High Point Church’s Year End gift continues to impact the lives of many across the globe, and the mission work of Martires Olivero in the Dominican Republic is some of the latest to fall in that category.
Part of HPC’s gift was sent to Martires for the purchase of an SUV for better travel within his ministry to get from community to community (especially for when it rained and the roads were flooded) and for traveling with hosts churches when they came to help from the US.
Gordon Fee, in his book How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth states that the Bible was written more to be listened to than read. That is, when the authors wrote it, they imagined people hearing it read out loud more than they thought of it being read off of the page. Before the printing press, books were enormously expensive and reading out loud was extremely common and something of an art form. It’s one of the reasons why Paul commands Timothy not to neglect the public reading of Scripture (1 Tim 4:13). That is how most people heard the Bible.
Although that is not entirely true today, do not underestimate how powerful a good reading of Scripture can be. I firmly believe what one South African seminary professor said: “If we read the Scriptures properly, a sermon is hardly necessary.” He wasn’t against preaching. He just understood how powerful Scripture can be when read for impact. If you read the Bible correctly out loud, people will actually hear the message the text declares. They will find themselves hearing things they had passed over. They will get a different sense of emphasis and a deeper sense of the gravity of the message.
So how do you do it? How do you read the Bible for maximum impact?
Their rebuilt house in Manila brought restoration and peace to Rene’s family.
When Typhoon Haiyan tore through Southeast Asia in November 2013, it was one of the strongest, most devastating tropical cyclones ever recorded. With its death toll reaching more than 6,300 people, Haiyan also left many lives and homes in shambles.
This post is full of resources to help you look further into the topic of the Church and Society and for you to know what sources I’m using besides the Bible, thinking, conversation, prayer, and the personal disciplines. You can see my reading list below the list of resources. Feel free to comment on the series, the topic and offer your recommendations below.
J.I. Packer said that the coming of Jesus (the Incarnation) was the central mystery of the Christian faith. In Knowing God he said:
“The supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us, does not lie…in the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man…” (emphasis added)
That is not to say the crucifixion and resurrection are not mysterious. But if I had to explain to a crowded room either…
1. Exactly how does Christ’s death saves us?
OR
2. Exactly how is the Christ both really God and really man?
…I would definitely choose the first question. But that does not make the doctrine of the incarnation any less significant in our faith.
My small group discussed a question recently, and they encouraged me to present it to you: “What is my role in becoming a Christian? I have always felt I had some role in becoming a follower of Christ—responding to the calling rather than just turning away, denying Jesus access to my heart and life. However, from the reading/sermon I clearly understood that I have done nothing and it is all God’s grace. Could you consider expounding on this?”
Nic’s Response
The distinction in the Bible’s language about our actions essentially divides them into actions that are meritorious (meaning that, in return for such actions, we deserve something), and those that are essential (meaning that we have to do them, even if such action doesn’t cause us to deserve anything).
Engage & Equip 