Part-One of a Series called “First-Choice Worship: Preferences”

Good Questions

What is revival? What is this idea of renewal? Are these concepts that are more rightly founded in the attempts of man to appease God or are they indeed the moving of the Holy Spirit of God to regenerate or rejuvenate our hearts to a place of freshness in our relationship to Him? My pastor has frequently mentioned from the pulpit that we should always ask good questions in order to get good answers. These are Good questions; where do we get good answers?

Do you want to know how to get God to pay attention to you? Peruse the shelves of the religious section of any typical bookstore or for that matter any Christian bookstore and you will see a surplus of “how-to” and “how-come” books enlightening us to the means and techniques of bringing the Holy Spirit down on our lives, ministries or plans. If reading a book is not your style, then click and listen to a podcast and you’re off and running again tackling the giants and keeping at bay, monsters that lurk ready to pounce. Well, isn’t that true? Is this not where many of us begin? I have to confess my first point of contact is all too often GOOGLE®.

Okay, I am convinced God uses media of all kinds to reveal to us some of the insights and mysteries of His Word; He does this through men and women authors and teachers, whom as servants, have poured through His Word and have shared with you and me what the Holy Spirit has revealed to them much the way a pastor does from the pulpit. I am equally assured that God has inspired a great deal of these works to His Glory and our benefit. But where do these books and podcasts, and sermons lie in our arsenal of defense? Is this a backdoor approach to the throne of God? What does God’s desire?

Likewise, we can maintain that whatever method we choose to serve and worship God should be satisfactory as long as it is from the heart: Classic, modern, time-tested, cutting-edge, old, new, traditional, high-tech- what really makes God smile? Another good question.

Respectfully, allow me to jog your memory back to a sermon-series our pastor preached well over a year ago: Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” I am redolent of verse 12 earlier in that same chapter: And finally in the eleventh chapter, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” “…And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Bill Gaither asserts in his gospel song: “Where could I go but to the Lord? " Clearly our first line of defense is God Himself. We can access God in our time of need through the doorway by which He Himself has provided to us: His Word – The Bible! We approach His throne boldly because our confidence is in what Christ has done to allow that access. The more we discover who He is the more we realize it’s not what we’ve done.

So begs this question, as long as we get to God, who cares when and how we get there in the first place? Indeed we serve a God of second and many times multiple chances. He is patient and long suffering in a way we just do not grasp. Yet we also serve a God who has so much more He can and will do in and through us once we surrender to Him. So here is a really good question: “When will we surrender?” “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand”. Isaiah 41:10.

-John Martinez

Take My Life (And Let It Be)

Enjoy these video entries.





-John

What's your Opinion?

I recently read this article by a man named Clint Brown; Are you willing to share your opinion?

Thanks.

-John

One thing that dominates the thinking of most of our brethren today is the drive for church growth. Many books have been written over the past few years in an effort to "enlighten" us on how to increase the numbers in our congregations. The books give insight into the social circumstances and felt-needs of the people around us and set forth methods of evangelism that promise to "bring in the big numbers." They tell us that in order for our churches to grow we must have such things as: (1) a preacher who has a dynamic personality and who is a "motivator," (2) a dynamic, inspirational song leader, (3) a warm, tolerant, accepting, "no questions asked" environment, and so on.

I'm sure these "church growth experts" have spent many hours researching the attitudes and aims of the people around us, but I have a question: Where do these "experts" get the idea that we should seek the increase of the church anyway? "The Bible," you say. That's right! So you mean that God gives us the obligation to seek the growth of His kingdom, but fails to instruct us in how that is to be accomplished? The truth is, the only way to fulfill this duty is by the ways God has set out in His word. So how do the findings of the "church growth experts" compare with God's view of church growth?

We are to be gospel centered, not entertainment centered. When we seek to accommodate the "felt needs" of people, the first thing to go out the window is the pure gospel. We are to meet the real needs of the people, not their felt needs and the true gospel is the only cure (Rom. 1:16; Jn. 8:32). People today seek entertainment centered religion in order to satisfy their carnal appetites. They look for churches that offer sporting and recreational activities with a "fun" environment for the kids. They go "church hunting" rather than "truth hunting" and wind up hearing a weak message from the pulpit that doesn't meet their greatest need – the salvation of the soul. Meeting the "felt needs" of the people may increase our attendance role but it certainly won't fill the Lamb's Book of Life.

We are to be Christ centered, not self-centered. At the heart of the "church growth" fallacy is a deeper problem. When we bypass the instructions of God in order to increase our number, we are seeking our own glory, not God's. If we truly love Him we will keep His commandments (Jn. 14:21). This involves preaching the Word and not accommodating the "itching ears" of the society around us (II Tim. 4:2-5). A so-called "no questions asked" environment is not in the best interest of the lost soul, nor the glory of Christ.

We are to be quality centered, not quantity centered. There's certainly nothing wrong with a concern for the numerical growth of the church. However, the Bible teaches that our emphasis should center on quality, while God takes care of the quantity (I Cor. 3:5-6). Paul and Apollos were merely ministers of the truth while God gave the numerical increase. They certainly didn't stress the need to be "dynamic or inspirational motivators" in their ministries as our present "experts" stress. Rather, Paul taught the exact opposite. His preaching was not with excellence of speech or persuasive words of human wisdom (I Cor. 2:1-4). That kind of method was a mark of the false teachers (Col. 2:4, 8, 23). The only way to truly increase quantitatively is to preach qualitatively.

We would do well to consider what God's word says concerning "church growth." Instead of placing such emphasis in the wisdom of men, we should let God "give the increase" (I Cor. 3:6).

Into the World

Yes, it is hard to believe but both Shari and I are old enough to have a high school graduate in our household but it is true.

Jessica Leigh Martinez is now an official holder of a High School Diploma from the prestigious Martinez Family Homeschool. Jessica and her friend Brandi are ready to show their independence by driving to Boise today to see a movie and have lunch.

Naturally as her father, I queried if indeed we had movie theaters and dining establishments here in Twin Falls, but I suppose that is just not the point. Our daughter wants to express her independence and "Go To The Big City".

Shari reminded me that she did the same thing when she was her age, and I recall my first independent trip to the big city of Albuquerque was only days after I had acquired my drivers license; mine was a date with one Karen Iorio two years my senior to do what else, see a movie and eat lunch. Strangely enough that day is still etched in my mind: We watched the movie Terms of Endearment and ate lunch at Garcia's Mexican Restaurant where I ordered a Chimichanga and a coke.

Freedom is just a bit sweeter when you know that mom and dad are out of reach and you are on your own for a little while: at least for a lunch and movie in the "Big City".

-John

Special Day

Yesterday was a very special day for me and my family. My ordination does not come lightly and I am humbled at a Mighty God who has chosen to set apart a simple man for His great work.

I am convinced that it is His intention to accomplish any work of significance through me rather than assume I can pull anything off apart from His power and Divine intervention.

I am so grateful for the effort that Pastor Paul has gone through to assure that the service was special and done well. He is a good and trusted friend. I appreciate the Charge that Pastor Paul shared to the Church from Timothy as to those who minister.

Pastor and Chaplain (BG US Army Ret.) Dan Robinson provided a sermon that I will be thinking about for a long time. There is great responsibility in Shepherding that is not to be handled in a pious manner; yet with humbleness and realization that God is to do the work through us we are to be thoroughly obedient to Him.

-John

2009 GRADS

(Top left to Right) Jessica Martinez, Carissa Mathews
(Bottom Left to Right) Jordan Crider, Silas Thompson, Andy Yung
(Jake Hanchey not pictured)

Congrats to our 2009 High School Graduates!

Eastside Baptist Church stands proud to celebrate our 2009 High School Graduates. We had a wonderful time this past Saturday hearing stories that left us laughing and proud of their accomplishments.

I choked up several times as I listened to moms and dads tell their stories, and I could hardly look at Jessica in the face as I spoke of her, because I didn't want to blubber all over myself.

Sunday May 24th will be yet another time we honor these 'grads' in our 10:30 morning service.

-John

My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less...

Where do you stand? Do you take a position on the issue style and preference in your church design?

Let me be more clear:

Do you prefer what types of sermons your pastor preaches or are you happy that he preaches from the Word of God?

Do you like it that your church has child care and children ministries or is that a critical element for your family in deciding where you worship?

If your church didn't have a youth group would you attend?

Should your church always be looking to add new members and constantly grow or are you satisfied to be a part of a small congregation?

If people around you started to lift their hands and weep during worship would this make you uncomfortable enough to seek another church home?

Do you have a set of preferences that keep you tied to your church with the possibility that if these standards were compromised you would leave? Perhaps we all do. I would venture to say that we should all have standards for the Bride of Christ.

However, where do those standards find their foundation? Our congregation is literally in the process of pouring concrete 'footings' (foundation) for a new building/ sanctuary. Over the past week workers have been diligently and precisely preparing the ground for this concrete foundation.

The backhoe and tamper and electronic grade have all been wisely and heavily used in order to prepare what will serve as a stable and solid foundation for a permanent building. It is interesting to think that the building we see on the surface is only as strong as what is anchors itself to.

Christians, we can not say any different of ourselves. We are only as strong as what we anchor to. In other words, if our foundation is speculative and based on opinion at best, then when the winds come, (and they will) we will fall flat.

Think about it, when tornadoes sweep through towns where there are both permanent homes built on solid foundations and mobile home parks with trailers on minimal temporary foundations, the difference in the after-math of the two is remarkable; the lightly tethered homes are whisked away in a heart beat leaving nearly no trace behind other than concrete pads, whereas despite the destruction of the permanent homes, there remains a remnant and evidence of what once stood.

The point is, that there will be storms of such magnitude in our lives that despite our best efforts we will suffer loss. Yet the foundation that remains will tell the story to those look on of one whose life was different. Some of us will likely encounter the prophet Job did; some of life's most treacherous and debilitating tragedies such as Cancer, or an unexpected loss of a family member, or perhaps even worse we may become incapacitated to a degree that we can no longer care for ourselves. Whatever the challenge, James reminds us that trials will come our way. How we deal with these challenges we be directly reflected in what we have anchored our life.

A lot to think about, but I am reminded that Jesus offers to take upon Himself our burdens in trade for His which He says is light.