In the ancient world there were no glass or plastic bottles. Instead they would put liquids into animal skins that were sewn together and used like canteens. Eventually these skins would become brittle, and would break, spilling out the liquid.

Jesus once referred to these wineskins to teach us about change. He said, "New wine must be poured into new wineskins." [Luke 5:38] This is a principle of life: new situations always require new structures. A new job often requires you to learn new skills. A new relationship often requires new ways of relating.

What are the old wineskins that may be ready to break on you and me? Old ways of thinking? Old habits? They could be outdated ways of acting, or talking, or responding that worked well in the past, but aren’t useful or helpful anymore.

The beginning of a new year is a great time to re-examine your life. As we begin 2007, will you hold on to old wineskins or will you abandon them for new ones?

It is safe to assume that you will face 3 new “wines” in 2007: new problems, new pressures, and new possibilities. To handle these new challenges, you’ll need the new “wineskins” of creativity, conviction, and courage.

New Problems Will Require Creativity
Unfortunately you’re bound to have more problems in 2007. The good news is they won’t be same problems you had in 2006.You get a whole new set! These new problems will require new solutions, which require creativity. Your old ways of thinking and relating, your old attitudes may not work anymore. That’s why the Bible says, "The intelligent man is always open to new ideas. In fact, he looks for them."

New Pressures Will Require Conviction
Conviction is a willingness to stand up for what you believe. Romans 12:2 says, "Don't let the world squeeze you in its mold, but let God remake you so your whole attitude of mind is changed." Before you get too far into 2007, I suggest you sit down and write out what values are going to be important to you in the New Year.

New Possibilities Will Require Courage
Each New Year brings new possibilities – opportunities for growth. These are exciting times to be alive. I’m sure that God wants to do great things in your life in this New Year - but it won't happen automatically. You've got to step out in faith. There's always an element of risk. Hosea 10:12 says, "Plow new ground for yourselves, plant righteousness, and reap the blessing your devotion to me will produce!”

What are you planning to harvest this next year? Three hundred sixty five days from today, how will you be any different? If you want to be different, you've got to start cultivating some new habits, activities, and relationships now! Success doesn't just happen. It takes effort.

One of the most common mistakes Christians make is that they think they can live their lives off a single commitment they made years ago. My spiritual birthday is November 15, 1969. The first 10 years of my Christian life, I tried to live on the basis of that one decision. I thought it was enough to carry me the rest of my life. I wondered why I wasn't growing as a Christian and becoming all that God wanted me to be. I prayed, but I didn't see that many answers. Then in 1980, I discovered that the Christian life is a continual renewal and daily recommitment to Christ. It’s not just a once-for-all decision.

As we begin another year, I don't know a better time for each of us to recommit ourselves to Jesus Christ and his purpose for our lives. I’m doing it and I hope you will too!

Being a faithful witness is becoming more challenging these days. People are openingly angry at all forms faith, especially Christianity. A quick glance at the New York Times’s bestseller list reveals two books selling by the truck load. “Letter to a Christian Nation” by Sam Harris, is reviewed as “a wonderful source of ammunition for those who, like me, hold to no religious doctrine.” Another critic jubilantly gushes, reading the book “was like sitting ring side, cheering the champion, yelling ‘Yes!’ at every jab.” The barrel of the gun and the sting of the fist, however, are aimed directly at Christians.

Another bestseller is Richard Dawkins’s “The God Delusion” weighing in at 416 pages of hot air. Even Publishers Weekly rightly cautions readers, “For a scientist who criticizes religion for its intolerance, Dawkins has written a surprisingly intolerant book, full of scorn for religion and those who believe.” [According to Dawkins] the biblical Yahweh is ‘psychotic.”

Dawkins is also quoted as saying, “At some point there is going to be enough pressure that it is just going to be too embarrassing to believe in God.”

Recently the New York Times ran a week-long series on church and state. With titles like, “Where Faith Abides Employees Have Few Rights,” and “As Exemptions Grow Religion Outweighs Regulation,” there’s little doubt that Christians are in for a season of harsh criticism, if not outright scorn. So how ought we to prepare ourselves for what may be a long winter of cultural disdain?

First of all, the situation isn’t new, and neither is the answer. The Apostle Paul, a former Christ-scoffer, responded to pressures of his day by reaffirming: “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for all those who believe: first for the Jew, and then for the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). In 1 Peter 2:15, a favorite verse of mine, Peter instructed us to silence the ignorant talk of foolish men by doing good.

The truth of the matter is that the ones heaping scorn on Christians are probably the ones who most need our prayers. So, in the end, the best way to prepare ourselves for such an onslaught is to increase our own devotion to Christ through works of faith. If our lives are aflame with care for the least, the last, and the lost, we will know we’re where God wants us to be.

And don’t let this anti-Christian barrage intimidate you. Just keep making the case for a Biblical worldview ever more aggressively.

Every year, the same questions always seem to come up: Should we be celebrating Christ? Is it okay to have a Christmas tree? And what’s the deal with Santa Claus? The first two questions are no-brainers, but the issue of Santa Claus should be handled with care.

Although Santa Claus is a mythical figure, his creation is based in part on a great Christian man named Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in the 4th century. Nicholas was born to Christian parents who left him an inheritance when they died, which he distributed to the poor. He became a priest at a young age and was well-known for his compassion and generosity. He had a reputation for giving gifts anonymously, and he would throw bags of money into people's homes (and sometimes down their chimneys) under the cover of night to avoid being spotted.

Nicholas passed away on December 6 sometime around the 340s or 350s, and the day of his death became an annual feast in which children would put out food for Nicholas and straw for his donkey. It was said that the saint would come down from heaven during the night and replace the offerings with toys and treats – but only for the good boys and girls. There are many different versions of the legend of Saint Nicholas, but all are the inspiration for the jolly, red-suited gift-giver that we now know as Santa Claus.

Many Christian parents are torn as to whether or not they should play the "Santa game" with their children. On one hand, he makes Christmas fun, leaving wonderful holiday memories for years to come. On the other hand, the focus of Christmas should be on Jesus Christ and how much He has already given us. So, is the story of Santa Claus an innocent addition to Christmas festivities, or is he a subject that should be avoided?

I believe that parents need to use their own judgment in deciding whether or not to include Santa during the holidays, but here are some things to consider: Children who believe that the gifts they receive Christmas morning are from a magical man with unending resources are less likely to appreciate what they have been given, and the sacrifices their parents make in providing them. Greed and materialism can overshadow the holiday season, which is meant to be about giving, loving, and worshiping God. Children whose parents are on a tight budget may feel that they have been overlooked by Santa, or even worse, deemed one of the "bad" boys or girls.

An even more troubling aspect of telling our children that Santa comes down the chimney each year to leave their gifts is that it is, obviously, a lie. We live in a society that believes that lying for the "right" reason is acceptable. As long as it doesn't hurt anyone, it is not a problem. This is contrary to what the Bible tells us. "For the Scriptures say, 'If you want to live a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies'" (1 Peter 3:10, NLT). Of course, telling our children that Santa is real is not a malicious deception, but it is, nevertheless, a lie.

I do not believe this means we must leave Santa completely out of Christmas. Children can still play the "Santa game" even if they know it is all pretend. They can make lists, sit on his lap at the mall, and leave out cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. This will not rob them of their joy of the season, and gives parents the opportunity to tell their children about the godly qualities of the real Saint Nicholas, who dedicated his life to serving others and made himself into a living example of Jesus Christ.

I was recently asked the reason we have membership at Gatetree. My friend went on to say, “We’re all part of the Body of Christ, right? I mean, it seems sort of club-ish to ask Christians to join your church.” Have you ever wondered why it is important for Christians to attach themselves to one local body of believers? The answer is simple—there isn’t any other way to be a Christian than to be committed to a local body of believers. Our Christian generation is a generation of “floaters.” They look at the church page like they look at the movie page, and figure who is playing where and decide that’s where they will go. But, the church knows no identity of a Christian without a local assembly. In the New Testament, all of the believers were members local congregations. In Hebrews 10, it states, "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some and much more as you see the day approaching." Christians are called together in a wonderful unity and every Christian ought to identify with a local assembly. Call me cynical, but, I firmly believe that the reason most Christians aren’t attached to a local body is because they don't want to be accountable to anyone. It is crucially important to identify with a local church, to come under the authority of pastoral leadership, to be accountable to one another, and, to come into the ministry for the sake of serving Jesus Christ in that assembly.

I feel completely inadequate to be a pastor. Maybe you can relate.

As pastors, many of us expend great effort covering our insecurities. I do. It may look like I have it together (or not.) Leading a church, I must possess talent, creativity, and spiritual energy, right? People sometimes compliment my leadership, my wisdom, and my preaching. They don't know I combat feeling that failure's just one bad decision away – constantly.

I've always battled insecurity, especially as a pastor. My first church business meeting…disaster. The chairman of the pastor search committee was also the chairman of the deacon body. He brought a recommendation to the church that was very unpopular, and frankly, I didn’t think much of it either. Before I knew it, I had sided with the people. I will never get the expression on his face out of my mind. He was crushed and hurt. He obviously felt betrayed. After several years, I now realize that his recommendation was right on target—it would have saved our church from a lot of troubled moments (ultimately we represented his resolution and it passed.) Unfortunately, it was after he had moved to another city.

Did I mention I feel completely inadequate?

Why do I feel this way? First, I don't feel I know enough. I wasn't a Christian until college. I had never read the Bible. In a college Bible class, I was asked to name Pilate's wife. I responded with, "I think it was CO-Pilate." He didn't laugh. Humiliating.

Didn't you learn anything in seminary, Tom? Nope. Didn’t go until well into my forties and graduated after I turned fifty.

I also don't feel I'm good enough. Respectable pastors are righteous. No bad words, bad thoughts, anger, jealousy – just faith, peace, and Christ-likeness. The pastors I admire have everything together. They're eloquent, proper, and spiritually mature.

Then there's me.

I'll ashamedly admit I've used a bad word. Not just any bad word – a really, really bad word. We came home to discover that our roof was leaking and water was saturating our brand new carpet. Frantically, I began grabbing waste baskets trying to catch the stream. Just as I thought I had it solved, I discovered two more leaks in our bedroom, in the closet, clothes and carpet were dripping this time.

Before I realized it, a word formed mentally – and rapidly escaped. My whole person participated. Pastors never say that word. How could God's love – and such filth – flow from the same mouth?

I've also made too many mistakes. The things I don't want to do, I do. Jealous, proud, doubtful, critical, gossipy, competitive – and there's more. And before I know it, I've forgotten that God's grace and power can forgive every mistake, correct every flaw.

I was discussing my feelings with a pastor friend of mine. Out of his sage wisdom he said, “Holland, there are 2 things you need to remember;

• First, don't believe everything your fans say about you. Some believe their pastor can do no wrong. Sure, they love you, but they can't help you improve. They may even tempt you in the wrong direction. Don't believe your positive press because you’re not that good.

• Second, don't believe your critics. The more you accomplish, the more you'll attract harsh criticism. Wisdom involves contemplating constructive criticism, but focusing exclusively on negative press eventually makes you defensive. Other people's opinions about you don't matter. It’s only what God thinks about you that really matters. Don't listen exclusively to your fans or to your critics.

And finally, he said, “The best piece of advice I can offer is this—spend time with Jesus. He’ll tell you what you need to hear.”

Great wisdom, don’t you think?

"Weltanschauung!"

Can you say weltanschauung? I knew you could! You gotta love that word. Of course when you hear it, you want to say "God bless you," but believe me, weltanschauung is a word with meanings that are nothing to sneeze at!

Those of you who are paying attention have probably figured out that weltanschauung is not an English word...and you would be correct. It's a German word that translates as 'worldview'.

Worldview - you know, the way you look at the world. The 'glasses' you wear that help you interpret all the stuff going on around you. Everyone has a weltanschauung, but the question is-

Do you have a good weltanschauung or a bad weltanschauung?

Why is this important? The quality of your worldview is critical, vital, and massively essential. Consider your worldview as the mental map that helps guide you through reality. If you have a lousy map, you will get lost, make wrong turns, or maybe even drive off a cliff with your life.

Where can I get a good weltanschauung???

Good news. You don't have to go to Germany. In fact, all you need to do is keep reading.

A good worldview comes from the God who made the world in the first place. In fact, He wrote it down for us. He already crafted the lenses for a worldview that gives you a clear vision for life that will take you down the best possible path. Let me give you the three foundational elements of a good worldview so that your view of the world ends up making your life good!

First: You are made in God's image

So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

This doesn't mean you're divine, but it does mean that you were divinely made. Your soul has been stamped with the image of God like a president on a coin. Knowing this is key to a good worldview because an awareness that every human bears the image of God impacts how we treat each other and ourselves. When you see others through the lenses of God's image, there is no room for racism, favoritism, judgmentalism, or any other evil ism you can think of. It also impacts how you view yourself and therefore the choices you make.

Second: The world is messed up because of sin
"No one is good--not even one. No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God. All have turned away from God; all have gone wrong. No one does good, not even one." (Romans 3:10-12)
“The price for sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

A good worldview tells us that there is an absolute standard of right and wrong found in the Bible, and when we do or say or think the wrong things, God calls it sin - and sin messes everything up. People sin because they choose to and when that happens there is always a price to pay.

Third: The world can only be saved through Christ.
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

Of course this assumes that there are real places called heaven and hell, and that people who don't trust Christ really do end up in hell. This worldview sees life as a mission and a calling to use our God-given time, talents, and treasures to spread the good news that heaven is a free gift available to anyone. So instead of chasing false happiness in pleasure, power, or people, your life is consumed with the true path to fulfillment, which is serving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I’m a bit disappointed because my Oakland A’s on down two games to the Detroit Tigers. But I’m a man of hope—I believe they’ll come back and win the next four. However during Wednesday’s playoff atmosphere -– real life happened. In the midst of it all, baseball didn’t seem to matter quite as much.

New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle died in a plane crash, when the plane he was flying slammed into a Manhattan high-rise apartment building. He leaves behind a wife and a 6-year-old son. And we’re all reminded of how fragile life is and how quickly it can be gone

Mary Ann and I saw Lydle pitch when he was playing for the A’s in 2001. We were sorry to see him traded at the end of the season.

Over the days ahead, the Lidle family will grieve much, and rightfully so. His wife Melanie has lost a husband and friend. His 6-year-old son Christopher has lost a dad. They will never be the same, and will live with a gaping void that cannot be filled. They desperately need our prayers.

But thankfully, the Lidles’ grieving will not be as those who have no hope -– because despite the fact that Lidle is gone from this life, he claimed allegiance to the one who gives life everlasting.

“Cory and I had spoken on several occasions,” said Rich Sparling, the Baseball Chapel leader for the Philadelphia Phillies, Lidle’s former team. “One of the issues that he had wondered about was eternal security. We spoke about how salvation was a gift from God in response to our faith, and because of God’s grace it doesn’t depend on us.”

Those are comforting words to all of us, especially during a tragedy like this. No one is immune from a sudden death at a young age. A life that is vibrant and full today can quickly be gone tomorrow.

Thankfully, there is hope for us in a life that is short and uncertain. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

I was recently asked the difference between persuasive preaching and manipulative preaching. I responded by saying, “The difference lies in the means we use to persuade.” The Word of God is the only legitimate means of persuasion. Legitimate persuasion is cognitive—stirring the mind with reasonable truth. Attempting to convince people with tear-jerking stories or guilt trips takes an unfair advantage and wrongly muddles their thinking. That does not mean we cannot use all the communication skills available to us, but we should avoid playing on people's emotions. These are artificial and should be avoided because they bypass the reason.

The goal of preaching is to motivate people to choose change because it is reasonable and right before God, not because they have been manipulated into some momentary feeling or action. We persuade them from the Scriptures to choose the right course of action.

In 1 Timothy 4:13, Paul writes to Timothy, "Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching." What he tells Timothy is to read the text, explain the text, and apply the text. That verse is a call to persuasive, expository preaching.

Paul himself was a very persuasive preacher, but he never tried to manipulate emotions to move people artificially. At the end of one of his messages, King Agrippa exclaimed, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian" (Acts 26:28). Agrippa clearly understood the message. Sadly, he made a wrong decision in spite of his understanding.

Ultimately, however, our sermons will only be as persuasive as our lives. A traveling speaker who does not remain in one place long enough for people to get to know him may be able to "fake" it without a consistent life to back up his message, (though this is regrettable). Those of us who preach to the same people week after week, however, cannot do that. Our people know us, and our persuasiveness depends on the quality of our lives.

Why would an otherwise “normal” truck driver walk into an Amish schoolhouse and execute innocent children?

People are asking this question and there is no easy answer. This type of manmade tragedy is not usually the result of just one factor but many that collide at a single point in time. Contributing factors can range from repressed childhood memories to mounting stress in a marriage to isolation to a whole slew of mental disorders. Supposedly the truck driver who destroyed these innocent young Amish kids had some kind of a vendetta against girls for something that had happened to him twenty years ago.

Whatever.

As a pastor, it is not my job to psychoanalyze psychotics but to offer hope in the midst of profound evil. So where is the hope?

It is in the courageous spirit of the survivors of such tragedies. As they fight their way through their fears and work their way through their loss, they become shining examples of what it means to overcome.

It is in the determination that something can be done to change the hearts of men, even evil men. That something has to be more than what the medical establishment can accomplish through medication, the psychiatry world can accomplish through therapy and the government can accomplish through incarceration. The problem of evil is that it is beyond the grasp of what any of these can touch. It goes much deeper than any psychologist or doctor can probe.

Ultimately, evil is a spiritual problem that can only be answered with a spiritual solution. Jesus Christ provided this solution for evil when He allowed Himself to be murdered for the sins of humanity. His death provides the forgiveness of sins for all who accept it by faith. His resurrection provides hope that we too one day shall rise from the ashes of this broken, sinful world into a real and everlasting hope.

My prayers go out for the victims and their families. My hope is that the Good News of Jesus and the strong will of the survivors will lead to an eradication of future school shootings.

Thanks Rosie!

Why should we be thanking Rosie O'Donnell? I’ve been thinking about what she said recently when she raised ire and drew fire resulting from her assertion that "radical Christianity" is "just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America where we have separation of church and state."

Truth be told, I’m actually glad she made those statements, and I’ll tell you why. The misnomers, misrepresentations, and misperceptions about Christianity have reached an all-time high, and Rosie’s comments are a perfect case in point. If you heard the audio of this incident, you will hear applause after her badly informed declarations, which tells me that we have an amazing opportunity to respond.

The question is, “How should we respond?” Well, our first choice might be to riot in the streets, burn effigies of Rosie or threaten her life. That could be followed by a call for an apology and boycott ABC until she is removed from television – but I don’t think that’s exactly what Jesus had in mind when He preached the Sermon on the Mount:He said, “God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

Isn’t that interesting? The choice Jesus wants us to make is to “Be happy about it” and to “be glad”. Why? Because it takes away the power of persecution and exposes the misrepresentations of Christianity for what they are. Statements like Rosie’s are designed to get a negative reaction, but imagine if we used it as an opportunity to show the world that radical Christianity is actually about loving our neighbor as ourselves and following the advice of Peter.

Peter wrote, “But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't be afraid and don't worry. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak evil against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.” (1 Peter 3:14-16)

If you’ll remember, these words were penned when Christians were being accused- not of being as dangerous as terrorists, but of being cannibals who were also arsons trying to burn down Rome. Peter isn’t advising them to demand an apology from Nero, he is advising them to know what they believe and why they believe it, and approach opposition with gentleness and respect.Imagine if every Christian in America followed Peter’s advice…now that would be something radical indeed!

I was recently asked to explain the doctrine of election. And once again, at the conclusion of my explanation, people looked at me as if I were speaking Swahili. That’s the way it always is when I am asked to explain the infinite mind of God. So then I was asked, “Why didn’t God choose everyone to be saved?” And once again I reached into my deep reservoir of wisdom and replied, “I don’t know. But I do know this— He got more glory for His own name by doing it the way He did it.”

I went on to say, “Let me ask you something—does God ever make a mistake? Is God ever wrong? Of course, not. So, whatever He does fits into his character. And if it’s hard for us to understand, that’s our problem, not God's!”

You may be wondering why God did it the way He did. I wish I could explain it once and for all so that all of us could get the picture. All I know is that all humanity born in Adam are born with the sin nature and doomed to an eternity in hell. This is where the grace of God intercedes and some are saved and some are not.

Herein lies the rub—salvation is by the elect, predestined, purpose of God. Damnation is by the unbelief of men. Now you may ask, “Holland, how do you resolve that?” and my answer is, “I don’t resolve that! I can’t resolve that. But, I know God is perfect and He resolves it perfectly and that’s the best we can do with it.”

Heresies abound today.

Consider Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda; his followers call him everything from apostle to Dad, or simply Jesus Christ Man. One follower of his believes “he is God, he is God.” She also lavishes him with money and gifts. "I don’t have one Rolex,” de Jesus Miranda said, “I have 3 because they want to give it to me. I think they’re great!”This self-proclaimed Son of God is a 60-year old former heroin addict and convict. The divorced father of four was born in Puerto Rico and now lives in South Florida with his second wife. Recently asked if he was able to do some of the things Jesus Christ did like performing miracles, healing the sick and walking on water. De Jesus said not necessarily. “My life is my church and what I’m doing worldwide,” he said.What De Jesus is doing at more than 300 centers in Central and South America, Cuba and the U.S. is preaching a message of "freedom to indulge" because according to this modern messiah, there is no sin, no devil and no hell to pay. de Jesus says, “It doesn’t exist. The devil was destroyed two thousand years ago." The real Jesus had something to say people preach this kind of heresy in Revelation 2:18.

This would be humorous if it wasn’t so sad. It’s sad because hundreds, no, thousands of Hispanic-speaking people are following de Jesus. He fits into the typical mold of a cult leader because he demands complete submission to his authority. Cultists come in a variety of shapes, sizes, genders, etc. However, they all have the same basic message, “Ignore what God said and listen to me.”

Another version of this heresy is a recent Time Magazine article stating that 61 percent of adult Christians in America agree that "God wants people to be financially prosperous.” This gospel is championed by Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston. “I think God wants us to be prosperous,” he stated. Other influential megachurch pastors including Bishop T.D. Jakes of the Potter's House in Dallas and Creflo Dollar of World Changers in Atlanta embrace the message of prosperity. The problem with the “prosperity gospel” is that it only works in the United States. Such a message doesn’t in Third-World countries. Furthermore, it’s all about creating a false idol. Christians don't measure their self-worth by their net worth. History is full of millions of faithful followers of Christ who lived in poverty.

The prosperity theology wants the positive but not the negative. The problem is, we live on this side of Eden.

Gatetree is a wonderful church with tremendous cultural diversity. I suspect it's a lot like what heaven is going to be. Yet with all the diversity, there is absolute uniformity in one respect, we all believe that Jesus is the only way to God.

I am often asked, “How can you say that Jesus is the only way to heaven? How can you actually make such an arrogant statement? That is so narrow. That is so insensitive.”

We live in a pluralistic society, and I am glad that people of different cultures, nations, and even religious beliefs can come to this country and practice their faith as they choose to. That is one of the great things about the United States of America.

But this global community says that there really are no differences between us, that we are all one. And this kind of fuzzy, feel-good thinking sometimes finds its way into the church. But let’s not get sucked into this vortex in which everything blends together.

Let’s remember the unique claims of Christ and statements of the Bible.

The Bible asserts that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He said what He meant and He meant what He said. And if I say anything less, then I am not honestly representing the God who forgave me of my sins.

The Bible teaches that God created man in His own image, loves us, and wants to have a personal relationship with us. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross for our sins, and if we will turn from our sin and follow Him, then we can be forgiven and know that we are going to heaven.

He has given us His message, and we are not to add to it. Nor are we to take away from it.

Judging from the trends in most popular preaching today, the question of what Scripture means has taken a back seat to the question of what it means “to me.” The difference may seem insignificant at first. However, the obsession with the applicability of Scripture reflects a fundamental flaw—many Christians have adopted practicality as the ultimate judge of the worth of God’s Word. Many preachers find themselves pressured to be buried with passages that overtly relate to daily living, and ignore those that don’t.

Early in my ministry, I made a conscious, basic commitment to biblical preaching. My first priority has always been to answer the question, “What does this passage mean?” After I’ve explained as clearly and accurately as possible the meaning of a passage, then I call people to obedience through application in their own lives. I’ve often said, “It doesn’t make any difference what it means to you or to me—all that counts is what it means to God.” The Bible speaks for itself to the human heart; it is not my role as a preacher to try to tailor the message.

The heart of all that is really practical is bound up in the teaching of the Bible. We don’t make the Bible relevant; it is inherently so, simply because it is God’s Word. And after all, how can anything God says be irrelevant?

Revelation 3:7:“These things says He who is holy, He who is true, ‘He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.’ ”


Last week, Mary Ann and I went over to the City (San Francisco) to see Alcatraz, also known as The Rock. On our tour, we were able to view the various cells where famous criminals like Al Capone were kept. At one point, we also were able to walk into the tiny cells. It was such a horrible place to be. They said that no one ever escaped alive from that island prison. It was truly a place of isolation.

Not only does the Bible compare hell to a garbage dump, but it also compares it to a prison. One of the clearest pictures Jesus gave of hell was when he described it as a prison. He told a parable about the king’s servant who was sent to jail for cruel and unforgiving behavior. Then He added this warning: “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matthew 18:33). Jesus was saying that going to hell was like being cast into prison.

I recently received an email from a man who is an inmate at a minimum security prison in Arizona. He wrote of his hope of getting out soon and having a changed life. The hope of getting out is the only thing that keeps him going.

But for those who have been condemned to hell, they won’t get out. Once they are in, they are in for good. Once they are there, there are no other chances.

Last week, our church faced a hearing on an application we had filed with our city planning commission. We were met with less than an enthusiastic response from the commissioners. Furthermore, there were a number of people there who spoke against our application with attitudes that demonstrated anger and distain for our ministry. To say the least—it wasn’t pleasant. After I got home and allowed Mary Ann to soothe my wounded spirit, I opened the Bible to a similar experience in the life of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 4:6— So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

Do you remember the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? I think we understand the point behind that saying, but it’s absolutely untrue, isn’t it? We all know how much words can hurt.

That's what Satan wants to do to us—discourage and hurt us. And the way he does this is by telling lies to us and about us. With him, the truth doesn’t matter. He’s simply out to ruin your reputation and shake your confidence in Christ.

This is exactly what Nehemiah was going through as he and the people of God were working to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem from rubbish. Satan sent people to tell him, “You can’t possibly make this rubbish into a wall of defense.” But Nehemiah proved them wrong! We can’t let Satan steal our victory by believing him and doubting God.

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells us that He will build His Church and that the best Satan has to throw at us can't stop it. But let me add a word of warning, just when you start believing God, Satan will come and say, “This church won’t grow, I AM going to stop it.”

DON'T BELIEVE IT WHEN YOU HEAR SATAN SAY "WE CAN'T" WHEN GOD HAS SAID "WE CAN!"

This morning, I was listening to a self-described "NON-evangelical Christian" express his views as to why the United States has abandoned the basic teachings of the Bible by supporting Israel. I listened on for a couple of minutes until Mary Ann told me to, "Either turn the TV off or stop talking back to it." I turned it off.

It may surprise some to learn that in the Bible, war itself is not portrayed as inherently wrong, immoral, or ungodly. There are times when God Himself authorizes and condones war as an instrument of justice.

God has given human governments the right to fight wars for self-protection and as a means of justice. The Old Testament is full of incidents where God Himself authorized war and even order the Israelites to wage war. And Scripture is clear in teaching that God still ordains government as the guardian of order and justice in society, and He still gives government the authority to punish evildoers, even by waging war, when necessary (Romans 13:1-4).

I am convinced God gave this power to governments because of His mercy. Otherwise, evil people would dominate. That is why a just war is an expression of divine righteousness. To turn away from justice in the name of peace is not an act of love; it is a refusal to love one’s neighbor as oneself. To dispense with justice would never bring any kind of peace anyway. It would simply allow lawless people to dominate the world in a deadly fashion.

I was recently asked how I prepare for teaching God’s Word. I began to share how I prayed and researched for message preparation, but, that wasn’t what this person wanted to know. They wanted to know how I cope with spiritual opposition from the evil one and his forces. Here is what I said, “Every Sunday when I get in my car and drive the few minutes it takes me to get to the church, I put on the whole armor of God. I do this every Sunday. I do it before every time I teach or preach. Generally, I say something like, "Lord, I know eternity hangs on what I’m talking about today. There may be somebody who will hear me speak who will never come to church again." I recognize that I am in a spiritual battle, and so I use four biblical principles in the fight:

1. I ACKNOWLEDGE THE ENEMY
Satan is real. (1 Peter 5:8-9) If there were no devil, why would God send His Son to fight what does not exist? The Bible says in 1 John 3:8, "Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.”

2. I ACCEPT MY GOD-GIVEN AUTHORITY
Matthew 28:18-19 says we have all authority in heaven and earth. Then Jesus says, "Therefore go and make disciples.” My authority is not to rebuke Satan. Instead, Jesus has authorized me to tell everything I know about Him and how to know Him in a personal way.

3. I PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD
Our battle is not against people (even thought it may sometimes feel that way.) Our battle is against spiritual forces intent on destroying everything godly. To counter that attack, Paul said for us to put on the spiritual armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17.) I do this before every time I teach or preach.

4. I FIRE THE ARTILLERY
The battlefield for spiritual warfare is primarily in the thought life of the mind (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). In this battle for thoughts, I use the only weapon that will change lives and defeat the enemy’s strategy—I proclaim the Word of God.

I love the church. I love to be with the church. I love to talk about the church. I love to study the history of the church. Get it? love the church!

I’m preaching a series of messages under the heading of “The Church in Prophecy.” This series reveals what Jesus had to say to the seven churches of Asia Minor as recorded in Revelation 2-3…and of course, it has relevancy to us today. I am grateful that the church I pastor is most like the Philadelphian church in Revelation 3:7-13. Not only did that church open their doors to the world, but God opened the door of the world to that church. We must never do anything to forfeit such trust from the Lord.

I wish all churches were like my church. Most are not. Unfortunately, a high proportion of people who "go to church" have forgotten what it is all for. Week by week they attend services in a special building and go through their particular, time-honored routines, but give little thought to the purpose of what they are doing. The Bible talks about the "the bride of Christ" but the many churches today seems like a ragged Cinderella. There needs to be a reaffirmation to the nonnegotiable, essential elements for which God designed the church.

I love the church. I am an incurable lover of the church. It thrills me beyond measure to think that I get to serve God through pastoring His church. Although I am also involved in some other ministry activities, I wouldn't trade my ministry in the church for all of them combined. The church takes first place in my ministry priorities, and everything else grows out of my commitment to the church.

We have begun a new Wednesday Night Bible study entitled FOUNDATIONS FOR FAITH. The focus of the multi-week study is doctrine…Christian doctrine. Some folks shy away from doctrine as if a Christian can “take it or leave it” in terms of knowing right from wrong. Scripture plainly teaches that we must be sound in the faith—which is to say knowing Christian doctrine really does matter (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 4:2-3; Tit. 1:9; 2:1). It matters a lot.

Sound, biblical doctrine is a necessary aspect of true wisdom and authentic faith. The attitude that scorns doctrine while elevating feelings or blind trust cannot legitimately be called faith at all. It is actually an irrational form of unbelief.

God holds us accountable for what we believe as well as how we think about the truth He has revealed. All Scripture testifies to the fact that God wants us to know and understand the truth. He wants us to be wise. Furthermore, what we believe about God and His Word determines our "worldview"--how we feel and react to everything in our world. See what I mean? Doctrine is crucial.

When we meet on Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM we are going to consider what Scripture has to say about the things that matter the most. We’ll look at some common pitfalls that often ensnare the best of Christians, and we’ll look at some popular ideas circulating in the church today that demand careful biblical analysis and discriminating wisdom.

Welcome to "The Bible is Our Authority." I chose that as the title for my blog because it best expresses my commitment to the word of God. I am grateful that for the past eight years I have been the senior pastor at Gatetree Baptist Church of Danville, California. Our campus is located in the center of Danville about 45 minutes east of downtown San Francisco, in the East Bay's beautiful San Ramon Valley.

The Gatetree family is an incredibly friendly and loving congregation sharing meaningful relationships with one another and a common commitment to Jesus Christ. We are driven to reach people with the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our purpose statement is, "Helping people improve their relationships with God and one another."

My intention is to use this blog to answer biblical questions and occasionally express my opinion regarding timely subjects. I do not claim to be an expert in any discipline of study--I am a learner. If I do not know the answer to the question posed, I will say so and do my best to find an appropriate answer.

Feel free to express your opinion regarding my posts. If God can use me and this medium to share His Good News of forgiveness and salvation, then it's a good use of my time and training.

Recently, Cheri of Hayward, CA wrote asking “I’m a new Christian. My friend says that I need to attend a church and I’m not sure why I should. Can you offer me your thoughts?”

Thanks for asking, Cheri, and let me congratulate you on your new faith in Jesus Christ. God bless you!

Jesus started the church. When the word is used in the New Testament, over 90% of the time it is referring to a local body of Christians (like Gatetree Church.) It was the unmistakenable pattern of the Apostles to establish local congregations in the cities where they preached the gospel. Hebrews 10:24-25 commands every believer to be a part of such a local body…"And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but ecouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.”

The New Testament also teaches that every believer is to be under the protection and nurture of the leadership of the local church. Godly leaders can help believers by encouraging, admonishing, and teaching.

Furthermore, when Paul gave Timothy special instructions about the public meetings, he said "Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching" (1 Timothy 4:13). Part of the emphasis in public worship includes these three things: hearing the Word, being called to obedience and action through exhortation, and teaching. It is only in the context of the local assembly that these things can most effectively take place.

Active local church membership is imperative to living a life without compromise. It is only through the ministry of the local church that a believer can receive the kind of teaching, accountability, and encouragement that is necessary for him or her to maintain strong convictions. We would be delighted for you to attend Gatetree. In fact, there’s a place waiting for you.