Don't Waste Your Evangelism Opportunities in College

This is the second post in the series "Your College Years Will Fly By"

Here is my syllogism:

·       Every Christian must be involved in “making disciples,” which includes sharing the gospel with unbelievers.

·       Each stage of life brings some unique evangelistic opportunities. 

·       Therefore, be a good steward with your opportunities, for they will never be exactly the same in the future

Every Christian should evangelize

Jesus commanded his disciples to make disciples of all the nations. They “make disciples” (or followers of Jesus) by sharing the gospel message (Mark 1:15), exemplifying Christian love for fellow Christians (John 13:35), and letting the Lord give new life (John 3). The point is, every believer has a role to play. We know that this is true because the promise in the Great Commission is that Jesus will be with his followers until the end of the age to empower them in ministry. Therefore the ministry must endure past the original disciples to the end of the age.

Each stage of life brings some unique (and some similar) opportunities

For example, a young mom who is at home with her kids will have opportunities to evangelize her children, other moms she spends time around, her hairstylist, etc. Some of these are unique opportunities (her children) while others are more common (hairstylist).

You, as a young and single adult, will likely not have as many opportunities in the realm of evangelizing your children (but you could evangelize children through a ministry).  All I am saying is that there is usually a unique “people group” you can reach now that you will likely not have as direct access to in the future.

So, don’t waste the particular opportunities you have now. What doors are open for young adults? For those who are students, you have more direct contact with college students. These young men and women are at a phase of life in which they are trying to formulate convictions about their purpose, why the world is as it is, and where everything is going. That is a unique opportunity in terms of evangelism. 

Beyond that, young, unmarried adults often have a greater number of exchanges with people during the day. Between work and school, you are around large numbers of different folks. Being around more people, especially at a secular university, means you also have contact with a wider variety of people. Not merely in terms of numbers but in terms of worldviews and nationalities. You in a stage in life in which it takes less extra and intentional effort to break out of the silos of being around people that are mostly “just like you.”

Therefore, be a good steward

What a tremendous set of circumstances to minister in! What opportunities to make Jesus Lordship and grace known. So, don’t waste these unique opportunities. The same goes for “the rest of us.” We have unique opportunities that are unique if we open our eyes and love our neighbors.

"Hope for Lousy Evangelists"

As we approach our focused celebration of the resurrection, we might find more opportunities to share the gospel. I found this podcast episode  "On Overcoming Fear in Personal Evangelism" to be encouraging. It is from the "Pastor's Talk" podcast (by 9Marks), but it is not aimed mainly at pastors.

Here is the description of the episode:

As Christians, we know we should share the gospel, but many of us feel discouraged—either about our lack of evangelism, or the lack of fruit from our evangelism. What can we do about this? Where can we lousy evangelists find hope?

Praying for Our Evangelism

Last Sunday night Charlie did a talk on sharing the gospel around the holidays and we spent time praying for our evangelism. Below is the prayer sheet we used. Perhaps you'll find it helpful as you pray (this was adapted from an article by Garrett Kell found at desiringgod.org).

Praying for Our Evangelism

Praise God for his merciful heart and for making a way of salvation

·         This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:3-5)  

·        For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19:10)

Pray God will help us see the desperate need of lost people

·         For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;  and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. (1 Cor. 5:16)

·        I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. (Romans 9:23) 

·         And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Matt 25:46)

Pray God will open doors for the gospel

·         At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ (Col 4:3)

Pray God will give us courage to proclaim Jesus

·         and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:19-20)

·        All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.  (John 6:37)

Pray God will allow us to see him grant the gift of faith and repentance.

·         We are asking for this on the basis that it gives God and his kingdom great joy: “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7)

·         We are asking God because he alone can grant this gift: God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim 2:25) 

Responsibilities of a Church Member: Share the Gospel

Share the Gospel

Continuing the series on the responsibilities of a church member, we now turn from our role in preserving the gospel to our sharing the gospel.

The great commission is familiar to us. But, perhaps, we quietly insert something into it.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore [all who are extroverted and smooth in speech] and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (bracketed text added by me to bad effect)

Do you see what we might quietly add to the great commission? In reality, however, this is not a call to an elite group of Christians. It is not a call only for pastors. It is a call for all of God's people. The promise at the end of these verses is for all Christians, so too is the command that the promise undergirds.  Jesus is with all Christians to the end of the age, and his call to make disciples is the mantle all Christians bear.

As a member of the church, one of your responsibilities is to share the good news and to disciple Christians (more on this aspect in a future post). We are to seek to share the gospel with family members, friends, neighbors, classmates, and others we encounter.  Not every conversation will be about the gospel. And not all gospel conversations will be a full laying out of the gospel. We don't try and force people to listen to us share the gospel, and we don't merely try to get through a checklist of facts. But, we do have the responsibility to share the gospel. 

And we do this not only individually but through the corporate witness of the body of Christ. Our love for one another (which requires us being together and living the Christian life as a body) is a way the world will know that we belong to Jesus. Jesus said in John 13:35 "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

For a good book on the topic of evangelism, check out Mack Stiles Marks of the Messenger: knowing, living and speaking the Gospel. 

"How Do We Respect Others While Rejecting Their False Beliefs?"

The Ask Pastor John podcast tackles the question of how we respect others who have false beliefs. This is an important issue and one which we encounter regularly. I hope you'll take the time to listen to John Piper's answer. 

Hospitality and Evangelism

You might not think that these two ideas, hospitality and evangelism, go together, but they are like peanut butter and jelly (or maybe peanut butter and bananas...don't judge if you haven't tried it). Hospitality is the love we show towards strangers. It is a welcoming love that is willing to put ourselves out there in ways that cost us time, energy, and money in order to lovingly welcome and seek to do good to a fellow human that we do not know very well (ie. they are not our best friend already).

Our culture is increasingly polarized and full of anger. How refreshing Christian hospitality is in such a vitriolic setting. Since Christian hospitality is motivated by the Gospel, it is a means to evangelism too. God welcomed us into his house, even into his family, while we were strangers to his promises, even hostile towards him. This hospitality ought to extend to fellow Christians that are different than us or that we don't know (Romans 15:7 says, "Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."). But it also must be extended to those we are inviting to "leave father and mother and sister and brother" to follow Jesus (see Ananias and Barnabas showing hospitality to Saul / Paul in Acts chapter 9).

Matt Chandler has a helpful article entitled "Everyone you meet will live forever: Evangelism in an age of unbelief" at Desiring God that address this and gives a few practical ideas. You don't have to have a home or cook like Betty Crocker to show hospitality. Start by simply greeting people, by asking questions to get to know them, and by caring about them. Love for them also compels you to want to share the best gift with them - Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Christian hospitality is not contingent upon everyone agreeing with the truth of who Christ is, but it doesn't pretend as if Jesus is simply a nice add-on to life either. Christian hospitality is rooted in our acceptance by God in Christ and, therefore, displays that reality in our words and deeds.

Who might you show hospitality to today?

Ask a Friend to Read the Bible with You - Resources to help

In his book One to One Bible Reading: a simple guide for every Christian, David Helm mentions a study from 2009 which asked unchurched young adults (20 somethings) to agree or disagree with this statement: "I'd be willing to study the Bible if a friend asked me to." In that age bracket, 61% said they agreed.

Couple that with the fact that the Bible reminds us that the Word of God is what we and our friends need to hear if we would be saved and grow in godliness (1 Thessalonians 2:13-16, 2 Tim. 3:16, Heb. 4:12, Psalm 19, Rom 1:16, Romans 10).

In light of all this, let me encourage you to invite a friend (especially an unbelieving friend) to read through a Gospel with you to see who Jesus is for themselves. You might be surprised how many would not be willing to come to church but who would like to sit and read through a Gospel with a friend.

Here are two resources to help you get started.

1. One to One Bible Reading: a simple guide for every Christian. You can see the table of contents here. You can buy it form amazon here. It is a short book and very helpful. 
2. Christianity Explained is a 6 meeting study that goes through parts of Mark's Gospel to show who Jesus claimed to be, what he did, and the message of salvation. I have used this with several people and found it helpful. I have a copy of you want to look at it. You can see more info here. 

For Those Discouraged in Evangelism, Jesus Saves (Not You)

Is there a friend or family member that you fear is beyond the gospel of salvation? Perhaps they are hostile towards Jesus or maybe they have made up a Jesus they are comfortable with (but one who cannot save them). Maybe they are so enslaved to their own passions and desires that it seems impossible that they will ever walk in the freedom of loving God.

It is easy to slip into this sort of thinking. For me it usually isn't an outright thought of giving up on them. But it often creeps in and then manifests itself in a weakening of my resolve to proclaim Christ, crucified and risen for sinners, to them.

Recently I found myself rebuked by Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones on this issue.  Here is what I read,

We tend to regard certain people as beyond hope, and assume that they must of necessity continue in their grooves as they are and die unrepentant and unredeemed. We just shake our heads over them and express our sorrow. We have talked to them and tried to persuade them. We have appealed to them and preached to them. Everything that human agency can possibly do has been tried and has failed. We cannot get them to come our way, so we feel that their case is hopeless and desperate. Ah! what a lack of faith all that reveals! How different from what we find here in the New Testament and always in the church during days of revival and true faith! If you and I are to save men and women, then indeed the case is hopeless. All our efforts will most certainly fail. But that is not our gospel. It is Jesus Christ who saves! There is no limit to what He can do! His methods are not confined as ours are.

Ian Murray's Biography of Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones, Volume 1, page 226.

One-to-One Bible Reading Evangelism

At the very beginning of last semester, we went on a beach retreat and I gave out the book One to One Bible Reading by David Helm. This short book is a helpful resource and example of how to do
evangelism and discipleship one to one (or in a small group) just going through a book of the Bible together. I highly recommend that book (a few are available in the fellowship hall).

I want to bring the idea back up because I don't want it to slip out of our view. It is so easy to get busy (especially as mid-terms approach) and to assume we "don't have time" to approach a classmate or coworker about whether they would be interested in meeting up to read and talk about the Bible. While we are all busy, I don't think we are too busy to do this. We can't be. The gospel is of first importance (1 Corinthians 15).

So, let me encourage you to learn how to study the bible with another person (maybe practice with a friend from church - it will be an edifying and equipping time). Then ask God to give you one friend to invite to meet up with you to read and learn about God from the Bible. I think you will be surprised that many of them know little about the Bible and will want to at least look into it.

Here is an article about a young woman who has been doing this type evangelism. Also, I would be glad to meet up with you and help you think about how to be grow in this area.

Eternal Life Depends on Right Doctrine

We live in a day when doctrine is often downplayed. A false spirituality seems to be all too common, even among many well meaning Christians (spirituality in our culture is often a synonym for sincere or strong feelings about some spiritual things). Doctrine matters, and our eternal life depends on having right doctrine.

I talked to a man the other day who told me he knew he was going to be with Jesus when he died because he has been a pretty good person. Just because he mentioned Jesus, does not mean he knows the true Jesus. Let's not assume everyone who "likes Jesus" actually knows him in a saving way.

Kevin DeYoung has a good, short article on the importance of doctrine. I suggest you take a minute to read it over. Here is a good quote:

Let us not send people into the world with merely a vague notion that Jesus saves without teaching them particulars about the Jesus who does save. Jesus is a Savior for every kind of person, but not every kind of Jesus saves.

Where Should Someone Who is New to The Bible Start?

Below is a helpful video (~2 minutes) from Desiring God by Ben Stuart that addresses this question, and it fits nicely with what we talked about regarding one to one Bible reading and what we are talking about in Biblical Theology on Thursday nights.



I hope you have had a chance to read the book you received on the beach retreat: One to One Bible Reading by David Helm. I also hope that you are praying for and pursuing an opportunity to read the Bible one on one with a fellow Christian and/or with an unbelieving friend. The end of the book has a suggested way to work through portions of Mark's Gospel in 6 meetings. I know he says to point people to John's Gospel (and that is fine too). May God use us to encourage one another and to share the good news with our friends.

Is It OK to Date Someone Who Is Not a Christian?

Last time, I left you with a cliff-hanger. Does the Bible give us any direction when it comes to issues of whom we can date or how to pursue a dating relationship?  My answer is obviously "Yes" (otherwise why waste these pixels and post?). 

Today, I want to address a method the Bible says we must avoid. Next time we'll look at a method I think we should be cautious of. Finally, we will look at principles the Bible does give us for pursuing a spouse. 

A Method to Avoid: Missionary Dating

I have heard it said that the Bible says nothing against a Christian dating a non-believer. Most Christians would at least agree that such a situation is not ideal, but I have seen several men and women, in desperation, enter into such relationships. Usually they begin by saying they will not date the non-Christian, and that they are simply spending a lot of time together in order to try and win them to Christ. Before long however they are in a dating relationship, now saying that they would never consider marrying the nonbeliever unless he or she becomes a Christian.

I will not sugar-coat this for you. This is a method which the Bible requires you to avoid. Seeking a spouse among unbelievers is not a God-honoring method. I am not saying there is a verse that says, “Thou shalt not date nonbelievers.” That does not mean the Bible allows for it. In fact, there are many areas of life the Bible doesn’t explicitly address which it, nonetheless, clearly prohibits in principle. For example, it does not say, “You cannot participate in a Ponzi scheme.”[1] But there are clear biblical principles that would prohibit it (ex. not lying, not stealing, etc.). In the same way, the culture in which the Bible was written didn’t have what we know as dating, but the Bible still has much to say about the issues surrounding modern dating.

The Bible clearly addresses the way Christians are to relate to non-Christians, and it is in a way which prohibits pursuing close relationships (i.e., dating and marriage). I will show you a couple passages that teach this, but there are many others.

First, in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 Paul says,

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵ What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

In the context, Paul is telling the Corinthians how they are to show their love towards him, the one who is a spiritual father to them (v. 13). There was a faction that was rejecting his apostolic authority, and he is telling the Corinthians not to be yoked with these unbelievers. To be yoked is to be “hitched up” together. The picture is that of two animals hitched together with a yoke to plow a field. So, this is an illustration of the fact that Christians must not be tied together or closely allied with unbelievers. Specifically, in this passage, Paul is saying not to be in close alliance with those who are unbelievers and stirring up division in the church. But the principle would apply to any situation in which Christians would link closely with those who do not serve the same Lord. The reason I say this is that Paul grounds his specific command in the broader principle that those who are seeking the righteousness of God should have no intimate relationship with those who serve false gods (which is every unbeliever).

To make this clearer, Paul goes on in verses 16-18 to say that we (Christians) are the people of God. He is quoting from several Old Testament passages in which the Israelites are called God’s people and told to be separate from unbelieving nations around them. Paul is now applying to New Testament believers this idea of being set apart to God. Think about it: in the Old Testament, God was very clear that intermarrying with the pagans was not acceptable. It would lead the Israelites away from God. The same is true today. Those who are closest to us will influence our walk with the Lord.[2]

Since I’ve found that the pull towards justifying dating or marriage relationships with unbelievers can be strong for singles, I want to look at another passage to bolster my point. In 1 Corinthians 7:39, Paul says, “A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.” Here, Paul is specifically addressing the issue of marriage. Here, he has a word for widowed women who are in the position of picking a spouse. They can choose whomever they want as long as he is “in the Lord” (i.e., a Christian).

In New Testament times, a woman was not likely to be able to choose her first spouse. This was usually arranged by her parents. So, if she was going to choose who to marry, it would have been after being widowed. In such a case, where she gets the choice, she is required to marry a Christian. Therefore, in our culture, in which we have the choice of whom we will marry, we must marry a Christian -- end of story.

“But what if I just date them? I won’t marry them unless they become a Christian.” The Bible still says this is an ungodly relationship. There are three reasons I say this.

The first reason this is ungodly is that it lacks Christian love for others. In chapter 5, I have already elaborated on the idea of dating with no intent on marrying. So, I will just mention that it is unloving because it is basically using the other person so that you can have enjoyment and companionship.

Second, if you are hoping that he or she becomes a Christian so you can get married, I believe you are being confusing and manipulative towards the nonbeliever. This attitude confuses your unbelieving date because you say your ultimate allegiance is to Christ, and then you pursue a degree of intimacy with a person who does not have Jesus as their Lord. It looks as if Jesus’ lordship just means you try to live a morally upright life, instead of revealing that He really rules over every area of your life (including your human relationships). This can also be manipulative because it is like dangling the carrot of a deeper relationship in front of your non-believing friend if only they will convert. This all seems to reek of worldly thinking and not Christian love.

Finally, this is an issue of where your ultimate love is focused. I am convinced that the reason most Christians date an unbeliever is that they love and desire a human relationship more than they desire to love Jesus. They may not say that, but their actions seem to prove it. Jesus calls us to a devotion to Himself that allows for no rivals. Even our relationship with a Christian spouse cannot be allowed to overshadow our love for Him. Jesus said it this way, in Matthew 10:37-39,

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

This is a sobering thought. Am I willing to die to self to really live in Christ? If the answer is “No,” then we do not have the life of Christ in us. If the answer is “Yes,” then every other relationship is properly ordered under our allegiance to Jesus and His will. Believing the lie that satisfaction is found ultimately in human relationships rather than our relationship to Christ is deadly to the soul.

The great pastor JC Ryle advised young men to “never make an intimate friend of anyone who is not a friend of God.” He said,

Believe me, the importance of this advice cannot be overrated. There is no telling the harm that is done by associating with godless companions and friends. The devil has few better helps in ruining a man’s soul. Grant him this help, and he cares little for all the armor with which you may be armed against him. Good education, early habits of morality, sermons, books, regular homes, letters of parents—all, he knows well, will avail you little if you cling to ungodly friends. You may resist many open temptations, refuse many plain snares; but once take up a bad companion, and he is content. … You must recollect, we are all creatures of imitation: precept may teach us, but it is example that draws us. There is that in us all, that we are always disposed to catch the ways of those with whom we live; and the more we like them, the stronger does the disposition grow. Without our being aware of it, they influence our tastes and opinions; we gradually give up what they dislike and take up what they like, in order to become more close friends with them. And worst of all, we catch their ways in things that are wrong far quicker than in things that are right. Health, unhappily, is not contagious, but disease is. It is far more easy to catch a chill than to impart a glow; and to make each other’s religion dwindle away, than grow and prosper. Young men, I ask you to lay these things to heart. Before you let anyone become your constant companion, before you get into the habit of telling him everything, and going to him in all your troubles and all your pleasures—before you do this, just think of what I have been saying, Ask yourself, “Will this be a useful friendship to me or not?” [3]

Please don’t misunderstand. Ryle’s point, and mine, is not that you must avoid unbelievers like the plague. We must love and reach out to unbelievers. We do not fear becoming “unclean” merely by relating to unbelievers.

The point is, will this friendship help you better love God? If so, then a close friendship is permitted. If it will not, then your relationship with them is not that of a close friendship. If you don’t have Christ in common, then you are, by definition, going in two very different directions despite any “chemistry” you might feel or common interests you may have. You serve God, and they are under the power of Satan (John 8:44, 2 Cor. 4:4). You are in the Kingdom of God, and they are in the domain of darkness (Col. 1:13). Therefore, your relationship to an unbeliever is one of seeking to rescue them from a burning building, not of slow dancing with them by the light of the fire of coming judgment.

Dear brother or sister, perhaps you are in an “unequally yoked” relationship. Maybe you have never given much thought to what the Bible says on this issue. Perhaps you have not given much thought to your own motives in dating a nonbeliever. I urge you to consider the passages mentioned above and to examine your own motives. If you are already in a relationship with a nonbeliever, you must end it. Do it graciously and humbly (admitting how you have sinned against the Lord and them), but do it you must. Ask an older godly man or woman in your church to help you think about how to do this in a way that shows love to the other person and which upholds your undivided devotion to your Lord.

This is part of the series God, Singleness, and Marriage: How the Bible Gives Purpose and Direction to Singles

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[1] A Ponzi scheme is offering people an investment opportunity which is really a fraudulent attempt to get their money from them in such a way that they do not notice the theft for a very long time.

[2] This does not mean you may divorce a non-believing spouse. Paul explicitly rejects this in 1 Cor. 7:12. But it does mean that before marriage you must make the choice to not enter into such a relationship (cf. 1 Cor. 7:39).

[3] Thoughts for Young Men, pg. 27. 

Copyright Ben Khazraee. You may share this article with others, but please direct them to this blog rather than posting the text to your own website, blog, etc. You may share printed copies with friends as long as you do not charge more than the cost of producing the copies.

Responding to Pro-Abortion Arguments: SLED

This past Sunday I preached on Psalm 10 (click here for the sermon resource page and search for "The sorrow of injustice and oppression". I could not help but make application to the issue of abortion as this is the biggest form of oppression in the United States in our lifetime. I pray God gives us courage and resolve to pray and act on behalf of the innocent and weak. He will avenge, but we are to put his love on display by rescuing from the hand of the oppressor.

There are several ways we can and should be involved. Obviously prayer and sharing the gospel. I would also add that we should support pregnancy centers with our money and time. Not all can volunteer or even have money to give, but perhaps more of us would have money and time to give if we gave more sacrificially.

One thing I mentioned (briefly) as I was making the case that abortion takes innocent life is the SLED response to pro-abortion arguments. I did not come up with this, but found it helpful in responding to many of the arguments people make in attempts to "prove" that a baby in the womb is not a human life worthy of protection.

Size

The argument is made that the fetus is small and therefore not a human life (or at least not worthy of protection). However, if we carried this argument to its logical conclusion than my 1 year old son is not as deserving of life or protection as I am because he is much smaller than I am.

Level of Development

Closely related is the argument that a fetus is not human life because he is not as developed as a baby out of the womb. Again, if we carry this argument to its logical end, that is if level of development determines worth, than my 1 year old son is not as developed as my 4 year old and therefore not worthy of life. Or, a mentally handicapped adult would not be as worthy of life as a child with a higher level of mental development.

Environment

Another argument is that the child can not be considered a life (or one worthy of protection by the state) because he is inside his mother. But, does a few inches of space (from inside to outside the womb) actually mean that this is not a person worthy of respect? Does your value change when you walk from one room to another? Or is it true that the baby isn't its own person because it is in the mother's womb? It has its own DNA from the moment of conception (that is a medical fact).

Degree of Dependency

Finally, it is often argued that because the baby is dependent on his mother's body, she can do what she wants with him. We should not that a woman always gives birth to a human child. So, we are not talking about a "clump of cells" in her body. From conception this is a human being. Small? Yes. But a different level of development is not to be confused with a different "kind" of being. And just because this little person is dependent on his mama for life doesn't mean she can do what she wants to him. That doesn't work with a new born does it? The baby is still dependent on his mom, but she can't decide to end his life. No, an unborn child is dependent on his mom at a level appropriate to his level of development and this does not make him less of human or less worthy of protection by the state (after all if you let your new born starve the state takes issue with that).

At the end of the day, this is not an issue of rationality. As a people, we have suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. We want what we want and we will not let anyone (no matter how weak) get in our way.

So, let us weep, share the gospel, and employ reason.  Let us speak to the conscience and, as Russell Moore says, proclaim that clinical privacy laws will not provide a hiding place before the judgment bar of God's court. Sin is not rational, and it only exists when we have no fear of God. So let's pray that God will instill a fear of his coming judgment and open blinded eyes to see the glory of salvation in Jesus Christ.

God's Grace Outside an Abortion Center

Today is the 42 anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision which legalized abortion on demand in this country. To me, it is the most troubling and saddening things in our country. But, God is rich in mercy and works through many who loving reach out to confused and hurting men and women with the gospel of Jesus. Below is an encouraging video of one man in Orlando.

Shooting at FSU: What Are We to Make of "A Close Call?"

This morning a gunman shot three people at FSU's Strozier library. A place that was one of peace and studying has now been stained by violence. Thankfully, as far as I know at this point, all of these individuals will survive. This has not been the case with other shootings in the US or with attacks in other parts of the globe. Even though the FSU shooting could have been worse, its "close to home" aspect has no doubt shaken many in our community (as it should).

How are we to think about this event?

We Live in a Dangerous World

First, we should recognize that Christianity gives us the proper worldview to interpret this world. We live in a dangerous world, and it is one which seems to get more dangerous by the minute. 

Why is this? It is because we live in a world that is in rebellion against the Creator. As Romans 1 says, men and women suppress the truth in unrighteousness and from that flows all sorts of sin including murder (and attempted murder). While the media asks the why questions and people speculate on the reasons, we know that, while each individual's reasons for such violence may differ, it is all a symptom of the fact that we live in a world that is in rebellion against God.

What Are We to Do About it?

Second, we should recognize that Christianity tells us what we should do knowing that we live in a dangerous world. In Jesus day, a tower fell on some individuals killing them. About the same time, a ruler of the day had many Jews slaughtered. Why did this happen to them? Were they worse sinners than others? Well, they were sinners (we all are), but we do not know why a tower falls on that sinner and not me or you. If the tower fell on me I could not complain against God for I deserve nothing but his just wrath against my sin. So, how should we process the bad things that happen to those around us? How should we think about a close call? Jesus said that we should repent (Luke 13:2-5).

A close call is a reminder to us that death is coming for us all, and we must be right with our Maker. We must repent or turn away from our rejection of God and the disobedience to God's law and turn to Jesus as our only hope of forgiveness and salvation. He lived the life of obedience to God that we should have. He died on the cross to take the punishment sinners deserve. He was buried, but rose again having conquered sin and death for all who will trust in him. He is the only way to God (John 14:6). We will all die one day whether it is at the hands of a gunman, behind the wheel of a car, or quietly in our sleep. A close call is a call to repentance.

For those of us who have repented, we are to go about our daily lives knowing that physical death is a reality for us too but that it does not have the final word. God has not guaranteed us a life of ease. We still live in a sin cursed world, but we are not as those who have no hope. We have a Savior who has defeated the power of sin - eternal death. This frees us to serve God without fear for all the days of life he gives us knowing that when we die we will be in the presence of the Lord (Phil. 1:21-24).  

Let's carry on, not because it is the only thing we can do, but because Jesus is our hope. This is not a "keep calm and carry on" slogan.  Keeping calm makes no sense if you still have to fear death and God's judgment. But as those who know we serve a living Savior who has removed the sting of death, we have an imperishable hope. Let's live as those who have real hope, and let's call others to repentance so that they might have this hope too.

Advice on How to Face Hostility towards the Gospel

I hope and pray that as the semester is off to a start that you are finding opportunities to share the gospel with new friends and professors. As you seek to be faithful to speak the good news of Christ, you might (and at times will) find yourself facing hostility. Recently, I was reading in Spurgeon's Lectures to My Students" on the topic of a minister's conversation. As I read it, I noticed that what he said would apply to sharing the gospel in the face of hostility. He writes,

In all probability, sensible conversation will sometimes drift into controversy, and here many a good man runs upon a snag. The sensible minister will be particularly gentle in argument. He, above all men should not make the mistake of fancying that there is force in temper, and power in speaking angrily. A heathen who stood in a crowd in Calcutta, listening to a missionary disputing with a Brahmin, said he knew which was right though he did not understand the language- he know that he was in the wrong who lost his temper first. For the most part, that is a very accurate way of judging. Try to avoid debating with people. State your opinion and let them state theirs. If you see that a stick is crooked, and you want people to see how crooked it is, lay a straight rod down beside it; that will be quite enough. But if you are drawn into arguments, use very hard arguments and very soft words. Frequently you cannot convince a man by tugging at his reason, but you can persuade him by winning his affections.

The point is not to avoid using reason. Spurgeon used reason and made clear arguments. But, the point is that reason does not change those who "suppress the truth in unrighteousness."

Remember, your goal is not to protect your pride. Your goal is to put the gospel on display in word and deed. The powerful message of the gospel is best communicated by those who entrust themselves to God and do not seek to revile. In the classroom, remember that it is the professor's class. In humility seek to winsomely and accurately lay the straight gospel beside crooked philosophies of the world. Finally, don't forget to pray that God will open blinding eyes to see the beauty of himself in Jesus Christ.

Acts 17 Sermon for the University

As school starts up again, I thought this rendition of Acts 17 is a good reminder to be actively sharing the gospel and bringing it to bear on the "gods" of our day. You'll remember that, in Acts 17, Paul is preaching an evangelistic message to the pagan culture of his day. He is speaking to the philosophers on Mars Hill (the place of learning and scholarly debate). Here is how it might have begun if he came to one of our universities today:

"Men and women of the university, I see that in every way you are very religious. As I walked around the university, I observed carefully your objects of worship. I saw your altar called the stadium where many of you worship the sports deity. I saw the science building where many place their faith for the salvation of mankind. I found an altar to fine arts where artistic expression and performance seem to reign supreme without subservience to any greater power. I walked through your residence halls and observed your sex goddess posters and beer can pyramids. Yet as I walked with some of you and saw the emptiness in your eyes and sensed the aching in your hearts, I perceived that in your heart is yet another altar, an altar to the unknown God who you suspect may be there. You have a sense that there is something more than these humanistic and self-indulgent gods. What you long for as something unknown, I want to declare to you now...." (Daniel Denk as quoted by Derek Thomas in Acts, pg. 503).

And give them the good news of Jesus who fulfills the standard of perfect righteousness and whose death took the punishment for sin so that any who trust in Jesus as their Savior-King will have his righteousness and the forgiveness of sins. Show them that the idols they have willing worshiped are empty and that that God calls all people everywhere to turn away from idols and to him, the one, true God.

How Was Jesus a Friend to Sinners?

Kevin DeYoung has a helpful article on the idea that Jesus was a friend of sinners.This is an important issue to make sure we understand biblically as it is a doctrine which is often abused. It is true that many need to be warned that Jesus did not come for the self-righteous but sinners. However, it is also necessary that, in an age of "tolerance," we are reminded how Jesus was a friend of sinners. There are many who want to think that Jesus loved people too much to care about their sin or to call them to repentance. But this is simply not the case. I encourage you to read DeYoung's whole article. After mentioning several passages which show Jesus associating with sinners, DeYoung draws this conclusion:

Jesus was a friend of sinners not because he winked at sin, ignored sin, or enjoyed light-hearted revelry with those engaged in immorality. Jesus was a friend of sinners in that he came to save sinners and was very pleased to welcome sinners who were open to the gospel, sorry for their sins, and on their way to putting their faith in Him.

How Do We Seek God Honoring Social Transformation?

The Desiring God blog has a post about a study on the effect of protestant missionaries on the cultures they go to. This is a good article to read for all our sociologists in the group, but it is good for all of us too. Below are a few paragraphs I found most helpful on the issue of the gospel and social transformation.

...the way to achieve the greatest social and cultural transformation is not to focus on social and cultural transformation, but on the “conversion” of individuals from false religions to faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life. Or to put it another way, missionaries (and pastors and churches) will lose their culturally transforming power if they make cultural transformation their energizing focus.

There is a biblical reason for this. The only acts of love and justice that count with God are the fruit of conversion. If repentance toward God and faith in Jesus does not precede our good works, then the works themselves are part of man’s rebellion, not part of his worship.

Thus John the Baptist says, “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). That’s the transformation that counts with God: First repentance, then the fruit of repentance. And Jesus says, “Make the tree good and its fruit good” (Matthew 12:33). First a new tree, then good fruit.

Are Religious Views Merely Private?

I found this quote from Darrell Bock's commentary and thought it was insightful.

It is popular in our day to be neutral. In a culture where tolerance is highly valued, nonpartisianship is attractive. In religious discussions we try to avoid stepping on toes, for in Western cultures religious views are generally considered private. We want to avoid offending others in a culture that is diverse. But neutrality is not always a good thing, and neither is polite disengagement. Some issues are important enough to require our considered choices...

If God exists, should we think of him as having a liaise-faire attitude, not interested in how we relate to him? Jesus argues that is not the case. Religion by its very nature is a public affair, since it deals with how people relate to reality and to others. Though religious coercion such as marred European history in the Crusades and the Thirty Years War is wrong, so is our culture's tendency to relegate religious concerns to the fringe world of private reflection. The issues are too important to be kept peripheral. Ultimately we must ask each other, What centers our lives, what do we accept as truth, what defines our character? (Luke, Vol. 3 of the IVP New Testament Commentary Series, pg. 212, emphasis added by me).

Religious views are not private no matter how much our culture tries to pretend they are. A person's views of ultimate reality, purpose, morality, the existence of God (or lack thereof), and his character shape our everyday decisions. This is true of everyone from stay at home moms to politicians. Saying religion has no place in the public sphere is simply a way of saying, "As long as what makes you tick is something other than the God of the Bible you may speak." While this foolishness is lamentable, it is not my main concern. My hope is that we will love God and others enough to speak the truth of the gospel to our friends and neighbors even if our culture (or those to whom we speak) label us as intolerant. May God give us wisdom and courage to speak the most important truths often and without fearing man.