I must Confess...

...to having just read a preview of John Grisham's new legal thriller, "The Confession." And from just the first two chapters I can tell you that this latest Grisham installment is going to be one of his best since "The Firm" and "The Pelican Brief."

Now being a pastor I also must confess to being drawn to how it starts out. A pastor in Topeka, Kansas is visited by a man with a past who feels the need to get something off his chest. While some 400 miles away a beleaguered defense attorney is huddle with his team, planning a last ditch effort to save their client from the needle. But what could these two unlikely counterparts have in common? Well, they both desire to see the poor and oppressed receive the justice they deserve.

So join me on October 26th (release date) to find out the exciting conclusion to "The Confession."

By God's Grace, Jeff

Ways the Gospel Affects Parents

My wife and I are continuing to read through William Farley's book "Gospel-Powered Parenting" in preparation for welcoming our first child into the world and by God's grace leading him to become a life-long follower of Christ. And so I thought I would post Farley's Seven Ways in which the Gospel Affects Parents and the corresponding chapters (p. 46-48):

1. The gospel teaches Christian parents to fear God (chapters 3-5)

2. The gospel motivates parents to lead by Example (chapter 6)

3. The gospel centers families in their male servant leaders (chapter 7)

4. The gospel teaches and motivates parents to discipline their children (chapters 8-9)

5. The gospel motivates parents to teach their children (chapter 10)

6. The gospel motivates parents to lavish their children with love and affection (chapter 11)

7. The gospel is the solution for inadequate parents (chapter 12)

If you're a parent or hope to be so one day, "Gospel-Powered Parenting" is a must read.

By God's Grace, Jeff

Assumption of Gospel-Powered Parenting

In preparation for becoming parents this fall (God-willing), my wife and I have begun reading through William Farley book "Gospel-Powered Parenting." In the opening chapter he elaborates on five assumptions of the worldview of gospel powered parents:

1. Parenting is not Easy

"Because parenting is difficult, and because you are imperfect, you will need the grace that comes to you through the gospel." (p. 20)

2. God is sovereign, but He uses Means

"...God normally exercises his sovereignty through parents who faithfully practice biblical parenting." (p. 22)

3. A Good Offense is better than Defense

"...effective parents equip their children to overcome the world - not by changing and controlling their environment, but by going after their children's hearts. We change their hearts by teaching the gospel, modeling the gospel, and centering our homes on the gospel." (p. 24)

4. The need to Understand New Birth

"New birth is radical change of heart that ushers in new desires, new loves, and a new life direction. (p. 29)

5. God-centered, not Child-centered, Families

"It is important to love your children, but there is a fine line between healthy parental love and child worship. We know the latter has happened when we begin compromising God's will for the sake of our children or their activities. (p. 33)

And the most striking statement I've read so far in the book (especially since by God's grace I will soon by a father): "There seems to be a strong correlation between the faith, commitment, and sincerity of the family's head and the spiritual vitality of his adult children." (p. 15)

By God's Grace, Jeff

Change we DO Believe In

On Sunday March 21st I preached a sermon from 2 Corinthians 5:11-17 entitled "Change we DO Believe In," as part of our sermon series "Gospel-Centered Living" through 2 Corinthians. If you would like to listen to the sermon, click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

Our Eternity Shapes Our Present

On Sunday March 14th I preached on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 as part of our series "Gospel-centered Living." The main point of the passage as it applies to us is that our eternity shapes our present. If you would like to listen to the sermon, click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

The Glorious Gospel Changes Lives

This past Sunday I preached a sermon on 2 Corinthians 3:7-4:6 as part of our series "Gospel-centered Living" through 2 Corinthians. The main point of the passage as I saw it applying to us is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is glorious in that it changes lives. If you would like to listen to the sermon, click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

Recognizing New Covenant Ministry

On February 14th I preached on 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:6 as part of our series "Gospel-centered Living." The main point of the passage was recognizing true Christian ministry or New Covenant, gospel-centered ministry. If you would like to listen to the sermon, click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

The Restoration of Church Discipline

The third sermon in our series "Gospel-centered Living" through 2 Corinthians, which I preached on February 7th, was from 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11. The main point as I saw this passage relating to us was the need for restoration of church discipline. Church discipline has as its goal restoration and the church today has forsaken it and thus needs to restore the biblical practice. If you would like to listen to the sermon, click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

Comforted to be a Comfort, not Comfortable

I preached the first sermon in our series "Gospel-centered living" through 2 Corinthians on January 24th (sorry for not getting it up until now). And the main point I saw in 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 as it applies to us is that we're comforted by God so that we can be a comfort to others, not mainly so that we can live a comfortable life. If you would like to listen to it, click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

Why Love the Church?

The church at times can be tough to love and I think it's largely because our reasons for loving our fellow brothers and sisters are insufficient. Pastor Joshua Harris posted an excerpt about the wrong reasons and right "reason" to love the church. Essentially his point is that rather than loving the church for anything about them we should love the church because of who Jesus is and what He did for His Church. Food for thought. If you want to read his post, click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

Mercy for the Merciful

This past Sunday I preached the last sermon in our series "The Spiritual Life" through the first 41 Psalms. The main point of the sermon on Psalm 41 was that those who are merciful show themselves to have received and be dependent upon the mercy of God. If you would like to listen to the sermon click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

Salvation Comes to those who Wait

On Sunday January 10th I preached from Psalm 40 as part of our series through the first book within the OT Book of Psalms entitled "The Spiritual Life." The main point of the sermon on Psalm 40 was that salvation comes to those of wait in the Lord. If you would like to listen to it click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

Life's too Short to Lack Eternal Perspective

On the first Sunday of 2010 I preached on Psalm 39 as part of our series "The Spiritual Life" through the first section within the Psalms. The main point of the sermon was that life is too brief for us to try to live without an eternal perspective on it. If you would like to listen to the sermon click here.

By God's Grace, Jeff

What Tiger Woods and Everyone Really Needs

Faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone offers the redemption and reconciliation, with God, self and others, that fallen public figures like Tiger Woods as well as everyone who recognizes their sin and brokenness needs.



By God's Grace, Jeff