Jason Dollar . Net

If interested, you can now listen to my interview with Dr. Reeder on the Conversations website. There are 5 sessions titled Christian Apologetics.

The wise men, whose story we read in Matthew 2, exemplify true seekership. They set out to find Jesus, and they did not give up until they were uncovering their gifts for him, and falling before him in worship.

In our message Sunday, I sought to reveal 6 traits of true seekers in order to motivate our hearts to seek more diligently for Christ. Listen here.

Our dear friends Pastor David and Eloise Spray invited my to come last night to their church, FBC Moody, to work through the Four Squares of Apologetics. The church was warm and welcoming, and many are extremely aware of the importance of apologetics in our culture.

Interestingly, Pastor David was Page’s pastor much of her growing up years. Yesterday he turned 60 years old! Happy birthday, Bro. David!

And thanks FBC for having me out.

The new church website is coming right along. Check it out if you get a moment. Suggestions are welcomed.

www.rmlbc.com

This morning, I had the honor of being a guest on Conversations with Harry Reeder, a radio program hosted by Pastor Harry Reeder of Briarwood Presbyterian Church, and Tom Lamprecht of Atlantic Coast Communications. The topic of our conversation primarily dealt with teaching apologetics to high school kids, with a focus on the recently published book Contend, which I co-authored with Bradley Pinkerton. (Please note that the book can now be read free of charge online).

We recorded five sessions that will air the week of August 10.

BROADCAST SCHEDULE
(Monday through Friday)

Birmingham, AL / WLJR-FM 88.5
3:00 p.m., 5:20 p.m. & 11:45 p.m.

Panama City, FL / WPCU-FM 106.9
6:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.

West Point, PA – WPRV-AM 1700
7:05 a.m. & 5:05 p.m.

Jacksonville, NC / WEGG-AM 710
10:30 a.m.

New Bern, NC / WSTK-FM 104.5
10:30 a.m.

Olivebridge, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, NY / WFSO-FM 88.3
12:30 p.m.

I do ask for your prayers, that the Lord would bless these broadcasts, bringing needy ears within the sound of the radio. Our goal, as always, is to point people to the everlasting life found only in Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 12:18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

Have you noticed that the notion of church membership has fallen on hard times? For whatever reason, many folks do not see the need or importance of joining themselves to a local flock. And churches are often guilty of watering down the concept as well. Some churches are easier to join than, say, Sam’s Wholesale, or a tennis club. This reveals serious misunderstandings about the usefulness of keeping a clean church membership roll.

From a pastoral standpoint, a clean membership roll is essential. How can a shepherd care for a flock, if he is uncertain which sheep are in his flock? A pastor cannot possible care for the entire world of Christians, or even an entire region or city. He must be accountable to God for the sheep that God has placed him over. But how can he know which sheep those are, unless some method is used for determining this?

Some object and say, I can be a Christian without being a member of a church. Fair enough. A sheep can wander alone in God’s pasture if that is what he likes. But this is not the way God intends for it to be. A man can marry a woman and live down the street from her, but that is not the way God intends for it to be.

The Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20) has commanded that, instead of being a loner, we unite with the sheep around us. This uniting goes beyond simply being in the Lord’s field (being a Christian). It is a gathering together of believers, under the Lord’s direction, for the purpose of community worship, fellowship, and service. As an undershepherd, I want to know which sheep have united to our local flock, so that I can focus the greater part of my energies on those sheep.

Bottom line: take your own church membership very seriously. Willingly place yourself in submission to the authority of a biblical local church, and enjoy the great benefits that come from obedience.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them. – Psalm 139:15-16

I have had a busy, busy last 3 weeks. I have been clamoring to get started as pastor at Rock Mountain Lakes Baptist Church, attempting to meet and speak with as many church folks as possible. I have been moving books into the office, working on sermons and devotions, taking part in the nursing home ministry of the church, making numerous phone calls, writing letters, and bringing all of this before the Lord in prayer. I am so thankful that the Lord had already written out these 3 weeks in his book, and he knows. He knows.

Next week, I have the honor of teaching apologetics to 7th and 8th graders at Camp Pearl near Lake Charles, LA. I am so excited for the opportunity! Really excited! But it is tough to leave my wife, who is expecting in a few weeks, and our kids behind. It is also tough to leave behind the church duties, when I am just trying to get them started. But next week has already been written in his book, and the Lord knows. He knows.

I also am making decisions about my “second job” and what it will look like this upcoming year. I am praying through some tough decisions about which classes to teach, and which not to teach, so that my primary focus can be on the church. It is all in his book, and he knows.

Page, happy birthday. I am so thankful that all of the days of your life (all 10,585 of them so far) were written in our Lord’s book, when as yet there were none of them. You are to me a refreshing fountain of life, a gift from God to bring me smiles. I love you. He knows.