Jesus and the Sufficiency of Scripture

I love the Bible. I read it all the time, but I wish I read it more. I make a strong effort to apply it to my life. I know Greek and a little Hebrew. I believe that it is inerrant in its original form (autographs), and that what we have today is a fully trustworthy and reliable representation of those original documents. I also believe that these documents, though written by human hands, were inspired (almost literally "breathed into") by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). I believe that they provide an accurate historical account of the miraculous intervention of God into the world of Men, as well as instruction for Godly living.

Simply put, the Christian doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture says that the Bible provides all that we need for the Christian life. It gives us the story of Jesus-- his life, death and resurrection. It tells us how to live our lives as believers, even tackling some specific and difficult issues. Many go a step further and claim that Scripture is all that is really needed to bring a person to Christ (No fancy presentation, exposition, application, interpretation, etc.). Not to put too fine a point on it, the Sufficiency of Scripture (Sola Scriptura, as the Reformers called it) means that Scripture alone is the authority in matters of doctrine and faith (as opposed to the church or a Man, say, the Pope, for instance).

The point that I am going to make here is that we have forgotten one of the other Solas of the Reformation: Solus Christus.

To be precise, Solus Christus (Christ Alone) claims that we are saved by Christ alone, and there is no other mediator between Man and God. And, although I'm sure it was never anyone's intent, this has become the only place for Jesus in the Church. He is our Savior and Mediator, but He has no place in our regular lives.

Why is that?

I think that the problem is that the Bible has taken the place of Jesus in our lives. As a minister, I am constantly encouraging my students to get into the Bible every day. I do it myself (most of the time). How often do I say, "Spend time with *Jesus* every day"? Not very often.

In The Present Future, Reggie McNeal says, "The church is print reliant. The Bible has become for the modern church the supreme manifestation of the Word of God (not Christ) because it is "objective" truth (a modern distinction). It became the fourth member of the Trinity." [the parenthetical comments are McNeal's] It took me a few days to unpack this statement. One of the overall points of the book is that we have gotten so good at "doing church" that we no longer need Jesus to show up. I think that he is saying that we don't need Jesus in our lives anymore because we have a book (that is the "Word of God") to replace that relationship. Do you think Jesus would rather have us turn to a Book -even if it is His Book- instead of coming to Him personally? Is Jesus allowed to speak outside of the printed page?

I already know what you're thinking. It's the same thing that I struggle with all of the time: "If we abandon the Bible, how can we know if what we are "thinking" or "feeling" is really from Jesus?" I share this concern. I'll be the first one to tell you that the human heart is easily led astray by the myriad of distractions and influences around it. However, hear this: I'm not suggesting we abandon the Bible. I just think that we need to keep it in its place.

The Bible has hijacked the place of Jesus in our lives because it is easier to just skip the Jesus step and go straight to the Book. This, I think, is why McNeal said, "It has become the fourth member of the Trinity." We are print reliant and not Jesus reliant. We think that the Word of God is a Book and not a Person. If you asked the Apostle John to describe the Word of God what would he say? "A collection of 66 Books"? No way. He would say, "The Word was God and the Word was with God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (See John 1:1-14)" John would describe a person: Jesus, the Christ.

Going back to the original definition of the Sufficiency of Scripture, the Bible is an authority. It is a guide. It is a standard. I wholeheartedly believe that anything we think Jesus is saying to us will align (and therefore, not conflict) with what the Bible already says (because the Bible is from Jesus anyway, right?). The Bible truly has been given to us for this purpose. This is the traditional, orthodox belief on the Bible.

I'm saying that what we should first go to Jesus and listen to His instruction in any given situation, and *then* consult the Bible to authenticate the instruction we think we've heard. In fact, you probably hear this in Sunday School all the time, but have never thought long and hard about what it means. This means that we have to spend time with Jesus, not just time in "prayer and Bible study." We have to ask him about things, and then we have to listen, and if you've ever tried it, that's a lot harder than it sounds.

In conclusion, please allow me to clarify what I have said. I believe the Bible is the word of God (I may even believe it more than you do). However, we should not let it take the place of Jesus in our lives. It is an easy thing to do.

...the scribe tells us what he has read, and the prophet tells us what he has seen. The distinction is not an imaginary one. Between the scribe who has read and the prophet who has seen, there is a difference as wide as the sea. We are today overrun with orthodox scribes; but the prophets, where are they? The hard voice of the scribe sounds over evangelicalism, but the Church waits for the tender voice of the saint who has penetrated the veil and has gazed with inward eye upon the Wonder that is God.A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

---

Some other things to think about regarding the Bible:

-What did Jesus have in mind when he talked about "the word" in, Matt 4:4; 13:18-23, 24:35, Mark 4:33; 13:31; Luke 3:2; 5:1; 6:47; 11:28; etc.?

-Furthermore, what was the author's concept of "the word" when they wrote the following passages: Romans 10:17; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23, 1 John 2:14; Revelation 19:13. (Keep in mind that they didn't have a print copy of what we now call the Bible at that time.)

-Finally, what was Paul referencing when he said, "All scripture is god-breathed... What was Scripture at that time, when the Bible (as we know it) was still being written?

---

Links to consider:

9Marks: "Sufficiency of Scripture"
Piper: "Thoughts on the Sufficiency of Scripture: What it Does and Doesn't Mean"

Mission Trip

I'll be out until July 21 on our Mission Trip to East Saint Louis, IL. In the meantime, enjoy these missions-related links:

---

The Washington Post has an article about churches Rethinking Missions, specifically what has come to be known as "voluntourism." [HT to MMI.]

---

Tim Schmoyer has confessed what he calls "Mistakes I Made on Our Summer Missions Trip" in which he reminds us of our priorities when on mission.

---

The book that started it all (or at least the modern missions movement): An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens in which the Religious State of the Different Nations of the World, the Success of Former Undertakings, and the Practicability of Further Undertakings, are Considered.

...or simply Willam Carey's Enquiry.

---

"East Saint Louis Toodle-oo" by Duke Ellington


Savage Inequalities

Praying for Gas Prices

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[Source]

Rocky Twyman has a radical solution for surging gasoline prices: prayer.



Twyman - a community organizer, church choir director and public relations consultant from the Washington, D.C., suburbs - staged a pray-in at a San Francisco Chevron station on Friday, asking God for cheaper gas. He did the same thing in the nation's Capitol on Wednesday, with volunteers from a soup kitchen joining in. Today he will lead members of an Oakland church in prayer.SF Chronicle

HT to Purgatorio

Using Secular Music in Chruch

There is such a fine line between being "in the world" but not "of it." I think I understand the motivation behind NewSpring's use of Beyonce's Crazy in Love in their worship service this weekend. They want to reach the world by using its language and culture. Even Paul did this in Acts 17 at the Areopagus. Paul quotes two "secular" poets and uses their words to point the Greeks to Jesus.

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.'"Acts 17:24-28

In this speech, Paul quotes what is probably Epimenides of Crete and Aratus’s poem “Phainomena” in order to make a connection with the Greeks. Is using Beyonce the same thing today?

Another question that we must answer lies in the place where the material is used. Paul was on the World's "turf." He was on Mars Hill, a place of philosophical discussion and debate, not in a church or even a synagogue (if there was a line between the two in Paul's day). If it can be appropriate to use secular music/lyrics to connect with non-Christians, is it also appropriate to use it in a worship service?

Here's the video. What do you think?

HT to Slice of Laodicea for the link.

New Gospel Presentation: Four Circles

Christianity Today is featuring the story of James Choung, an MIT grad that works with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, who has come up with a different way to share the Gospel. Now, don't throw it out just because it's new. The Four Spiritual Laws were new once, you know? I don't get the impression that Choung is trying to change the Gospel, just the way the message is presented.

As I'm drawing the four circles, I'll tell a story like this: The world, our relationships, and each of us were designed for good, but all of it was damaged by evil because of our self-centeredness and inclination to seek our own good above others'. But God loved the world too much to leave it that way, so he came as Jesus. He took everything evil with him to death on the cross, and through his resurrection, all of it was restored for better. In the end of time, all will be fully restored, but until then, the followers of Jesus are sent together to heal people, relationships, and the systems of the world.

Choung's presentation, called "The Big Story," is designed to tell the Gospel story to Generation Y, a group that IMHO, Christianity has had a very difficult time understanding, let alone reaching (the business industry appears to be having the same problems)... but that is a different issue.

The main focus of the presentation is fixing the world. Choung says: "The overriding spiritual question today is: What is good? What will really help the planet be a better place? And our faith better have an answer for it to be relevant today." Choung's response to the world's problems is the Kingdom of God. This theme is the focus of the presentation, turning away from traditional methods seeking a decision, and seeking "transformation," as Choung calls it.

When watching the video of the presentation (see below), I was instantly concerned with the lack of Scriptural support and the familiar twinge of "felt needs" evangelism, seeking to bend the Gospel to fix whatever needs a person has (for instance, presenting the Gospel to the alcoholic as a way to break addiction); it seems man-centered, but in a new way.

'No, you can't do this without Jesus. We need Jesus to help us become the kind of good we want to see in the world. Only he can fully help us put to death our self-centered ways so that we can truly live. So if you really want to be a part of healing the world in a way that lasts, you have to go through Jesus.'

It is although Choung is saying, "You don't like the world, then change it! But you need to have Jesus before you can do it," as though Jesus is merely a means to an end. This looks like a sad Gospel presentation indeed.

However, I don't think that is Choung's intent. Choung seems to be searching for a way to explain Christianity, and even to raise questions in the mind of the lost, but, as stated before, without seeking a "decision" for Christ. This may not be a true Gospel presentation, but rather, a simple an overview of Christ's mission. There's nothing about praying a prayer, and there isn't much information about how to "receive" Christ. This is just a starting point for a conversation about the Gospel. In the article, he mentions that "Icons and stained glass windows helped preliterate Christians understand biblical stories and themes." This alludes to the purpose behind his Four Circles.

If I am understanding Choung's purpose, then this would be a great conversation-starter. I think that it would appeal to Millenials. It has a positive, inviting tenor, all while maintaining that Jesus is the only way to God-- a very difficult thing to pull off in our relativistic culture. Additionally, this presentation seems well-suited for explaining Christ's mission to a person totally unfamiliar with Christianity, as is the case as America moves further into its Post-Christian days.

I commend Choung for his effort to put the Gospel into the language of a new generation. This something that desperately needs to be done. Reading his interview and his blog, his desire to share the story of Christ is both fervent and admirable. However, he needs to be more explicit about the use of this diagram. Is it a converstion starter, or is it intended to be a Gospel presentation? If used inappropriately, this could lead to another generation misled about the purpose of God in this world.

What are your thoughts? Check out the article and this video, and let me know what you think:

You may also want to watch Part 2.

High IQ Equals Atheism?

In a forthcoming paper for the journal Intelligence, Richard Lynn, emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Ulster, will argue that there is a strong correlation between high IQ and lack of religious belief and that average intelligence predicts atheism rates across 137 countries.

The paper...cites studies including a 1990s survey that found that only 7 per cent of members of the American National Academy of Sciences believed in God. A survey of fellows of the Royal Society found that only 3.3 per cent believed in God at a time when a poll reported that 68.5 per cent of the general UK population were believers.

Professor Lynn told Times Higher Education: "Why should fewer academics believe in God than the general population? I believe it is simply a matter of the IQ. Academics have higher IQs than the general population. Several Gallup poll studies of the general population have shown that those with higher IQs tend not to believe in God."Times Higher Education

This may seem threatening enough, but do you see the flaws in Lynn's argument already?

Andy Wells, senior lecturer in psychology at the London School of Economics, said the existence of a correlation between IQ and religiosity did not mean there was a causal relationship between the two.

So, what is a "casual relationship"? It means that just because both numbers seem to match, there is nothing that proves that higher intelligence causes lack of faith. Here is a diagram that illustrates another seeming correlation but no causal relationship (click for larger):

This is disappointing scholarship. I'm shocked that a person could get any press or even an audience to present this kind of work. I don't think I could get away with it in my current Master's program. Lynn is jumping to conclusions based on simple data without any investigation as to the cause of these trends.

Of course, this totally ignores the poor logic that Lynn uses, see the third quoted paragraph above. He equates an "academic" with "higher intelligence."

At this point, Lynn's conclusions are simple conjecture. He would need to do some significant studies to find some correlation between "higher IQ" and agnosticism/atheism.

Using the Bible to Prove God is not [always] Circular Reasoning

Let me begin by saying that more often than not, the Bible is used in a circular argument. But what is circular reasoning? It is a logical fallacy in which the original premise is assumed true, and it therefore provides no evidence for its conclusion. Thus: "X is true. The evidence for this claim is that X is true."* Sometimes this can be called “begging the question.”

Common boneheaded example:
Q1: Is there a God?
A1: Yes.
Q2: How do you know?
A2: Because the Bible says so.
Q3: How do you know the Bible is correct?
A3: Because it was inspired by God.
From “How Thinking Goes Wrong”

I hope that this argument seems silly to you. Can you see how the next logical question is to start over again with “Is there a God?” This could go on forever. Yet, I hear this kind of argument all the time. So do many non-Christians, specifically atheists and agnostics. And people have seen this so many times that if you even begin a conversation about the existence of God with the reason that the Bible says so, instantly the other person in your conversation will plug his ears and begin screaming, “Circular Reasoning! Circular Reasoning!”

---

The trouble with this (besides making a person burst out screaming in a public place) is twofold: 1.) The person screaming is using a term from logic, and that makes them look smarter than you, whether they are or not, and 2.) The circle in the circular reasoning hasn’t quite been completed yet. They may think you are begging the question, when in fact, they are jumping to conclusions.

Here’s what I mean: They haven’t asked Question 3 yet (How do you know the Bible is correct?), and you haven't had a chance to respond. This is where things get interesting, and this is where we Christians need to understand what we believe. (By the way, if you don’t know why the Bible is reliable, can you really say that you trust the Bible?) For, if your response to Question 3 is nothing more than Answer 3, you have nothing to offer neither yourself nor the person to whom you speak.

---

I’ve been working my way through Voddie Baucham’s The Ever-Loving Truth, a book about engaging post-Christian culture. Additionally, I’ve found some of his stuff on YouTube, and I like his approach. Here’s what he says about the Bible:

[The Bible is…] a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses that report supernatural events which took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claim to be divine, rather than human in origin.

I like that he points out the Bible is made up of “historical documents.” It is not merely a silly “spiritual” book. It includes accounts of actual events, documented by lots of people (not just one person).

My argument here is that if one can prove that the Bible is a reliable source of historical fact, then one has a good start on proving that the Bible is a reliable source of information on the existence of God.

---

Now, one common counter to this kind of claim is that there is no “scientific proof” that the Bible is true. Let me just let Baucham speak for himself on this one.

Seriously, go check out that link. The original poster disabled embedding, so I can't post it here. Just be sure to come back.

Here’s the main point: the Scientific Method cannot prove anything unless it is observable, measurable, and repeatable (this is part of the problem I have with all of the certainty about evolution, but that’s another post for another day). The past is “proven” through the Evidentiary Method which requires internal consistency, corroboration, and reliability. Baucham’s argument is that the Bible meets these three requirements far better than any other historical documents from that time period.

I would like to add that this is not a new, groundbreaking argument. It is very similar to things I have seen from Josh McDowell and Hank Hanegraaf. But the reason why it is used often is because it makes the point very well. Baucham simply clarifies the difference between the Scientific and Evidentiary Methods.

---

Conclusion: The Bible can be used to support the argument of the existence of God, but its reliability must be proven first, and that cannot be done by the scientific method, but rather by evidentiary means (which are just as “rational”). Furthermore, the Bible stands up to this test quite solidly.

---

Here’s the playlist of his entire message, just in case you’d like to hear the whole thing.

Ministry Idea - Cardboard Testimonies

Hillside Christian Church in Amarillo has posted a video on GodTube with a powerful way to share testimonies in your worship service. I like this because of its simplicity. The message of each person's life is shown in a quick, vivid way. Have you ever tried anything like this?

How To be Ineffective in Ministry

If there's one thing I know, it's how not to do something. Now, I've been in ministry for around 10 years now, and one thing I've learned is that I'm no expert, but I have come up with a few tried-and-true methods on how not to be effective in ministry.

Here's the List:

---

• 6. Base Your Ministry on Programs
• 5. Stop Growing
• 4. Stop Caring About People
• 3. Fail In Your Personal Life
• 2. Forget What is Really Important.
• 1. Stay Away From Jesus

6. Base Your Ministry on Programs
Programs are the framework around which we structure ministry. And, to paraphrase A. W. Tozer, without the working of the Holy Spirit programs can be a great way to prop up a spiritually dead ministry. In fact, if you find a meeting format that really works, you can turn it into an automated ministry machine, simply change the scripture reading each week.

Another thing you can try is to change your programs with every new ministry fad. Surely if it worked in Southern California, it will work in your [Midwestern/Northeastern/Southern] congregation. And, if that doesn't work for you, try something else- quick. I'm sure you can find a large selection of books on this topic at your local (or online) Christian Book store.

5. Stop Growing
I've found that one of the best ways to be effective is to share what you are learning and going through with your congregation. Ergo, if one stops growing they can certainly suck the life out of their ministry with little or no effort.

This is a great method for the person who has already figured out the answer to life, the universe, and everything. Be a know-it-all. Don't read books. Refuse to accept challenges to your theology or methods. In fact, you may even want to avoid other ministers from whom you can learn.

4. Stop Caring About People
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that you should be mean to people. That would be way too overt. Just stop caring about them. Avoid conversation. Don't pray for your people. Be sure that you only handle crises that occur during business hours. Even better, stay hidden in your office all week long- don't even go out in public where you may accidentally have a soul-bearing conversation with another person.

3. Fail In Your Personal Life
Nothing can invalidate years of ministry faster than personal failure. I have several friends that turned away from Jesus because our ex-youth minister literally left his wife and kids for a church organist. How's that for ineffectiveness?

Burn out by doing it all yourself. Never delegate. Sexual failure is easy if you have unhealthy relationships with the opposite sex. Ruin your home life by neglecting your family and working too many hours. Get caught with your hand in the cookie jar; steal money from the church. Of course, the easiest way to wander into these traps is to avoid accountability.

2. Forget What is Really Important.
This works for both workaholics and lazy ministers. Find something else to do. For the busybody, find something else "good" to do, like have a Christian Blog (wait a minute...), or take on someone else's ministry responsibilities. Start a new project. Make lots of phone calls. John Piper calls these things "sacred substitutes."

For the ministers who need help with GTD, play on the internet all day. Get a Facebook or MySpace account. Try Homestarrunner.com or YouTube. Find a hobby and work on it during your office hours. Read the paper. The most important thing you can do is to lose sight of the most important thing you can do.

1. Stay Away From Jesus
Far and away, this is the best way to not be effective in ministry. If you neglect daily prayer and Bible study, you most assuredly fail in every spiritual endeavor that you pursue. Why? Well, because our relationship with Jesus is what it is all about, right? It is the source of all direction and passion in our ministry. If you cut that out, what is left, besides a lifetime of work without heart or purpose. Is there any better way to define "ineffective"?

Conclusion
While I'm sure that this is no exhaustive list, I think that there is a lot that I have learned through making (most of) these mistakes. I hope that you can see through the dripping sarcasm and find some truths you can use.

How does your ministry measure up? Are you already following any of these methods? What have I forgotten to mention?

Intriguing New Tool - Wordle

This is the entire text of 1 John entered into Wordle, a tool that generates word clouds based on the number of occurrences of each word in a block of text. [Click for larger image ]

This could possibly give some interesting results by visually displaying the importance of words based upon the author's frequency of use. As you can see (if you click on the pic above), besides the word "God," John uses the word "know" even more frequently than "love" in his first epistle. This visually (and therefore, quickly) underlines the purpose of John's letter: "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." John was combating the lies of the false teachers by giving assurance and knowledge.

I need to check if Wordle works with the ancient Greek text. Give it a shot with the text you are working on and let me know what you find.

Friday Video: 'Pissing' Against the Wall

I came across this a few weeks ago, and I just thought I share this insightful sermon...

You know, I've checked out Steven Anderson's website and a few of his videos on YouTube, and I have to admit that although I disagree with this man's overall theology and praxis on so many levels (it is at some points ridiculous), I think like him. Granted, there are some ways that the man couldn't be more wrong, but Anderson is definitely dedicated to preaching the Gospel. In fact, I don't think that he would like neither me nor my theology at all, but I would be proud to call him my brother in Christ. He's definitely a King James-Only Independent Fundamentalist, but he is working hard at his role as an Evangelist and Preacher.

We need to be sure that we don't forget what is the most important in life and ministry. I'm reminded of Augustine's exhortation: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity."

I guess the hard part is differentiating between the "essentials" and the "non-essentials." Where's the line?

How to Share Your Faith Using the Incredible Hulk

"Whether you're an action/sci-fi movie fan or not, if you find yourself in the midst of conversation about The Incredible Hulk, try using the conversation to talk about stress - how you deal with it and how your personal relationship with Jesus impacts you when stressful times smash into your world and threaten to turn you into your own raging version of The Hulk."
[Christian Post]

Now, don't get me wrong, but I don't remember any place in the Bible that talks about Jesus dying for our stress. Sure, He's the Prince of Peace, but it doesn't seem to me that Paul, for instance, had a low-stress life. Remember all that stuff about being beaten and stoned and shipwrecked and hungry and cold and naked? Should we include that in our Gospel presentation?

Is this sort of Evangelism misleading?

How To Organize a Rummage Sale

I've decided that I'm going to start a regular column of How-to posts, and I thought if I posted them every Tuesday, I could call it "How-Tuesdays" but I don't know if that term would be very Search Engine Friendly, so I'll just keep that term in the tags and not the title of the post.

First up is something still fresh on my mind, the church-wide Rummage Sale. We held one this weekend, and it was incredible! This type of event can be a great way for your church to raise funds for building projects, church ministries, or mission trips.

I take my list from my days in the Army (if that isn't already apparent):

---

Steps for a Successful Sale:

• 1. Planning
• 2. Preparation
• 3. Execution
• 4. Exit Stragegy

Step 1: Planning. Don't fall victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: Poorly-planned Rummage Sales can turn into a disaster... fast.

It goes without saying, yet it must be said that you must pray about this before you start. Everything we do as the Body of Christ must be done under His leadership. Before you consider any part of your promotions or sales policies or even what brand of Hot Dogs to buy, ask yourself, "Is this the sort of thing for which Jesus died?" Don't turn your church into a circus for Jesus.

Be sure you know what you are getting into. A good Rummage Sale (hereafter known as "the Sale") takes many people working many hours with the potential to raise minimal funds. The amount of funds you are able to raise will vary directly in proportion to the amount of effort you spend during the planning phase working out details and finding problems before they happen.

Consider the following questions:

• Will our Church members support this kind of fundraising?
• Where will the sale take place?
• How will we represent Christ through this event?
• Will you have information about your Church available to visitors?
• Who will be in charge of _______?
• Will we have concessions?
• What will be our policy on check writing, returns, etc?
• What will we do with the leftovers after the sale?

Be vary careful as you choose a date. Make sure you aren't competing with the town fair in the next community down the road. Saturdays seem to work best, but don't pick the first Saturday of summer vacation, because everyone else will.

Don't forget, of course, that this will certainly bring people to you who wouldn't otherwise step inside of a church. The only thing stronger than most people's aversion to Christians is their attraction to a potential deal. This, as is anything we do in- or outside of the Church building, can be a chance to reach out with the Gospel. Be prepared.

Step 2: Preparation. The largest part of this step involves gathering donations for the sale. The easiest way to do this is simply to announce it to the church. Use handouts explaining what kinds of donations you need, when/where the sale will take place, and when/where to take the donations (You figured that out during the Planning phase, right?). Will you offer to pick up donations? If so, who will be in charge of that?

You must advertise. This is one of the single most important factors in the success of your sale. The most important place to advertise is in the want ads of your local paper. This is cheap, and people looking for sales look there first. You may also want to take out ads in nearby communities as well. TV and Radio stations often have free Community Calendars that will give you some free advertising.

There is a plethora of free places to advertise on the internet. Use them. Craigslist is a great place to start, but do some research on Google for other places to put your ads.

This is also when you gather supplies. You're probably going to need bunch of stuff to pull this off. Here's a list of some things you will most likely need:

• Cash Register
• Dolly or Handtruck
• Clothing Racks
• Millions of Hangers
• Lots of tables
• Sacks
• Tons of masking tape and markers
• Trash Bags
• Food for Concessions
• Lots of friends with Pickup Trucks

Don't forget any city/county/state permits you may need (e.g., Garage Sale, Food Service, etc.). Don't try to slip past this one. Christians need to lead the way in integrity in our communities. Besides, can you imagine the headline if you get caught? "Local Church Found Operating Illegal Garage Sale"

Allow lots of time to sort and price your donations. Make sure the cutoff for accepting donations allows for time to get the donations ready for the sale. We spent 4-5 hours on 5 straight nights preparing the sale. To give you some size comparison, our church size is around 150 people at Sunday Morning worship, so be sure to allow more/less time as needed based on the size of your sale. Don't underestimate.

Step 3: Execution. The day of the sale, make sure you are ready to open early, as there will most certainly be antique dealers, eBay enthusiasts and others who will be ready to burst through your doors as though their livelihoods depend upon it (because it does). We opened a half our early because we were ready.

Make sure your sale is clean and organized. It may be called a "Rummage Sale," but if you just have piles of stuff, people will assume it is all trash. If your items are valuable enough for you to fold and display them neatly, then they will be valuable to your customers. We tried to sort things by department, like a retail store.

One of the most significant lessons we learned this weekend was that you need people out on the street to attract people to your sale. You don't have to have clowns and a ferris wheel, but a few students with signs or someone grilling and selling hamburgers can draw attention to your event. This can be a lot of fun, and helping out on the grill can be a good way to get a snack and some fresh air if you need a break during the day.

Step 4: Exit Strategy. After the main event, be prepared to clean up the mess. If you hold the sale at your church, and if it is on a Saturday, how will you re-set the church for Sunday Services?

The best way to start cleaning up is to have less stuff to clean up. This means getting rid of your sale items before the sale is actually over. This, I've found, is best accomplished by having a 50% off sale during the last few hours of your sale. If you have signs/people outside the building, make sure this is prominent. Don't advertise this in advance. For instance, don't state in your ad in the paper "Everything 50% off after 3 PM." People may wait too long to come to the sale.

Make sure you have a place to store your leftovers that won't interfere with your regular church services. We utilized some unused class space for this.

Besides having a bonfire in the parking lot, how will you get rid of all the leftover stuff? Give it away! Who can used your unused stuff?

• Charities
• Thrift Stores
• Groups preparing for Mission Trips
• Shelters

You may even be able to find some groups who will pick up your stuff for free! Try to arrange this in advance so that you can get rid of the leftovers as soon as possible.

One final tip: Be sure to sort the leftover goods. Put clothes into trash bags and label them with masking tape. Mark boxes. Organize them as you store them. Put clothes in one area and old LPs in another. This will help if one or more of your charities are only taking one kind of item. For instance, we helped a mission team that only needed shoes, and they were easy to find because we labeled the boxes clearly in our storage area.

---

Our sale was a great success. We managed to raise more than three times what I had originally anticipated, plus we had a great time getting to know people from our church. I hope that yours will be just as great!

Care to share your experience/advice? Let me hear it in the comments!

1 John 1:5-10 - Part 2 - The Modern Deception

We ended the last study with the statement that John's audience was confused about what it meant to have Fellowship with the Son of God. My point here will be that John's words are relevant today, as people still are mislead about what it means to be saved.

If you are a Christian, if you are saved, how do you know it?
Take the time to answer that question. Your response will be important in a moment.

Now, let me ask you this: Does Baptism save someone (this is called "Baptismal Regeneration")?*

For a Baptist, the answer is an easy "No." Why is this such an easy response? Because this battle was fought during the 19th century for us. But how does this relate to our conversation?

The idea 150 years ago was that at Baptism a person "received Jesus Christ." This sounds ridiculous to a modern Baptist, but today we still follow a strikingly similar practice.

---

The modern theological fad is "Decisional Regeneration." We never think of it as such, but essentially, most of us believe that when we "make a decision for Christ" He saves us. But this is not Biblical at all. Did Jesus ever ask someone to pray a prayer? What about Peter or Paul?

Most of us don't know it, but the invitation at the end of a sermon is a practice that is only around 200 years old. The Altar Call has its roots in Revivalism, and was made popular by, among others, Charles Finney, an (in)famous lawyer-turned Evangelist. Now, I'm not going to take the time to bash Finney. I'm just noting that the Invitation is a relatively new development in Christianity (and I'm also inviting you to question why you do what you do every week in church).

The point here is that a Decision doesn't save a person any more that Baptism does. So, if the Decision, and likewise, Baptism aren't the mark of a true Christian, what is? This is exactly what John tells us in this First Epistle.

A Believer is someone who...
• Admits they are sinful (1 John 1:6-10)
• Keeps Christ's commandments (2:3-5)
• Loves his brother (2:9-11)
• Does not love the World (2:15-17)
• Confesses the Son (2:23)
• Abides in Him (2:28)
• Practices Righeousness (2:29)

...And this is only a cursory reading of the first two chapters. This book is filled with the description of a genuine Believer. Did you catch the main point? It is all about action. These things are all about how one lives his/her life.

If you told most modern pastors that you weren't sure if you were saved, they'd probably ask you if you ever prayed to receive Jesus. I don't think that would be John's response. He'd ask you to check your life. Are you fighting sin in your life? Are you loving those around you with action (see 3:18)? Finally, do you have His Spirit (4:13)?

---

Take some time to question your salvation. It's okay. In fact, it's encouraged by both Paul and Peter:

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?[2 Corinthians 13:5]

...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling...[Philippians 2:12]

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure... [2 Peter 1:10]

In fact, ask your congregation to test their salvation. John Piper, speaking to pastors, said this:

Catch on to the affectional nature of Christianity, conversion. It is not merely a decision to believe a fact. It is a heart treasuring Christ and His glory more than football, sex, money, power, play, toys. You gotta make this an issue Sunday after Sunday so that they feel scared that they're not saved.

You know, I think some pastors are so afraid that somebody might walk up at the end of the service and say, "you really jostled my assurance this morning." If we don't jostle people's assurance when they're not saved, we send them to hell.[Watch the Video]

---

There is a great article about the connection between Baptistmal and Decisional Regeneration Here.

Tim Challies has an old article on this topic as well.

This article was the one I read many years ago that first opened my eyes to the problem of how we use the Invitation. If you only follow one link on this post, click this one.

NOTE: I'm a Baptist, and to keep things simple I'll assume that I'm writing to Baptists. We believe that Baptism is not essential to salvation, but rather, it is a public display of one's faith in Christ. If you disagree, that's okay with me (for right now). I don't want to turn this into a debate about a side issue. My point here is not to argue Baptismal Regeneration. Cool your jets and stay with my main point: How do we know we are saved?

Do you tell people to pray a prayer?

I found this ad on CNN.com while searching for "religion." I thought it was interesting. A bit strange, perhaps, but interesting.

Is this really how we are saved? Do we "accept" Christ? Are we saved by praying a prayer? Did Jesus ever ask someone to pray a prayer? Did he ever ask anyone to accept him? For that matter, is there any precedent in the New Testament for this? What do you think?.

To be fair, it seems that Christians are quick to attack one another on seemingly minor areas of theology, instead of focusing on the big picture of reaching the world with the Gospel. That's not my intent here. I'm just asking some questions. I think our invitation to Christ is just as critically important as our presentation of Christ.

Check out this website, watch the video, and let us know what you think.

Preaching is Theology on Fire

What is preaching? Logic on fire! Eloquent reason! Are these contradictions? Of course they are not. Reason concerning this Truth ought to be mightily eloquent, as you see it in the case of the Apostle Paul and others. It is theology on fire. And a theology which does not take fire, I maintain, is a defective theology; or at least the man's understanding of it is defective. Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. A true understanding and experience of the Truth must lead to this. I say again that a man who can speak about these things dispassionately has no right whatsoever to be in a pulpit; and should never be allowed to enter one. What is the chief end of preaching? I like to think it is this. It is to give men and women a sense of God and His presence.
[Martin Lloyd-Jones]

Read more at Old Truth