worst, for some reason was amazing that day. And we got a perfect score on the obstacle course. I would look at her and say, “You’ve got to go up that and then go down.” And she would look at me, and she would do it! It was freaky. But we won a box of toys and a trophy. It was hysterical because you would not have expected us to win.
? How can the GBF body be praying for you? Austin: They can pray for strength. I always need strength, as I go to seminary and minister to the youth and work with Fremont High School in all of its capacities. And they can pray that I wouldn’t be anxious about the future, but that I would trust God to provide.
8 Signs, Cont’d that he did not follow your counsel because it was, well, so good (see Prov 3:7; 26:12). Beware! Your offense reveals that you might be more interested in transforming this disciple into your image than into the image of Christ. 6. You will often push your preferences just as much if not more than biblical principles. In our discipleship relationships, we should desire our brothers and sisters to obey Scripture and walk in obedience to Christ. Indeed, we aim in discipleship to teach others to obey everything that Jesus commanded (Matt 28:18-20). But as we disciple others, we must be careful that we are urging conformity to biblical instruction, not to our own preferences. If personal preference dominates the content of our counsel, it is likely that we are seeking our own glory (John 7:18) and growing into a discipleship bully. 7. You refuse to make any helpful provisions for your disciple. Again, it is true that the structure of the discipleship relationship will be asymmetrical where the discipler will set most of the terms of the meetings. Where will you meet? How long? What will you talk about? But Christ shows us that the leader is also a servant (Mark 10:42-45; John 13:1-17), and if you are unwilling to make sacrifices that would be beneficial to the disciple, you are not walking in love; you are walking like a self-centered, uncaring, discipleship bully. 8. You fear that the disciple might become more godly and spiritually competent than you are. Is your hope that this young man or woman surpass you in spiritual maturity and biblical competence? Why not? Is it because you cherish your spiritual superiority and can’t fathom the thought of this young disciple—currently immature, unwise, unlearned, unskilled—growing into a godliness that rivals your own? If so, you are well on your way to becoming a discipleship bully (consider the attitude of the Pharisees in John 9:34). The danger of becoming a discipleship bully is real, for we are all sinners and prone to the temptation to lord our position over others. But by God’s grace we can grow into humble teachers who care only for the good of those we disciple. May grace prevail in all our discipleship relationships. † This article originally appeared at The Gospel Coalition (TheGospelCoalition.org).
Check out gbfsv.org for the latest sermons 11
Grace Campus Ministries, cont’d Life. Unlike GCM, Cardinal Life was a para-church ministry that existed independently of local church oversight. While grateful for the faithfulness of those who first established Cardinal Life, Colin wanted this ministry to come under the supervision of a local church. But could we merge these two ministries in a way that benefitted and respected both groups? After many meetings, phone calls, emails, and much prayer, the decision was finally made. We would unite the two groups under the banner of Grace Campus Ministries, with an off-campus meeting on Monday nights and an on-campus meeting on Friday nights. Throughout the year we would draw both groups together through corporate activities like camping and seasonal parties. Merging Two Ministries The Lord blessed the 201415 school year. On Monday evenings, we would congregate at the Eakin’s home, enjoy a home-cooked meal, worship through singing, and study Scripture with a focus on major theological categories (e.g., the doctrine of God, the doctrine of Christ, etc.). On Friday evenings, we would gather over some good snacks, worship God through song, study the book of Hebrews, and, on alternate weeks, follow the teaching with leader-facilitated
discussion
lated to creation, evolution, and the book of Genesis. Many students have responded enthusiastically to the teaching and expressed gratefulness for our focus on this particular topic. We still enjoy a home cooked meal, prepared weekly by Debbie McManis. We are blessed by the excellent worship leadership of Jesse Quesada, Nikki Lee, and Tiff Lay and the service of Jessica Kwong, Lauren Sykes, and Jenna Frowein. Our student leadership this year consists of Aaron Holsteen (President), Gray Umbach (Vice-President), and Hannah Chen (Treasurer). We currently provide two men’s small groups led by Aaron Holsteen, Michael Enos, and Colin Eakin, and three women’s small
groups.
groups led by Kathy Holsteen, Nikki Lee, and Michelle Eakin.
There were a few students who were able to attend both fellowship times, but for the most part, each group retained its original composition. It became apparent about halfway through the year that some of the students desired both groups to merge in a more permanent way.
Beyond these regular fellowship activities, we enjoyed getting outdoors last Fall at Portola Redwoods State Park and gathering together for a Christmas party in December. Two of our students, Wilson Patton and David Looi, recently started an evangelistic Bible study in their dorm, and other students, like Amy Lee, have been faithful to evangelize to their friends and roommates over the course of the year.
Again, after many meetings, phone calls, emails, and much prayer, we decided to move GCM to one evening for the 2015-16 academic year. We now meet at the Eakin’s home on Tuesday nights from 7:00-9:00 pm. Despite our move off campus, we retain our status as a recognized religious group so that we are able to reserve rooms and host a table at the activities fair. The 2015-16 School Year Thus far, the Lord has blessed the 2015-16 school year. We are now into the second quarter of our year-long study called The Beginning of Everything. I developed this study in order to help students think carefully through issues re-
12
Pray for Us The Lord has been good, but we long for even greater fruitfulness for Christ’s sake. Will you please partner with this ministry by praying that God would draw more people to His Son through GCM? Please also pray that the Spirit would continue to strengthen our students in His Word so they might weather the storms of skepticism and ridicule and serve as salt and light among the unbelieving students at Stanford. Finally, please pray for me, that Christ might grant me much wisdom as I minister to these dear students and oversee this ministry. †
Song Spotlight, cont’d “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 3:11). The author’s opening verse affirms that his hope is rooted firmly in the foundation of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. Therefore, he will not trust in the most exquisite pleasures or his best spiritual days—“sweetest frames”—but rather build his hope solely on Jesus’ sacrificial death and righteousness. When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace; In ev’ry high and stormy gale my anchor holds within the veil. The darkness of sin that separates us from God is a common theme in Scripture. Christ came as Light to a dark world (Is 9:2; John 8:12), and those who trust in Him are transferred from the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Col 1:13). Despite having redemption and forgiveness of sins (Col 1:14), Christians still struggle with indwelling sin (Rom 7:21-24) and have need to continuously approach the throne of grace in repentance in order to receive mercy (Heb 4:16). Additionally, Christians experience severe trials in this life. Jesus knew this to be true (John 16:33), and is the Anchor for our soul that enters within the veil to intercede on our behalf before God the Father (Heb 6:19). When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found, Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. A major foundational truth of our hope and salvation in Christ is rooted in His imminent return (Rev 22:20). At the sound of the trumpet Christ will gather His elect to Himself (Matt 24:31; 1 Thess 4:16-17), and having received the righteousness of God through faith in Christ (Rom 3:22) they will be presented to God as holy, blameless, and beyond reproach (Col 1:22).
GBF Basketball Camp
While I enjoy both musical settings, it is crucial that our interaction with either song is driven by our understanding of the text’s ability to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. It is my hope that when you encounter one of these pieces that the doctrinal truths expressed in the lyrics bolster your desire to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. †
June 20 to 24
Contact Church Office for Details
BIG TRUTH
LITTLE BOOKS ™
GBF Press’s Big Truth Little Books series continues to grow Four books are now available at the GBF Book Cart or on Amazon
We live in a fallen world, and our lives are often beset with physical suffering, emotional difficulty, relational problems, and financial uncertainty. In this short yet insightful volume, Cliff McManis discusses how to deal with trials in a way that pleases God and is best for us individually.
What does an unbeliever need to be saved from? Where does faith come from? Do Christians need to use complex philosophical arguments when sharing the gospel with their friends, neighbors, and co-workers? In this concise volume, Cliff McManis explains how to proclaim the gospel, and help bring non-believers into a right relationship with God.
How do we make godly decisions on issues that are not specifically addressed in the Bible? In this book, Cliff McManis helps us navigate these tough questions. Drawing from Romans 14, McManis provides us with the principles necessary to make decisions on the "gray areas" of life.
Do you pray for your pastor? Perhaps a better question: Do you know how to pray for your pastor? In this book, Derek Brown helps you understand your pastor's qualifications, responsibilities, and unique pressures so that you might pray effectively for those who shepherd your soul. You will be encouraged and challenged to pray for your pastor.
13
GBF Regional Bible St By J. R. Cuevas
Glean the field of Acts 2:42, and it is clear that God has
designed His people such that spiritual growth is fostered through two means: the teaching of the Word of God and the fellowship of the saints. Every believer, from the new convert to the church elder, is wired to be continually nourished with the truths of Scripture in the context of genuine relationships with other believers. The church, since its birth, has aimed to accomplish this practically through the vehicle of home group Bible studies—the gathering together of saints in smaller, more informal settings (augmenting but not replacing formal Sunday gatherings) to study the Word of God and encourage one another to abide by its truths. It is for this very reason that the GBF Bible Study Ministry exists. Fremont Bible Study The Fremont Bible Study meets weekly at 7:00pm on Tuesday evenings at the Rezentes residence. Herb Rezentes and Darren Terry co-lead this home group, which consists of mostly older married couples (couples with grown children) and some non-married adults. They are currently going through the book of James, using the “Investigating the Word of God” study guide as their curriculum. Each week, as a preparation for the study, individuals are given homework on the passage consisting of theological and discussion questions from the study guide. When the group gets together, they discuss the passage and the questions from the study guide before a time of prayer. Though it mostly consists of older adults, the Fremont Home Group is open for anyone of any age or affinity group to attend. Sunnyvale Bible Study #1 The Sunnyvale Bible Study #1 has been on break since the fall, but is planning to start up again sometime in the next month. The study meets at 7:30pm on Monday evenings every other week. Before the break, Bryan Lee had just led the group through a study of 1 Thessalonians. This home group consists mostly of young married couples, but welcomes anyone of any age and affinity group.
14
Sunnyvale Bible Study #2 The Sunnyvale Bible Study #2 meets every other week at 7:30pm on Friday evenings at the Lam residence. Peter Lam currently leads this home group, which consists of a demographically diverse group of individuals from different age groups and life stages. Currently, Peter is leading the group through an expositional study of the book of 1 Peter. There is no particular curriculum used aside from the Bible itself. Each week, Peter prepares the group with an e-mail reviewing the previous lesson and preparing for the next lesson. The study is open for anyone of any age or affinity group to attend. Sunnyvale Bible Study #3 The Sunnyvale Bible Study #3 meets weekly at 7:00pm on Wednesdays at the Wood residence. David Stringer currently leads this home group, which consists of older men. Currently, David is leading the group through a study of the Doctrines of Grace in the Gospel of John by Steve Lawson. All of the men who are in the group are highly committed to attending weekly. The study is open for men of any age or affinity group to attend. Milpitas Bible Study The Milpitas Bible study meets weekly at 7:30pm on Tuesdays at the Salinas residence. Mark Regan currently leads this home group, which consists of a demographically diverse group of individuals from different age groups and life stages. Currently, Mark is leading the group through a study of the book of Titus. Aside from the Bible itself, there is no particular curriculum being used. Couples with Children Home Group The Sunnyvale Couples with Children Home Group meets weekly at 6:30pm on Wednesday evenings at the Tsai residence. Patrick Tsai and Stephen Carnagua co-lead this group. The group consists of couples with young children (infants to pre-school age), and is exclusive to this age and affinity group. Each week, the group discusses the message from the previous Sunday Sermon over dinner. The group is open for anyone with young children to attend.
udies Women’s Bible Study The Milpitas Precepts Women’s Bible Study meets weekly at 7:00pm on Thursday evenings at Park Victoria Baptist Church. Donna Facha currently lead this study. The group consists mainly of older women, though all women are welcome to attend. Donna is currently leading the group through Numbers, using the Precepts Bible Study Workbook curriculum. Each week, as a preparation for the study, individuals are given approximately five hours of homework on a particular passage in which they have to personally exegete the passage using various hermeneutical tools. After studying the passage together, the group gets together for prayer. This study is only open to women, and only to those who are committed to working through the curriculum and doing the necessary homework. God has been tremendously gracious to GBF in providing the church with gifted leaders and teachers with the heart to open up their homes to make this ministry happen. May His grace not be in vain, and may He instead find GBF to be a faithful body whose members continually devote themselves to His Word in fellowship with one another. Truly then can we be called Grace Bible Fellowship - a fellowship of saints who, by God’s grace, devote themselves to the Bible. †
Church History: John Newton, cont’d teach the Bible to or exercise leadership over large group of people. You may serve faithfully, behind-the-scenes in the church’s ‘hidden places’ and have a few believers and unbelievers in your life to whom you minister the Word. You may write letters, take long walks with friends and talk about Christ and the Bible; you may spend time crafting substantive emails to brothers or sisters who are struggling with various theological issues, or lead a Bible study for a couple of unbelievers during your lunch hour. That’s glorious. Your private ministry is vital. Very few people will ever see it, but that’s alright, Jesus does, and he will one day say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt 25:21). †
GBF Camp 2016 July 2-4 Sign Up in April 15
ENGAGE: Politics and the cont’d thinkable! The political freedom and influence we have today is a rare and fleeting gift in light of history. The ability to vote is a gift from God (Jam 1:17). Christians need to cherish it, not squander it—we are stewards of all that God has entrusted to us (Matt 25:24). And when you vote, start by prioritizing biblical issues according to a Christian worldview: the sanctity of life (Ps 139), the sacredness of marriage (Heb 13:4), the rule of law (Rom 13:1), freedom of worship (1 Tim 2:2; Acts 4:19-20), our nation’s relationship with Israel (Gen 12:3), and the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31). Such biblical priorities militate against voting for a candidate like Bernie Sanders, an avowed Marxist atheist, whose worldview and beliefs are hostile to all that Christianity and the Bible stand for. 2) Be a good citizen. Sadly some Christians think we are called to be isolationists in view of their wrong understanding of verses like 1 John 2:15 which says, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world.” And so they say that because politics is of this world, Christians should not vote, run for office or have anything to do with politics. But, that is not what that verse means, and that overall attitude is simply unbiblical. The truth is that Christians have dual citizenship; in this world and in heaven (Rom 13; Phil 3:20). We are called to be salt and light—that means we are to influence. We are to engage. We are to rub shoulders with the lost in the world. We are not supposed to retreat and recoil—we are supposed to advance and infiltrate. Paul exhorted believers to, “prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are lights in the world” (Phil 2:15). Christians are also called to obey the laws of the land (Matt 22:21) as long as they don’t contradict what God has decreed in Scripture (Acts 4:19-20). We are also to be regularly praying for governing leaders (1 Tim 2:1-3). When was the last time you did that? Christians are even free to run for political office at any level—many do and get elected. Godly people in the Bible were involved and influential citizens: Joseph, Esther, Mordecai, Nehemiah, Daniel. The Apostle Paul invoked his political right as a Roman citizen when he appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11)—he used the secular laws of his day to his advantage, in a legitimate way. “Separation of church and state” is not in the Bible, the U. S. Constitution or the Declaration of Inde-
16
pendence. 3) You don’t have to be a Christian to be the U.S. President. The qualifications for being President are in the U.S. Constitution, and being “saved” is not one of them. What is the MAIN job of the President? Ask that question wherever you go and you will be tremendously disappointed. The main job of the President is to support and defend the Constitution—no one seems to talk about that much, or even care. And much of the Constitution is dedicated to preserving protection, safety, law and order for the nation—principles consistent with God’s Word (1 Tim 1:8-10; 1 Pet 2:13-17). The office of President is a secular position, not a religious or Christian one. We are living in “the times of the Gentiles” (Lk 21:24), which means unbelievers will broker most of the world’s political power until Christ returns. There is no theocracy for God’s people during our age on earth. We are not in the millennium right now and we will not usher it in before Christ returns. No human, or President, or political party is going to bring heaven down to earth in this life—only Jesus will do that when He returns. In the meantime, God does preserve order through the sword of justice wielded by the state, even if that sword is wielded by an unbeliever. “For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God” (Rom 13:1). Paul made this statement about pagan Roman rulers who held power in his day. Theoretically a person could do a good job defending the Constitution and not be a Christian. Even Jesus said that unbelievers are shrewd and wise in many ways (Lk 16:8). Unbelievers are made in the image of God and reflect remnants of God’s communicable attributes due to common grace. America has had some capable Presidents during its 234-plus years of existence, but very few of those men were born-again Christians who lived by the Bible. Of the 43 men who have been President in our nation, the number of true “men of God” can be counted on one hand. My mechanic, mailman, surgeon, dentist, carpet-cleaner, barber and gardener are all unbelievers, but they do good work. If I had a brain tumor, I would want the best brain surgeon, not just a Christian surgeon. I say this to remind Christians not to overly-spiritualize the secular office of President by over-spiritualizing the job description. Don’t expect the President to be the spiritual
e Bible, leader. It’s not the President’s job to Christianize the culture. This world is fallen and cursed (Rom 8:18-25) and Christians will always be the minority and hated by the world if they are living obediently for Christ (Jn 15:19; Phil 1:29). 4) America in not a Christian nation-Some Christians try to argue that America is a Christian nation, or that it used to be. That is grossly ethno-centric and naïve to believe. The only Christian nation today on the earth is the Church; that’s what Scripture says: “you are a…holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1 Pet 2:9). The Church is a spiritual entity and Body of people that transcends physical, earthly geographical borders. God has His children in all countries of the world—so His family is everywhere, not just in America. America was founded as a nation on a Judeo-Christian worldview as well as a worldview highly influenced by the secular Age of Reason. It’s not the Church’s job to redeem the culture, or save our country, or take back our country, or sanitize society or save the environment. Our job is to tell the world that Jesus came to save sinners while living as good, model earthly citizens. 5) Don’t get your hopes up-I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the next President is not going to “fix” America or fix your life. Jesus gave us the solution to life’s problems. He told His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me” (Jn 14:1). All of our trust and hope is in Christ, not in man or the government. The Bible actually says that as time goes on, this world will get worse and worse. We have actually seen that happen before our very eyes in the past 20 years here in America. The Bible says that “in the last days difficult times will come” (1 Tim 3:1). Well, the last days are here and difficult times are upon us with all manifestations of evil imaginable as Paul describes in 1 Timothy 3:2-5. And Paul goes on to say that “evil men…will proceed from bad to worse” (3:13). No human government is going to bring utopia to earth prior to Christ’s return at the end of the age. Brace yourself, because in the big scheme of things, this life isn’t going to get better and better. Fortunately, this fallen sinful world is only for a season, eternity with God in glory is forever. So don’t be fixated on the temporal, but rather “fix your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2); “set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth” (Col 3:2). Much more could be said, but as a Christian, keep things in perspective and maintain the proper balance and the right priorities. Nations rise and fall; world leaders come and go like the grass that withers; but the Church of Jesus Christ will go on until Christ returns in glory (Matt 16:18; 1 Thess 4:16). †
The Value of a GBF Ministry Internship, cont’d Christ. That is the only way to teach effectively because, as Jesus said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). I am especially thankful to the pastoral staff and elders who have taught me much of what I spoke about above. Over the course of my internship I have had the privilege of sitting down with each member of the pastoral staff. In these conversations I have been reminded of the all-consuming nature of vocational ministry and the pastor’s responsibility to minister first to his family. The reading, writing, meeting, and teaching components of my internship have provided valuable insights into biblical doctrine, teaching, and pastoral ministry. I am still unsure if the Lord will call me to vocational ministry in the future, but this internship has taught me much about being a disciple of Christ, and equipped me to minister more effectively both now and in the future. †
GBF Spring/Summer Calendar March 25 - Good Friday, 7:00 PM March 27 - Easter Service, 11:00 AM April 7-9 - Elder Retreat April 13-16 - Pastor Cliff in Honduras April 30 - GBF Recital, 7:00 PM May 7 - Ladies Tea June 20-24 - Basketball Camp July 2-4 - GBF Camp July 24-30 - Hope House Mission Trip
r o f y d a e Are You R er? Summ 17
Glimpses of Church History: John Newton the Great Letter Writer By Derek Brown
Many if not most professing Christians are familiar the
song “Amazing Grace.” The hymn’s author John Newton (1725-1807), however, is not as well known. In this brief article, I want acquaint you with Newton so that you might (1) praise God for His grace in the life of a sinner; and (2) learn from Newton’s example in one specific area. A Debauched Sailor Newton grew up without much spiritual or moral direction. His mother was a strong Christian, but she died when John was only six. His irreligious father—a seafarer by trade— did not take an active role in disciplining or training his son, so Newton was left mostly to himself in his early years. He did, nevertheless, begin to sail with his father at age eleven and entered naval service (against his will) at age eighteen. It was during his time in the English Navy that Newton was introduced to friends who would draw him into greater and greater decadence. By the time he was twenty-two, he was an immoral, debauched slave-trader who not only treated others cruelly, but who also suffered cruelty at the hands of others. A Storm at Sea But on March 21, 1748—a day Newton would commemorate every year after his conversion—God reached down to this sinful sailor in a dramatic way. While at sea, Newton was thrown into panic during a violent storm and began to to God for physical deliverance. He soon realized that he was unable to pray with faith because he was not reconciled to God. Happily, he was able to locate a Bible on board and spent the rest of the trip reading the Scripture and seeking the Lord. This event did much to sober Newton and shake a good amount of outward immorality out of his life, but he was yet unconverted. He recognized the seriousness of his past sins, but was still unacquainted with the deep sinfulness of his heart and therefore relied upon his own efforts rather than faith in Christ to make progress in personal holiness. Several weeks later, however, Newton came to trust genuinely in Jesus for salvation. From the Sea, to Land, to Pastoral Ministry Six years after his conversion (1754), Newton suffered an epileptic seizure and was forced to retire from a life at sea. He replaced his work as a sailor by taking a job as a Surveyor of Tides in Liverpool. He also served actively in his church and studied rigorously, teaching himself Hebrew, Greek, and Christian theology. In 1764, Newton accepted a call to a small parish in Olney, Buckinghamshire. He served this parish for nearly sixteen years and then took a pastorate at St. Mary’s Woolnoth in
18
London. Newton was 81 years old when he finally stepped out of pulpit at St. Mary’s, having served faithfully at St. Mary’s for nearly twenty-six years. Newton was also a faithful husband and father. He married Mary Catlett on February 1, 1750 and, though unable to have biological children, they adopted and raised two nieces. Newton died on December 21, 1807 at the age of eightytwo. Newton the Great Letter-Writer During his Christian life, and predominantly during his pastoral ministry, Newton devoted himself to letter-writing. Although this may seem like an insignificant biographical detail, Newton actually saw his letter-writing as a calling and stewardship from God. Early on, Newton dreamed of ways he might be spiritually productive through a public ministry—in preaching and teaching. While not neglecting the importance of his pulpit ministry, soon into his first pastorate Newton sensed clearly that God had equipped him for usefulness in a private ministry—through personal correspondence. In a letter to a personal friend, Newton confessed, “I . . . had reckoned upon doing good by some of my other works than by my ‘Letters’ . . . but the Lord said, ‘You shall be most useful by them’; and I learned to say, ‘Thy will be done! Use me as thou pleases, only make me useful.’” Newton’s pastoral correspondence is now preserved for our benefit in 1000 letters—500 written and published during his lifetime, and another 500 collected and published after his death. These letters are rich in biblical instruction and unparalleled in their pastoral insight. Most recently, Tony Reinke has carefully studied and categorized these letters in his book John Newton on the Christian Life: To Live if Christ, which I highly recommend. Your Vital Private Ministry I focus on this aspect of Newton’s life and ministry, not to pique our historical curiosity, but to draw out this one exhortation: we must recognize the worth of our private ministries. While Scripture places a high importance on the public ministry of the Word, it is equally clear on the value of the private ministry of the Word. Personal conversations, letters, emails, phone calls, and one-on-one discipleship meetings (to name only a few), are vital spheres of ministry in which we have the opportunity teach one another (Rom 15:14). Words rightly spoken can bring life and joy (Prov 15:23; 25:11) and personal discussions can lead a person into greater understanding of the truth (Acts 18:26) or to Christ for the first time (Acts 8:34-37). You may not have a public ministry in which you regularly Continued on page 15
GBF Staff Picks | Parenting List Compiled and Annotated by J. R. Cuevas
What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him | Byron Yawn - This book is about biblical manhood, and particularly what fathers are called to teach their sons in an effort to train them up to manhood. The book is biblically sound, practically applicable, and refreshingly down-to-earth. It is both easy to read and challenging to apply. Yawn’s emphasis in this book is not so much on a man’s role in society, but rather a man’s character—encouraging fathers to focus on passing down character to their sons more than achievements.
The Legacy | Steve Lawson - This book is about fatherhood and the legacy that God commissions fathers to pass down to their sons. Lawson’s premise is pointed: your faithfulness as a father is measured by the legacy of godly character that you leave for your children to inherit. Biblically sound and filled with practical illustrations and examples from his own life, Lawson exhorts and instructs fathers to faithfully pass down the following to their children: godliness, love, obedience, respect, gentleness, maturity, discipline, wisdom, responsibility, strength, and prayerfulness.
Shepherding a Child’s Heart | Tedd Tripp - This book is about—you guessed it—how to shepherd your child’s heart. In a culture where so much parenting seems to be about behavior modification, Tripp instructs parents in his book to focus on addressing our children’s heart condition. It provides a biblical perspective on both the goal of addressing your child’s heart and practical procedures on how to carry this out.
Disciplines of a Godly Family | R. Kent Hughes & Barbara Hughes - This book is about the Christian family—its purpose, structure, and practices as designed by God through His Word. With so many Christian families feeling the pressure of conforming to the world, R. Kent and Barbara Hughes explain some of the major disciplines that set a Christ-centered family apart. Biblically sound and practically down-toearth, the Hughes couple addresses the following major topics: how to build up a family God’s way, how to cultivate the spiritual condition of family members, and how to practically carry out family life.
WE PREACH CHRIST 19
ENGAGE Scripture, Culture, and the Christian
Another wild and dramatic political season is upon us,
with cross-country primary elections that are leading toward the presidential election in November. Much is at stake for our country. There is pronounced disparity among Christians regarding this election and about politics in general. Confusion and in-fighting abound. Current political Facebook postings on the matter bleed of passion, emotion and even acrimony and rancor. Believers need to take a step back, be objective and ask some foundational questions on these matters, like “What is the Christian position on government and politics?” “Who should Christians vote for in the primaries?” “What does the Bible say about politics and government?” And even on a more personal level, “Who are you voting for?” That last question is risky and can incite emotional reactions and even controversy at a church gathering if you mention it. People are passionate and emotional about politics. And Christians don’t agree on these questions. Even influential Christian leaders don’t agree about the primary elections underway. Today James Dobson, who started Focus On the Family in 1977 and currently of Family Talk, tells Christians they need to vote for Ted Cruz. Jerry Falwell, Jr., president of Liberty University, and Pat Robertson of the 700 Club say Christians need to vote for Trump. Franklin Graham also says positive things about Trump. Max Lucado, the high profile pastor from Texas, and Russell Moore, of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, recently condemned Trump for his lack of Christian virtue; Moore says to support Rubio. Ironically, many Evangelicals supported Ben Carson because he seems so “Christian,” yet Carson is an outspoken Seventh-Day Adventist, who openly denies the reality of hell and prefers annihilationism. Then there is Rick Warren—the most fa-
March 2016
Politics and the Bible By Cliff McManis
mous pastor today, who won’t endorse any candidate, yet interviews them all in his church and who joined Rubio’s religious board as a consultant before Rubio suspended his campaign. Add to these the many high-profile evangelical pastors who say Christians need to stay away from public commentary on politics. The above reality makes it difficult for the average Christian to take a confident position during the election cycle. How do we follow the leader when the Christian leaders are going in all different and contradicting directions? Here’s why we need a “biblical position” on government and politics, rather than just going with the recommendation of the day from a favorite pastor or religious spokesperson. The Bible needs to drive our thinking, not human opinion. It is sufficient for everything we have to confront in life (2 Timothy 3:16-17), including the challenges of the unsettling American political tempest. In addition to the clarity that Scripture provides, all believers have the indwelling Holy Spirit of God, who is the Comforter, Teacher and personal Advocate of every born-again child of God, who can help us apply biblical truth to everyday life. As a result, it is possible for every Christian to stand on solid ground when facing any contemporary issue…even a confusing, highly emotional political season. This being true, consider the following biblical principles that intersect with the subject at hand and as a result can help direct our thinking on politics: 1) Be a good steward. voting is a privilege, not a right. In Bible times the masses didn’t vote; the citizenry did not select their king by majority opinion. They lived under the tyranny of a dictator-king. Believers in New Testament times had no say in determining who ruled or what laws were created. There was no Bill of Rights, Civil Rights or true democracy. But today in America, it is radically different—a normal citizen can vote for who will be king, and even “run” to occupy the highest office in the land. UnContinued on page 16
20