A Great Blessing

2^nd Tim. 2:1-2    You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also

One of the greatest joys of my life happens for about 30 minutes each Wednesday afternoon:  I have the joy of meeting with around 25 men and boys as we walk through quality books about biblical manhood. Right now, we are walking through Disciplines Of A Young Godly Man by Kent and Carey Hughes. I believe our youngest boy is around 7 years old, and the oldest man would be late 40’s to early 50’s. Then, on Thursdays at 6 am, for about an hour, I meet with 50-60 men who range in ages from 18 years old to over 70 years old. These two events have done more to shape the life of Trinity Baptist Church than anything else I know. I thank the Lord for the growth in our men, the way the lead their family, they way they love their wife and children. To be quite honest this is one of those blogs that I feel so blessed and excited to be a part of what God is doing in our fellowship, that I really have no point except to rejoice!! 

As a result of this emphasis on the Word and what we should be, we have men who are walking with boys who may not have a saved dad, or may not have a dad in the picture at all. This year, our 12^th grade men are having a special time of study and discussion with their dads as they focus on things they need to spiritually be prepared for as they face the next few years out of high school.

I say all of this to encourage our men to keep on!  And, to encourage other men to join this journey with us. What is shaping Trinity into the church it is today, are the men who are loving and leading - not just in their homes, but in our fellowship. Thank you men, and thank you Lord for blessing us this way!

What to do with this?

Some people tend to frown at the fact that I and others will mention names from the pulpit of those who distort or deliver a false gospel. If one wonders where this crazy idea comes from…they need only to read Paul. I am fully aware that there is no one that I mention more than Joel Osteen. The reason I “call him out” so often is that we live in a day that many people in churches believe that if numbers are going up, then God must be on it. Let me state this so there is no misunderstanding…God’s anointing or His blessing is NOWHERE near Joel Osteen and his ministry. He doesn’t distort the gospel - he just doesn’t teach anything close to a biblical gospel. Below is a demonstration of his complete spiritual blindness.

 

Let me help Joel: Mormons are not Christian - they are not kind of right and they are not close to truth. Their teaching is false, it is a cult and it is wickedness. I do not hate Mormons!  By contrast, I long to see them come to Christ. Michele and I have had Mormons in our home on several occasions and have shared the gospel with them. But the Jesus they look to is NOT the Jesus revealed to us in the Word. Does this mean we should not vote for Romney? Certainly not, but neither should I for one moment confuse true Christianity with lie.