Charles Spurgeon on Finding the “Perfect Church”
Published February 24, 2011 | 
I ran across this quote today by Charles Spurgeon. He once said about finding the perfect church:
“If I had never joined a church till I had found one that was perfect, I should never have joined one at all; and the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect church after I had become a member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us.”
I love our church (that is you, the people). I thank God for you all, and for the fellowship and our labor together in the gospel for the sake of Christ our Savior. My constant prayer is that we would have hearts knit together so tightly, that no distraction or worldly pursuit could restrain or hinder us from loving and serving one another. Perfect…No! Dearest place on earth…I hope so!
The Gospel, the Culture, and You
Published October 29, 2010 | 
Don’t you hear a lot about “making the gospel relevant,” or “speaking to our culture” when we proclaim the gospel. I for one think we hear TOO MUCH talk about that. I know we need to communicate in ways that are undertandable, but the gospel is powerful no matter what cultural context we proclaim it in.
The following is a tid-bit from an article I read recently. The article was actually a commentary on the reality that Robert Schuller (a partriarch of the false “prosperity” gospel), and his famous “Crystal Cathedral,” was forced to file for bankruptcy protection recently. That is interesting reading in and of itself…
However, after I sifted through the theological commentary about the Schuller situation, I was encouraged and emboldened in my own thinking about staying true to the gospel, and trusting in “the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
Here is what he said:
I remember some really terrific counsel I received from one of my first pastors, back in the seventies. He said something like this: if you can’t preach the same Gospel in the mansions of Beverly Hills or the trenches of Vietnam, you aren’t preaching the real Gospel. The Gospel is trans-cultural, trans-temporal, and trans-situational.
So what should we do? Oh, golly (he said innocently), I don’t know. Just off the top of my head?
- Believe, study and live God’s Word, the Bible.
- Preach the Gospel; in fact…
- Preach the whole Word as absolutely vital, essential, and sufficient.
- Use the brains God gave us (as His word orders us to do) to fill in the gaps, taking responsiblity for the decisions you make.
Do that in trusting, prayerful, Christ-centered faith, and you’re far likelier to reach the end of your life with God glorified…
I like it! Two thumbs up!
Do you Enjoy a Truly Blessed Life
Published October 20, 2010 | 
Have you ever felt like the Christian life is just “blah, blah, blah?” Here is an encouraging excerpt from Jay E. Adams about how to experience and enjoy a truly blessed life. Perhaps you haven’t been experiencing the kind or degree of blessing that you once did, or desire to. I think he points us in the right direction.
It is a great reminder of our need to be “living the word” in our daily lives. I also think it will steer those of you studying the book of James at home fellowship in the direction of some great applications of James 1:25, which you will probably study soon.
Here are his comments:
There are fascinating developments in store for every true believer. Some of them occur in this life; they will occur to all Christians in the life to come. Ours is not a “dull, somber, uneventful, faith.” It is an exciting one—even now—if and when you enter into it with fullness and determination.
“What does that mean?”
It means that you don’t play Christian; you live your faith. It means that you get excited whenever you discover some new truth in the Scriptures. But, of course, that doesn’t happen if you aren’t studying them. It means that you are thrilled when a relative or a neighbor to whom you have witnessed professes faith in Christ. But, of course, that doesn’t happen unless you witness. It means that your heart is warmed to see that couple who were at each other’s throats come back together in loving care and concern because you counseled them. But, of course, that doesn’t happen unless you counsel people.
“In other words, unless we understand, believe, and do what Christians ought to know, trust Him to bless our lives, and do what He commands, there will be no joy to our faith?”
You’ve got it. If your Christian experience isn’t challenging, exciting, interesting—something’s seriously missing. So, get with it, Christian. As James says, we are “blessed in the doing”(James 1:25c).
Well, how about it? Are you studying the Scripture, and experiencing blessing? Are you witnessing to the lost, and experiencing blessing? Are you counseling and encouraging others, and experiencing blessing? We could add a lot of similar questions to the list of how we are “blessed in the doing.” I would love to hear some of yours in the comment thread.
God bless you (really!).