#Gospel-Centered Discipleship
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by James Williams | We call the lion “The King of the Jungle” for a reason. Its speed, strength, and stalking abilities strike fear into the rest of the animal kingdom. However, many of its prey are larger or faster, forcing the lion to compensate for these disadvantages through strategy and patience...
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And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. - Luke 1:76-79 KJV
Elizabeth and Zacharias were old and childless when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and told him that they would have a very special son who would be "Elijah" and prepare the way for the coming Messiah. When Zacharias questioned Gabriel, he became mute, unable to speak until after the birth of his son whom he named "John" as the angel had directed him. Then his mouth was opened and this is a portion of his prayer. Both the angel and Zacharias are testifying that John is preparing the way for Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Our LORD, God, Savior and King!
I wonder if those who were present understood what he was saying. I'm not sure that once John the Baptist appeared preaching a baptism of repentance that people truly understood that he was preparing the way, even though he was pretty clear that while he was not the Messiah, he was preparing the way. We are not Messiahs either, but we are called to prepare the way for minds and hearts to be open to Jesus Christ and His Gospel Truth. It seems that this call to discipleship and the theme of justice are two of the main subjects of importance in the Gospels. How else are people to know of God and His grace-given gift of salvation? Jesus sent out His Apostles and then more disciples to bring the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven to the people of His time and then, of course, He sends us.
John was called by Jesus a prophet, and more than a prophet, that no man born of woman was greater than John. But Jesus goes on to say that the one who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John. He is referring to all those who believed in Him and His preaching, repented of their sins and were baptized by Him. He is also referring to us who believe in both John's message of repentance, and also Jesus message of living a life centered on God and His love and justice. God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. And He sends us to prepare the hearts of all those who we know and encounter to come to believe in the Good News of the Gospel and its promise of salvation and eternal life in Heaven. May He give us the graces we need to be good witnesses of God's light and love. We lift our voices in praise to Him for His love, mercy, faithfulness and grace. - For EVERYTHING!
It is vital that we remain rooted in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit and that we live and walk as a beacon of His light and love and share and spread the Gospel Truth daily, so that the lost souls in this world can come to know Him and be saved. The more we focus on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, growing spiritually by building our relationship with Him, leaning on Him and His Holy Word and Spirit, the better off we will be. Thanks to this and our faith in Him, we know that everything will be alright. And we will forever be grateful to Him. As true and born-again Christians, we believe in Him and His Holy Word and we strive daily to walk in His Holy Spirit. We know though our mortal bodies should die, He will raise us up and into new and glorious bodies (The Rapture). We who are truly His and alive at His second coming will never die, and our bodies will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and so shall we ever be with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven forevermore (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This is one of many promises given to us by God Himself. Thank God for His strength and guidance when we are faced with sin and temptation. Thank Him for His mercy and grace. Through Bible study and prayer, God reveals His wisdom and guides us to see opportunities to grow closer to Him and grow spiritually. He gives us direction to live our lives daily according to His will.
Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven (John 3:5, 14:6), the ONLY way to salvation (Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9) and He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26). Jesus Christ the LORD of lords, KING of kings, the GOD of gods (Deuteronomy 10:17, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16) - He is the Living, Almighty and Everlasting God (Isaiah 9:6, Revelation 1:8, John 3:16, John 3:36, Jeremiah 10:10). There is no other God besides Him (Isaiah 45:5). We MUST humble ourselves before Him, turning our backs on false teachers, false gods and idols and our sinful ways. We MUST repent and turn back to God and recognize who He is and love Him in return for His great love for us. We MUST make God top priority everyday! May we be motivated to spread God's Holy Word and Gospel Truth to all the Earth, knowing that it is the only hope of all those lost in their sins. Let us not hold out a false hope for men to be saved without the Gospel, but instead, strive to do our part to get the Gospel out to a lost and dying world.
Leaning on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit strengthens us and our knowledge and wisdom about God and His Gospel Truth, exposing these imposters. May God help us to seek and lean on Him daily to gain the strength, wisdom and spiritual discernment needed to expose Satan and his imposters who seek to destroy us and God's ultimate Truth. Everyday, we must remember to share Jesus Christ's Gospel Truth with the world and to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and from the eternal damnation of Hell. In all we say and do, may all praise, honor and glory always be given to Him and His Kingdom of Heaven.
With renewed minds, hearts and wills, let us serve Him humbly and faithfully out of pure love and grateful rejoicing. May He remind us of His presence and to remain at peace, fully knowing that all will be well because He is always with us. Let us seek Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ today and everyday with all our heart and being, looking for His love, light and will for our lives with each step we take. Let us seek to please Him with our thoughts, words, and deeds and seek to advance His Kingdom of Heaven and His glory with our lives. Let us seek Him from a pure and humble heart, and when we so seek, we believe Him and His promise that we will find. May He help us all to be more sensitive to the teaching ministry of His Holy Word and Spirit, relying on Him and allowing Him to speak to us and guide us every step of our Christian journey.
God gave us the Holy Bible - His living and Holy Word - to let us know of Him and His abiding love and care as well as guide and prepare us for all our lives. May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will.
May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!
Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.
May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!
Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!
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The Triumphant Entry (Part 1)
Today's message centers on Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, an event that began the greatest murder conspiracy the world will ever know.
The A Faithful Sower Podcast provides engaging messages by Pastor Darryl Orrell that are anchored in God’s word and apply to relevant aspects of daily living and current events. All with a driven emphasis on discipleship and sharing the gospel.
“The Triumphant Entry (Part 1)” with Pastor Darryl Orrell © 2024 A Faithful Sower Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, all…
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Ash Wednesday + The Perfect Valentine
Rev. Paul K. Rourke, S.J., Vice President for Mission and Ministry
A couple of weeks ago, while waiting to pick up his wife from work, a friend of mine, someone I’d known since high school, was killed in a carjacking. He was a beloved husband and the father of three. We will bury him this Friday.
I share this with you not for shock value or to elicit sympathy, but to share some of what Mike’s tragic death has taught me. I hope it can speak to all of us this Ash Wednesday, because we all live in a world of violence, where the unthinkable can burst into our lives with shocking ferocity. His sudden death has reminded me of the urgency of living life to the fullest, not some time in the future when I get my act together, but right here, right now in all of the uncertainty and flux of life. I have to get my act together now, or at least make some progress toward that end, or, as St. Ignatius of Loyola might advise: at least I need to desire to do so, or desire to desire to do so. Urgency is essential. (That lesson is hard enough when you get to be my age. I understand how much harder it can seem when you’re in college. Nonetheless, Lent reminds all of us that urgency is the hallmark of true discipleship and a meaningful life.)
“Getting my act together” is not about perfection or at heart, a self-improvement project. It’s about living the gospel fully. What does that mean? That I remember how much God loves me and live my whole life from that love—not to win that love, but to live out of it. Some have commented on how ironic it is to have Ash Wednesday fall on Valentine’s Day this year. I think the coincidence is wonderfully appropriate. Our Lenten journey is fundamentally meant to deepen our love affair with God, which can only happen when we realize more fully how madly and deeply our God is in love with us. His love is our Alpha and Omega, the only perfect Valentine we will ever receive.
What do we need to realize God’s love for us more deeply and to live from that love? Our readings give us helpful answers. First they call us to humility and authenticity: “Rend your hearts, not your garments.” “Do not be like the hypocrites” who do everything to be seen. These attitudes are fundamental. If we are humble, we will acknowledge that we are sinners, that we do not have our act together fully, but not in a spirit of self-loathing and not with the delusion that we will ever perfect ourselves. Neither is the purpose of Lent, nor of the Christian life. We confront our sinfulness, always and only with the knowledge that God’s love for us is greater than the sum total of all our sins (past, present, future). We journey through Lent not in an effort to conquer sin, but to better celebrate the conquest of sin and death Jesus has already won for us. We are authentic witnesses to the gospel when we can say fearlessly, “Yes, I am a sinner,” not with shame or a show of self-abasement, but with the smile of someone who says in the same breath, “I am loved and redeemed by God.”
To celebrate our Valentine more fully, at Easter the readings and the Church, which gives us these readings to proclaim and reflect upon, offer us certain tools to go with the attitudes of humility and authenticity. These tools we call “the works of Lent:” prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
We need to pray as though our lives depend on it, because they do. Prayer is not a luxury to indulge in our spare time: it’s the food and oxygen of our souls. If we struggle with how to pray or when to find time to pray, we are blessed with many resources at Fairfield: our Campus Ministry and Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality can help any of us to find the best way to pray.
Fasting. We fast to be in greater solidarity with our brothers and sisters who do not have enough to eat. We fast to grow in interior freedom from the attachments that distract us from our life in Christ. We fast to remind ourselves that none of us is self-sufficient.
Finally, almsgiving. Almsgiving reminds us of the community we are called to be: a community in solidarity with those most in need, a community committed to justice in society. Catholic social teaching tells us that the goods of this earth have a universal destination. That means they’re meant for the good of everyone. We cannot be a faithful Christian community and ignore people without food or shelter. We will be judged as a society and as individuals by how we care for the excluded and least among us.
I began with a tragic and shocking incident, but Lent is a journey toward Easter. Good Friday is not the last word. Sin, death, hatred are never the last word. As so many of his friends have attested over the last few weeks, my friend, Mike, lived joyfully and humbly as a man of deep faith who shared his life and his blessings generously with family, friends, and community. He knew deep in his soul that God’s love had won the victory, and that the secret of life was in living from and celebrating that victory. He knew what all of us are called to know more fully this Lent: that our Valentine is so much more than dinner, roses, and a box of chocolates: it is Jesus Christ crucified and risen. May our Lent and our lives be a profound and joyful celebration of our Valentine.
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Church Planting: Expanding God's Kingdom
Church growing is a core aspect of evangelism and discipleship in the Christian belief. It involves establishing a brand-new regional church or churchgoers in an area where there is little or no existing presence of Christianity. This strategic endeavor seeks to satisfy the spiritual requirements of individuals and neighborhoods, spread out the Gospel message, and eventually bring glory to God. Through church planting, followers proactively take part in the goal to grow God's Kingdom.
Planting a church is not merely regarding beginning a brand-new spiritual company; church planting is about establishing an area of confidence where individuals can come across God, experience fellowship, and grow in their connection with Him. This procedure often starts with a tiny team of devoted individuals or a missionary team that share a typical vision for reaching out to a certain place or market.
One of the key motivations behind church growing is the need to reach the unreached. There are still many people all over the world who have never listened to the Scripture or had the opportunity to reply to Christ's love and redemption. Planting churches allows followers to directly engage with these areas, bringing the hope and transformative power of the Gospel to those that require it one of the most.
One more substantial advantage of church planting is the potential for promoting community advancement and social improvement. As churches are established, they often come to be centers of influence within their communities. They can deal with social concerns, use different kinds of support, and advertise positive adjustment. Through acts of solution, outreach programs, and collaborations with regional companies, church plants can make a concrete effect on the lives of individuals and whole communities.
Church growing is not without its difficulties. It needs confidence, perseverance, and a deep rely on God's stipulation and assistance. Planters need to browse social, linguistic, and logistical obstacles, along with conquered spiritual opposition. However, with prayer, preparation, and the support of like-minded believers, the rewards of seeing a new church settle and thrive far surpass the troubles. Browse here now for more insights related to church planting.
Final thought
Church growing is a crucial goal for the growth of God's Kingdom. It permits followers to get to the unreached, establish neighborhoods of confidence, and impact society for Christ. By proactively joining church growing initiatives, followers take part in the great commission of making disciples and growing God's Kingdom below on earth. They enter into a worldwide activity of followers that seek to transform lives and bring hope to the globe with the power of the Gospel.
Click here to understand more on this topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clergy.
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Featured
Sunday Worship: Rehearsal, English Service, and Cello Cam
Interview: Sunday School with Tiff
Recommendations
Sola Ecclesia: Songs are Discipleship
IMB: From the Field: How can your church help orphans?
Book Reviews
Timeless Hymns for Family Worship: Joni Eareckson Tada and Bobbie Wolgemuth bring Gospel-centered moments into your home.
Union with the Resurrected Christ: G. K. Beale presents an Eschatological New Creation and New Testament Biblical Theology.
Schedule: English (Children’s Worship)
8/13 Bambang (Ray)
8/20 Ray (Chloe)
8/27 Matt (Aaron)
9/3 Aaron (Leslie)
9/10 Bambang (Danny)
9/17 Ray (Matt)
9/24 Matt (Aaron)
10/1 Aaron (Ray)
10/8 Bambang (???)
10/15 Ray (Chloe)
10/22 Matt (Leslie)
10/29 Ian (Aaron)
11/5 Aaron (Aileen?)
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YWAM Asheville is a community of individuals dedicated to hearing the voice of God and responding with innovative obedience. We disciple young people in biblical worldview and gospel-centered identity in order to answer the call of the Great Commission. Students are invited to pursue at YWAM Asheville. Visit our website to know more.
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Dear Women’s Ministry Leader,
We are thankful for the opportunity to offer The Word Speaks Conference again this year. Our purpose remains the same, “To champion a passion for God’s Word as we learn to trust the power of God’s Word”. This year we will have the privilege of hearing author, Bible teacher and director of Women’s Initiatives for The Gospel Coalition, Courtney Doctor as she shares about The Grand Story of Scripture. We will see how the story begins, ends and how every piece in-between fits together, pointing us to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Through sound biblical teaching, the opportunity to connect with other believing women, and the cheering on of a desire for God’s Word our prayer is that women will respond with an excitement and passion for the work of God’s Word in their lives.
As a woman leading women, we know your desire is for women to grow in their relationship and passion for the Lord. We hope and pray that this conference might be a tool God uses to fan the flame of passion in all our hearts.
We hope you might prayerfully consider if this is an opportunity you might make available to the women of your church. Attached is a promo pack for your convenience.
This year we want to encourage you to consider how you might make the most of this event and make it a discipleship opportunity. We will have discussion questions available following the Saturday morning session to discuss during lunch. If you would be interested in reserving a room at Salem Heights Church (About 8 minutes from the Convention Center) to have your women gather for lunch and conversation please let us know by emailing [email protected] We will send you more info on possible places that are nearby that you can easily order lunch and have it delivered to the church. We will have people at the church to welcome you and help you find your room and make sure your lunch is delivered to your room.
If you have any questions or need further information, please visit our website at www.thewordspeaksconference.com we would love to be of help if we can.
Warmly,
Megan Simnitt (Conference Coordinator)
Julie Bernard (Women’s Ministry Director)
Connie Libby (Assistant Women’s Ministry Director)
1 Thessalonians 2:13 "And we thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you adopted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers."
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by Myra Dempsey | Your best friend keeps running back to shallow, sexual relationships. Your adult son seems like a shell of himself, silently battling addiction. Your spouse feels like he’s slipping away, as he gives more and more of himself to work. Can you think of a loved one whose hurtful life choices demonstrate their...
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The Cultural Divide
Happy Friday once again! Pastor Chad did not preach this Sunday, nor will he for the next two Sundays, as we are traveling with the confirmation class to various cultural UMC churches. So, we thought we would share with you some thoughts about these services from both Pastor Chad, as well as the children. Hope you enjoy!
This week, the kids going through confirmation class visited a service at an African American Methodist Church, along with their mentors and a few congregation members. How do you think the kids liked the service?
Overall, the kids loved the service! They were very vocal about how different the service was and the energy the service has. Prior to attending the service, I asked the kids to focus on ways the service was similar and different from our own and how both services (ours and theirs) center on connecting with God. The kids found the singing and gospel music to be very uplifting and overall enjoyed the service immensely. One student stated "I really like this church," and another voiced "We definitely need to come back here." Music seemed to be a central focus of the group and they appreciated the way music serves as a foundation for every part of the service (even the prayers, preaching, and call to discipleship) as well as there seemed to be a continuous musical presence in this service that is not as present in our services.
What were some interesting differences you noticed? Any that the kids mentioned?
Like the confirmation students, I too noticed the role music played in the service. Music was the driving force and it gave a different feel to the various parts of service that we also have in our own worship. Additionally, the call to discipleship (or altar call) was a different aspect of service that we do not observe and the call to come forth and be prayed over in service I found very meaningful and powerful.
What do you find is universally common among the Methodist Church regardless of cultural emphasis?
Overall, the foundational parts of service were present as they are in our own services
- Beginning Call to Worship (although this church did it through music)
- Prayer (this worship service made more of an altar call)
- Offering
- Preaching
- Responsive Singing
- Benediction
Does visiting different cultural congregations ever give you ideas about how to conduct your own services?
ABSOLUTELY!!!! I think we can learn from each other and the strengths of every worship service can be considered in our own context. I find there is such beauty in the variety of worship that our denomination observes and this is such a strength of our denomination.
In what ways do you think that we can be more welcoming and accepting of cultural differences within our own church?
I think there are always ways we can incorporate cultural observations of worship in our own context. First, knowing our context and who is present can be instrumental in creating a worship that is more open and welcoming to all. Second, allowing our own traditions to be shaped and molded is a wonderful way to allow growth and movement of the Spirit to take place in our worship context. I think this last point is critical, to not get stuck in "This is the way we've always done things" and allow the beauty of all cultural expressions to find a place is wonderful. I also think different styles used throughout the year at different times in different ways keeps things light and fresh while retaining the central values we love and adore in our worship service.
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Give Me A Drink (Part 1)
Today's message centers on Jesus's encounter with a woman at Jacob's well, giving us a perfect example of how we can approach others to share the gospel. (Click/Tap the link to hear more)
The A Faithful Sower Podcast provides engaging messages by Pastor Darryl Orrell that are anchored in God’s word and apply to relevant aspects of daily living and current events. All with a driven emphasis on discipleship and sharing the gospel.
“Give Me A Drink (Part 1)” with Pastor Darryl Orrell © 2024 A Faithful Sower Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture…
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“I was eight when my mother showed me porn…she abused me sexually, physically and emotionally…” -A young man at one of the men's centers.
Sexual brokenness in our communities is a profound challenge to navigate these days. Individuals are struggling with so many issues that criss-cross sexuality, relationships, gender, economics, family history, education, sexually transmitted infections, fertility, abortion, access to healthcare etc. It's a load of life-shaping issues that impact the soul, our bodies, minds and attempts to have meaningful relationships with people.
This week I preached twice on the story of Potipher’s Wife and Joseph found in Genesis 39. The impact of these two men’s center chapel services, one at Union Gospel Mission and the other at Adult and Teen Challenge were deep and meaningful.
The conversations that have resulted, the prayer and ministry times with men and the stories shared have been shocking, troubling and motivating. Men are hungry for healing, hope and help in these matters.
The cry to be able to say “NO” like Joseph did was heard by God and one another in these rooms. The tears, the confessions, the repentance, the sharing of burdens was so moving to watch. The impartation of the HOLY Spirit was at work in these times through the harnessing of unmanaged desires, exposing delusions and deceptions and releasing hope, healing and freedom to help men see they are not alone and God sees their battles and longing for victory.
God is at work in the hearts of men and women in this desperate hour and it is moving to witness. Please pray for the continued faithfulness and fruitfulness in this work and that real growth and freedom will be born out of the bridges being built through these outreaches. That men and women will take the invitations to connect deeper with one another and move into greater community and discipleship in the days ahead in programs and the pews.
Genesis 39:10-20
“She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.” She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said.“But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!” Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.”
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7 Book Suggestions for 2023
WIth every new year comes new goals and (failed) resolutions. I set out at the beginning of each year to intentionally select books that I desire to read. Sometimes I re-read a book I’ve read in years’ past that is worth revisiting every few years or so, but usually I have new list with each new year. My goal every year is to ambitiously read 52 books, and most of the time I get close but still don’t reach that mark. (Keep in mind I am also in seminary and have assigned reading each semester - usually 3-5 books minimum!).
If you are unsure where to start, or you aren’t an avid reader, I would dissuade you from aiming for a book a week! Instead, start where you are. In fact, here are 7 Book Reading Suggestions for 2023, including some suggested books (click on each title to go to the Amazon link)! Seven books is absolutely attainable, no matter how busy you are, and for most of us is at least a good primer to begin a year of avid reading!
A Biography
Biographies can be a great source of encouragement and perspective for us as believers. We see how others walked by faith, prayed, and made decisions.
Some biographies worth reading include:
Spurgeon the Pastor: I read this in 2022 and it was one of the most simple and helpful biographies from the lens of pastoral ministry!
Bonhoeffer: I read this biography several years ago and am still encouraged by his boldness and focus on discipleship!
John G. Paton: After hearing some amazing things about Paton, I’m planning to read this autobiography of the pioneer missionary to Vanuatu this upcoming year!
A Classic
Classics are helpful because they have stood the test of time and broaden our understanding of the world and get us out of our modern context. Christian classics are great, but so are some secular works, including:
Brave New World: Since this is on almost every “must-read classics” list, I plan to read this in 2023.
The Lord of the Rings: This goes without saying! As great as the movies are, there is nothing that compares with these novels.
The Pilgrim’s Progress: not only am I named after this classic allegory, but it is a must-read for every Christian! I recommend getting the audio book, so you can hear the opening poem in its unabridged glory. Bunyan was a skillful poet.
A Fictional Novel
I am a big fan of fiction audiobooks and am often listening to sci-fi or fantasy while I’m driving (I alternate by listening to podcasts!). Fiction helps give our minds a break from the mundane and stressful, and if well-written can help us learn more about the world and the people in it. I’m going to leave this category up to you to find a good fictional book.
A Book on Church History
One of the concerns I have with today’s church is her failure to know and understand what has happened through the ages, from Pentecost to today. I recommend:
In the Year of Our Lord: Sinclair Ferguson is one of my favorite pastor-writers, and certainly one of my favorite Scottish preachers! This book takes a chapter for each century and gives the bigger picture of what was happening, with lessons we can apply today.
2000 Years of Christ’s Power: this is something I’m beginning in 2023 and will take a few years to work through. It is massive (five volumes) and this work by Needham should be on every pastor’s bookshelf.
A Devotional Book
Devotionals are books that help encourage us in our devotion to Christ. Often they are 30 days, but sometimes can cover the entire 365-day year! Here are some of my favorites:
The Five Solas of the Reformation: Of course I had to include the book that Dan Sardinas and I wrote in 2021! This is a helpful, 30-day guide through to understand we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone!
Truth For Life: Alastair Begg’s annual devotional is packed with great truth and I’ve enjoyed working through it this past year!
New Morning Mercies: This simple, Gospel-centered devo may be Paul Tripp’s best book. There is always something convicting and yet encouraging.
A Book on Ecclesiology (the church)
This is important because as believers we must have a solid understanding of what the Bible means when it says “church”. I’m currently nearing completion of my latest book “Hail the King”, which is both a theological look at the kingdom of God, as well as a call to action for the body of Christ. It releases on Ash Wednesday, February 22, and I hope you have a chance to pick up a copy!
Any of the 9 Marks Building Healthy Churches Books: These short books, on a variety of topics, are incredibly helpful to gain an understanding of what comprises a healthy church. Start with “Church Membership”, which we give to all our new members at our church.
A Book about God's Attributes
As believers, this part of our bookshelves should be the most worn and well-trodden. When January 1 opens every year, I always make it my aim to complete my first book that year reading a book about God’s attributes. Some great options include:
Knowing God: J.I. Packer’s summary of God’s attributes is powerful!
The Attributes of God: A.W. Pink’s classic is worth a re-read every few years! I also recommend his “The Sovereignty of God”, which I read this past January.
The Holiness of God: an instant classic by R.C. Sproul!
I also encourage you to download “Goodreads” (a phone app) to help track your progress. Your friends can leave notes of encouragement for you, and you can also review the books you’ve read! May this new year be the best year of reading yet!
Honorable mentions:
-A Book about Christian living
-A Book written by a Puritan
-A Book written this past year
-A Book you’ve read before
-A Book you disagree with theologically, to help sharpen your argument
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TGIF: Roundup for November 4, 2022
I asked Karisa You to read her beautiful article: Bread for 100,000 Children: The Prayer Life of George Muller. My devotional exhortation to youth worship student leaders at FCBC Walnut was also featured this week: Three Lessons for Ministry Leaders to Guard Your Heart Against Pride.
SOLA is proud to co-sponsor the Pathways of Grace Conference, featuring Joni Eareckson Tada, to encourage and equip people from local churches who are currently involved or want to be involved in caring for others in their churches affected by disability.
Our monthly newsletter features our most popular resources. Read our latest edition and join for free. Check out my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group and TGIF Playlist on Spotify. You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram.
Enter to win this excellent book! This is week 2 of 2 for this giveaway. Read my review. Special thanks to IVP for sponsoring our giveaway, presented in partnership with my newsletters for @diveindigdeep and FCBC Walnut.
Articles From Around The Web
Abe Cho: Modulating the Key of the Gospel
“As Tim [Keller] put it, If they had to figure out how the gospel of Jesus Christ sounds in the key of psychology, we will need to figure out how the gospel of Jesus Christ sounds in the key of sociology.”
CHEN Jing: When the “Golden Age” Is Over: A Call for Missiological Reflection on China Missions of the Past Four Decades
“In the past God has sometimes allowed the church in some contexts to plunge to low points before new paradigms of ministry emerged. What has been happening in China the past several years could be a historic moment like that.”
Related: Learning About The Center for House Church Theology: An Interview with Clara Kim by Aaron Lee
SOLA is proud to co-sponsor the Pathways of Grace Conference, featuring Joni Eareckson Tada, to encourage and equip people from local churches who are currently involved or want to be involved in caring for others in their churches affected by disability.
Books, Podcasts, Music, And More
Acts29: Missional Lifestyle
Ryan Kwon on “what we might look like if discipleship and mission are not just independent departments of the church, but a holistically integrated apprenticeship toward the mission of God.”
TGC Gospelbound Podcast: Digital Life in the Slow Lane
Jay Kim joins Collin Hansen to discuss “comparison and contempt, love on the move, the design of social media, hate and hurt, chronological snobbery, and more.”
Related: Finding Faithfulness in the Digital Era: An Interview with Jay Y. Kim by Aaron Lee
Crossway Podcast: Growing as a Follower in a Culture Obsessed with Leadership
Richard Langer and Joanne Jung point out the prevalence of books, podcasts, and workshops on leadership and suggest that the contrasting idea of followership is where our focus should be.
Aaron Lee: Related Works
Book Reviews: Rembrandt is In the Wind by Russ Ramsey, Fanny Crosby (Children’s Book) by Laura Caputo-Wickham, The Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism by Andrew Green, Saško Nezamutdinov and Ben Preston, Church History by Simonetta Carr, The Book of Hebrews by Alabaster. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group.
Subscribe to our podcast for our interviews, messages, and article reads! Available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Featured This Week On SOLA Network
Jonathan Holmes: Addressing the Struggles of Adoptees with the Father’s Love
“I know the journey of myself and many adoptees is ongoing as we seek to reclaim and reconnect with our cultural heritage and reconcile our narratives with what we know to be true of our loving, Heavenly Father.”
Related: Supporting Adoptees and Parents of Adoptees: An Interview with Jonathan Holmes by Aaron Lee
Aly Lee: Good News to the Sick: How Chronic Illness Has Helped Me See the Gospel in a New Way
“When Jesus died on the cross, his actual skin was pierced with nails. God chose for the story of salvation to be a story of intense physical pain.”
Aaron Lee: Three Lessons for Ministry Leaders to Guard Your Heart Against Pride
“The measure of a worship leader is not by outward appearances, but by inward affections.”
Karisa You: Bread for 100,000 Children: The Prayer Life of George Muller
How does one man care for ten thousand orphans and raise millions of dollars (in today’s currency) without asking for a single donation or ever going into debt? By taking God seriously on His word in Matthew 7:7—ask and it will be given to you.
TGIF: Roundup for October 28, 2022
Praying Before Meals like the Men of Gondor / Strategies for Preaching to the Polarized / Living Among Majesties: The Grandeur of the People of God / Embracing Spiritual Authority in the Face of Pastoral Failure
General disclaimer: Our link roundups are not endorsements of the positions or lives of the authors.
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An Incredible Story from Ethiopia
And an Incredible Opportunity
Last week I shared some recent discoveries.
And, I asked you to watch for this week’s announcement and invitation to help!
The Christian Church in Africa is booming!
The center of global Christianity continues to march across northern Africa.
Remember the eunuch of Ethiopia and Phillip?
Earlier this month, we presented the PLI Board with an amazing invitation from Ethiopia! We’ve been training pastors and spouses in Mekane Yesus and Kale Heywet church bodies for many years. Both are growing rapidly. Both are great partners with great leadership. Both have 10 million members. Under Rev. Dr. Scott Rische’s leadership, these relationships have flourished.
Since 2017, we’ve been privileged to train over 100 from Kale Heywet in Ethiopia senior leaders in PLI’s Leadership Essentials!
The vibrancy of the Christian church in Ethiopia is unique!
Tempered and resolute from severe persecution during the Red Terror several decades ago
A barrier to the spread of Islam to eastern Africa
A missionary-sending hotbed to the United States and much of the rest of the world
Here’s the challenge, and the invitation.
The 100th anniversary vision of the Kale Heywet church by 2028 is:
Each of the 10 million members reach at least one more
Each of the 10,000 churches start one more church
Each church raise up one more pastor to lead the 10,000 new churches
The invitation? That PLI, over the next 6 years, provide the foundational leadership training for these 20,000 leaders (pastors and spouses). A new generation of leaders that are kingdom-minded, Christ-like, and evangelism and discipleship focused
“In 100 years, we have never had the kind of quality and transformational training that PLI provides. It is unique to anything we have ever seen.”
So, would you help us?
It will cost “only” $66,000 per year to provide the training resources for 20,000 leaders plus the added staff to support the training.
If your heart beats for foreign missions, consider…
Introducing PLI to other generous people like yourselves who are invested in foreign mission work.
Approaching your congregation as it plans its new budget year.
A multiple year commitment to this project above your current support of PLI.
We recognize that this request does not stir everyone. Some of you care most about:
PLI’s training of U.S. pastors and spouses and the challenge facing the North American Church.
PLI’s 1,000 Young Leaders training young adults to reach their own generation. (Remember you can request a media kit to promote 1,000 Young Leaders in your congregation.)
The launch of Multipli, because you recognize that the future of the church is not only an “attract and assimilate” model but also a “disciple and send” model.
Are you ready to be challenged?
There are no surprises in this crowd that the North American model of church is increasingly exhausting its leaders and risks being ineffective in reaching its community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Share with your leaders that the church in Africa is growing! The context is different. So many things are different. But we have much to learn from our brothers and sisters being used by God in Ethiopia or elsewhere!
PLI’s newly redesigned Senior Leader cohort launching next month will incorporate some of these leaders, their vision and their stories into the proven training of this Learning Community. There are a few spaces still available if you’d like to join in or update your previous Senior Leader training. Raechel is eager to help you get started!
#Christian Church#Learning Community#Senior Leader#Senior Leader training#PLI’s training of U.S#PLI’s Leadership Essentials
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Wheel of life meaning
The spokes are the instruments through which the driving power is conveyed from the hub to the outer rim. The weight of a wheel is borne at the hub.ĭ. It is endless and it illustrates the dynamics of the life.ī. The Wheel is an illustration of the life of obedience for the Christian. Without it we will become listless, and very self-centered, Philemon 6. Witnessing is as basic to the Christian as exercise is to our physical life. It is one of the ways we share the Gospel and ourselves with others. Witnessing is the final spoke, and one that is horizontal. Fellowship is as basic to my Christian life as sleep is to my physical life.ĭ. Hebrews 10:25 says I am not to give up meeting together with other believers. It is refreshing to get together with other believers. Fellowship is the third spoke and the first horizontal spoke considered. Prayer for the Christian is as basic as breathing is to our physical life, and it should be just as natural.Ĭ. It is the means of communication with the Father that which together with the Word makes our fellowship with Him complete. It is as basic as eating is to physical life, 1 Peter 2:2.ī. The Word makes the difference between mediocrity and productivity in life. The Word is the basic spoke upon which the Wheel is resting. It illustrates the functions necessary to produce a life of obedience and faithfulness which are important if I am to practice spirituality (walk in the Spirit) efficiently.Ī. The Wheel has been used as an illustration of the Christian life for more than 50 years. The Obedient Christian - Romans 12:1 John 14:21Į. Christ the center - 2 Corinthians 5:17 Galatians 2:20ī. Look up the following verses and write in your own words the meaning of each of the parts.Ī. Without drawing attention to Himself, the Holy Spirit shapes each activity into an avenue of spiritual blessing.Ĭopyright ©1968 The Navigators, re-printed with permission from The Navigators, all rights reserved. God’s word and prayer build you up in a relationship with Christ so He can live through you and reach others through fellowship and witnessing. The Holy Spirit focuses your attention on Christ and empowers you to live a life of obedience to Him. The Wheel illustration is a helpful way to remember basic truths about the Spirit-filled life. Interact on personal issues and prayer time. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.ġ. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The disciple will understand the four means of demonstrating obedience, with Christ being central in the entire process. The disciple will understand the relationship of the parts of the Wheel and how they relate to his or her walk with God.ģ. The disciple will be able to draw the Wheel and label the six parts.Ģ. The Wheel, with its six parts, will help you remember the critical areas of focus in your walk with God. Purpose: This session begins a new part of the Lifestyle Discipleship material that will provide a metaphor of the Spirit-filled Christian life.
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