We’ve recently had a quite a few people join Grace Bible as members. Praise God for that! But with the influx of members and the announcement and welcome of those members sometimes comes the question, WHY CHURCH MEMBERSHIP?

Church membership is something that I have grown in my appreciation of over the years. At our last membership meeting one of our elders explained how 2 years ago, on our annual elder retreat, we looked at Hebrews 13:17 where church leaders are described as keeping watch over souls “as those who will have to give an account.” Our natural response as elders was, who’s souls are we going to give an account for??? The words in Hebrews require us to think about how we determine who is in our scope of responsibility. We didn’t build our whole understanding of church membership around this verse, but it was one of many that informed us and helped us to have a greater appreciation for biblical church membership.

But while we as leaders and as a church have come to value church membership MORE, at the same time, church membership has become LESS valuable in our culture, and among many people who profess Jesus as Savior. Maybe you’ve heard, or maybe even  at one time, said, things like:

“I love Jesus. But the church, not so much”

“Membership? Sounds like a private club?”

“I’m a Christian, why would I need to be a member?”

I am a Christian, and I am an avid sports fan. Nothing wrong with that per se. But sports, in the life of a Christian, like anything else, need to be enjoyed biblically–for God’s glory. After all, our charge is straight forward in Scripture, “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1Cor10:31). So how do we play as well as be a fan of sports, for God’s glory? It’s a good question. And one that requires study of Scripture, careful thought, prayer, and a lot of heart checks for the athlete as well as the fan.

Any time I come across good biblical thought and wisdom on this topic, I read it. I need all the help I can get. I found the post at the link below from author, pastor, and fellow avid sports fan, Jared C. Wilson, to be especially helpful. Here’s an excerpt, followed by the link to the entire post:

…when we use sports poorly, for our own glory and our own sake, we not only lose sorely but win poorly. And athletes, whether they’re Christians or not, reflect more the heart of God when they accept responsibility when losing and deflect credit when winning, when they seek the good of their team and the dignity of their opponents, when they do things like give up achievable salaries in order to provide financial advantage for their team in employing more highly skilled players who can benefit the organization. But when an athlete plays only for himself, he loses even if he wins. Many athletes love Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me,” but would that they’d also take Philippians 2:3 to heart: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

ENTIRE POST: FOOTBALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD?

Social media and cell phone misuse is a problem for teens and adults alike. But our teens especially need guidance, wisdom, and the example from parents and trusted adults on how to navigate the temptations and dangers associate with these forms of technology.

2Tim2:2 says …flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness… From these few words in Scripture we can conclude that 1.)there is a sinful desire that is especially associated with youth 2.) we are to flee from it, and 3.) there’s something to be followed after, “righteousness.” A cell phone and social media is not a safe playground for teens to go unsupervised. There are things to flee from and follow after. It’s especially challenging for youth. 

Here are a link to a post from Desiring God to help adults and teens raise our awareness to the dangers for us as Christians.

And here’s one from the Washington Post that will break your heart and scare the mess out of every parent who reads it. I’m honestly hesitant to share such a story, but I feel like sometimes we are failing to see just how serious this issue can be. My prayers are with this family.

I certainly don’t have all of this cell phone/social media stuff figured out for myself, or my kids. It’s a process. But here are 4 things I am working to “get better at” when it comes to my teenage kids and their cell phones and social media:

1. Get better at saying no — Sometimes we’re more concerned our kids will be upset with us, than we are for their sanctification and well being. We can’t be governed by fear that they may resent us. W need to focused on being faithful to God and protective of them. There are some apps, media outlets, that should be avoided, and ungodly practices on “safe” media outlets that should never be done. Using the Bible as our standard, we need to be ready to say no.
2. Get better at explaining why — “The answer is no because I said so” can be ok in the moment, but an explanation as soon as possible is very helpful. The older kids get the more they need to know the WHY behind the answers we give them. We don’t need to take their need for an explanation as disrespectful. It could very well be an effort to better understand and align with your decision. When explaining why, we should use applicable Scripture when possible and talk about God’s love and protection in His commands. Along with why, we have to be ready to acknowledge with them that “everyone else IS doing it” (maybe even people at church) but that doesn’t sway our decision. We have to explain that our goal is to be faithful to God and protective of them. (Explanation is also a good opportunity to pray with them about the matters being discussed)
3. Get better at monitoring — We need to look through our kids phones, timelines, and messages often. If we’re not tech savvy enough, or don’t have the time to do that, then they don’t need to have the phone. Phones also need to be made unaccessible to teens at times. We don’t want our youth out driving around at 2am, OR cruising the internet at that hour. We need to keep their phones (and probably their car keys) with us at night. (There’s no full proof content protection plan but K9 Web Protection can be very helpful)
4. Get better at setting an example — teens are like doppler radars for hypocrisy. Can you blame them? Don’t we all want authorities to go by the same rules we do? If I’m scrolling twitter, catching up on sports scores, and reading emails all the time, I can effectively say anything to my kids about their “screen time.” They need to be able to look to us for a healthy example of what to do, and what not to do. As with so many things, a good example can go a long way.

There’s a ton more I need to work on. It’s a work in progress. It’s very important that we stay in a healthy direction in this area. Which requires me to seek and submit to God and will, and that’s ALWAYS good.

Very simply, baptism is an outward testimony of the inward change in a believer’s life. Christian baptism is an act of obedience to the Lord after salvation; although baptism is closely associated with salvation, it is not a requirement to be saved. The Bible shows in many places that the order of events is 1) a person believes in the Lord Jesus and 2) he is baptized. This sequence is seen in Acts 2:41, “Those who accepted [Peter’s] message were baptized” (see also Acts 16:14–15).

A new believer in Jesus Christ should desire to be baptized as soon as possible. In Acts 8 Philip speaks “the good news about Jesus” to the Ethiopian eunuch, and, “as they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?’” (verses 35–36). Right away, they stopped the chariot, and Philip baptized the man.

Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Everywhere the gospel is preached and people are drawn to faith in Christ, they are to be baptized.

The preceding wast taken from GotQuestions.org. You can read the entire post including more on Christian Baptism by clicking here.

Grace Bible Fellowship’s position on baptism says:

About Baptism by Immersion – We believe that scriptural baptism must be: (1) by being completely immersed under the water and (2) after salvation. Baptism has no saving power but is the first act of obedience symbolizing (1) the believer’s faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, (2) the believer’s death to sin and resurrection to walk anew in Christ, and (3) the Christian’s belief that he will die, be buried, and that Jesus will resurrect him from the dead. Acts 8:26-39; Romans 6:4, 5; Colossians 2:12

Check out Grace Bible’s monthly newsletter at the link below!

GRACE NOTES FEB 2016

We often view sports as the best example and teacher of teamwork. I’m not sure that’s always true. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the entertainment value of sports, and the many things they can teach us. But more and more the emphasis is placed on individuals rather than the team. Look at pro sports — Manning vs Brady, Manning vs Newton, Curry vs Lebron, who was better Jordan or Kobe? Individual stats, celebration dances, big $$ contracts, galore. All about the team, right? Eh, maybe not so much. We (or maybe it’s just me) even sometimes rationalize the over-programming of our kids lives with sports by saying it will “teach them teamwork”.  There’s truth to that! But maybe sports aren’t the best place for kids to learn the value of selflessness through teamwork.

The first place that “teamwork” should be modeled is in one of the basic institutions that God gave us, the family. And within the family, the most obvious example of good teamwork for our kids and others, ought to be the team that exists between a husband and wife (Gen 2:24). In one sense, marriage is a team sport. A biblical marriage is two people walking in God-glorifying unity, seeking the good of one another, making necessary sacrifices, loving unconditionally, forgiving and being forgiven, for a LIFETIME! (Eph 5:22-33) — now THAT requires some teamwork.

So, married folks — if you missed the tee-ball sign up deadline and are worried where your kids will learn teamwork this Spring, fear not. The greatest opportunity to teach teamwork won’t require any new sports gear for your child, but it might require a renewed perspective on you might be a better teammate to your spouse.

Below is a link to a great post from Focus On the Family, by Greg Smalley, with practical ways for husbands and wives to “Establish a teammates mentality”. Check it out:

You’re On the Same Team.

I recently read a post about a startling, unbiblical parenting paradigm — Family physician, psychologist and author Leondard Sax says parents are “raising kids wrong.” You can read the entire post here, but here’s an excerpt:

“Parents are incapable of speaking to their children in a sentence that ends in a period…Every sentence ends in a question mark…Some parenting experts told adults that they should offer their children choices instead of telling them what to do and parents believed them…The hierarchy of parent over child no longer exists…Instead of parents exercising their authority because they know what’s best, they are focusing on making children happy and boosting their self-esteem…They now see their job as facilitating whatever a kid wants to do…” 

He’s right. That’s wrong. Constantly giving a child their own way while failing to provide instruction and correction is an act of neglect by us as parents and an injustice to the child. The Bible is clear that much of our role as parents is that of loving, guiding, disciplinarian. (Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 19:18, Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 22:15, Proverbs 23:13-14, Proverbs 29:15, Proverbs 29:17)

BUT–we are also warned not to exasperate our kids (Ephesians 6:4) or cause them to grow bitter toward us (Colossians 3:21)! How do we do both??? How do we act as the disciplinarians to sinful hearts (like ours) and at the same time keep them from hating us for fulfilling our role??? Well, there’s no short answer to that question. But we know it includes experiencing God’s corrective love and grace in our own life. The closer we are to God, the more instep we are with our Heavenly Father, the better we’ll parent. But what about some practical steps, some “how to” tips for scenarios that many parents face? I heard what I thought was a great radio program on this subject this morning from Focus on the Family and Psychologist and author Dr. Henry Cloud. One phrase that stuck out to me was “be hard on the problem, without being hard on the child”. You can listen to the episode here: Raising Kids With Healthy Boundaries (Part 1 of 2) It’s well worth your time!

Also, here’s a link to some helpful Focus On The Family Apps that you might be interested in downloading.

Grace Bible Family,

As I shared in our members meeting yesterday morning, after a period of deep prayer and reflection, Adam will be stepping away from his role as Family Pastor of Grace Bible — effective Feb. 1, 2016. Furthermore, Adam will be stepping into a new role. Adam, Magan, and their two daughters (Elliot and Haddon) will be moving back to Southeast Asia to serve as missionaries. In this role, Adam will be helping to manage an international church-planting network, located in one of the largest urban centers in the world.

While this may come as a surprise to many, it is no surprise to the Lord. The timing and circumstances are not something anyone originally anticipated, but this is exactly what the Lord had in mind.

Please know that this is not a separation. This is actually a continuation of ministry, albeit in a different role. The elders and I stand by and support Adam and his family. There is a great affection and love for one another.

Adam and Magan will continue to call GBF their church home. They’re still family. Please pray with us as we ask the Lord’s blessing on this big step of faith for them and prayerfully consider how the Lord may lead you to encourage, bless, and support them during this time of transition.

Blessings,

Roy

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” -CS Lewis

In the video below, funny man Jim Carrey gives a seemingly impromptu speech before he announces nominees at the Golden Globe awards. Amid Carrey’s sarcasm you can hear the dissatisfaction that comes from the ongoing pursuit of what he knows “won’t ultimately fulfill” him. On a different occasion, Carrey said “I hope everybody could get rich and famous and have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that it’s not the answer.” He’s right. Wealth, fame, possessions, they’re not the answer. But there is an answer.

“Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you…” -Augustine

A relationship with God in Christ Jesus is the answer. Nothing else will truly satisfy or bring peace the hearts of humans .

He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Col 1:15-20

Faith in Christ makes sense of life. Jesus teaches us who we are, why we are here, what is wrong with the world, and what can be done about it. He is the answer. He’s the ultimate fulfillment.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” -Jesus (John 14:6)

“Fathers, be good to your daughters. Daughters will love like you do” -John Mayer, Daughters

One of the greatest privileges of my life is being a dad to 4 great kids. One boy and 3 girls. Naturally, my son and I share a lot of “guy things” in common. But I share a very special bond with my 3 daughters that my son and I don’t have. It’s hard to explain, but daughters soften a man’s heart like nothing else can. Daughters know their dad is the last man on earth who would ever hurt them, and the first man who would lay down his life to protect them.

Dads sometimes think that raising girls, especially as they get older, is a mothers work. Moms fill a necessary and special role for sure, but girls always need their daddy too.

Below is a link to a post that every dad of a daughter needs to read. For me, the post is especially impactful, because it was shared with me by my older sister. As a faithful aunt to my 3 girls, my sister wants me to get what this post is saying!
The author rightly says, “Fathers, more than anyone else, set the course for a daughter’s life…If you fully understood just how profoundly you can influence your daughter’s life, you would be overwhelmed.”

Check it out: Why Daughters Need Their Dad