"Why A Bible Conference?" pt.2

Acts 20:32 "And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified."
I started a blog post last week prior to our first annual bible conference at Pleasant Hill Baptist church. I wanted to answer a question many had asked me prior to our bible conference. The question was, "why are you having a bible conference" or "is a bible conference like revival?" I tried by the grace of God to answer these questions as humbly as I knew how.

3. The third reason for having a bible conference was to:
"...build you up..." The Apostle Paul was commending these elders at Ephesus with some great instructions as they were to lead their sheep at this church is Ephesus. He tells them the "word of his grace" (the gospel), is "able to build" them (elders and members of the church) up.
My intentions of having a bible conference was really four fold.
-i- First, it was to bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31) So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Our prayer at PHBC was that God would be greatly glorified through the conference. The scriptures teach we were created to worship the God of the universe and bring Him great glory. Because of our fallen nature and sin we worship everything else and bring glory to these idols as well. This conference was to be God-centered and not man-centered.The bible conference was very simple, we had one song before each message, therefore we were able to focus our attention on the Word of God and not some person singing a special (although God centered specials are o.k. in the right place).

-ii- That God's people at PHBC would be "built up" in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our modern day evangelism teaches us that special meetings "revivals" should only be for the salvation of lost people. This is contrary to the word of God. The church is for God's redeemed and we are "to go out into the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 15:16)." When we gather as the church it is to "build the saints of God up" in the word. As the pastor/elder of PHBC my desire is for God's people would be built up in the "word of his grace."

-iii- Not only was the bible conference to build our people up but it was to be an outreach opportunity. An opportunity for us to reach out to the community to hear the "gospel of God's free grace." We were able to send out over four hundred invitations to people in several states and people within our local community. We had advertisement in two of our local papers as well. God blessed and we had several from all over to visit. We even had some who stayed after services to be counseled. Which this leads me to my fourth reason of why we held a bible conference.
-iv- Fellowship with like minded brothers and sisters. We were blessed to have people from all over who believes in the great doctrines of God's grace. People from Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. We had a great time fellowshipping in the Word of God, meeting new brothers and sister in Christ, and great food as well.
In closing, I am overwhelmed at the goodness of God in allowing us to host such a conference. I am very thankful for God's people at PHBC and how they supported their pastor even though they "never done this before." It says alot about PHBC. I know alot of churches who would have rebelled but our people surely expressed a heart of grace through the entire conference. They cooked, greeted, and attended all the sessions with joy and gladness, this causes a pastor to truly be thankful for God's work in their hearts. To God Be the Glory!

"Why A Bible Conference?" pt.1

In the last three months I have been asked the question, "why are you hosting a bible conference?" Another question is also, "is it like a revival?" It has taken me aback a little that people actually believe we should only hold special meetings for lost people. So I want to give a couple of thoughts for why Pleasant Hill Baptist church is hosting a bible conference. I want to use a verse of scripture from the book of Acts 20:32, "and now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace,which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

1. "...commend you to God..." The Apostle Paul was telling the elders from the church at Ephesus he was: (allege, commend, commit (the keeping of), put forth, set before, God almighty. In other words he was telling them they were before God almighty in the work of the ministry as elders to the church at Ephesus. My job as an elder is to feed the sheep of God with sheep food (the word of God). One reason why we are hosting a bible conference is to feed the sheep that God has entrusted, commended to, and put forth before me with (regardless of how many or how few). Gods word in Hebrews 13:17 says, "I will give an account of the souls of men who sits under the word of God."

2. "...to the word of his grace..." The Word of his grace is all we have in this world that will bring hope to a sinner and joy to the saint. If it were not for the word of grace all men everywhere would be condemned. This word of grace is how God graciously deals with man in salvation, namely the gospel. As an elder/pastor my job is to encourage God's people with the "word of his grace." They need not some man to play on peoples emotions and to manipulate them in a so-called "revival meeting." They need their souls comforted and to be strengthened in their walk with Christ by His Word. This is only by "the word of his grace."

More Advice for Theological Students and Young Pastors

More Advice for Theological Students and Young Pastors
Pastor Kevin DeYoung gives some great practical advice to pastors (whether young or old). Great advice to be considered and meditated upon.
Enjoy and be blessed!

Pastor Chad

"For Whom Did Christ Die For"

John 6:37-40) But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Here in our text, the Lord of glory expounds whom He died for. Jesus Christ reveals a mystery to his people. A mystery that has caused great controversy over the last 2000 years in Christianity. The question is,"for whom did Christ die for."
A popular belief and one that opposes God's word is know as "general atonement." That is Jesus died for everyone. The only problem with this view of the atonement is it is unscriptual. If we use logic, if Christ died for everyone and his death on the cross was for everyone without exception, than everyone would be saved, right. No! Of course not, we know their are multitudes of people in Hell today, whom Christ did not satisfy the wrath of God and settle divine justice for them.
The bible states clearly, that the Father has given the Son (Jesus) a number of people (his elect) to come and die for. He tells us in the gospel of John "all the Father gives me will come to me." There is no question about it. Every person whom Christ died for will come to Him and Christ will raise Him up on the last die.
This gives us security as believers in Christ. This is why Baptist historically believes in "eternal security." Before the world was every formed God had set his affections on His elect. He gave His Son a work to come and accomplish. According to John 17:1-5, he did exactly what the Father sent him to do. Thus, glorifying His Father by completing the work of salvation for the elect. Salvation for God's people was accomplished on the cross of Calvary. It was more than a possibility but it was a surety for all of God's elect.

"For whom did Christ die for?"
If Christ died for all, all would be saved:
If Christ died for none, none would be saved:
If Christ died for some, some would be saved:
If Christ died for all, than Judas and Pharaoh is in heaven;
Who do you believe Christ died for?

I believe he died for some!

"What Is Prayer?"

1 Thess. 5:17) "pray without ceasing"

The direct command of the Apostle Paul unto the church at Thessolonica. He commanded them to pray always, continually, and without stopping. I am amazed at the number of times I have been apart of a mid week service in a local church, which is traditionally called a "prayer meeting" and there is no time of prayer. For the last few weeks God has truly convicted this young pastor to lead God's church to fall down before Him and to pour our hearts out to Him. If the church is to ever see a true "revival" it will begin with God's people humbling themselves on their knees before the Sovereign God of the universe.
I believe when God's elect assemble together it ought to be for (at least in part) a time of prayer. Last night at PHBC we begin having a true "prayer meeting." After a time of studying God's word together, the woman assembled together to pray, as did the men. I believe not only is this scriptual but it will also unify the body and grow the saints at PHBC in severally ways.
First, it will cause us to be a church that will be intentional when it comes to praying together. Second, when we pray together it will cause barriers to fall down between church members that might have been up for several years (it is hard to pray for someone or with someone and keep hard feelings against them). Third, when we pray together it will allow others to share burdens on their hearts they might not share in a mixed assembly. Forth, when we pray together it will give others opportunities to pray that might not feel comfortable in praying in an assembly as well. Fifth, when we pray together it will allow our children and youth to be apart of a true prayer meeting and to see godly men and woman on their face before God.
What is prayer? I believer I will quote the old Puritan John Bunyan.

"Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to His Word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God."

It is my prayer God would be pleased to bless His saints at PHBC, as we endeavor to become a biblical N.T. church. for His glory!

The Book of Jeremiah

Jeremiah 2:13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

For the last couple of weeks I have had my head buried in the O.T. scriptures trying to finish my reading assignment for O.T.2 at seminary. It has been some kind of undertaken, seeing how I put everything off until the last possible minute. I love the O.T. It is such a great picture of the coming of Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection. Tonight, I have finished the O.T. book of Jeremiah. I wanted to share some interesting facts about the book you might find useful as a student of God's Word.

1. The Book of Jeremiah is the second longest book in the Bible next to Psalms.
2. The copy of the Book of Jeremiah we have in our bibles, church historians say it is the second copy. According to Jere.36:1-26, Baruch had written a copy prior to the second copy.
3. The book of Jeremiah is not arranged in chronological order.
4. The Book of Jeremiah is made up of several different types of confessions made by Jeremiah.
5. Jeremiah stimulates the search for the will of god in moments when all the institutions and religious people normally in charge has been discredited.

Jeremiah is a great picture for the time and day we live in. We need modern day Jeremiah's who would thunder the word of God from the pulpits and God's people to be zealous to preach the gospel of repentance and faith to a dying world.

"The Lord's Church"

Matt.16:18) And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Last night God's people at PHBC began a study on the doctrine of the church. The age old question for many years is, "one church as good as another?" Is one denomination as good as another? Are we not all on the same mountain trying to get to the same God? Don't all roads lead to Rome anyway?

Well the answer is, no! God has one church and it His church. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom He died for, according to Eph.5:26. Today we as Baptist has lost the importance of teaching on the local church of the New Testament. We have Baptist who call themselves "protestants" although Baptist never protested against the Catholic harlot (Rev.17:1-8).

One of the greatest Baptist preachers of all times was Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon even knew this grand truth about the Lord's church:

"We believe that the Baptists are the original Christians. We did not commence our existence at the reformation, we were reformers before Luther and Calvin were born; we never came from the Church of Rome, for we were never in it, but we have an unbroken line up to the apostles themselves. We have always existed from the days of Christ, and our principles, sometimes veiled and forgotten, like a river which may travel under ground for a little season, have always had honest and holy adherents. Persecuted alike by Romanists and Protestants of almost every sect, yet there has never existed a Government holding Baptist principles which persecuted others; nor, I believe, any body of Baptists ever held it to be right to put the consciences of others under the control of man..."—Charles H. Spurgeon

By God's grace may the Lord help us to be faithful to teach on the doctrines set forth of scriptures. Even if they are offensive to others. May God be true and all men liars.