Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Jesus Came Preaching

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Timothy George (Th.D., Harvard University) just published an article in the First Things journal titled “Jesus Came Preaching“. George starts the article by examining the uniqueness of a preaching Savior:

“At the heart of the Christian faith is a Savior who was a preacher. “And Jesus came preaching” (Mark 1:14). This stands in contrast to the gods of Olympus or the deities of the Roman pantheon whose interaction with mortals, when it happened at all, was transient, ephemeral, detached, like a circle touching a tangent. Zeus thundered, but he did not preach. Nor did the dying and rising savior gods of the mystery religions. There were ablutions and incantations and the babbling utterances of the Sibylline Oracles but nothing that could rightly be called a sermon.”

At the end of the article, George expounds on the power of preaching in the ancient world, and issues a challenge for pastors today. His words provide a powerful reminder to all Bible teachers – especially pastors.

The preachers of the early church were not merely expressing their personal opinions or providing entertainment to their listeners. No, they were in the vanguard of the militia Christi, the army of Jesus that sheds no blood. Their preaching propelled redemptive history forward toward the consummation of all things. This is certainly how Matthew 24:14 has been understood, from the age of the apostles right through the dawn of the modern ecumenical movement: “And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

The promise still stands and the task yet remains, for God ever renews his church through new forms of preaching—the martyrs, the monks, the mendicants, the missionaries, the reformers, the awakeners, the pastors and the teachers. Where such proclamation is faithful to the living and written Word of God and enlivened by the Spirit, it is an effective means of grace and a sure sign of the true church.

To read the whole article, click here.

Matt Capps Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, Pastoral Ministry, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

10 Truths About Evangelism

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This was previously posted by Mack Stiles at the Crossway blog. I thought I would pass it on! Stiles is the author of Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus.

1. Our evangelistic efforts must stem from a biblical understanding of evangelism.

There are so many ways to go wrong in evangelism—impulses of fear on the one side, vain ambition on the other—that if we do not nail down a truly biblical understanding, we will quickly veer off course. So we start by understanding that biblical evangelism is teaching the gospel with the aim to persuade.

2. Evangelism is often the label given to things that are not evangelism.

Is sharing your testimony evangelism? Is defending the Christian faith evangelism? How about doing good deeds for the oppressed? Certainly those are good things that serve and support evangelism. But they are not evangelism itself. We must not confuse the gospel with the fruit of the gospel.

3. Evangelism entails teaching the gospel first and foremost.

God teaches us the gospel through his Word; we can’t just  ”figure it out” on our own. So it stands to reason that we must speak and teach the gospel to others: the truth about who God is, why we’re in the mess we’re in, what Jesus came to do, and how we are to respond to him. It’s no wonder that Paul often described his evangelistic ministry as a teaching ministry.

4. Evangelism aims to persuade.

We want to see people move from darkness to light. Having that aim helps us know what things to talk about and what things to lay aside. Evangelism isn’t just data transfer; we must listen to people, hear their objections, and model gentleness because we know that souls are at stake. And we know what it means to truly convert: a true Christian has put his complete faith and trust in Jesus, so much so that he has repented of a lifestyle of unbelief and sin. Understanding this guards us from false conversions, which are the assisted suicide of the church.

5. Evangelism flourishes in a culture of evangelism.

Much instruction is given about personal evangelism. And that’s right and good since we’re each called to testify to our own personal encounter with Jesus. But when people are pulling together to share the gospel, when there is less emphasis on getting “a decision,” when the people of God are pitching in to teach the gospel together, a culture forms that leads us to ask “Are we all helping our non-Christian friends understand the gospel?” rather than “Who has led the most people to Jesus?”

6. Evangelistic programs will kill evangelism.

We need to replace evangelistic programs with a culture of evangelism. Programs are to evangelism what sugar is to nutrition: a strict diet of evangelistic programs produces malnourished evangelism. So, we should feel a healthy unease with regard to evangelistic programs. We must use them strategically and in moderation, if at all.

7. Evangelism is designed for the church and the church is designed for evangelism.

A healthy church with a culture of evangelism is the key to great evangelism. Jesus did not forget the gospel when he built his church; in fact, a healthy church is meant to display the gospel. Think of the ways that the gathered church displays the gospel: we sing the gospel, we see the gospel in the sacraments, and we hear the gospel when we preach and pray. A healthy culture of evangelism does not aim at remaking the church for the sake of evangelism. Instead, we must highlight the way God designed the church to display and proclaim the gospel simply by being the church.

8. Evangelism is undergirded by love and unity.

Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). In that same discourse, he prayed that his disciples would be unified “so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20–21). Jesus says the love we have for one another in the church is evidence that we are truly converted. And when we are unified in the church, we show the world that Jesus is the Son of God. Love confirms our discipleship, and unity confirms Christ’s deity. What a powerful witness!

9. A culture of evangelism is strengthened by right practices and right attitudes.

We need to make sure that we see evangelism as a spiritual discipline. Just as we pray for our non-Christian friends, we must be intentional about sharing our faith with them. Furthermore, we must never assume the gospel in conversations with non-Christians lest we lose it. We need to view the gospel as the center of how we align our lives to God as well as come to God in salvation.

10. Evangelism must be modeled.

One of the greatest needs in our churches today is for church leaders to boldly model what it means to be an ambassador of the gospel. Pastors and elders must lead the way in sharing their faith, teaching others how to be ambassadors for Christ, and calling their congregations to do the same.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Gospel, LifeWay, LifeWay Church Resources, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Gospel Project, Theology

27 Blog Posts on The Atonement

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With the release of The Gospel Project’s study on the atonement titled “Atonement Thread“, I organized a series of blog posts centered around the same theme theme. In total, 27 blog posts on the importance of the atonement.

The atonement, as taught in the Bible, calls to mind the unfathomable love of God to send His Son to take away our sins. The atonement proclaims the amazing grace of God to cover over our sins with the precious and perfect blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Whether you realize it or not, the doctrine of the atonement has very practical implications for your day to day Christian life.

The Atonement and the Christian Life

The Doctrine of the Atonement 

The Atonement in the Old Testament 

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Books, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, Theology

What Is Wrong With The World?

From Eden to teh New Jerusaem Picture“God created the earth with the specific intention that it should be his dwelling place. To bring his project to completion, God initially bestowed on humanity a holy and royal status. As they filled the earth, human beings were to extend God’s temple kingdom throughout the world. However, the successful completion of this divine project was tragically endangered when Adam and Eve, in an act of wilful arrogance, heeded the serpent rather than the divine Creator. Adam and Eve’s disobedience introduced major obstacles to the fulfillment of God’s plan for the earth. Rather than extending the temple of God throughout the earth through holy service, humanity defiled the world through their unrighteous behavior. Having been delegated authority to rule, they now use this authority inappropriately; unrestrained human dominion brings violence to the earth rather than peace.”

T. Desmond Alexander, From Eden To New Jerusalem, 98-99.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

How Do We Mobilize The Church For Evangelism?

Jeff Vanderstelt has some really good things to say about evangelism. Vanderstelt is a pastor at Soma Communities, an A29 church in Tacoma, WA.

I am always challenged by Jeff’s teaching. I’ve also hung out with Jeff and his crew a few times now, and I can tell you that he is a leader with a heart for leaders and deeply loves the church. Enjoy the video!

Matt Capps Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, LifeWay, LifeWay Church Resources, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

10 Tips For Leading A Small Group

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Groups are absolutely essential to the health and mission of a church. They are likely the starting point for community, discipleship, and service in your church. In fact, recent research shows that people involved in groups are healthier spiritually than those who aren’t. People in groups read the Bible more, pray more, give more, and serve more. Simply stated: groups matter.

What happens when groups gather also matters. I found Rick Howerton‘s list 10 Practices of Great Small Group Facilitators helpful. Here are his very practical suggestions.

  1. Do ice-breakers that everyone participates in and that build individual trust and team unity.
  2. Affirm each person when they speak, especially early in the group’s life.
  3. Draw everyone into the conversation. When there is a person who seems slow to jump into the discussion, graciously ask their opinion or request their input.
  4. Be relaxed yourself. A relaxed facilitator creates a relaxed environment.
  5. When asking the group to speak of a sensitive life issue or situation, be the first to tell your story.
  6. Involve your apprentice when possible.
  7. Talk less than 30% of the time.
  8. Converse with those in your group between group gatherings.
  9. When you don’t know the answer to a question asked of you, say you don’t know but that you’ll try to find out and that you’ll get back to the group with the answer to the question.
  10. React to delicate situations/moments with grace and sensitivity.

This list origionally appeared on ChurchLeaders.com

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, LifeWay, LifeWay Church Resources, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Gospel Project, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Jesus and the Ten Commandments

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This post origionally appeared at The Gospel Project blog in a series on the Ten Commandments. 

For too many Christians the Ten Commandments are impossible imperatives. While we would affirm that God’s commands are good, they seem to bring nothing more than a moral burden that crushes us under the weight of God’s holiness. Our difficulty with the Ten Commandments can be resolved by understanding the aim of God’s law in the context of redemptive history. Furthermore, when we fail to see the context in which the law was given, we tend to overlook the relationship of the law of God to the grace of God.

You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me…I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. –Exodus 19:4; 20:2 (HCSB)

These are the words of the God of Israel to Moses as he stood on Mount Sinai and looked back at what God had done for His people, how He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. It is important to remember that when God gave the Israelites the law, their status as God’s people had already been established.

Since Israel was given a new life after God delivered them out of Egypt, the law functioned to show Israel what this new life was to look like. And the laws given at Sinai were not arbitrary but stemmed from the character of God and His original purpose for humankind in creation. The purpose of Israel’s obedience was to reflect God’s nature to the world around them as a concrete expression of their devotion to God. The same is true for Christians today; God’s law establishes a separate and unique identity for God’s people.

However, the history of Israel (and our own hearts) confirm that the ideals of God’s law cannot be achieved without God’s divine intervention. The Ten Commandments expose our sinful motives and behavior for what they are, namely, transgression of specific commands. And we know from experience that the Ten Commandments do not have the power to transform us or liberate us from the power of sin. So, the law is like a teacher who shows us God’s holiness, our sinfulness, and our need for salvation. And the needed divine intervention ultimately comes through Jesus Christ. This is the good news of the gospel.

By faith we receive the gift of Jesus’ law-keeping, which was perfectly achieved on our behalf, and in Him we become righteous. Therefore, we uphold the law by turning our backs on our own warped efforts to keep the law and by putting all our confidence and trust in the One who satisfied all the laws demands on our behalf (Romans 3:31). Thus, when one is saved through repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ, they are released from the power of sin and the condemnation of the law. In salvation we are given new hearts to know and understand God’s order for creation. The spirit of rebellion against the authority and rule of God is replaced by a spirit of obedience. Gospel-driven internal motivation replaces external moral constraint (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:26-27).

Therefore, God’s law is still authoritative and necessary for Christians today. Jesus did not so much replace the Old Testament law as make explicit its proper application to the heart and not just external behavior (Romans 6:14, 8:1-4). Jesus’ idea of obedience moves beyond religious observance, focusing not only on the things we do but on who we are (Matthew 5–7). Only the gospel changes the heart and can lead to lasting change in our lives.

You will remember that when asked by one of the religious leaders to identify the greatest commandment in all of the law, Jesus replied by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands. –Matthew 22:37-40 (HCSB)

In many ways, Jesus’ response summarized the heart of the Ten Commandments. The first four of the Ten Commandments have to do with our relationship to God, while Commandments six through ten addresses our relationship to one another. Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). Jesus is the true Israelite who perfectly loved God with all of His heart and perfectly loved His neighbors (Luke 22:42; John 15:13). The Old Testament law pointed to Jesus Christ and is only properly revealed in Him (Romans 8:3; 10:4; Galatians 3:24).

In fulfilling the law through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus enables us to attain righteousness greater than that of religious obedience. Jesus has delivered us from a slave master greater than Egypt—that of sin and death. Jesus was crushed under the weight of our sin so that we could be free to obey God’s commands. Our gospel-empowered desire to obey God’s commands creates a separate and unique identity for us as God’s holy people sent out in His name into the world. Those who love God will express their love for Him in obedience and missionally in their love for others.

In response to what Christ has done, knowing that our status as God’s people is secure, we submit to the words of Paul, who declared in Romans 12:1, “by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.”

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, LifeWay, LifeWay Church Resources, Pastoral Ministry, Personal, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

4 Suggestions on “Sharing the Gospel” from Matt Chandler

In a recent interview with Bob Smietana for Facts and Trends Magazine, Matt Chandler offered four practical suggestions for teaching Christians how to share their faith.

1. Get the gospel right.

Strategy doesn’t matter if churches don’t get their message right. And people can’t share the gospel if they don’t know it. “Get the gospel message right,” he says. “And then be confident in that message. Not in your delivery but in the message. Here’s what we do—we love well and we share the gospel.”

2. Admit your faults.

Self-righteousness is one of the biggest turnoffs for nonbelievers, says Chandler. Don’t pretend being a Christian makes you superior to other people. “If you really understand grace, it’s not us and them,” he says. “It’s us. The ground at the cross is flat. The gospel of Jesus Christ has set me free to not pretend that I am perfect in front of you.”

3. Don’t try to scare people into following Jesus.

Chandler’s not afraid to talk about hell. He says it’s an “awful reality” that can’t be avoided. But avoiding hell isn’t the main message of the gospel. “If hell is how you are trying to motivate people toward heaven, then you have missed a key component of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ,” he says. “Namely He has justified us, sanctified us, and is adopting us as sons and daughters. You have missed the entire delight piece—where God delights in those He has rescued.”

4. Focus on the gospel instead of arguments about non-essentials.

Chandler tries to steer clear of arguments over issues like creation, evolution or the age of earth, where he’s not an expert. “If you think you don’t have all the answers,” says Chandler, “Just say ‘I don’t know. But here’s what I do know—Jesus changed my life.’ A passionate belief in Jesus Christ that has changed your life is still the best apologetic.” Remind people their job isn’t to save nonbelievers. Instead, they need to share the gospel and let God do the work. “I have tried repeatedly to lay out the reality that it is God who saves,” he says. “God saves. That takes the pressure off of people.”

To read the whole article, click here.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Books, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, LifeWay, LifeWay Church Resources, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Gospel Project, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Free eBook: Keeping The Ten Commandments by J.I. Packer

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We are excited about the newest release of The Gospel Project! Our adult/student summer study, titled God’s Way, explores the Ten Commandments from a Christ-centered perspective. The writers for God’s Way include Trevin Wax, Mike Cosper, Rey De Armas, and J.D. Greear. These are 13 sessions that you will not want to miss.

In conjunction with the launch of God’s Way, The Gospel Project and Crossway have teamed up to offer J.I Packer’s book Keeping The Ten Commandments free. Here are a few words about the book.

400x_keepingcommandments_cover“They’re often mistakenly considered God’s “rules”- his outdated list of do’s and don’ts that add up to a guilt-ridden, legalistic way of life. But as beloved author and Bible scholar J. I. Packer probes the purpose and true meaning of the Ten Commandments, you’ll discover that these precepts can aptly be called God’s blueprint for life. They contain the wisdom and priorities everyone needs for relational, spiritual, and societal blessing-and it’s all coming from a loving heavenly Father who wants the best for his children.

Not only does Packer deliver these truths in brief, readable segments, but he includes discussion questions and ideas for further study at the end of each chapter. This book will challenge you to view the commandments with new eyes and help you to understand-perhaps for the first time-the health, hope, and heritage you’re offered there.”

The Gospel Project strives to provide solid additional resources that enrich your study as you move through our material. This free Crossway eBook will only be available for a limited time, so download it now and pass the info on to your friends.

Matt Capps Arts, Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, Theology

Jesus is the True and Better…

This video was produced by Dan Stevers, and is a beautiful visual rendition of Tim Keller’s “True and Better” sermon delivered at The Gospel Coalition in 2007. The full text from the video can be found here.