It is a wonderful instance of divine grace that the Word should be made flesh and dwell among us, and reveal his glory to us. Apart from anything that springs out of the incarnation of Christ, that incarnation itself is a wondrous act of grace. There must be hope for men now that man is next akin to God through Jesus Christ. The angels were not mistaken when I they not only sang, "Glory to God in the highest," but also, "on earth peace, goodwill towards men," because in Bethlehem the Son of God was born of a virgin. God in our nature must mean God with gracious thoughts towards us. If the Lord had meant to destroy the race, he never would have espoused it and taken it into union with himself. There is fullness of grace in the fact of the Word made flesh tabernacling among us.
Charles Spurgeon
Vision Baptist Church
Vision News
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Can A Child Be Born Again?
by Charles Hadden Spurgeon
It is interesting to take glimpses into the past to see what opinions and attitudes prevailed at certain times in history. In Spurgeon's day (1834-1892), it was a common opinion that children could not or should not be born again for various reasons. He addresses some of those attitudes in the following statements. Spurgeon had much to say on ministry to children. He himself had a dramatic conversion at the age of seventeen. These quotes come from a book entitled "Come Ye Children" by Pilgrim Publications, Pasadena, TX 77501. It is 160 pages of sermon excerpts all on training children in the truths of the gospel.
Can A Child Be Born Again?
"Talk not of a child's incapacity for repentance! I have known a child weep herself to sleep by the month together under a crushing sense of sin. If you would know a deep, and bitter, and awful fear of the wrath of God, let me tell you what I felt as a boy. If you would know joy in the Lord, many a child has been as full of it as his little heart could hold. If you want to know what faith in Jesus is, you must not look to those who have been bemuddled by the heretical jargon of the times, but to the dear children who have taken Jesus at His word, and believed in Him, and loved Him, and therefore know and are sure they are saved. Capacity for believing lies more in the child than in the man."
How Old Must a Child Be to Be Saved?
"I will not say at what age children are first capable of receiving the knowledge of Christ, but it is much earlier than some fancy; and we have seen and known children who have given abundant evidence that they have received Christ and have believed in Him at a very early age."
"Ay", say they," but if we should let the children come to Christ, and if He should bless them, they will soon forget it. No matter how loving His look and how spiritual His words, they will go back to their play, and their weak memories will preserve no trace of it at all." This objection we meet in the same manner as the others. Do not men forget? What a forgetful generation do most preachers address! ... Forgetfulness! Charge not children with it lest the accusation be proven against yourselves...The young children who heard our Lord's blessing would not forget it."
Unreal Expectations of Child Converts
"The seniors shook their heads at the idea of receiving children into the church. Some even ventured to speak of converts as "only a lot of boys and girls" : as if they were the worse for that. Many if they hear of a child-convert are very dubious, unless he dies very soon, and then they believe all about him. If a child lives they sharpen their axes to have a cut at him by way of examination. He must know all the doctrines, certainly, and he must be supernaturally grave. It is not every grown-up person who knows the higher doctrines of the Word, but if the young person should not know them he is set aside.
"Some people expect almost infinite wisdom in a child before they can believe him to be them subject of Divine grace. This is monstrous. Then, again, if a believing child should act like a child, some of the fathers of the last generation judged that he could not be converted, as if conversion to Christ added twenty years to our age. Of course, the young convert must not play anymore, nor talk in his own childish fashion, or the seniors would be shocked; for it was a sort of understood thing that as soon as ever a child was converted he was to turn into an old man. I never could see anything in Scripture to support this theory...At any rate, learn from the Master's words that you are not to try and make the child like yourself, but you are to be transformed till you yourself are like the child."
Let The Children Come
"Children need to learn the doctrine of the cross that they may find immediate salvation. I thank God that in our Sabbath-school we believe in the salvation of children as children. How very many has it been my joy to see of boys and girls who have come forward to confess their faith in Christ! And I again wish to say that the best converts, the clearest converts, the most intelligent converts we have ever had have been the young ones; and, instead of there being any deficiency in their knowledge of the Word of God, and the doctrines of grace, we have usually found them to have a very delightful acquaintance with the great cardinal truths of Christ. Many of these dear children have been able to speak of the things of God with great pleasure of heart and force of understanding. Go on, dear teachers, and believe that God will save your children."
Vision Baptist Church
Vision News
It is interesting to take glimpses into the past to see what opinions and attitudes prevailed at certain times in history. In Spurgeon's day (1834-1892), it was a common opinion that children could not or should not be born again for various reasons. He addresses some of those attitudes in the following statements. Spurgeon had much to say on ministry to children. He himself had a dramatic conversion at the age of seventeen. These quotes come from a book entitled "Come Ye Children" by Pilgrim Publications, Pasadena, TX 77501. It is 160 pages of sermon excerpts all on training children in the truths of the gospel.
Can A Child Be Born Again?
"Talk not of a child's incapacity for repentance! I have known a child weep herself to sleep by the month together under a crushing sense of sin. If you would know a deep, and bitter, and awful fear of the wrath of God, let me tell you what I felt as a boy. If you would know joy in the Lord, many a child has been as full of it as his little heart could hold. If you want to know what faith in Jesus is, you must not look to those who have been bemuddled by the heretical jargon of the times, but to the dear children who have taken Jesus at His word, and believed in Him, and loved Him, and therefore know and are sure they are saved. Capacity for believing lies more in the child than in the man."
How Old Must a Child Be to Be Saved?
"I will not say at what age children are first capable of receiving the knowledge of Christ, but it is much earlier than some fancy; and we have seen and known children who have given abundant evidence that they have received Christ and have believed in Him at a very early age."
"Ay", say they," but if we should let the children come to Christ, and if He should bless them, they will soon forget it. No matter how loving His look and how spiritual His words, they will go back to their play, and their weak memories will preserve no trace of it at all." This objection we meet in the same manner as the others. Do not men forget? What a forgetful generation do most preachers address! ... Forgetfulness! Charge not children with it lest the accusation be proven against yourselves...The young children who heard our Lord's blessing would not forget it."
Unreal Expectations of Child Converts
"The seniors shook their heads at the idea of receiving children into the church. Some even ventured to speak of converts as "only a lot of boys and girls" : as if they were the worse for that. Many if they hear of a child-convert are very dubious, unless he dies very soon, and then they believe all about him. If a child lives they sharpen their axes to have a cut at him by way of examination. He must know all the doctrines, certainly, and he must be supernaturally grave. It is not every grown-up person who knows the higher doctrines of the Word, but if the young person should not know them he is set aside.
"Some people expect almost infinite wisdom in a child before they can believe him to be them subject of Divine grace. This is monstrous. Then, again, if a believing child should act like a child, some of the fathers of the last generation judged that he could not be converted, as if conversion to Christ added twenty years to our age. Of course, the young convert must not play anymore, nor talk in his own childish fashion, or the seniors would be shocked; for it was a sort of understood thing that as soon as ever a child was converted he was to turn into an old man. I never could see anything in Scripture to support this theory...At any rate, learn from the Master's words that you are not to try and make the child like yourself, but you are to be transformed till you yourself are like the child."
Let The Children Come
"Children need to learn the doctrine of the cross that they may find immediate salvation. I thank God that in our Sabbath-school we believe in the salvation of children as children. How very many has it been my joy to see of boys and girls who have come forward to confess their faith in Christ! And I again wish to say that the best converts, the clearest converts, the most intelligent converts we have ever had have been the young ones; and, instead of there being any deficiency in their knowledge of the Word of God, and the doctrines of grace, we have usually found them to have a very delightful acquaintance with the great cardinal truths of Christ. Many of these dear children have been able to speak of the things of God with great pleasure of heart and force of understanding. Go on, dear teachers, and believe that God will save your children."
Vision Baptist Church
Vision News
Monday, December 17, 2007
What to Do After the Storm, Part 2
This is such a good article and I hope that each of you will read it and reread it several times.
by SharperIron at 1:00 am December 17, 2007.
Encouragement for Women Whose Husbands Have Fallen Into Pornography
Editor’s Note: The following article contains sensitive subject matter about sexuality. Some material may be inappropriate for children.
Read Part 1.
by Debi Pryde
How Could He Do Such a Thing?
Perhaps you are wondering, How do men or women get entrapped by something as vile and self-centered as pornography and masturbation or by any kind of sexual immorality, for that matter? How can a husband say he loves his wife and then engage in such raunchy behavior? Women who are faced with questions like these often feel deeply betrayed. As the impact of their husband’s sin presses on them, they usually vacillate between anger, insecurity, and sorrow. Trust is shattered, and fear quickly slides into its place. Because involvement with pornography isn’t usually understood or expected, women often struggle to grapple with the realities of such an enslaving habit. With good reason, it is a sin that causes a wife to feel strangely violated. Something or someone else has used what she believed was exclusively hers alone. To a woman who is reeling in the aftershock of discovering her husband’s vice, it seems senseless and incredibly stupid for him to risk loosing everything that is dear in order to gratify sexual urges that are so base. Yet responding with disgust and bewilderment is the way most of us respond when we hear about someone who is enslaved to some devastating sin. We are surprised because we do not fully comprehend the power of sin or believe every person is vulnerable to being controlled by it.
Women who are discouraged as they try to understand their husband’s slippery slide into moral failure should consider the sins they might be enslaved to—perhaps to sins that don’t have the same consequences or stigma that enslavement to pornography does. Is gossip a problem? Worry? Anger? Is there complete self-control with the things one buys? Is credit card debt a battle? How about time management, time in prayer, and Bible study? Do you have any difficulties there? No matter who we are or how well we have managed to keep ourselves from the clutches of sin, we all still need to be exhorted to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Heb. 12:1). Sin is incredibly deceptive, powerful, and tailor-made to easily exploit every person’s weakest link. One person’s besetting sin may not be another’s.
It’s easy to see sexual sins as heinous when they don’t tempt us. But what about our own besetting sins? Have we made up our mind to flee from them only to be entrapped when our pet passions got the best of us once again? Have we asked for forgiveness again and again and still failed? If we are not careful, we can become just like the Pharisee who self-righteously told the Lord (who let us know the Pharisee prayed with himself), “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess” (Luke 18:11-12). Whenever we, like the publican, derive our sense of being right with God from what we do or do not do, we become puffed up with pride, critical of others, unmerciful, and unforgiving. We can forget that God’s grace is no more grace if we deserve His forgiveness and righteousness. If we come to God in our own merit, we will find not approval but rejection.
It isn’t uncommon for a woman betrayed by her husband’s immorality to become so prideful and self-righteous that she prays, but God refuses to listen. The Scriptures teach us that “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5). At the same time, her husband, who sinned so grievously against her, might humbly acknowledge his sin and turn in repentance to God. He may discover that the Lord is ready to grant him full forgiveness and restoration of fellowship. What a strange twist—the betrayed wife behaves like the Pharisee while her husband acts like the publican, who ”standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). The sinning husband can be forgiven and restored even while his wife, who was sinned against, can be estranged from God. What a sobering reminder that none of us deserves God’s mercy or forgiveness. None of us can be forgiven because we deserve to be. Humility elicits God’s compassion and grace, but pride elicits His opposition completely. “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14). The truth is, all of us can be as enslaved to sin as the husband who is enslaved to pornography. And the path to victory for us is the same path of victory for him.
What We Need
In a nutshell, all sins that involve self-indulgence reflect the same spiritual lack of temperance or self-control. Scripture recognizes temperance as a byproduct or fruit of the Spirit, a characteristic of those who “walk in the Spirit.” One who exercises his own will and lives as he pleases is one who “walks after the flesh.” On the other hand, one who is able to restrain the sinful desires of his human nature and obediently chooses to do God’s will is one who “walks after the Spirit.” The Bible tells us in Galatians 5:16-17, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust [sinful desires] of the flesh [human nature]. For the flesh lusteth [wars] against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” If the ability to do right and to resist wrong depends on one thing—walking in the Spirit—then learning what “walking in the Spirit” is should be of utmost importance to every believer. Of all the Christian men (including many pastors) who have been enslaved by sexual sin and of all the Christian women who have been enslaved by bitterness and slander, none can honestly dispute the practical truth of this passage of Scripture. Those who daily walk in the Spirit find all the strength and grace they need to withstand temptation and to do what is right. Those who do not walk in the Spirit do not. The flesh can never be trusted. The Lord Jesus Christ can.
To “walk” refers to how we live and conduct our life. To “walk in the Spirit” is to depend upon and walk with the Lord in the same way God commanded Israel to walk with Him. “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deut. 10:12). The blessings and benefits to those who choose to learn and do God’s commandments are spelled out throughout both the Old and New Testament. “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein” (Hosea 14:9). David understood that the power and ability to walk with God begin first with a decision of the will but also depend on trusting in God’s enabling grace and strength to do so. God alone enables us to walk in His ways. “Teach me [dependence] thy way, O LORD; I will [the will exercised] walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name” (Ps. 86:11).
What both husband and wife need when faced with the aftermath of sexual sin is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, for He alone is the only means through which a husband will conquer his sexual sin or a wife will conquer the temptation to give up or become bitter. This is a time when both need to grasp the fact that one’s spouse never could and never will be able to provide the kind of emotional satisfaction and fulfillment that can come only from a wholehearted relationship with Christ. Even the best marriage relationship can be filled with disillusionment and disappointment if our first love is not our Savior with whom we are united forever.
What a miracle of God’s grace if your husband is experiencing true repentance and is grappling with the realities of his sin. True repentance always brings with it true sorrow for sin. But whether your husband repents or not, you, the betrayed wife, desperately need to learn the practical lessons of walking with God, daily trusting Him, communing with Him, listening to Him, and depending on Him. He alone will never betray you, disappoint you, leave you, or cease loving you. At a time in your life when your hopes and dreams seem to be crumbling all around you, you have the privilege to flee to the Lord and to find in Him everything you need to face the challenges of each new day.
Many saints will testify that some of the sweetest times with the Lord are when we are experiencing the depths of anguish and despair. But God does not leave us in the valley of sorrows. He walks beside us in the valley and sustains us through the darkest night, and then He leads us ever upward to sunny pastures, where we will once again delight in all of God’s loving provision. David testified of this blessing when he said, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD” (Ps. 27:13-14).
Look up, dear sister, and don’t look within. Don’t focus your thoughts on your husband—look up, for that is from where your help and deliverance will come! David learned this same lesson and confidently told us,
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore (Ps. 121:1-8).
Debi Pryde has taught ladies’ Bible classes and spoken at retreats and seminars for the past 30 years. A certified biblical counselor, she is particularly burdened for women and for the problems they face in today’s world. She has published a variety of Bible studies and books, including Secrets of a Happy Heart, Happily Married, and Precept Upon Precept. She and her husband, Tom, are active members at Lighthouse Baptist Church (La Verne, CA). You can read more about Debi, about her ministry, and about her rose garden by visiting her website.
Visit Vision Baptist Church and keep up with what is going on through Vision News!
by SharperIron at 1:00 am December 17, 2007.
Encouragement for Women Whose Husbands Have Fallen Into Pornography
Editor’s Note: The following article contains sensitive subject matter about sexuality. Some material may be inappropriate for children.
Read Part 1.
by Debi Pryde
How Could He Do Such a Thing?
Perhaps you are wondering, How do men or women get entrapped by something as vile and self-centered as pornography and masturbation or by any kind of sexual immorality, for that matter? How can a husband say he loves his wife and then engage in such raunchy behavior? Women who are faced with questions like these often feel deeply betrayed. As the impact of their husband’s sin presses on them, they usually vacillate between anger, insecurity, and sorrow. Trust is shattered, and fear quickly slides into its place. Because involvement with pornography isn’t usually understood or expected, women often struggle to grapple with the realities of such an enslaving habit. With good reason, it is a sin that causes a wife to feel strangely violated. Something or someone else has used what she believed was exclusively hers alone. To a woman who is reeling in the aftershock of discovering her husband’s vice, it seems senseless and incredibly stupid for him to risk loosing everything that is dear in order to gratify sexual urges that are so base. Yet responding with disgust and bewilderment is the way most of us respond when we hear about someone who is enslaved to some devastating sin. We are surprised because we do not fully comprehend the power of sin or believe every person is vulnerable to being controlled by it.
Women who are discouraged as they try to understand their husband’s slippery slide into moral failure should consider the sins they might be enslaved to—perhaps to sins that don’t have the same consequences or stigma that enslavement to pornography does. Is gossip a problem? Worry? Anger? Is there complete self-control with the things one buys? Is credit card debt a battle? How about time management, time in prayer, and Bible study? Do you have any difficulties there? No matter who we are or how well we have managed to keep ourselves from the clutches of sin, we all still need to be exhorted to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Heb. 12:1). Sin is incredibly deceptive, powerful, and tailor-made to easily exploit every person’s weakest link. One person’s besetting sin may not be another’s.
It’s easy to see sexual sins as heinous when they don’t tempt us. But what about our own besetting sins? Have we made up our mind to flee from them only to be entrapped when our pet passions got the best of us once again? Have we asked for forgiveness again and again and still failed? If we are not careful, we can become just like the Pharisee who self-righteously told the Lord (who let us know the Pharisee prayed with himself), “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess” (Luke 18:11-12). Whenever we, like the publican, derive our sense of being right with God from what we do or do not do, we become puffed up with pride, critical of others, unmerciful, and unforgiving. We can forget that God’s grace is no more grace if we deserve His forgiveness and righteousness. If we come to God in our own merit, we will find not approval but rejection.
It isn’t uncommon for a woman betrayed by her husband’s immorality to become so prideful and self-righteous that she prays, but God refuses to listen. The Scriptures teach us that “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5). At the same time, her husband, who sinned so grievously against her, might humbly acknowledge his sin and turn in repentance to God. He may discover that the Lord is ready to grant him full forgiveness and restoration of fellowship. What a strange twist—the betrayed wife behaves like the Pharisee while her husband acts like the publican, who ”standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). The sinning husband can be forgiven and restored even while his wife, who was sinned against, can be estranged from God. What a sobering reminder that none of us deserves God’s mercy or forgiveness. None of us can be forgiven because we deserve to be. Humility elicits God’s compassion and grace, but pride elicits His opposition completely. “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14). The truth is, all of us can be as enslaved to sin as the husband who is enslaved to pornography. And the path to victory for us is the same path of victory for him.
What We Need
In a nutshell, all sins that involve self-indulgence reflect the same spiritual lack of temperance or self-control. Scripture recognizes temperance as a byproduct or fruit of the Spirit, a characteristic of those who “walk in the Spirit.” One who exercises his own will and lives as he pleases is one who “walks after the flesh.” On the other hand, one who is able to restrain the sinful desires of his human nature and obediently chooses to do God’s will is one who “walks after the Spirit.” The Bible tells us in Galatians 5:16-17, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust [sinful desires] of the flesh [human nature]. For the flesh lusteth [wars] against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” If the ability to do right and to resist wrong depends on one thing—walking in the Spirit—then learning what “walking in the Spirit” is should be of utmost importance to every believer. Of all the Christian men (including many pastors) who have been enslaved by sexual sin and of all the Christian women who have been enslaved by bitterness and slander, none can honestly dispute the practical truth of this passage of Scripture. Those who daily walk in the Spirit find all the strength and grace they need to withstand temptation and to do what is right. Those who do not walk in the Spirit do not. The flesh can never be trusted. The Lord Jesus Christ can.
To “walk” refers to how we live and conduct our life. To “walk in the Spirit” is to depend upon and walk with the Lord in the same way God commanded Israel to walk with Him. “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deut. 10:12). The blessings and benefits to those who choose to learn and do God’s commandments are spelled out throughout both the Old and New Testament. “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein” (Hosea 14:9). David understood that the power and ability to walk with God begin first with a decision of the will but also depend on trusting in God’s enabling grace and strength to do so. God alone enables us to walk in His ways. “Teach me [dependence] thy way, O LORD; I will [the will exercised] walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name” (Ps. 86:11).
What both husband and wife need when faced with the aftermath of sexual sin is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, for He alone is the only means through which a husband will conquer his sexual sin or a wife will conquer the temptation to give up or become bitter. This is a time when both need to grasp the fact that one’s spouse never could and never will be able to provide the kind of emotional satisfaction and fulfillment that can come only from a wholehearted relationship with Christ. Even the best marriage relationship can be filled with disillusionment and disappointment if our first love is not our Savior with whom we are united forever.
What a miracle of God’s grace if your husband is experiencing true repentance and is grappling with the realities of his sin. True repentance always brings with it true sorrow for sin. But whether your husband repents or not, you, the betrayed wife, desperately need to learn the practical lessons of walking with God, daily trusting Him, communing with Him, listening to Him, and depending on Him. He alone will never betray you, disappoint you, leave you, or cease loving you. At a time in your life when your hopes and dreams seem to be crumbling all around you, you have the privilege to flee to the Lord and to find in Him everything you need to face the challenges of each new day.
Many saints will testify that some of the sweetest times with the Lord are when we are experiencing the depths of anguish and despair. But God does not leave us in the valley of sorrows. He walks beside us in the valley and sustains us through the darkest night, and then He leads us ever upward to sunny pastures, where we will once again delight in all of God’s loving provision. David testified of this blessing when he said, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD” (Ps. 27:13-14).
Look up, dear sister, and don’t look within. Don’t focus your thoughts on your husband—look up, for that is from where your help and deliverance will come! David learned this same lesson and confidently told us,
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore (Ps. 121:1-8).
Debi Pryde has taught ladies’ Bible classes and spoken at retreats and seminars for the past 30 years. A certified biblical counselor, she is particularly burdened for women and for the problems they face in today’s world. She has published a variety of Bible studies and books, including Secrets of a Happy Heart, Happily Married, and Precept Upon Precept. She and her husband, Tom, are active members at Lighthouse Baptist Church (La Verne, CA). You can read more about Debi, about her ministry, and about her rose garden by visiting her website.
Visit Vision Baptist Church and keep up with what is going on through Vision News!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
What to Do After the Storm, Part 1
Oh how this article is needed! I hope that each of you will read it and share it. This is a battle of utmost importance in our world today!
by SharperIron at 1:00 am December 14, 2007.
Encouragement for Women Whose Husbands Have Fallen Into Pornography
Editor’s Note: The following article contains sensitive subject matter about sexuality. Some material may be inappropriate for children.
by Debi Pryde
You’ve made it through the initial discovery. You’ve made the decision to stay in your marriage and fight for it. You know life will never be the same again, but life does goes on. The routines of everyday living continue—work, school, grocery shopping, housework, cooking, answering the phone. You are going through the motions, and you are giving your best. But discouragement and sorrow might still be your constant companions. Perhaps you are looking back instead of looking forward, and you are still mourning over what you might still see as total loss.
Remember, discouragement is always rooted in the way we think—the specific thoughts we center our attention on, the “what ifs” and “if onlys” that crowd out any hope or rays of light. Yes, you may know God’s promises, but they will bring no comfort if your heart refuses to be comforted. Your heart may continue to mourn as though sorrow will somehow soothe the deep wounds that are yet so tender and sore. Oh, dear sister, there is no comfort, no joy, no healing, and no hope in the deep abyss of morbid thoughts and fears.
Would you take a moment to read these gentle reminders that can lead you out of the valley and into the light of day? As we have often sung,
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
This truth doesn’t make sense to our human hearts, but the weapon that slays the enemy of discouragement is within our reach and within our power to pick up and use. We have the Holy Spirit Himself dwelling within us, and God wants us to be encouraged, comforted, and strengthened. The Bible assures us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5, KJV). Will you summon inner courage by praying right now and asking God to walk with us a moment and to strengthen you as we face some of those tormenting monsters together and conquer them with God’s sword?
Where in the World Did She Come from?
Many women have described their husband’s bondage to pornography as adultery with a woman they cannot speak to or confront; after all, she lives on the pages of a magazine or a website. She is a phantom who steals the attentions and affections of their husbands and entices them to follow her far away from real life at home in a real world. This perpetually naked woman, who is airbrushed to perfection, feels no concern for the home she destroys, for the hearts she breaks, or for the men she lures into her pernicious trap. She smiles provocatively and demands nothing—or so it seems to the men who are mesmerized by her. Little do they know that they are following this woman like a cow to the slaughterhouse (Prov. 7:22), where death and horror quietly await them.
This seemingly “harmless” fascination with a woman who never speaks or demands is, in reality, fascination with a woman who is leading a steady stream of men into a trap of the darkest and most sinister sort. While they are feasting on her delights, they are unaware that she is silently eroding their defenses and infiltrating every corner of their lives with only one intent—total destruction. A beautiful Trojan horse, she cares nothing for them and has no pity, though she destroys careers, marriages, homes, and—most precious of all—a man’s integrity, character, and relationship with God. Solomon warns about this woman. In Ecclesiastes 7:25, we read, “I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares [traps] and nets, and her hands as bands [prison]: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.”
Men who have been taken by the beauty of this licentious woman called “pornography” have far greater problems than a fascination with lewd photography. They have been hooked by the lure of illicit sexual arousal. Pornography has one goal—arousal and sexual release. Make no mistake about it—the pictures are the bait, not the hook. The hook that snares and entraps is the sexual high. It’s certainly enticing because it seems better than the euphoria of elicit drugs with none of the “side effects.” It’s perfectly legal, comes without exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, costs little, requires no self-sacrifice, and demands no emotional ties or investments of time. Apparently, no one is hurt, no one is physically violated, and no adultery is committed. The illusion is that this sexual high is the most perfect stress release and trouble-free recreation a man could engage in with so little cost and trouble. There’s only one problem—this sexual high completely ignores God.
Men entrapped by the ritualistic habits of masturbation (self-sex) live as though sexual gratification were a sport rather than a sacred gift from God reserved for the intimacies of marriage. Masturbation disregards the one-flesh relationship of marriage characterized by physical union and mutual enjoyment. It exchanges the long-lasting delights of true intimacy and love with one’s spouse for a self-centered shortcut to momentary gratification that incrementally destroys a man’s ability to enjoy sex with his wife and to interact with her. It utterly destroys the mysterious spiritual bond that is established between a man and a woman who have come together in sexual union, and it ultimately grieves the Holy Spirit and alienates a man from his God. In the end, masturbation reduces a sacred act to lurid debauchery and hardens a man’s heart until he no longer hears the cries of his own wife or children—let alone the still-small voice of the Holy Spirit. High on the throne of his heart is his own insatiable lust, which rules his life with an all-encompassing tyrannical control.
Lust does conquer and rule whoever lingers in its grasp. What may have begun with curiosity or an impulsive act during a time of stress quickly envelops and consumes a man until he no longer controls it—lust controls him. And sometimes lust goes beyond the pages of photographic images and morphs into a real woman who is willing to play the part and become a living fantasy. How in the world can this sin happen to a Christian man, and is there any hope for his rescue? Thankfully, God’s love, grace, and power can transform even men who have been corrupted by the utter blindness and deception of sexual vices. There is hope and more than that—hope for a better tomorrow.
“What?” Paul asks incredulously, “know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication [any sexual immorality]. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:16-18). Adultery is much more than physical intercourse between two living, breathing people. To understand why adulterous behavior by a spouse wreaks such internal havoc, one must understand that it is more than a simple physical act. Adultery includes any act that robs a marriage of intimacy that rightfully belongs to one’s marriage partner alone. God designed marriage, which is the intertwining of two people’s lives both physically and emotionally, to produce an exclusive and delightful bond of companionship.
The sexual union is something God created for our enjoyment. Animals procreate to satisfy sexual urges, but people automatically engage their minds when they engage in sexual union. People are designed in such a way that they develop an emotional attachment to the object of their love and physical attachment. Emotional intimacy and physical intimacy cannot be separated—the two complement and feed each other. If someone sets his (or her) love on the delights of a harlot, he will become inextricably attached to the harlot. If one sets his love on the delights of his spouse, he will become attached to his spouse. If one sets his love on himself, he will become attached to his own self and be enveloped in self-gratification. When human beings violate the built-in plan God set in motion, they will always suffer excruciating consequences.
A satisfying marriage relationship in which both partners are emotionally attached to each other can be compared to a glass of water that is completely filled. There’s no room for more water from another source—the glass is full. But when one or both partners begin investing their emotional and physical efforts in a third object of sexual attraction, the full glass of water begins slowly draining into another glass. Eventually, the once-full glass becomes a partially full glass of water and ultimately nothing more than a dry glass with nothing in it. Men and women in such a marriage sense that something is wrong with their marriage relationship. It is no longer satisfying or warm. They often wrongly conclude that they no longer love their spouse, or they believe all hope for the marriage is gone. What they do not recognize is that they themselves have stopped refilling the glass. They have poured themselves into another glass until their marriage glass has become empty. When both partners begin pouring themselves into each other and begin investing their attention and nurture into their own relationship, the “outside glass” becomes empty, and the marriage is once again full and satisfied.
With this illustration fresh in your mind, go back to the beginning of this article and reread the description of a man entrapped in pornography. Then be sure to read Part Two on Monday.
Debi Pryde has taught ladies’ Bible classes and spoken at retreats and seminars for the past 30 years. A certified biblical counselor, she is particularly burdened for women and for the problems they face in today’s world. She has published a variety of Bible studies and books, including Secrets of a Happy Heart, Happily Married, and Precept Upon Precept. She and her husband, Tom, are active members at Lighthouse Baptist Church (La Verne, CA). You can read more about Debi, about her ministry, and about her rose garden by visiting her website.
by SharperIron at 1:00 am December 14, 2007.
Encouragement for Women Whose Husbands Have Fallen Into Pornography
Editor’s Note: The following article contains sensitive subject matter about sexuality. Some material may be inappropriate for children.
by Debi Pryde
You’ve made it through the initial discovery. You’ve made the decision to stay in your marriage and fight for it. You know life will never be the same again, but life does goes on. The routines of everyday living continue—work, school, grocery shopping, housework, cooking, answering the phone. You are going through the motions, and you are giving your best. But discouragement and sorrow might still be your constant companions. Perhaps you are looking back instead of looking forward, and you are still mourning over what you might still see as total loss.
Remember, discouragement is always rooted in the way we think—the specific thoughts we center our attention on, the “what ifs” and “if onlys” that crowd out any hope or rays of light. Yes, you may know God’s promises, but they will bring no comfort if your heart refuses to be comforted. Your heart may continue to mourn as though sorrow will somehow soothe the deep wounds that are yet so tender and sore. Oh, dear sister, there is no comfort, no joy, no healing, and no hope in the deep abyss of morbid thoughts and fears.
Would you take a moment to read these gentle reminders that can lead you out of the valley and into the light of day? As we have often sung,
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
This truth doesn’t make sense to our human hearts, but the weapon that slays the enemy of discouragement is within our reach and within our power to pick up and use. We have the Holy Spirit Himself dwelling within us, and God wants us to be encouraged, comforted, and strengthened. The Bible assures us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5, KJV). Will you summon inner courage by praying right now and asking God to walk with us a moment and to strengthen you as we face some of those tormenting monsters together and conquer them with God’s sword?
Where in the World Did She Come from?
Many women have described their husband’s bondage to pornography as adultery with a woman they cannot speak to or confront; after all, she lives on the pages of a magazine or a website. She is a phantom who steals the attentions and affections of their husbands and entices them to follow her far away from real life at home in a real world. This perpetually naked woman, who is airbrushed to perfection, feels no concern for the home she destroys, for the hearts she breaks, or for the men she lures into her pernicious trap. She smiles provocatively and demands nothing—or so it seems to the men who are mesmerized by her. Little do they know that they are following this woman like a cow to the slaughterhouse (Prov. 7:22), where death and horror quietly await them.
This seemingly “harmless” fascination with a woman who never speaks or demands is, in reality, fascination with a woman who is leading a steady stream of men into a trap of the darkest and most sinister sort. While they are feasting on her delights, they are unaware that she is silently eroding their defenses and infiltrating every corner of their lives with only one intent—total destruction. A beautiful Trojan horse, she cares nothing for them and has no pity, though she destroys careers, marriages, homes, and—most precious of all—a man’s integrity, character, and relationship with God. Solomon warns about this woman. In Ecclesiastes 7:25, we read, “I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares [traps] and nets, and her hands as bands [prison]: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.”
Men who have been taken by the beauty of this licentious woman called “pornography” have far greater problems than a fascination with lewd photography. They have been hooked by the lure of illicit sexual arousal. Pornography has one goal—arousal and sexual release. Make no mistake about it—the pictures are the bait, not the hook. The hook that snares and entraps is the sexual high. It’s certainly enticing because it seems better than the euphoria of elicit drugs with none of the “side effects.” It’s perfectly legal, comes without exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, costs little, requires no self-sacrifice, and demands no emotional ties or investments of time. Apparently, no one is hurt, no one is physically violated, and no adultery is committed. The illusion is that this sexual high is the most perfect stress release and trouble-free recreation a man could engage in with so little cost and trouble. There’s only one problem—this sexual high completely ignores God.
Men entrapped by the ritualistic habits of masturbation (self-sex) live as though sexual gratification were a sport rather than a sacred gift from God reserved for the intimacies of marriage. Masturbation disregards the one-flesh relationship of marriage characterized by physical union and mutual enjoyment. It exchanges the long-lasting delights of true intimacy and love with one’s spouse for a self-centered shortcut to momentary gratification that incrementally destroys a man’s ability to enjoy sex with his wife and to interact with her. It utterly destroys the mysterious spiritual bond that is established between a man and a woman who have come together in sexual union, and it ultimately grieves the Holy Spirit and alienates a man from his God. In the end, masturbation reduces a sacred act to lurid debauchery and hardens a man’s heart until he no longer hears the cries of his own wife or children—let alone the still-small voice of the Holy Spirit. High on the throne of his heart is his own insatiable lust, which rules his life with an all-encompassing tyrannical control.
Lust does conquer and rule whoever lingers in its grasp. What may have begun with curiosity or an impulsive act during a time of stress quickly envelops and consumes a man until he no longer controls it—lust controls him. And sometimes lust goes beyond the pages of photographic images and morphs into a real woman who is willing to play the part and become a living fantasy. How in the world can this sin happen to a Christian man, and is there any hope for his rescue? Thankfully, God’s love, grace, and power can transform even men who have been corrupted by the utter blindness and deception of sexual vices. There is hope and more than that—hope for a better tomorrow.
“What?” Paul asks incredulously, “know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication [any sexual immorality]. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:16-18). Adultery is much more than physical intercourse between two living, breathing people. To understand why adulterous behavior by a spouse wreaks such internal havoc, one must understand that it is more than a simple physical act. Adultery includes any act that robs a marriage of intimacy that rightfully belongs to one’s marriage partner alone. God designed marriage, which is the intertwining of two people’s lives both physically and emotionally, to produce an exclusive and delightful bond of companionship.
The sexual union is something God created for our enjoyment. Animals procreate to satisfy sexual urges, but people automatically engage their minds when they engage in sexual union. People are designed in such a way that they develop an emotional attachment to the object of their love and physical attachment. Emotional intimacy and physical intimacy cannot be separated—the two complement and feed each other. If someone sets his (or her) love on the delights of a harlot, he will become inextricably attached to the harlot. If one sets his love on the delights of his spouse, he will become attached to his spouse. If one sets his love on himself, he will become attached to his own self and be enveloped in self-gratification. When human beings violate the built-in plan God set in motion, they will always suffer excruciating consequences.
A satisfying marriage relationship in which both partners are emotionally attached to each other can be compared to a glass of water that is completely filled. There’s no room for more water from another source—the glass is full. But when one or both partners begin investing their emotional and physical efforts in a third object of sexual attraction, the full glass of water begins slowly draining into another glass. Eventually, the once-full glass becomes a partially full glass of water and ultimately nothing more than a dry glass with nothing in it. Men and women in such a marriage sense that something is wrong with their marriage relationship. It is no longer satisfying or warm. They often wrongly conclude that they no longer love their spouse, or they believe all hope for the marriage is gone. What they do not recognize is that they themselves have stopped refilling the glass. They have poured themselves into another glass until their marriage glass has become empty. When both partners begin pouring themselves into each other and begin investing their attention and nurture into their own relationship, the “outside glass” becomes empty, and the marriage is once again full and satisfied.
With this illustration fresh in your mind, go back to the beginning of this article and reread the description of a man entrapped in pornography. Then be sure to read Part Two on Monday.
Debi Pryde has taught ladies’ Bible classes and spoken at retreats and seminars for the past 30 years. A certified biblical counselor, she is particularly burdened for women and for the problems they face in today’s world. She has published a variety of Bible studies and books, including Secrets of a Happy Heart, Happily Married, and Precept Upon Precept. She and her husband, Tom, are active members at Lighthouse Baptist Church (La Verne, CA). You can read more about Debi, about her ministry, and about her rose garden by visiting her website.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Kids and parents agree: 18- to 25-year-olds aren't adults
The following article is very interesting when you consider that we are in the ministry of training men and women to be leaders for the cause of Christ. What do you think? Are they adults or not? Were you? How does this affect the way we should work with them?
By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY
Once upon a time, 18- to 25-year-olds were considered adults.
That's a fairy tale now, say most parents of college students, and their kids agree in a new study that confirms "growing up" comes later.
READERS: At what age did you become an adult and how did you know?
Only 16% of mothers and 19% of fathers say their children this age have reached adulthood. And their kids don't dispute it: Just 16% consider themselves grown up in the online survey of 392 college students and their 590 parents.
The study, reported in the December issue of Journal of Family Psychology, involved students on five diverse campuses.
Most kids agreed with parents that one must take responsibility for one's actions and have good emotional control to be considered an adult. But parents were far more likely than students to see not becoming drunk and driving safely as vital to adulthood.
"Possibly, this is leftover adolescent stuff," says family life researcher Larry Nelson of Brigham Young University, the study leader. Many kids are no more responsible about drinking or driving than they were in high school, he says. A lot of binge drinking and experimenting goes on in college.
"They're out of the home, and that's more conducive," he says.
Longer life spans have encouraged a more leisurely pace of growing up, says Maryse Richards, an expert in adolescent psychology at Loyola University in Chicago. "This group is different than adolescents, but not yet adults."
The term "emerging adults" was coined by psychologist Jeffrey Arnett of Clark University about 10 years ago when he began to study this phase.
Arnett says his studies gave young people another answer option besides "adult" or "not adult": "in some ways yes, in some ways no." About two-thirds chose this last option. He found that most young people the same age but not in college also didn't feel grown up.
"We have a new life stage we didn't have a few decades ago," says Arnett, author of Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road From the Late Teens Through the Twenties.
More education with years off between degrees, later marriages, having fewer children and more couples living together before marriage have delayed "settling down," he says.
"Emerging adults do things, such as travel and trying out different kinds of jobs, that they couldn't have done as adolescents and won't be able to do as adults," Arnett says.
Nelson's study is one of the very few on this age group that has parents' views, he says. In Arnett's research, young people reported that their relationships with their parents were good.
Some young adults, however, flounder and "have conflicts with parents over areas of disagreement," Nelson says. Although parenting books abound, "there is little out there to help parents with their kids at this stage."
By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY
Once upon a time, 18- to 25-year-olds were considered adults.
That's a fairy tale now, say most parents of college students, and their kids agree in a new study that confirms "growing up" comes later.
READERS: At what age did you become an adult and how did you know?
Only 16% of mothers and 19% of fathers say their children this age have reached adulthood. And their kids don't dispute it: Just 16% consider themselves grown up in the online survey of 392 college students and their 590 parents.
The study, reported in the December issue of Journal of Family Psychology, involved students on five diverse campuses.
Most kids agreed with parents that one must take responsibility for one's actions and have good emotional control to be considered an adult. But parents were far more likely than students to see not becoming drunk and driving safely as vital to adulthood.
"Possibly, this is leftover adolescent stuff," says family life researcher Larry Nelson of Brigham Young University, the study leader. Many kids are no more responsible about drinking or driving than they were in high school, he says. A lot of binge drinking and experimenting goes on in college.
"They're out of the home, and that's more conducive," he says.
Longer life spans have encouraged a more leisurely pace of growing up, says Maryse Richards, an expert in adolescent psychology at Loyola University in Chicago. "This group is different than adolescents, but not yet adults."
The term "emerging adults" was coined by psychologist Jeffrey Arnett of Clark University about 10 years ago when he began to study this phase.
Arnett says his studies gave young people another answer option besides "adult" or "not adult": "in some ways yes, in some ways no." About two-thirds chose this last option. He found that most young people the same age but not in college also didn't feel grown up.
"We have a new life stage we didn't have a few decades ago," says Arnett, author of Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road From the Late Teens Through the Twenties.
More education with years off between degrees, later marriages, having fewer children and more couples living together before marriage have delayed "settling down," he says.
"Emerging adults do things, such as travel and trying out different kinds of jobs, that they couldn't have done as adolescents and won't be able to do as adults," Arnett says.
Nelson's study is one of the very few on this age group that has parents' views, he says. In Arnett's research, young people reported that their relationships with their parents were good.
Some young adults, however, flounder and "have conflicts with parents over areas of disagreement," Nelson says. Although parenting books abound, "there is little out there to help parents with their kids at this stage."
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
How to Win When You're in Competition with a Gorilla
I thought the following article made some very good points. We are not in competition nor are we meant to be in competition with other churches. We need to be who God made us to be and to do the ministry that God made us to be.
This affects the way we do the ministry. Imitating them and being like them we will never win. We know what our ministry is supposed to be. Let's do the ministry.
I think the key point was the following: At the end of the day, no one is remarkable by being like someone else (unless you're a comedian/impersonator).
How to Win When You're in Competition with a Gorilla (England and the 2012 Olympics)
If you're in a market space where there are one, two or three dominant players and you're not one of them, what should you do? Sadly, too many companies and organizations try to compete head on. They go on strategy retreats and come home with vision statements about being the "premier" or "dominant" or "number one," player in their market space (even though the giant does, let's say $500 million or $5 billion in revenue and they only do around $5 million). It's almost comical when you observe this.
A better approach would be to do what England has chosen to do with the 2012 Olympics, which they'll be hosting. Up front they've decided that their goal for the 2012 Olympics is to finish FOURTH in the gold medal standings. Yes, you read that correctly, the stated goal is to come in fourth--which I think is brilliant.
Why? Because they're not going to outrun the United States, Russia or China. In the 2004 games in Athens, England only won nine gold medals, which placed them in 10th place. If they can double that or more (18-20 gold medals), they should have a real shot at placing fourth--which would be huge. But how can they do that?
Answer: by choosing to go after the more obscure sports. In other words, instead of trying to win lots of medals in the main sports of track and field, swimming and gymnastics (which the big three dominate), they're going after "less competitive" sports like flatwater canoeing, women's sprint kayaking, and team handball. After all, a gold medal is a gold medal (just as a dollar is a dollar or a member is a member).
Moreover, to implement this new strategy, they've created a number of initiatives like "Sporting Giants" where they're recruiting tall men and women in England for sports like rowing and volleyball. Or "Project Swap Shop" where they're getting athletes to switch their sport (like a gymnast becoming a diver). In other words, they haven't just established a goal and a strategy, they're actually executing their strategy (what a novel concept). From my perspective, it's going to be interesting to see if they actually accomplish it.
But for you, what is your market space like? Is their a giant (or two or three) that are so dominant that you'll just never catch them? If so, would it make sense for you and your company or organization to acknowledge it and then compete in a different arena (like Enterprise renting cars outside of airports or Cirque du Soleil creating a circus for adults or Southwest flying to second tier cities point-to-point).
At the end of the day, no one is remarkable by being like someone else (unless you're a comedian/impersonator). Being a "me too!" company or organization (or church) just isn't remarkable. So if you're in a market with a dominate player, don't compete head-to-head. Admit that you won't catch up to them by being like them. Instead, become something different. Compete on a different field of battle. And watch how you can accelerate your growth because now you'll be the innovative and dominant player in a different field.
We want Vision Baptist Church to be different. Our motto is Discover the Difference. There are other churches. They are good churches but God has given us some very unique aspects to our ministry and I want to see God honored through them.
We are a missionary training agency. We are a community of high commitment believers. I hope you will go to Vision News and keep up with what God is doing!
This affects the way we do the ministry. Imitating them and being like them we will never win. We know what our ministry is supposed to be. Let's do the ministry.
I think the key point was the following: At the end of the day, no one is remarkable by being like someone else (unless you're a comedian/impersonator).
How to Win When You're in Competition with a Gorilla (England and the 2012 Olympics)
If you're in a market space where there are one, two or three dominant players and you're not one of them, what should you do? Sadly, too many companies and organizations try to compete head on. They go on strategy retreats and come home with vision statements about being the "premier" or "dominant" or "number one," player in their market space (even though the giant does, let's say $500 million or $5 billion in revenue and they only do around $5 million). It's almost comical when you observe this.
A better approach would be to do what England has chosen to do with the 2012 Olympics, which they'll be hosting. Up front they've decided that their goal for the 2012 Olympics is to finish FOURTH in the gold medal standings. Yes, you read that correctly, the stated goal is to come in fourth--which I think is brilliant.
Why? Because they're not going to outrun the United States, Russia or China. In the 2004 games in Athens, England only won nine gold medals, which placed them in 10th place. If they can double that or more (18-20 gold medals), they should have a real shot at placing fourth--which would be huge. But how can they do that?
Answer: by choosing to go after the more obscure sports. In other words, instead of trying to win lots of medals in the main sports of track and field, swimming and gymnastics (which the big three dominate), they're going after "less competitive" sports like flatwater canoeing, women's sprint kayaking, and team handball. After all, a gold medal is a gold medal (just as a dollar is a dollar or a member is a member).
Moreover, to implement this new strategy, they've created a number of initiatives like "Sporting Giants" where they're recruiting tall men and women in England for sports like rowing and volleyball. Or "Project Swap Shop" where they're getting athletes to switch their sport (like a gymnast becoming a diver). In other words, they haven't just established a goal and a strategy, they're actually executing their strategy (what a novel concept). From my perspective, it's going to be interesting to see if they actually accomplish it.
But for you, what is your market space like? Is their a giant (or two or three) that are so dominant that you'll just never catch them? If so, would it make sense for you and your company or organization to acknowledge it and then compete in a different arena (like Enterprise renting cars outside of airports or Cirque du Soleil creating a circus for adults or Southwest flying to second tier cities point-to-point).
At the end of the day, no one is remarkable by being like someone else (unless you're a comedian/impersonator). Being a "me too!" company or organization (or church) just isn't remarkable. So if you're in a market with a dominate player, don't compete head-to-head. Admit that you won't catch up to them by being like them. Instead, become something different. Compete on a different field of battle. And watch how you can accelerate your growth because now you'll be the innovative and dominant player in a different field.
We want Vision Baptist Church to be different. Our motto is Discover the Difference. There are other churches. They are good churches but God has given us some very unique aspects to our ministry and I want to see God honored through them.
We are a missionary training agency. We are a community of high commitment believers. I hope you will go to Vision News and keep up with what God is doing!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Should Christians have Christmas Trees?
by John MacArthur
Christians and Christmas Trees
As the Christmas Season approaches, questions like this sometimes arise. Like everything in life, it is important to approach these issues with biblical discernment.
In this case, we see nothing wrong with the traditional Christmas tree. However, some have taught that it’s wrong for anyone to have a Christmas tree in their home. But are their reasons valid? We don’t think so. Let’s look at the two most common objections people make against having a Christmas tree.
First, some object on the basis that Christmas trees have pagan origins. It is believed that Boniface, English missionary to Germany in the eighth century, instituted the first Christmas tree. He supposedly replaced sacrifices to the god Odin’s sacred oak with a fir tree adorned in tribute to Christ. But certain other accounts claim that Martin Luther introduced the Christmas tree lighted with candles. Based on that information you could say the Christmas tree has a distinguished Christian pedigree.
However, even if a pagan background were clearly established, that wouldn’t necessarily mean we could not enjoy the use of a Christmas tree. Perhaps the following analogy will help.
During World War II the American military used some remote South Pacific islands for temporary landing strips and supply depots. Prior to that time the indigenous tribal people had never seen modern technology up close. Large cargo planes swooped in filled with an array of material goods, and for the first time the islanders saw cigarette lighters (which they deemed to be miraculous), jeeps, refrigerators, radios, power tools, and many varieties of food.
When the war was over, the islanders concluded that the men who brought cargo were gods, so they began building shrines to the cargo gods. They hoped the cargo gods would return with more goods.
Most people do not even know about this religious superstition. Similarly, few know anything about the worship of trees. When a child pulls a large present out from under the Christmas tree and unwraps a large model cargo plane, no one views that object as an idol. Nor do we view the Christmas tree to be some kind of gift god. We understand the difference between a toy and an idol just as clearly as we understand the difference between an idol and a Christmas tree. We see no valid reason to make any connection between Christmas trees and wooden idols or the worship of trees. Those who insist on making such associations should take note of the warnings in Scripture against judging one another in doubtful things (see Romans 14 & 1 Corinthians 10:23-33).
Christians and Christmas Trees
Another common objection is the claim that Christmas trees are prohibited in Scripture. Jeremiah 10 is commonly used to support this viewpoint. But a closer look at the passage will show that it has nothing to do with Christmas trees and everything to do with idol worship. Verse eight says, “A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.”
Idol worship was a clear violation of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:3-6 says, “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
There is no connection between the worship of idols and the use of Christmas trees. We should not be anxious about baseless arguments against Christmas decorations. Rather, we should be focused on the Christ of Christmas and giving all diligence to remembering the real reason for the season.
Vision Baptist Church invites you to come celebrate Christmas with us this year. We have many things planned for this year and something very special will be taking place during Christmas on the Northside. Stay tuned to Vision News for the latest up to date news on our Christmas plans.
Christians and Christmas Trees
As the Christmas Season approaches, questions like this sometimes arise. Like everything in life, it is important to approach these issues with biblical discernment.
In this case, we see nothing wrong with the traditional Christmas tree. However, some have taught that it’s wrong for anyone to have a Christmas tree in their home. But are their reasons valid? We don’t think so. Let’s look at the two most common objections people make against having a Christmas tree.
First, some object on the basis that Christmas trees have pagan origins. It is believed that Boniface, English missionary to Germany in the eighth century, instituted the first Christmas tree. He supposedly replaced sacrifices to the god Odin’s sacred oak with a fir tree adorned in tribute to Christ. But certain other accounts claim that Martin Luther introduced the Christmas tree lighted with candles. Based on that information you could say the Christmas tree has a distinguished Christian pedigree.
However, even if a pagan background were clearly established, that wouldn’t necessarily mean we could not enjoy the use of a Christmas tree. Perhaps the following analogy will help.
During World War II the American military used some remote South Pacific islands for temporary landing strips and supply depots. Prior to that time the indigenous tribal people had never seen modern technology up close. Large cargo planes swooped in filled with an array of material goods, and for the first time the islanders saw cigarette lighters (which they deemed to be miraculous), jeeps, refrigerators, radios, power tools, and many varieties of food.
When the war was over, the islanders concluded that the men who brought cargo were gods, so they began building shrines to the cargo gods. They hoped the cargo gods would return with more goods.
Most people do not even know about this religious superstition. Similarly, few know anything about the worship of trees. When a child pulls a large present out from under the Christmas tree and unwraps a large model cargo plane, no one views that object as an idol. Nor do we view the Christmas tree to be some kind of gift god. We understand the difference between a toy and an idol just as clearly as we understand the difference between an idol and a Christmas tree. We see no valid reason to make any connection between Christmas trees and wooden idols or the worship of trees. Those who insist on making such associations should take note of the warnings in Scripture against judging one another in doubtful things (see Romans 14 & 1 Corinthians 10:23-33).
Christians and Christmas Trees
Another common objection is the claim that Christmas trees are prohibited in Scripture. Jeremiah 10 is commonly used to support this viewpoint. But a closer look at the passage will show that it has nothing to do with Christmas trees and everything to do with idol worship. Verse eight says, “A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.”
Idol worship was a clear violation of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:3-6 says, “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
There is no connection between the worship of idols and the use of Christmas trees. We should not be anxious about baseless arguments against Christmas decorations. Rather, we should be focused on the Christ of Christmas and giving all diligence to remembering the real reason for the season.
Vision Baptist Church invites you to come celebrate Christmas with us this year. We have many things planned for this year and something very special will be taking place during Christmas on the Northside. Stay tuned to Vision News for the latest up to date news on our Christmas plans.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Believe
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