Fred

Someone has said, “Perhaps the greatest single weakness of the contemporary Christian church is that millions of supposed members are not really involved at all, and what is worse, do not think it strange that they are not.”

It is our expressed goal to get our congregation invested in small groups. Now the purpose of our small groups is not merely social interaction. It’s progressive sanctification – to become more and more like Christ. Yes, socializing will occur, but it must not precede this goal.

Some churches use small groups to teach – we have other opportunities for that. Our ministry is designed to help participants interact with the Scriptures. As a church we are committed to the faithful exposition of the Bible. We make no apologies for that. Sunday mornings offer systematic expository preaching. We provide an adult Sunday Bible class along with weekly studies. But in small groups we discuss the sermon that previous Sunday – we facilitate discussion – getting everyone to apply what has been taught. Questions from the worship service are printed in the bulletin.

Small groups will resume September 18 or the week following (first and third Sunday of that week). There will be 6 groups meeting Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays at various times. If you are not currently in a group, please see Pastor Fred.  This ministry is part of our strategic plan – to see the majority of our membership engaged in a small group. 

Are you involved?  If not, why not? Sign up today.

“You can’t really love anyone until you love yourself.” Have you heard that?  Only problem – it’s unbiblical.

The world is filled with the notion of self-love and self-esteem. The church has unfortunately bought into this jargon. Many Christian psychologists wrongly teach one must love him/herself before they can love others. Such teaching is based on the misunderstanding of the verses that say we’re to love our neighbor as ourselves. We all know how to love ourselves quite well. Even those who go around dumping on themselves are guilty of such. That individual is self-focused. The Apostle Paul said one of the signs of the last days is people loving self, 2 Tim 3:2. 

The Bible teaches us to love God supremely – that’s the first commandment, Mk 12:28-34. The second is to love our neighbor as we do ourselves. When I accidently hit my thumb with a hammer hanging a picture on the wall, I don’t grab a saw and amputate my thumb. No, I grab my thumb and it usually goes into my mouth. Why? I don’t know – it just seems to sooth the ache. As believers, we are to live sacrificially for others. A love for God and a love for others is the essence of pleasing him. Alistair Begg has said, “Contrary to public opinion, the key to loving others does not lie in loving ourselves but in loving God.” 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others, Phil 2:3-4.

Spiritual sweetness does not just happen spontaneously as we age. In fact, I am convinced the older we get the easier it becomes to grow negative and critical.  Many years ago, in a different state, Sue and I had dinner with an older couple from a mutual contact. It was horrible. Honestly, I have never met a man who complained so much – and he was a retired missionary!  The very next day we had dinner with another couple around the same age who were a delight. Positive, sweet and kind.  You’ve heard me say, “Lord, deliver me from growing into a grouchy old man.” 

The difference?  I believe its Phil 4:8. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

“We feel the way we feel for we feel the way we think.”  No, we can’t change our circumstances, but we can change our thinking about those circumstances.  Is God sovereign?  He’s still on the throne?  Hasn’t he made promises to us to work life’s events for our ultimate good?  Yes, our emotions are involved. We can’t turn them off and on as we do a faucet. But we can control our thoughts.  And our emotions will catch up with our thinking.

Beware of social media. It feeds on outrage and biting sarcasm. I love what my friend Jason Helopoulos said, “It takes courage to be gentle, patient and kind in an outraged fallen world.”  May we as God’s servants strive to demonstrate a spiritual sweetness to exude the fragrance of Christ. 

I want to heartily recommend the book, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers, by Dane Ortlund. Our men’s Tuesday night study just finished discussing the book last month.  Here are a few reviews from some of our men.

“The study gave a new perspective on the vastness of Christ’s love for us and a needed reminder of his passion to forgive and comfort his children, along with his deep desire for us to turn to him, especially when we feel we are at our lowest spiritually. The author was especially gifted in showing the immeasurable gentleness, humbleness and accessibility of our Lord Jesus,” Don Depoorter.

“My take home is that we really don’t appreciate and or focus on just how much the Lord truly loves us. It’s all in God’s Word, do we see it? Do we actually embrace it?” Paul Recher. 

“Gentle and Lowly takes the child of God, personally, deep into the heart of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; and assures us of the incredible, unlimited, unearned love that awaits us there,”  Nic Martin.

“A book that will move the young Christian struggling with assurance, and a reminder to older Christians going through dark times of doubt, that God is still there waiting to help them,” Bill Gilliam.

Thank you, guys. The book was wonderful as you can see. We will resume our men’s Bible studies in September. It’s a time of sharing, praying for each other, laughing and enjoying time in the Word. We will begin a study in Ephesians this fall. Stay alert to announcements coming next month. We meet from 6:30-7:30 pm on Tuesday nights. Hope to see you there.

A few weeks ago the United States Supreme Court overruled a decision made by the court 50 years ago regarding abortion.  We continue to hear a mostly one-sided perspective from the news and even from our president – how SCOTUS usurped its authority. Nothing could be further from the truth. The 1972 ruling was a terrible decision (admitted even by liberal justices) – where the court usurped its judicial role and inserted itself in the legislative branch. This has nothing to do with my faith – or religion but is simply a part of how our founding fathers intended our government to function. 

On the other hand, as a believer I am unashamedly prolife. The Bible is clear that human life is sacred.  It’s also a matter of science.  Anyone with eyes can see on an ultrasound a beating heart and that a living child is within the womb. Kevin DeYoung wrote, “The newborn baby lovingly cuddled for the first time and welcomed into the world with tears of joy is the same child who has been denied a right to live a few inches away on the other side of the birth canal.”

What should our response be to this court ruling?  Well, first of all, celebration. We are to rejoice when good prevails. Yes, the court’s decision will not end abortion, but it will hinder the process. Secondly we must pray. We need to pray now for our governor and state legislature.  We also need to be gracious and kind to those we meet who disagree with us. While life is sacred the most important matter is one’s eternal destiny. Use such conversations for gospel opportunities – let’s not win an argument about abortion but seek the salvation of those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Susan and I have the joy of attending the dedication of our granddaughter, Abigail in Portland, MI today. She is the third daughter of Trisha and Michael. In my absence you have the privilege of hearing Waad Haddad as he fills the pulpit for me. I’ve asked Waad to give you an update on what is going on with the spread of the gospel in the part of the world to which he ministers. 

 I first met Waad when he was one of my students at Birmingham Bible Institute. While pastoring in metro Detroit, I taught Tuesday evenings at BBI for around 15 years. Waad was a delight – eager to learn and had lots of questions. The perfect student!  Sensing God’s call to ministry Waad went on to get a bachelors at Maranatha Baptist University. From there he returned to SE Michigan to receive his M.Div from Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary and a Th.M from Southeastern Baptist Seminary. 

 Currently Waad is a Bible teacher-missionary serving with National Theological College & Graduate School (NTCGS) in the Middle East and in East Africa. He was born and raised in Iraq in a Chaldean Catholic family. He got saved at the age of 17 in Baghdad, and then immigrated to the US. Today he and his wife, Febe (she’s from Egypt) and their daughter Joy live in southeast Michigan. 

 Please give this dear family a HBC welcome.

On Mother’s Day I quoted some short statements from pastor-blogger Tim Challies regarding the family. I share additional comments on this special day honoring dads.    

“Find a couple whose grown children you’d be proud to call your own. Ask that couple if you can spend some time with them to either ask them questions about parenting or to simply observe life in their home. This may prove more valuable than any book on parenting.” 

“Don’t put your hope in a particular method or system of parenting. Put your hope in the gospel, then consistently teach it to your children and consistently model it for your children.”

“It is good and necessary to shelter your children from the world. It is also good and necessary to expose your children to the world while they are still under your care, and you can help them interpret what they are seeing and experiencing. Do that with wisdom. Your task as a parent is to prepare your children to live and thrive in this world, not some other one.”

“Remember that your children are sinners who are beset by the fierce enemies of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Be gentle with them and have pity for them. Don’t be yet another enemy to them.”

“Spend lots of time considering how God relates to his children, then imitate that in your parenting.”

“Sing loud in church. Don’t be content with mumbling as if it’s somehow embarrassing to have a male voice.”

Deconstructing one’s faith has become the latest craze. Recently I was given a post by a professing Christian regarding how she had been shamed as a child regarding the death of Christ. The woman called it “religious trauma.” She wrote to a younger version of herself:

“Dear younger version of me, how dare anyone blame you for the death of an adult you never knew.  HOW DARE THEY! … Your behavior had zero to do with the death of Jesus … That kind of shaming … by adults was completely unacceptable and you deserved better. It was not your fault the adults in your life cared more about their beliefs than your wellbeing.”

I don’t really know where to begin with such comments. Yes, of course they are unbiblical. While children have a certain innocence, they are not sinless. As parents and teachers we must take care in how we present the gospel – but present it we must in its entirety. We should use terminology a child can understand. Children cannot be saved until they’re old enough to understand good and evil; sin and punishment; repentance and faith. Don’t soften parts of the gospel that sound unpleasant – Christ’s death and our sin are part of that gospel. If we by-pass these truths, we won’t be giving the full gospel and without the full gospel there is no salvation.

It is tragic that in our day we are seeing more and more examples of removing parts of the gospel people find offensive. The gospel – the good news contains bad news first. We are sinners, but oh what good news it is to hear Jesus is a bigger Savior than we are sinners.

I heard on the local evening news credit card debt has reached a 10 year record high. COVID seems to be partly to blame – along with rising inflation. Credit card debt is a bad habit to get into. Sue and I fell into that trap early in our marriage. Looking back, it wasn’t that high, but it was then, and it caused unnecessary pressure. I’m glad we paid it off quickly. Since then, we have paid our credit card off each month – carefully watching what we put on it.

There is a tension between knowing that we are called to steward the wealth God provides with the fact that life is just plain expensive. As believers we need to budget our money, control our expenses, give generously to the church and set some aside for the future. But let’s use some occasionally to treat ourselves to something nice. My pastor-mentor used to say, “It’s only money.” God has given us all things richly to enjoy.

Years ago, we showed Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. It was extremely helpful. The church owns the DVDs – which can be borrowed. The biblical principles Dave articulates has helped thousands get out of debt. And yet no one is advocating hoarding. It is our Christian duty to take dominion over money – if we don’t, we will surrender our  resources to the enemy. Prov 21:20, “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man  devours all he has. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

It has been said Memorial Day honors those who never were able to take off the uniform – Veteran’s Day is to honor those who did. Tomorrow we salute the men and women who died in service of our nation. The holiday originated during the Civil War; first called Decorations Day in memory of fallen Union soldiers. The Confederacy had similar traditions but eventually both were combined. Observance of the day has diminished over the years. For many Memorial Day is simply the beginning of summer. That is unfortunate. It was emotional for me to see the unending white grave markers at Arlington when we visited almost 20 years ago. Let us pause and give thanks to those who gave their lives for our freedom. 

While we do not diminish the memory of these brave souls on this special day – let us not forget another army, the untold million soldiers of the cross. Our patriotism should not eclipse our loyalty to the gospel. Courageous men and women – boys and girls for that matter, who laid down their lives for the cause of Christ. We think such martyrdom to have occurred in biblical days or in centuries gone by. But according to statistics more Christians died for the faith in the last century that all the past combined. 

Today believers in countries like North Korea, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Sudan – plus others are persecuted for their faith. Yes, we want to honor America’s dead but let us use this holiday redemptively. Let us use this day to recommit ourselves to be bold in our faith and faithful to the gospel.