I enjoyed reading about various church experiences over the last three years as livestreams, chat rooms, and other online services were added to churches’ more traditional options.
At Crossview Bible Church, COVID catapulted us into the 21st century. Within just a few weeks we scrambled to add a Facebook livestream, and for a time had hundreds watching online, whereas before we didn’t even offer an online option. We had little budget or manpower to dedicate to this, but a couple of dedicated volunteers, the grace of God, and COVID helped us to think outside the box and make some quick adjustments. I think it was a step forward for many churches.
At Immanuel, online services were already well underway. COVID simply brought more attention and traffic to these platforms. There was also experimentation and growth with new hybrid options, pre-recorded classes, RightNow Media virtual studies, Zoom gatherings, and more. One of the lingering benefits is we still have some members who attend Bible Studies and prayer meetings via Zoom — some who now live in completely different states!
Some believe there is a strong outreach benefit. One pastor in the article remarked, “We have people who have never set foot on our campus and that is their church service. We weren’t thinking about that before COVID. Now, we’re constantly trying to figure out ways to make it better.” I wonder, to what degree can we call such people actual church members? Are these people being shepherded? Is there accountability? Is there a discipleship strategy? How are they participating in the ordinances? How are they practicing the “one anothers“?
On the other hand, I knew of some churches who never offered online services at all, or shut down them down as soon as possible as a way to emphasize the importance of in person worship and not use online ministry as a substitute.
I do think there’s a benefit in online ministry. Some members are physically incapable of attending, and online has been a tremendous blessing. It can also be a helpful first impression for those just starting to check out churches. But in the end, we do need to be thinking of ways to engage online viewers and bringing them back in person. Families have admitted to me it’s a temptation to enjoy that extra sleep, not worry about getting the whole family ready, and just watch online rather than in person. Some have finally recognized in-person is better, but others still need the encouragement.
What has been your own experience and thought process for online ministry? How have you leveraged it for discipleship, and what have you noticed are its pitfalls?
This morning was our monthly all ministerial staff meeting, and the main item on the agenda was to talk month by month through the remainder of our 2023 ministry calendar. There’s a lot going on at Immanuel, and it felt fitting that not 24 hours after Easter, we were already talking about the next big opportunity to invite neighbors on campus and tell them about Jesus. July 4th Fireworks, August Movie Nights, Harvest Festival, and Christmas Tree-lighting Celebration. All of these are already in the early stages of prayer and preparation.
As we looked ahead, I reminded staff what we’ve been seeing lately in the book of James. That it’s good to make plans, but we will only carry them out “if the Lord wills” (James 4:15). I also challenged them we could put on a lot of great events and activities, but they need to be done in a spirit of love. This is our greatest witness to a watching world. If we have not love, our biggest event is still just a “noisy gong and clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). Love is like a good marinade. It needs to soak in deeply to add flavor and enjoyment to every bite.
Here’s a great quote from Mack Stiles on the importance of love in our evangelism and event planning:
“If you are a part of a healthy church that has a culture of evangelism, you are a part of the greatest way of evangelism ever known…We are dealing with a deeply spiritual, biblical concept. Jesus said, ‘By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (Jn. 13:35). A little later, during the same time with his disciples, he prayed that they would be unified, ‘so that the world may believe that you have sent me’ (Jn. 17:20-21) Jesus says the love we have for one another in the church is a statement that we are truly converted. And when we are unified in the church, we show to the world that Jesus is the Son of God. Love confirms our discipleship. Unity confirms Christ’s deity. What a powerful witness!” (Evangelism, p. 63).
This is equally important for both church leaders and church members. So as we look back and give thanks for what God did on Easter weekend, and as we look forward and make plans for the rest of 2023, let us remember our greatest witness is doing all things in love to the glory of God!
Last night, I began a new teaching series on the Book of Genesis. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since returning from my Grand Canyon trip last summer. We’re watching together the documentary “Is Genesis History?” as well as the accompanying Bible Study, plus some personal stories and lessons from my time in the Grand Canyon. Last night was our first night together, and it was a pleasant surprise to have 33 people show up!
The Book of Genesis teaches that God created the world in six days. How then do we respond to scientists, textbooks, and museums that tell us the universe is billions of years old? The purpose of this Wednesday night study is to look at both biblical and scientific evidence for a young earth, the importance of Noah’s flood, and how to talk with those who still favor evolution. Last night, we began by…
Looking at the opening verses of Genesis
Considering an important prophecy about the last days in 2 Peter 3
Discussing the purpose and format of this class
Seeing how even godly Christians disagree on the topic
Sharing an overview of geology that will provide a framework
You can listen to my opening talk here:
The handout is also available to view or print here.
After these introductory comments, we watched the first 30 minutes of Is Genesis History? produced by Compass video and hosted by Del Tackett. You can watch this video on major streaming services or purchase on DVD or download. It is an excellent documentary on scientific evidence that supports the biblical record of history. Highly recommended for every Christian.
If you missed our first night, don’t worry! You are still welcome to join us, or you can get a Bible Study guide, follow along at home, and listen to my weekly lectures online. I will try to post new audio each week that captures the teaching and discussion.
Watching the opening minutes of the documentary “Is Genesis History?” Love seeing all these eager students!
A model of Herod’s temple is on display at the Israel Museum and shows what the temple would have looked like at the time of Christ.
The week leading up to Easter is a great time to reflect on the work of Christ, and the many important events that occurred in those final days leading up to his death and resurrection. On the Monday of Passion week, the gospels tell us Jesus entered the temple and drove out all the businesses. What a chaotic scene it must have been.
“And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”” (Mark 11:15–17)
In our staff meeting this morning, I shared several thoughts and applications that come out of this passage…
Each of us are described as a temple of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has literally taken up residence in us, and abides in us every hour of every day. Are we keeping his house clean, in what we fill our heads and hearts, so the Spirit has complete ownership and control?
The people of God corporately, the church, are also described as a single temple. As a church, do we pursue purity and a sense of awe and reverence in each of our ministries?
Is there anything we’re doing that causes worship to become too ordinary, too familiar, so that we approach God in an almost casual or flippant manner?
How can we promote a spirit and atmosphere of honor, reverence, and worship at church?
Do we prepare ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually before coming into the church?
Are there things we do as a congregation, in our ministries, that distract people from the Lord?
Do we remind ourselves regularly that God is the point, and that we are not?
There is a real danger that religion can become a money-making racket. Are we stewarding God’s resources well, and seeking to honor him alone with our time, talents, and treasure?
Thank God that so many in this church are devoted to prayer, and do treat it as a house of worship. May each of us provide that kind of example for others!
Last month, I had the chance to preach on Psalm 23. It’s one of the most beloved passages of scripture, and for good reason. It describes God as a loving shepherd whose abiding presence brings comfort in dark times. In the first four verses, God is the Good Shepherd who leads, feeds, and guides his people. In the second half of the psalm, David views himself like the guest of honor at a banquet table of God’s blessing.
These verses become all the more precious when we consider how God has fully revealed himself through his son Jesus Christ, who is himself the “Good Shepherd” (John. 10:11). You can watch the video or see my full sermon outline below…
===== PSALM 23 FOR 2023 IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH JANUARY 1, 2023
Introduction • Well, it’s 2023. Are you excited? Hopeful? Maybe a little nervous? As we start the new year, I thought what better place to begin 2023 than by looking together at Psalm 23? • Psalm 23 is one of the most well known passages in the Bible. I was talking with one of our members last week, telling her that I was going to preach on Psalm 23, and she said she sang that song in Spanish to her mother as her mother passed away. I was talking to another member on the phone this week. They were sharing how God is always with them and has met all their needs. I said, “You’re preaching my sermon for me! I’m preaching on Psalm 23 next Sunday!” She said, “that was the passage my mother was saying and praying as she gave birth to me.” Many of us have a story of how God has used Psalm 23 in our lives. When I do a funeral, I often ask the family if there is a particular passage they would like me to read, and more than any other passage, they say Psalm 23. • The psalm takes us through two scenes. In the first four verses, God is described as the Good Shepherd who leads, feeds, and guides his people. In the second half David views himself like the guest of honor at a banquet table of God’s blessing. • We can outline the passage this way: First, The LORD is a Loving Leader. Then secondly, the LORD is Hospitable Host. Let’s look first of all at the LORD as Loving Leader.
1. The LORD as Loving Leader (vv. 1-4) • David knows a thing or two about shepherding. He’s been doing it his whole life. He understands better than any of us what it takes to be a shepherd. In fact, the first time we meet David in the Bible, in 1 Samuel 16, he’s not in town with his dad and brothers, but out in the field “keeping the sheep” (1 Sam. 16:11). David is a shepherd. But here he says, “I have a shepherd too. The LORD (Yahweh) is my shepherd.” Several ways the Lord leads you and me… • Read verse 1. When you are needy, he provides. “Want” here in v. 1 carries its Old English meaning to be in need of something, to be deficient. NIV “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” CSB “The LORD is my shepherd, I have what I need.” You and I have needs, but God promises to meet those needs. Keep depending on him! None of your needs go unseen and none of your prayers go unheard. Phil. 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” God has a limitless bank account, so to speak. He never runs out of resources. The same God who created the universe out of nothing promises to take care of his children. When you are needy, he provides. David continues… • Read verse 2. When you are weary, he gives rest. Verse two is the perfect picture of peace and serenity. The flock is spread out in a lush green field, well fed, fully satisfied, and now ready to lie down for a nice long nap. Even better, there is a steady source of fresh, cool water nearby to satisfy their thirst. These sheep are completely at rest, not a care in the world. Sheep are spooked easily and will not usually lie down unless they feel safe, and the shepherd brings that sense of safety. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28). And what if we begin to stray from God? • Read v. 3a. When you are broken, he restores. Have you ever been to a classic car show? It’s amazing how people can take a rusty old car and turn it into a sparkling new hot rod. “Restoration” can refer to renewal or rebirth. Returning to a healthy condition. Maybe you’ve wandered off from God. He will restore your soul, if you will cry out for mercy. Maybe you feel worn out and useless. God will repair you and give you new life and purpose. He is the Great Physician, and he specializes in healing what is broken. How does he do this? He does this through scripture (Ps. 19:7), repentance (Ps. 51:12), prayer (Ps. 80:1-3), and victory over our enemies (Ps. 71:20-21). • Read v. 3b. When you are lost, he guides. How lost we would be without guidance from the Lord! All of us will face decisions in this new year. Some will make life-changing. Don’t you want to make wise decisions that will honor God? Maybe thinking about a new job, or moving somewhere new, or starting a dating relationship? Do not simply choose the path that is easy, or the path that is popular. Choose the path that is righteous. God will help you to make those wise choices. Trust in the Lord with all your heart…in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6). • Notice all the activity of God, his intimate involvement in your life (vv. 2-3). • Read v. 4. When you are in danger, he protects. Lit. “Valley of Deep Darkness.” In Hebrew, this is not the normal word for “dark” but a “deep darkness.” Job uses the word of going deep down into a mineshaft. Job 28:2–4 “… [Man] searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness. He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives…” In Tolkien’s story, The Hobbit, Bilbo and the dwarves come to a spooky place called Mirkwood, where everything is dark, overgrown, and sickly. Light can barely pierce the thick canopy of trees and make it all the way to the forest floor. What’s worse is that Galdalf their leader does not go with them. They had to face this challenge alone. Thankfully, in our valleys and dreary forests, God remains with us. • The Valley of the Shadow of Death can be different things. It could be physical danger or a season of depression. You and I will go through trials, so gloomy and dark that they are aptly described as “The Valley of the Shadow of Death.” • Biblical counselor Bob Somerville, grappled several years ago with the question, “If I’m a Christian, Why Am I Depressed?” In fact, that became the title of a book he wrote on the subject. He writes, “depression is a snare that has been trapping men and women throughout history and into our present age. It appears that women are more likely than men to experience a major depression probably because of the hormone fluctuations they experience at various stages in life. [But] Depression comes to the Christians and non-Christians alike, the weak and the strong. We are not only spiritual beings; God has made us of clay – vulnerable to weakness, sin, disease, and yes, depression.” (p. 24). • Even David struggled with discouragement and depression. He knew all too well what it was to go through the valley of deep darkness. He said for example, in Psalm 13, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” And in Psalm 55, “My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.” • You say, this doesn’t sound very positive for the new year! Oh, but this same David can write in Ps. 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his children begging for bread.” God is faithful! His rod and his staff comfort us even through the valley of death’s shadow. We are never alone, even in the place of darkness. • Review: When you are needy, God provides. When you are weary, he gives rest. When you are broken, he restores, When you are lost, he guides. When you are in danger, he protects. • All of these are aspects of God being a loving leader. No wonder we call him Good Shepherd! In vv. 5-6, David paints a second picture for us, one of being seated at a banquet table. God himself has spread out a lavish feast, and you are invited! Let’s see secondly…
2. The LORD as Hospitable Host (vv. 5-6) • Read vv. 5-6. • A few years ago, our family went to the Living Desert zoo in Palm Desert. One of the most beautiful and dangerous creatures is the jaguar. They are expert climbers and hunters, so they not only have high walls, but have think netting over the top of the entire exhibit. Jaguars have been known to escape from zoos and eat other animals if they’re not carefully contained. I call them the velociraptors of the animal world. Natalie told the kids to bring their nature journals, and they all sat down around the jaguar cage to draw a picture. One of my kids plopped down on a rock so that only their head was visible to the jaguar. After a bit, he took interest, left his log on the other side of the cage, glided down into the pond and came nearer, ready to pounce. Natalie realized he wanted to eat our child for lunch, so she said, “stand up.” And when our daughter stood up, the jaguar immediately dropped . Thankfully, the cat could not hurt our daughter. There was a thick glass wall between them. We could see the jaguar, and he could see us, but there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Abby was completely safe, behind that shield. In a similar way, David can see his enemies. They would do anything to get to him and do him harm, but David is safe from their evil plots and intentions. If there are those who seek to harm you, take comfort that nothing happens outside the protective gaze and strong arm of God. • Instead of focusing on his enemies and their schemes, David notices a banquet table before him, like a Thanksgiving Feast. There is food, drink, comfortable furnishings, and God himself is host. This is a word picture for God’s kindness and generosity. • Often, a guest would be anointed with oil at their arrival. It was a way guests could “freshen up” at the start of the evening, sort of washing up and putting on a splash of cologne. • And I love this next phrase in v. 5, “my cup overflows.” The word means to reach full capacity, to be fully saturated. Have you ever been to a nice restaurant and the service was so good that your cup would never even get empty? You’d take a few sips, and already, the waiter would be there to fill it up again. That’s the idea here. God’s mercies never cease. His blessings are ceaseless! The only thing limiting our supply is the size of our container! We are filled up to the brim with God’s blessing. • Thomas Watson: “God’s mercy is an overflowing mercy; it is infinite… The vial of wrath doth but drop, but the fountain of mercy runs. The sun is not so full of light as God is of mercy; God hath morning-mercies, Lam. 3:23., “They are new every morning;” and night-mercies, Ps. 42:8, “In the night his song shall be with me.” God hath mercies under heaven, those we taste of; and in heaven, those we hope for.” – Body of Divinity • This is what excites me about 2023. We get to experience fresh mercies from God. Oh yes, there will be setbacks and disappointments, and the world may not get any better. But we get to see new works God is going to do. People he is going to save, believers he is going to sanctify, people who are going to find Christ for the first time, people get baptized, new friends will be made, some who wandered off will be rescued and return back home, young people dedicate their lives to Christian service, new waves of mercy, fresh grace. Pause at the end of the year. Look around, and count your blessings. Can you not agree with the psalmist, “My cup overflows”? • The psalm ends on a high note, by saying God’s kindness will follow us. This is not a passive word, as though his goodness will drift along and might catch us now and then. No, it’s an active, an aggressive word. It speaks of chasing, like kids playing tag, or a hot police pursuit. Did you know you’re being followed? Someone is continually following you around and catch you. That’s right. You’re being followed by the goodness and mercy of God. • One of the songs we sing sometimes at Immanuel is the Goodness of God. There’s a line that says, “Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me. With my life laid down I’m surrendered now. I give You everything. ‘Cause Your goodness is running after, It keeps running after me.”
Conclusion • Our God is a Good Shepherd, isn’t he? He is a loving leader, and he is a hospitable host. • Jesus picks up this language in the New Testament. He says in John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” He did that for you when he went to the cross. In the supreme act of love and sacrifice, the shepherd died for his sheep. • Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way.” And yet John 10 says Jesus laid down his life for the sheep (v. 17-18). • Have you heard the voice of the Shepherd? He’s calling you to follow him. Let him pick you up and take you home. Let him wash your wounds. Let him feed you, comfort you, and protect you. Why not do that right now? He invites you to confess your sin, and to turn to him for forgiveness and healing. As you go through life’s trials, and the valley of deep darkness, let his rod and his staff comfort you. Let his goodness and mercy pursue you day after day.
Pinch Of Clay 