Church life – jeremycouture.me

Covenant Principles Make Good Friends

Jonathan and David built their friendship on covenant principles. What help can these principles give to those who want to build good friendships today?

David and Jonathan struck up a surprising friendship in 1 Samuel 18:1-5. Jonathan was the heir to the Israelite throne and David was his biggest rival, so it was amazing that the two got along so well. Jonathan publicized their support for one another by giving David his royal coat, armor, and weapons.

Their commitment was tested a few chapters later when king Saul publicized his own plan to kill David. (1 Samuel 20). The duo renewed their relationship with one another in a way that was shaped by God’s covenant relationship with his people. There are four covenant principles that are highlighted in their agreement and these principles helps us understand what it means to be a good friend in any era.

Helping out in tough times. Ancient near-eastern covenants were common among tribes and nations with an imbalance in power. That may seem oppressive by today’s standards, but it was much better than the alternative of total destruction. The stronger party offered certain benefits (like protection), and the weaker party offered their own benefits (like loyalty).

We have all been on both side of this equation in our interpersonal relationships. Sometimes we are the ones in need and sometimes we are the ones who are able to help. This dynamic is the lifeblood of most good friendships. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (NASB).

Staying true to one’s commitments. Jonathan and David made a number of serious pledges to one another in 1 Samuel 20:12-17. In essence, they promised to protect one another and their respective families as long as they lived. Few friendships are this formal, but every one that I know of will grow stronger if it’s kept up over time. a truth punctuated by Proverbs 18:24.

Persevering under pressure. The crown prince came under intense pressure to betray David. Saul insulted Jonathan, commanded him to betray his friend, and then tried to kill him (his own son!). Years later when David was king, he rejected the idea of “doing away with” with his rival’s family by taking care of Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson. Once again, the book of Proverbs puts this principle in action: “Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend.” (27:10a).

Trusting in God’s faithfulness. David and Jonathan appealed to God’s faithfulness multiples times throughout this encounter (v. 8, 12, 16, 23, 42). This helps us to see that faith in God is the best foundation for a friendship. The parable of the three-fold chord in Ecclesiastics 4:9-12 is a tactile illustration of this forth principle.

David was a good king because He was loyal to God’s covenant relationship with Israel. He was a good friend because He patterned his relationship with Jonathan after His relationship with God. You and I become good friends to those we care about if we take this covenant principle to heart.

Photo by SteveBuissinne from Freerange Stock

Should I Say Something?

How do you know when you should speak up and when you should stay silent? Here are five questions to consider as you “one another.”

The book of James says a lot about the words we speak. Readers are encouraged to listen before they speak in James 1:19. They are also warned against paying lip-service to religious conviction in James 2:15-16. Chapter 3 contains an extended lesson about the destructive power of the tongue and danger of false teaching (James 3:1-12). Students of the Bible are cautioned several times against quarreling and conflicts (James 3:14, 4:1).

With all this seriousness, it may seem like silence is best choice. Just keep quiet and avoid all the problems. But silence isn’t always an option.

The other books of the New Testament contain a slew of verses on how believers should view and treat one another (the term “one another” is used 100 times in 94 verses). The second greatest commandment is based on love that longs to do what is best for the other person, which has to including loving interaction as some point (Matthew 22:36-40).

So how do you know when to speak up and when to say silent?

Here is a list of questions to consider before tacking a tough situation with your tongue:

Can you speak constructively? James 4:11 warns against “attack” speech, which can include slander, gossip, and false or unfair accusations. The goal is to build the other person up, not to tear them down. Constructive criticism is very different from criticism for the sake of criticism.
Do you have a relationship with this person? The majority of these passages are set in the context of a personal relationship between fellow believers in the fellowship of a local church. A tough truth is received easier if it given by a friend. Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.”
Are you living by the same standard? It can be easy to magnify someone else’s problems or weakness while ignoring our own. James says the standard for all our behavior is God’s law – a standard we all fall short of. Be very careful about addressing an issue with someone that you know every little about.
Are you able to speak directly? Talking about someone is not as effective as talking to them. You may have a concern, but you don’t have the ability or the access to speak to them directly.
Are you motived by love? The background for these instructions in the New Testament is love. Avoid speaking to others about their problems because you want to get something off your chest or because you want to prove that you are right about something. Tough conversations can’t be about you, they need to be about the other person.

Should I say something? That’s a complex question that deserves a thoughtful response. These questions can help as you as you build live-giving relationship in today’s world.

Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay

The Power of an Invitation

The earthly ministry of Jesus Christ began with an invitation. The John the Baptist burst onto the scene, gathered a crowd, and introduced Jesus. One of the first people that paid attention to Jesus was a guy named Andrew. Originally a fisherman, Andrew is mostly remembered for being Peter’s brother. In John 1:41-42, we read that Peter came to Christ at the invitation of his brother, Andrew. The verses tell us that he found his brother, Peter, and “brought him to Jesus.” It should not be overlooked, that the most notable of the 12 disciples started following Jesus at the invitation of his brother.

Matthew’s Gospel builds on the same theme by describing the formal formation of Christ’s band of believers. This time, the invitation comes from Jesus, himself: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (4:19). The following verse tells us that they immediately left their fishing nets and set out to pursue a new life.

We often overlook the power of a personal invitation. Sometimes our failure comes because we fear our invitation might be rejected. We also assume that it’s someone else’s job to make the invitation, not us.

In today’s world, it can be easy to discount the power of a personal invitation in favor of some slick advertising campaign. Social media has become a powerful tool; so powerful in fact, that we think that it will solve all of our problems. But technology will never erase the warmth, attractiveness, and authenticity of a simple invitation.

Thom Rainer wrote a book several years ago titled The Unchurched Next Door. In it, Rainer made the claim that eight out of ten (8 out of 10) of all unchurched people said they would come to church if invited by a Christian. Even if that ratio has gone down some since the early 2000s, it deserves to be tested since 640,000 of our 800,000 of our city’s residents are not in church on any given weekend.

In our church, we’ve made some invitation cards recently to help our congregation invite others to church. The cards are intentionally simple so they can be used to point people towards our worship services and Bible study groups on Sunday mornings. They are business card-sized so they can be carried around easily. The backside of the card features two different verses to be inserted in conversations with your friends and family.

Please don’t feel limited, if you would like to invite others to your church in different ways. You can mention your church’s website and share the invitation with your neighbor over your back fence. You can give a recent bulletin to a longtime friend who has been out of church for a while. You can share a gospel tract with an acquaintance you meet in passing.

However you do it, don’t overlook the power of an invitation.

Where Is This Disunity Coming From?

When it comes to disunity in the church, the question is not if, but when. Churches are made up of imperfect people who will always find a way to have a difference of opinion. This perpetual problem forces thoughtful church leaders to ask the probing question, “Where is this disunity coming from?”

Sometimes the struggle comes from practical issues like building usage and spending money. The decisions made in real time about the day-to-day operations of a church can be very challenging. When a church is unclear about the direction of its ministries, its members are forced to take sides on a growing list of issues.

Culture can also play a part in church conflict. Maybe the demographics around the church have changed radically in recent years. Maybe there is a strong desire in the church to retain specific traditions. The bottom line is that the culture in and around the church can have a significant impact on congregational harmony.

But what should believers do if they can’t solve disunity issues through these avenues? In the 4^th chapter of James, we learn that sometimes the reason for disunity in the church is spiritual. In this passage, James lists 3 spiritual reasons for disunity in the early church. The first issue is a pattern of self-centered prayer that springs from a me-first mentality. The second issue is misplaced loyalty. The third issue is the unchecked arrogance that goes along with a works-based view of salvation. This false approach to salvation puts all the emphasis on what we can accomplish for God.

James helps us to see that sometimes disunity comes from a hidden source – the human heart. If the issue isn’t practical, theological, or cultural, it just might be coming from a spiritual source. This is something we all need to keep an eye on as we strive to serve the Lord together in unity.

Is There a Gap in Our Sanctification?

Is there a gap in our view of sanctification? Church Historian, Richard Loveless certainly through so and here’s why.

This post is the fourth in a series tracing the dynamics of spiritual renewal in the Church as outlined in Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal by Dr. Richard Lovelace. Exerpts in this post were taken from the chapter called “The Sanctification Gap.”

Is there a gap in our view of sanctification? Church Historian, Richard Loveless, certainly thought so. In his book, Dynamics of Spiritual Life, he wrote a very personal chapter about his conversion to Christ and his spiritual journey as a churchman and an academic. In his experience, Loveless found a distressing disconnect between the doctrines of regeneration and sanctification in the average Evangelical church. It’s been a few years since Loveless passed away, and even more since the last edition of his book, but the gap still seems to exist.

In Lovelace’s view, the sanctification gap appeared as a result of the correction and over-correction of the theological pendulum swing. The English Puritans felt like the Reformation had only been a “half-Reformation” so they placed too much of an emphasis on initial conversion and the doctrine of generation which pushed some into Hyper-Calvinism. This was corrected (overcorrection) in the nineteenth century by Charles Finney and others, who stressed easier standards and spontaneous commitment. This Arminian development produced a disconnect between spiritual transformation and spiritual growth in our current understanding.

I believe some progress has been made on this issue since Richard Loveless sounded the alarm. In the past 10 to 15 years, there has been an uptick in interest in discipleship, spiritual development, and spiritual growth programming in the church circles that I am a part of. This shift seems to be an acknowledgment of the gap in our soteriology. Another change has come on the winds of culture change. The disappearance of “Cultural Christianity” in America and the pandemic shutdown have forced church theologians and practitioners to reexamine the essentials of life in the church. This recalibration, if you will, has produced a stronger link between Christian beliefs and active participation in the church.

Even though the gap is not as wide as it once was, Loveless’s suggestions for closing the gap are still relevant. First, he suggested that we simply acknowledge that the gap exists. Second, he suggested that we forge a valid biblical model of spiritual life for Christians in our day. This includes, from Loveless’s perspective “true revival preaching” which penetrates defense mechanisms, uncovering hidden sin, and leading people to repentance. Third, he suggested reclaiming the explosive heritage of spiritual renewal that is connected to the Evangelical movement. These ongoing practices could help us make even more progress in closing the gap in our view of sanctification.

Photo by Jamie Hagan on Unsplash

Two Strategies for Structural Renewal in the Church.

What does it take to experience spiritual renewal and revival in the local church?

This post is the third in a series tracing the dynamics of spiritual renewal in the Church as outlined in Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal by Dr. Richard Lovelace.

What does it take to experience spiritual renewal and revival in a church? Richard Lovelace answered this question with his Model for Continous Renewal in the Church – the heart of his book, Dynamics of Spiritual Life. Lovelace’s model flows from a study of Church History and biblical precedents and includes primary and secondary elements. According to Lovelace, the primary elements of renewal are an in-depth understanding of the doctrines of justification, sanctification, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the authority believers possess in spiritual conflict. The secondary elements of renewal are the practical application of those doctrines in the church through mission, prayer, community, disenculturation (being freed from cultural blinders), and theological integration.

If you’ve read the two previous posts on this series, you’ll recognize the connection Lovelace wants us to make between the primary (doctrinal) elements and personal renewal in the church. This post is aimed at bringing out Lovelace’s connection between the secondary elements of renewal and revitalization in the local church structure. Of the five practical elements, Lovelace focuses most of his attention on community and prayer.

The biggest barrier to authentic community in the church, according to Lovelace, is overdependence on trained, professional clergy in the church. Pastors are expected to do all the ministry, while lay people (church members) look on passively. Without diminishing the role of pastors and ministers, churches would do well to encourage a mindset that every congregant is expected to serve in the church as a gifted part of the body.

The easiest pathway to building authentic community in the church, according to Lovelace, “is the formation and strengthening of nuclear subcommunities within the larger church community. The most basic subcommunity in the church is the home. In addition, Lovelace calls for the development of cell groups or support groups to provide encouragement and mutual pastoral oversight. This emphasis falls in line with our modern ministry of small groups.

Lovelace combines these two elements in suggesting that these subcommunities should be involved in a comprehensive prayer effort that is focused on spiritual renewal and revival. Corporate prayer should also be encouraged in special church-wide gatherings or as a special segment in the worship gathering.

Believers who want to experience spiritual renewal in their church, as well as in their personal life, would do well to pay attention to Lovelace’s secondary elements of renewal. The importance of community and prayer in the church cannot be overstated. Each church will certainly flesh these emphases out in its own way, but it’s hard to see how an individual church will find a resurgence without them. When combined with the previous elements mentioned, Lovelace’s Model for Continous Renewal is a very helpful pattern to follow.

Pastoral Counseling for Spiritual Renewal

Pastoral counseling is essential for experiencing spiritual renewal and revival in the church, but what does that look like?

This post is the second in a series tracing the dynamics of spiritual renewal in the Church as outlined in Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal by Dr. Richard Lovelace.

Pastoral counseling is essential for experiencing spiritual renewal and revival in the church, according to Dr. Richard Lovelace. In his book, Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal, he places pastoral counseling alongside preaching and teaching as necessary components of personal renewal, which is the precursor to corporate renewal in the church. As individuals are revived, so is the Church.

The kind of counseling that Lovelace recommends follows the historical examples of Richard Baxter and Philip Spener. Baxter augmented his preaching ministry with “house-to-house pastoral visistion” where he worked to apply God’s Word to the realtime spiritual needs of His congregation. A biblical president for this kind of ministry can be drawn from Acts 20:20, where Paul taught both in public and in the home.

Lovelace is skeptical of some counseling practitioners who follow the nouthetic approach. His first critique is their tendency to “write off all non-Christian psychological theory and practice as erroneous.” In addition, Lovelace believes that the nouthetic approach doesn’t take into account the serious nature of indwelling sin and therefore fails at delivering the necessary means of overcoming it. This is far from solving the ongoing debate about nature of Christian counseling in the church, but it helps to introduce a key set of doctrinal principles.

From Lovelace’s perserpective, spiritual renewal rests on four doctrines: justification, sanctification, the indwelling of Holy Spirit, and the authority of the believer in spiritual conflict. These “primary elements of renewal” must all be presented with equal force in context of a pastoral counseling conversation. Counselees should be encouraged to take hold of each of these four elements by faith as separate, but equal benefits of being united with Jesus Christ. They should find security in their adoptive sonship secured by Christ’s obedience and righteousness. They must also be committed to growing in their personal sanctification. Pastoral counselors also need to urge their audience to recognise and the presence and leading of the Holy Spirit as well as take hold of the strength they have in spiritual warfare.

Effective pastors will add personal counseling to the regular preaching and teaching of God’s Word if they want to stimulate spiritual renewal. They should look for ways to apply the truth of God’s Word to the individual situations and needs of their congregants. When these two practices are combined, they can be power and positive part of bringing spiritual renewal and revival to the Church.

Looking for the previous on Spiritual Renewal in the Church?

Find it here: https://wp.me/p1hRxR-Kv

God-Centered Worship versus Self-Centered Worship

How do they differ?

This past Sunday at Northside Baptist, we studied the cleansing of the temple story in John 2:13-25. We took note of several ways that Jesus challenges believers today, including challenging our self-centered forms of worship. The Jews in Jesus’ day allowed merchants and money changers to distract from true God-centered worship. Even though elements and styles of worship change through the years, there are some priorities of gathered worship that stay the same. These priorities help us differentiate between God-centered worship and self-centered worship.

Preaching God’s Word. The Bible is God’s holy, inspired, inerrant, and authoritative message to humanity. It tells us what we need to know about the world, ourselves, and most importantly God. The Scriptures inform and empower our worship; without them we have no basis for truth.

The Bible may be used in a variety of ways in worship, but the primary way it guides our worship is through expository preaching. Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix define expository preaching as “the process of laying open the biblical text in such a way that the Holy Spirit’s intended meaning and accompanying power are brought to bear on the lives of contemporary listeners.” This kind of proclaimation and explanation are essential for God-centered worship.

Praising Christ and Exalting His Name. In Hebrews 1:1-2, we find that Jesus Christ is God’s full and final revelation to the world. He is the “heir of all things” and should be the focus of our adoration and praise. The expressions of worship that we include in our times of gathered worship should all be intended for one purpose – to praise God’s one and only Son.

Music is a big part of modern worship and for good reason. Corporate singing allows congregants to participate in the service in an active way. But care should be taken to choose songs that highlight the objective nature of God and His redemptive plan for humanity in Jesus Christ. Some songs only talk about our subjective feelings as objects of God’s love. This second category falls short of the true nature of worship.

Engaging with the Holy Spirit. The Third-person of the Trinity is active in the worship of the church. In addition to salvation, the Holy Spirit is involved in empowering, illuminating, sanctifying, and bestowing gifts on all believers (Acts 1:8, John 14:16-17, Romans 8:2-17,1 Corinthians 12:4-11). The Holy Spirit makes His presence known as believers gather for worship.

There are other priorities that could be added to this. Specific expressions of worship like fellowship with other believers, observing the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and sacrificial giving are all valuable and worth noting. My goal has been to highlight the participation of all three members of the Trinity in God-centered worship. It is only when we pursue these priorities together that we avoid the self-centered alternative.

What priority would you add to the list? Feel free to add it below!

Why I’m All in for Vacation Bible School

I’m all in for Vacation Bible School and here’s why.

I’m all in for Vacation Bible School at my church. We have a great group of volunteers, but I love being a part of the opening and closing rallies and helping out any way I can. I look forward to greeting parents as they drop their kids off and giving out high-fives to those same kids as they make their way down the hall. This year, I get to share the gospel with the children at a few key points throughout the week.

Here are my top 5 reasons why I’m all in for VBS:

VBS is fun. I know that it takes a lot of hard work and advanced planning to put a VBS together. The daily schedule can be a little tiring, but it’s a good kind of tiring. The music is upbeat, the decorations are colorful, and the kid’s smiles are fantastic. Add in some crafts, snacks, and games, and you have a recipe for a memorable time.
VBS encourages the church to focus on the next generation. There are all kinds of activities that can happen in church, but you can’t have VBS without children. Children and youth are the future and they need to be a priority.
VBS encourages the church to look outward. Parents are always looking for things for their children to do during the summer months when school is not in session. VBS is a natural connection point that is easy to share with the community. These factors and more, make it easy for the church to use VBS as an outreach opportunity.
VBS encourages the church to think about the gospel. The daily schedule usually includes a lot of activities. But a full schedule is an invitation to think about what kinds of messages are truly important. In other words, what do we really want to pass on to our children? The good news about Jesus Christ – his death, burial, and resurrection for us – is the best message of all and VBS an ideal time to share it.
VBS brings out the best in our church volunteers. All kinds of people can volunteer at VBS. People who enjoy working with their hands and building can help. People that like to teach and organize can be a part. People that enjoy music and crafts can do their part. Even athletic types can serve.

These are my top 5 reasons why I’m all in for Vacation Bible School. Feel free to share your own reasons why you love to participate in VBS in the comment section below.

Why is Children’s Ministry So Important?

Why is children’s ministry so important?

People bring their Bibles to church, but they also bring their expectations. Sometimes, those expectations clash with other churchgoers in the same congregation. Since children are rarely involved in church leadership, their needs and interests can take a backseat to other “more important” ministries. Here are 10 great reasons why churches prioritize children’s ministry.

1. The family is an important part of God’s plan for the world. He invented gender, marriage, and procreation – God invented the generations! The 10 Commandments and the Epistles both include important instructions for children to honor and obey their parents (Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1).
2. The majority of people who make a decision for Christ do it before the age of 18. Most studies place the percentage around 85 percent. This number may vary slightly by family or by the stripe of church, but surely it is above 50 percent. Consider your own experience – did you make a decision for Christ as a child or a teenager? If so, then you know about the importance.

3. If a person comes to Christ at a young age, they can follow Christ for their whole lives. The rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-27 is identified by his age, as well as his wealth. What if this young man would have decided to follow Christ? That would have been an amazing story of God’s grace.

4. Children can be examples of sincere faith. Jesus’ disciples drove children away, but Jesus welcomed them into His presence (Mark 10:13-16). The way children accept things as truth is a living illustration of what it means to have saving faith.

5. Believing parents are commanded to disciple their children – and they need help. Parents in the Old Testament were expected to teach their children about the things of God (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). This expectation is continued on into the New Testament as well (Ephesians 6:4). Parents can have a huge positive spiritual influence on their kids.
6. There are all kinds of forces clamoring for our kid’s attention and loyalty. Retailers and advertisers have focused their efforts on children for decades. Today’s social reformers are directing their efforts at younger and younger ages to capture kids while they are still impressionable. The destructive power of Satan takes on a whole new level of meaning if you think about it in relation to our young ones. (1 Peter 5:8)

7. Reaching out and ministering to kids is the key to ministering to the whole family. Children’s and youth ministry is one of the top three ministries that modern families are looking for in a church. (The other two are worship/music style and preaching). Some church planting experts are recommending a children’s minister/director as the first staff hire beyond the church planter himself. Parents will come to and even in engage in the church if their children are happy and growing.
8. Churches need the energy and enthusiasm of up-and-coming generations. It’s inevitable – we all grow older over time. Churches need a balance between the wisdom and experience of older generations and the energy and enthusiasm that children and youth bring. I’ve had several conversations recently with apologetic parents and concerned church members about the noise and activity level of some of the kids in our church. In my opinion, that’s a good thing because we need these kids!
9. God blesses the discipling efforts of those who minister to children. Proverbs 22:6 is a general principle rather an iron-clad promise. As a church, we have an opportunity to partner with parents as they “train up their children.” This kind of ministry focus invites God’s blessing and we need all the blessings we can get!
10. Every person, no matter how young they are, is precious and important to God. The sanctity of human life begins at conception and extends all the way to natural death (Psalm 139:14). Sanctity refers to the holiness and intrinsic value of every human life. The very young and the very old are frequently discounted in our culture, but not so with God.

Take your pick – there a lots of reasons why children’s ministry should be important in today’s church. Investing in children will pay off dividends now and for eternity.