A Dependence upon God in Evangelism

As Christians, we have a biblical responsibility to make the gospel known. Christ’s command to his disciples, “Go ye…and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19) was not exclusively for the crowd to whom Jesus was then speaking but to the whole of the church. It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the gospel message and “make disciples”. Therefore, every child of God must ask themselves continually if they are doing all they can to share the good news of the gospel. Are we living up to the command of our Lord? Is our church using all its resources to spread the message of Christ to a lost world?

With this responsibility to share the gospel in mind, it is also necessary to take the thought of human responsibility, as it affects both the preacher and the hearer of the gospel. J.I. Packer in his book Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God says, we must not allow the idea of human responsibility to drive the thought of God’s sovereignty from our minds. Dr. Packer continues,

Filed under: Evangelism, J.I. Packer, Sovereignty

The Centrality of Missions in Teaching and Preaching

Assisting a congregation in learning to love missions begins with its centrality in the teaching and preaching ministry of the church. The church will only grow to love what they see as central to its teaching and preaching. When the church falls in love with a missionary God, as revealed in Scripture, they will be actively concerned with what He is concerned about. J.I. Paker in his classic work, Evangelism and Sovereignty of God said, “there is only one method of evangelism: namely, the faithful explanation and application of the Gospel message.”

A heart and love for the missionary effort around the world begins first and foremost from the pulpit ministry of the local church. When the pastor is concerned about mission work and the spread of the gospel around the nations of the world and makes that central to his preaching and teaching then the congregation will begin to do the same. The pastor has an unparalleled responsibility to cast a missionary vision among his people that will inflame their heart with the same vision.

The gospel is about the kingdom of God, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world.” John Piper says, “The aim of preaching this “gospel of the kingdom” is that the nations might know King Jesus and admire Him and honor Him and love Him and trust Him and follow Him and make Him shine in their affections.” This gospel starts with God’s eternal desire to see His name glorified in creation. This is why He created the world and all things in the universe and why He has determined to redeem a people from sin for Himself. This is why He sent His Son and through Him began gathering a people from every nation, tribe, people and language for the glory of His eternal name. This is the message that must be proclaimed in the pulpit of the local church if we are to witness a radical change in the perspective of our congregation on missions. When a congregation begins to understand this global vision of God’s glory and desire for His renown, they will begin to take the missionary endeavor with greater seriousness and gravity as they recognize this as the very heart of God.

Preaching and teaching about missions is not to be done only a few times a year. There must be a systematic effort to engage the congregation in the whole of Scripture through expositional preaching. As teaching goes forth in the area of theology, Christian discipleship, biblical theology, evangelism, Old and New Testaments, and more, missions and missionary-related concerns will rise to the surface again and again. Missionary preaching and teaching is not necessarily a conscience effort, but should be part of every aspect of the preaching ministry of the church.

The missionary mandate and vision begins in the pulpit and the central preaching ministry of the church but also filters throughout the other teaching ministries of the church. Sunday school is a wonderful opportunity to engage and educate the congregation in the area of missions. From the smallest child to the oldest adult, Sunday school provides an outlet for a clear biblical missionary focus. A course devoted specifically to missions can be an invaluable way to think on a more personal level than would normally be possible in an expositional sermon. The local church should utilize the vast amount of missionary literature and resources that are available through various missionary organizations. Missionary biographies, prayer guides, and people group booklets are all tools to be used in this education. If the church participates in certain annual mission emphasis programs, such as the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, these times are opportunities to give focused attention to missions.

The most vital aspect in the life of the church is the preaching and teaching ministry. Missions therefore must be central to this ministry. Proper education and biblical preaching are invaluable ways to develop a missionary heart in the life and ministry of the local church.

Filed under: J.I. Packer, Ministry, Missions, Preaching, The Church

J.I. Packer on Vocation and Christian Ministry

 

J.I. Packer briefly answers some questions on vocation and Christian ministry. 

How can Christians view their daily work as ministry?

What does God say about vocation?

How can Christians view their daily work as worship?

Filed under: J.I. Packer, Ministry, The Christian Life

Interesting Weekly Links and Articles

-  A portion of my article entitled, Oprah’s Influence on American Culture and Women, was featured this week in a wonderful article, Oprah’s New Age Gospel, written by Penna Dexter for The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.

-  Tim Challies is live blogging the Ligonier Conference on Evangelism According to Jesus.

-  Russell Moore asked the question, “Should We Miss Our Church Graveyards?”  He also develops a theology of the Great Commission in an excellent series of articles entitled, Triumph of the Warrior-King, part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

-  Rick Phillips at Reformation 21 talks about Church Vision.

-  Owen Strachan looks at The Sad Tale Of Eliot Spitzer, and What it Tells Us (and What it Doesn’t).

-  Justin Taylor features a post entitled, J. I. Packer to Be Suspended from the Anglican Church of Canada, which features some excellent YouTube videos of J.I. Packer speaking of the issue of same-sex marriage and the future of the church.

For the weekend I leave you with the thoughts of Jonathan Edwards as he ponders union with Christ,

“I mean that God, three in one, all that he is, and all that he has, and all that he does, all that he has made or done, the whole universe, bodies and spirits, light, heaven, angels, men and devils, sun, moon, stars, land, and sea, fish and fowls, all the silver and gold, all beings and perfections, as well as mere man, are as much the Christ’s as the money in his pocket, the clothes he wears, or the house he dwells in, or the victuals he eats; yea, more properly his, more advantageously, more his than if he commanded all these things mentioned to be just in all respects as he pleased, at any time, by virtue of the union with Christ; because Christ, who certainly doth here possess all things, is entirely his, so that he possesses it all, more than a wife the property of the best and dearest of husbands, more than the hand possesses what the head doth. All the universe is his, only he has not the trouble of managing it; but Christ, to whom it is no trouble to manage it, manages it for him a thousand times as much of his advantage as he could himself, if he had the managing of all the atoms in the universe.”

Filed under: Cultural Issues, Evangelism, J.I. Packer, Jonathan Edwards, The Church, Various Thoughts

Westminster Wednesday – J.I. Packer

At Pastor and People we not only recommend wonderful Christian literature but also feature wonderful Christian authors and scholars.  J.I. Packer is just one of those authors who writes wonderful literature for Christian growth and maturity. James Innell Packer, born July 22, 1926 in Gloucester, England, is a conservative evangelical Anglican, author, and theologian in the Calvinist tradition. He currently serves as the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is considered to be one of the most important evangelical theologians of the late 20th century.

Everyone knows Packer’s classics, Knowing God and Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God but what about more recent works. Today at Westminster Wednesday, as we feature books from the online Westminster Bookstore, I want to highlight some of Dr. Packer’s more recent publications. Enjoy!

18 Words: The Most important Words you will ever know
Publisher: Christian Focus
Author: Packer, J. I.
ISBN-10: 1845503279 | ISBN-13: 9781845503277
List Price: $12.99
Westminster Bookstore: $9.74 – 25% Off

If the modern world can be characterized by one thing it is probably the enormous increase in the number of words around – but that increase has also been accompanied by a seemingly corresponding decrease in understanding. It is the irony of the information age that instead of bringing clarity it has raised uninformed opinion to the same level as truth.

The church has also not been faultless. Rather than discuss ideas in order to come to some settled agreement, the church has been characterized as trying to make words mean different things in order to accommodate differences. But the church should be a beacon of light to the world. The church has the words of eternal life.

J. I. Packer is a master wordsmith. He is also gifted with the ability of showing where truth lies in complicated reasoning. These skills combine to make Words from God a fascinating read and a life-changing one. The 18 words are Death, Devil, Election, Faith, Fellowship, Grace, Holiness, Justification, Lord, Mediator, Mortification, Reconciliation, Regeneration, Revelation, Sanctification, Scripture, Sin & World.

Keep in Step with the Spirit: Finding Fullness in Our Walk with God
Publisher: Baker Book House
Author: Packer, J. I.
ISBN-10: 0801065585 | ISBN-13: 9780801065583
Binding: Paperback
List Price: $14.99
Westminster Bookstore: $10.49 – 30% Off

The Holy Spirit empowers us, guides us, and enables us to grow and endure in our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. Often the most misunderstood member of the Trinity, the Spirit is someone of great focus and attention today amid church revivals and renewals.

In this new edition of his classic Keep in Step with the Spirit, J. I. Packer seeks to help Christians reaffirm the biblical call to holiness and the Spirit’s role in keeping our covenant with God. Packer discusses both the merits and shortcomings of the current charismatic movement and how Christ must always be at the center of true Spirit-led ministry.

Packer encourages believers to implement the Spirit’s directives and discusses how to map the Spirit’s path in your life. If you want to understand and experience more of life in the Spirit, you will cherish this latest offering from one of Christianity’s most respected scholars.

Keeping the Ten Commandments
Publisher: Crossway/Good News Publishers
Author: Packer, J. I.
ISBN-13: 9781581349832
Binding: Paperback
List Price: $9.99
Westminster Bookstore: $7.99 – 20% Off

They are 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, readers will gladly discover that these precepts can aptly be called God’s design for the best life possible. They contain the wisdom and priorities anyone 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 readers to view the commandments with new eyes and help them to understand-perhaps for the first time-the health, the hope, and the heritage we’re offered there.

Praying the Lord’s Prayer
Publisher: Crossway/Good News Publishers
Author: Packer, J. I.
ISBN-13: 9781581349634
Binding: Paperback
List Price: $9.99
Westminster Bookstore: $7.49 – 25% Off

Praying is a problem for many people. Christians often go through the motions of prayer because it is expected of them, but they are often left wondering, “Did God hear me? Does he even care?”

In his book Praying the Lord’s Prayer, an excerpt from Growing in Christ, J. I. Packer presents a powerful truth: prayer is a natural activity between the Heavenly Father and his children. As Packer works through each phrase of Christ’s pattern of prayer, readers will begin to grasp the basic principles and guidelines of prayer. As readers apply the truths of this book to their prayer lives, they will experience intimate communication with God and will strengthen their own conversations with their Father in heaven.

Growing in Christ
Publisher: Crossway/Good News Publishers
Author: Packer, J. I.
ISBN-10: 1581348525 | ISBN-13: 9781581348521
List Price: $16.99
Westminster Bookstore: $11.04 – 35% Off

Growing in Christ explains just that-how to grow in Christ. As this book shows, we mature spiritually by carefully learning and thoughtfully living the essentials of the Christian faith that are too often taken for granted or overlooked in our daily lives.

These essentials-so beautifully summarized in the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments-provide the heart of the book, which Dr. Packer explores and applies to daily life in a clear and refreshing way. Study questions and Bible passages follow each chapter for further individual or group study. Speaking to Christians of all backgrounds and denominations, the newly converted as well as the lifelong believer, Dr. Packer reminds us that Christianity is not instinctive. Ours is a faith that must be learned, and we must never stop striving to mature.

Filed under: Book Recommendations, Books, Devotional, Doctrine, J.I. Packer, Prayer, The Christian Life, Westminster Books