Consider the Example of the Apostle Paul

Consider the example of the Apostle Paul.  He not only referred to himself as the least of the apostles, not even deserving to be called an apostle, but he considered himself less than the least of all God’s people (I Corinthians 1:15-16, Ephesians 3:8).  And toward the end of his life he referred to himself [...]

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Is Grace Only For Sinners?

The problem with self-righteousness is that it seems almost impossible to recognize in ourselves.  We will own up to almost any other sin, but not the sin of self-righteousness.  When we have this attitude, though, we deprive ourselves of the joy of living in the grace of God.  Because, you see, grace is only for [...]

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It Addresses Our True Need, No Matter What

Preaching the gospel to ourselves everyday addresses both the self-righteous Pharisee and the guilt-laden sinner that dwell in our hearts.  Since the gospel is only for sinners, preaching it to ourselves every day reminds us that we are indeed sinners in need of God’s grace.  – Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our [...]

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What You Get When You Come to God as a Consumer

Coming to God as consumers saved by following the instructions on the product label rather than as sinners saved by grace is not only the essence of human sin, it does not even deliver on its promise of liberation.  Instead it drives us deeper into ourselves, into the solitary confinement of the convictions, longings, felt [...]

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What is the Goal of Popular Preaching Today?

Often in popular preaching today, it seems that the goal is to get through the interpretation of the passage in order to arrive at the contemporary application, which typically evidences the preacher’s own hobby-horses and recent diet of reading or movies.  Usually, application equals law - to-do lists – rather than using the passage to actually [...]

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“Christianity Lite” Is Like a Recreational Drug

Like any recreational drug, Christianity Lite, can make people feel better for the moment, but it does not reconcile sinners to God. – Horton, Michael; Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church; Baker Books; Grand Rapids, MI; copyright 2008; p. 36

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Often It Seems We Need a Life Coach Instead of a Redeemer

It is easy to become distracted from Christ as the only hope for sinners.  Where everything is measured by our happiness rather than by God’s holiness, the sense of our being sinners becomes secondary, if not offensive.  If we are good people who have lost our way but with the proper instructions and motivation can [...]

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Its A Misguided Debate

Churches for years have struggled over whether their worship services ought to be geared toward Christians (to encourage and strengthen them) or non-Christians (to appeal to and win them).  But this debate and struggle over it are misguided.  We’re asking the wrong questions and making the wrong assumptions.  The truth is that our worship services [...]

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God’s Message to His People in Jonah

Jonah is the only prophetic book in the Bible that focuses on the prophet himself rather than on his message.  Jonah’s life is God’s message to his people. What is that message?  God’s message to his people through the life of this prophet is that we’re all like Jonah.  We’re all great sinners - and God [...]

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Sinners and Religious People Must Start with Repentance

The missional church seeks to call both lost sinners to repent of their sin and religious people to repent of their religion for three reasons.  First, both pursue righteousness apart from Jesus’ grace, which is an offense to the gospel.  Second, if only so-called sinners are called to repent, then these “sinners” wrongly think the church [...]

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