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Spiritual Development January 2017

Happy New Year! 2017 is here and so is a new opportunity to recommit yourself to the Word of God. My prayer is that you would value and cherish the truth of the Bible even more this year. However, like every resolution that we make around the new year we have a tendency of losing interest or focus at some point not so long after we make the resolution. Well, I want to suggest two options that will hopefully make your resolution transition to a natural part of your lifestyle.

1. Foundations by Robbie and Kandi Gallaty

Foundations is a book based off of a Bible reading plan that Pastor Robbie Gallaty put together to help his church read through the Bible through the course of a year. It is a 260-day plan that is intended to be read 5 days out of each week. Each day has a text to read, some helpful commentary on the passage, as well as a weekly memory verse that you can meditate on throughout the week. Pastor Gallaty also teaches how to do something called a H.E.A.R. journal entry in response to what you read. This acronym stands for Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond. This moves you away from the mindset of simply checking off a box to complete the yearly plan and into a meaningful habit of observing, interpreting, and applying the truth of Scripture to your life. You can also check out the
Replicate Ministries App for iOS and Android.

2. Read Scripture App

Another great tool that was just recently released is the Read Scripture app. This is a resource put out by Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love, for the purpose of helping people connect with the overall message of the Bible that points to Jesus. This app breaks down the Bible into 16 chapters of the big story of the Bible. This app also partners with The Bible Project and provides very helpful, short videos that explain the structure and themes of every book before you begin reading it. For books like Leviticus, Numbers, and the Minor Prophets that may not be familiar to you at all, this is a great resource to show you the value of the entirety of Scripture. Everything is contained in this app – the daily plan, the text of Scripture to read, and the videos. You can also set up reminders on your phone too in case you need extra help. This app is now available for both iOS and Android.

My prayer is that whatever means you use this year, that you cultivate a deeper love for the Word of God and allow it to mold you more into the image of Jesus Christ. I’m excited to see what God has in store for our church in 2017!

Spiritual Development December 2016

In his book, Expository Apologetics, Dr. Voddie Baucham details how apologetics begins with our understanding of Scripture and the power of the gospel to save people out of sin and unbelief.  I would highly recommend this resource to you if you desire to know how to more effectively share your faith with others while being informed with the truth of Scripture.  The following is an excerpt from an article about the book that describes how expository apologetics relates to every person.

“Expository apologetics—the practice of answering objections with the power of God’s Word—is for everyone.  First, it’s for the unbeliever. This is the person both ignorant of and antagonistic toward the gospel. This audience requires an evangelist.  Whether we’re evangelists, preachers/teachers, or disciples, our goal is the same. As expository apologists, we point people to Christ and call them to repent and believe. We’re constantly showing people how foolish and dangerous it is to trust in anything but him. At bottom, the expository apologist is an evangelist.  Evangelism is more than merely convincing people of the rightness of Christianity or getting them to walk an aisle and pray a prayer. Evangelism is about making disciples—calling people away from the kingdom of man and into the kingdom of God. This transfer of allegiance is at the heart of expository apologetics.

Second, it’s for the churchgoer. This is the person, whether converted or unconverted, sitting under the regular preaching and teaching of the Word. This audience requires a preacher/ teacher.  Unlike the evangelist, the pastor/teacher is, for the most part, dealing with Christians. But Christians have areas of unbelief and doubt too. They live in a world constantly challenging their thinking. They watch TV, go to school, read magazines and newspapers, surf the internet, and interact daily with people and things that influence their thinking. They must be reminded repeatedly, then, of the apostle’s admonition: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:1).

Third, it’s for the disciple. This person is brand new to the things of God. This is the child being raised in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4), or the new convert unlearning and relearning everything he thinks he knows. This audience requires a discipler.  Interestingly, the one least likely to be considered an apologist is the one most likely to engage in expository apologetics. Neither the evangelist nor the pastor/teacher will have a fraction of the expository apologetic encounters the discipler will. The discipler is a parent raising children or a more mature believer taking a new believer by the hand and introducing him or her to the fundamentals of the faith. 

No matter the circumstance, there’s always a need to make the claims of the gospel both clear and memorable. As we lead people, let’s never forget that we’re helping them to always “make a defense.”

(The full article can be found at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-reasons-you-need-expository-apologetics)