Posts from February 2025
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 23, 2025
WHAT DOES GODLY WISDOM REQUIRE? Living in any given culture and time requires that we have the wisdom and will to be what we ought to be for the Lord. Serving the Lord is not just about obeying a few commandments. Rather, it is a lifelong commitment to be faithful, loyal, and true to the end (cf. Rev 2:10). Developing a heart for wisdom cannot be stressed enough (Prov 2:2), and this begins with the fear of the Lord (Prov 9:10).…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 16, 2025
WHERE DO ELDERS COME FROM? The scarcity of functioning elders (bishops, pastors) in local churches has led some Christians to conclude that they are a rare breed with rare qualities. Otherwise, they reason, why would they be so difficult to come by? Contrary to this rather discouraging view, elders do not have to be imported from outer space. They are generated from ordinary human beings from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation,” and perhaps it will help identify…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 9, 2025
DO YOU NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED OR WARNED? Next Sunday morning, which kind of sermon do you need to hear: a comforting lesson that helps you deal with discouragement or one that gets in your face and warns you to take God more seriously? Depending on your circumstances, you will probably need one more than the other, but whatever your needs are, the Scriptures have what you need. If, despite your best efforts, you’ve been struggling and doubting whether you’re…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 2, 2025
DISCIPLINE IS ABOUT SAVING SOULS Collective discipline is so misunderstood and underutilized by Christians that it begs the question, do we really understand how discipline fits into God’s design for saving the soul? The deeper question is, do we believe and trust that God knows best? Discipline comes in many forms. It can be difficult to know exactly what to do or where to start. Fear of immediate consequences sometimes outweighs our fear of eternal consequences. In the cases where…