The bottom line, in a Christian worldview, is that humans are sinful, we need a savior, and our salvation is in Jesus Christ, not human reason or anything else.

On the other hand, logical reasoning is useful, it should be highly valued, and “critical thinking must be a part of every Christian classroom if we are to maintain our integrity” (“Critical Thinking and the Christian Perspective” by Wendy Dutton, Thomas Hart and Rebecca Patten). For living by faith as a Christian, one useful approach is to combine critical thinking — “the art of taking charge of your own mind [which is valuable because]… if we can take charge of our own minds, we can take charge of our lives” with Christian thinking: “Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God — what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect” (Romans 12:2-3).

Christian thinking requires that we take on the mind of Christ. This is done by learning and understanding the Bible, having a Holy Spirit empowered prayer life, longing for community with other Believers, and ministry that is modeled after Christ’s example which was motivated by love. If our theology and Christian lifestyle is based solely on the aspiration of spiritual truths inaccessible through intellectual means, then we miss an important part of our createdness as image-bearers of God.

In the New American Standard Bible, the word “think” is found 39 times in 37 verses which is an indication that thinking is a part of our existence that God did not intend for us to ignore. Not to mention, we are exhorted if not commanded to study (Ezra 7:10), teach (2 Timothy 2:2), learn (Ephesians 5:10), and examine (Acts 17:11) the scriptures which requires the process of critical thinking in order to train the mind to see the world through the lens of the Bible.

Perhaps the most important reason for Christians to think is this: it is the way we think that influences our actions and develops our character. Our thought processes defines who we really are; therefore it is imperative that we think the way our mouths profess us to be.

Paul’s instruction in Romans 12:2 to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” is not a one time occurrence it is a daily renewal through the study and meditation of the Word of God. That is the way it happens. That is how we learn not only to think but to think as God does.

My dad says, “If you’re not feeding yourself with the Bible all the time, you will be thinking like the world.” In our age of experiential churches and postmodern culture, I would like to amend this quote this way: “If you are not feeding yourself with the Bible, you won’t be thinking at all.

Dountonia is BellaOnline’s Baptist Editor

In Romans 12:2 Paul challenged the church at Rome with these words, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

This challenge applies to Christians living in the 21st century as much as it did to the church at Rome. Our reading materials and TV certainly appeal to all of us to conform to the patterns of this world. The challenge to us is not to yield to that appeal but to seek to renew our minds through filtering out what we allow our minds to absorb.

Earlier in Romans 8 Paul reminded the early church that our sinful nature has our minds set on what that nature desires and is hostile to God. However, as Christians we are admonished to live in accordance with the Spirit and have our minds set on what the Spirit desires.

How do we do that? One of the most effective ways is to spend time in the Bible where we can learn of Christ’s own words and those of the Apostles, memorizing many of them. This will enable the Holy Spirit to recall these to our minds when we need them.

Another way is to control what goes into our minds. The old saying regarding computers applies here: garbage in, garbage out. This takes self-control that we are admonished many times in the Bible to practice (2 Peter 1:5-9).

So, if you wish to renew your mind, take an inventory of what type of material you are reading or watching on TV. Spend more time in the Bible and practicing self-control. Memorize Philippians 4:8 for starters.

According to a Yahoo search, Americans spent 92.27 billion dollars on gambling in 2007. You may not be one of those who contributed to this amount, but many do. A host of opportunities are available for those who wish to.

Many also gamble in another way, that the Bible is not relative to their lives in the 21st century. Society sometimes describes those of us who do as uneducated and perhaps even to be pitied.

While statistics indicates that many possess one or more Bibles, the number of those who read them as a manual for their lives is dwindling.

Many of those who will say they do not believe the Bible have neither read it nor studied it in order to make an intelligent decision on their own. They have succumbed to what is being taught in our public schools and universities by those who probably have not studied it either.

Here’s my challenge to those of you who are gambling that the Bible is not relative to your lives today. Take the time to read one book of the Bible, the book of Proverbs. Ask yourself if many of the principles of life recommended by King Solomon would not help you live a better life. Verse 7 of chapter 1 would be an excellent one to memorize: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

I have witnessed and researched enraged incidents of brethren vying for positions or embittered because the “proper” chain of command was not followed. I have heard speech that is less than gracious used by church leadership and excused by others who choose not to address the sin because of the one who committed the sin. And, I have experienced seemingly sincere corporate worship then watched the very same people almost come to blows at an after-service special call meeting.

Needless to say, I am not a fan of church business meetings.

Maybe it is the name we call it that causes the chaos and confusion. Just because there is a summit to discuss the non-spiritual business affairs of the church should not make the gathering any less concerned about being Christ-like (Colossians 3:23).

As a matter of fact, discussing and resolving these issues with grace and the wisdom of God is an expectation of those who have been placed as good stewards over all that has been given to us by God. So, to be clear, I am not dismissing the necessity of such meetings but I am outraged by the content and conduct of participants at some of these assemblies.

The church is not a business or an organization and should not be run as such. According to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ. It is an organized organism of all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Local churches are gatherings of members of the collective church. The local church is where the members of the collective church can fully apply the “body” principles of 1 Corinthians chapter 12: encouraging, teaching, and building one another up in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ even when we meet for the purpose of church business. Thus, these meetings are supposed to be another form of worship because all of life is worship for the Christian.

In Acts 1:15-26, we find a model of how to conduct a biblical business meeting. Pastor Robert J. Sergent of Bible Baptist Church in Oak Harbor, Washington summarizes this passage into seven key principles we should keep in mind as the blueprint for church meetings: 1) Pastoral Initiative (verse 15a); 2) Biblical Purpose (verse 16); 3) Pastoral Leadership (verses 21-22); 4) Qualified Proposals (verse 23); 5) Fervent Prayer (verse 24); 6) Congregational Decision (verse 26a); and, 7) Heavenly Ratification (verse 26b).

If we keep these precepts at the forefront of our renewed thinking, then our meetings would be less political, power-thirsty, and oppressive and more like the called out assembly Christ established.

My spirit grieves whenever the agenda of a church is more concerned about the unnecessary beautification or expansion of a temporal dwelling than helping others develop a passion for Christ. While we bicker over things that will wither like the grass, our children go off to college and do not return to our churches; new converts disappear before we know their names ; and, far too many sinners believe that their sins are too grievous to be forgiven by our Loving Father. Hence, we need to move on Christ’s Agenda and daily die to self (mortify our rights, demands, and will for Christ’s life to be lived through us) everyday in every situation including when we come to the table for the “meeting to be called to order” (I Corinthians 14:40).

Dountonia is BellaOnline’s Baptist Editor

The answer lies in understanding the true purpose of the church because once we commit to this key doctrine of ecclesiology then it will be possible to heal the wounds of a church split through repentance and humility. The Bible is clear that the church is the Body of Christ; an assembly that is called out of the world (ekklesia) for a divine purpose; ordained by God; an organism that is unified by the Holy Spirit and led by Christ. Acts 2:42 could be considered a purpose statement for the church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” According to this verse, the purposes/activities of the church should be 1) teaching biblical doctrine, 2) providing a place of fellowship for believers, 3) observing the Lord’s Supper, and 4) praying.

As we do this, our focus must be on Christ especially if healing/restoration/wholeness is to be authentic. Therefore, expending time and energy on boasting because one’s side “won,” expecting an apology for hurtful words, dwelling on past mistakes or misjudgments, creating an atmosphere of paranoia, or refusing to forgive is the antithesis of the church’s purpose. The healing process must not ignore these important issues; but, the healing process must be about the denial of self-guided motives that are about the individual and not aimed at “the building up of the Body of Christ” (Ephesians 4: 12b). Everyone involved should confess the sins for which he/she committed that contributed to the chaos of confusion within God’s House even if the committed sin was silence or inaction in the face of injustice or false teachings. And, everyone should be submitted to the Holy Spirit enough to be able to reach out in love and humility to brothers and sisters in Christ whose view differed from their own.

The same dedication to prayer and devotion to study that was given to the removal of the spiritual cancer must be given to the recovery process as well. When a church is broken, the remnant is left in a state of grief, shock, dissociation, and distrust of the “other” side and the thought of future shepherds. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Believers need each other. And, we have nothing to fear during transitional times because Christ is with us fulfilling His purpose through us no matter what experiences we encounter individually or collectively.

When God allows us to go through various trials, they are meant to make us stronger (James 1:2-4). Those who are left after disruption in a church have the responsibility to glorify God by doing the uncomfortable/unnatural task of forgiving those who hurt us and asking for forgiveness from those we hurt. This must be done because we are Christ followers: “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (II Corinthians 5:18-19). It is my sincere prayer that churches everywhere be about the business of fulfilling the purpose God intended for the church as we learn to love, forgive, and serve in the spirit of unity not in a spirit of lingering brokenness.

Dountonia is BellaOnline’s Baptist Editor

Clutching what I should be releasing, resisting who I should be loving.

During worship.

Trying, struggling, confessing to loosen the grip. Praying for His help. Wanting to sing clean. For Him.

He is Holy.

And the song came. My head shook, disbelief, then relieved. Really? Now? How can you let me do this?

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” (Rev 4:8)

They, around His throne, were singing it then, too, for Him. And now.

We sang together!

That He would allow me to sing with the angels, creatures and elders who kneel in His presence and “day and night they never stop saying…”

Never stop! (read Rev 4 ).

The rainbow surrounding His throne, enveloped by 24 more thrones. Lightening, rumblings, peals of thunder, blazing lamps, a crystal sea.

Are you picturing it? Do it.  Its important.

He let me join in that. They do it without stopping, so when I was singing in church, they were, too. He let me sing with them, for Him, even when my heart was twisted up wrong. Because Jesus hung, took my place. How can I possibly understand that?!

He welcomes us to His throne, even when we’re twisted up wrong.

You can post a comment below or visit HLB (His little bird) at knowing His name

As I waited in traffic for the light to change my eyes fell on the license plate of the car in front of me. Its message, DU GOOD, was simple, yet it challenged me.

This term was at one time used by non-believers to not so graciously refer to believers. Most generally it was not received with appreciation by believers. However, as I recalled the term, I began to realize that it should not have been offensive to believers but considered a compliment.

In 1 Peter 2:12 we are admonished to “live such good lives” that the non-believers around us “may see your good deeds and glorify God.” What a challenge for us as believers!

Over and over the Bible admonishes us to “do good.” It starts in Psalms 37:3 with the words “Trust in the Lord and do good.” Proverbs 11:27 promises that “he who seeks good finds goodwill,”

Christ urged us to even “do good to those who hate you” in Luke 6:27. The apostles continued this theme in various passages as the following:
“having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8)
“Let us not become weary in doing good” (Gal. 6:9-10)
“Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (I Thes. 5:21)
“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds” (I Tim 6:18)

We are also warned to be careful as to what we call good in Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” And we are admonished by Paul in Romans 12:9 to “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

While we are admonished to do good things (works), these will not earn us salvation or eternal life. That must come by believing in Jesus Christ as God’s perfect sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 9:28). However, once we have done that, as His followers, He becomes our example for doing good (Acts 10:38). The good we do is the result of that faith (James 2:18).

In light of the above, it should cause us as believers to reevaluate our own standard of good and evil as related to those things which we once considered evil but now have begun to tolerate in our world.

Join John next time when he examines “Our Hope”.

John welcomes your comments either below or email him directly at john@faithrescued.com

We have all heard since childhood “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Yet at times many of us have questioned if those words were really true. When all is going well in our lives, it is so easy to repeat those words with a feeling of assurance. However, when things seem to be going south on us—we have lost our business, our job, perhaps our homes, and we don’t see any light at the end of our tunnel—don’t we sometimes question those words.

This may shock you, but I have been there. My wife and I were sitting at our kitchen table when she said, “I love you.” My response to her was, “I know you do because you show me in so many ways but, the way things are going, I’m not sure God loves me?”

I was in a state of despair. All earthly visible signs were growing worse and, without my being aware of it, Satan was in control of my mind at that moment. He is so cunning that we must be on our guard constantly so that “Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11).

At that moment I had lost awareness of Satan’s schemes. He was using the same old scheme of getting me to question God. The same scheme he used on Eve in the Garden of Eden: “Hath God said?” But I wasn’t listening to God’s Word or to any of His promises. I was like others, even His disciples, whom He said were of “little faith” (Matt 6:30).

However, later that evening, as I sat in my doubt and unbelief, my mind reached heavenward. I thought of Christ on the cross. Now feelings of remorse swept over me as I recalled His words, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18).

How could I have doubted God’s love for me even for a moment in my despair? Yes, Jesus loves me! It was for my sins that He willingly laid down His life. My sins were included in His atonement, so that I though unworthy might have eternal life with Him.

Yes, Jesus does love you and me. Our faith in that love must convince us with Paul that “nothing in all of creation” will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

There is more to this story. Join John next time for the rest of his story.

John welcomes your comments either below or email him directly at john@faithrescued.com

Josh McDowell

This is a concern because pastors’ inability to present biblical truth comprehensibly and relevantly has led to children from Christian families leaving the church, research has shown.

In the United States, the age at which nearly all such children leave church has decreased to 18 years.

Not even the children of many successful ministers are spared.

McDowell made his comments at a recent networking dinner among various men’s ministries organized recently by Men-in-Covenant. MiC is the men’s ministry of Covenant Evangelical Free Church.

He recalled speaking with the pastor of one of the largest U.S. churches, a man known for his expository preaching. Confiding in him, the pastor said their church was losing its youth right after high school graduation.

In his 50 years of ministry, McDowell has asked several thousand pastors and leaders how they could be certain Jesus Christ said “I am the truth” and not one of many truths or a truth.

“Not one person has ever given me an intelligent, biblically-based answer,” said the author of The New Evidence that Demands A Verdict.

During the past six years, he asked hundreds of Christians and leaders why they see themselves as Christians. Again no one gave him an “intelligent” answer.

In the past 17 years, he has asked over 4,000 pastors, leaders and parents why they believe the Bible is true.

A mere six “came close to giving an intelligent answer,” McDowell noted.

“If anything is based upon truth, it’s the Christian faith,” he said. “Christians who do not know why they have faith or believe have a very difficult time expressing themselves to others.

“The saddest thing is people come to me and say, ‘What’s the answer?’”

“I say, ‘There’s no answer… There are hundreds of answers.’”

Most Christians, even some pastors, don’t even know one. On the other hand, the apologist said he could give 50 reasons for his belief that the Bible is true.

Ninety-five percent of Christians gave disappointing responses when asked why they believe Jesus is the Son of God.

Asked why the Bible is true and historically reliable, Christians replied that it was what they had been taught by their church or parents.

A common response that most Christians gave to both questions was that it is “what I believe.”

McDowell responded: “That’s voodoo thinking. Where did we ever get that crazy idea that something is true just because we believe it?

“If that is true, then there will never be heresy. Everybody would be right.”

On one occasion, 13 youth pastors at a large convention were unable to reasonably answer the apologist’s question.

Finally one young person stood up, walked toward him and told him he knew the answer.

The young man promptly held up his Bible and said, “Because I believe it.”

And to McDowell’s dismay, all the youth pastors applauded him.

McDowell said, “Young man, do you know the difference between you, me and the majority of Christians in the world?

“To you, it is true because you believe it. For me, I believe it because it is true.”

Another response the apologist received was: Because I have faith.

He commented, “Where did we ever get the crazy idea that faith makes something true? That’s idiotic. That’s so unbiblical you can call it heresy.

“God doesn’t use faith to create truth. He uses truth through the Holy Spirit to create faith.”

Christians, the apologist stressed, are called to explain their faith when asked. They are set free by the faith in the truth, he expressed, referring to John 8:32.

Yet others say Christianity is true because Jesus changed their lives.

Even this will not stand up to intellectual scrutiny, McDowell argued.

“Lies change lives; cults change lives,” he said.

To make such an appeal is “not the essence of Christianity,” the author emphasized.

McDowell said: “We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to our children, we owe it to our neighbors, we owe it to the lost, to tell them not just what we believe but why do we believe it.”

He is Faithful.

I’ve known fear all my life. LORD, I want to know you instead. He heard. He began weeding. Deep. Deeper. Deepest.

He is Perfect Gardner.

The Israelites understood. Standing on that high water’s edge. The one He brought them to. You can do it, put your toe in!

He calls us to obedience. No matter how high the water, how deep the root, how far away. If He led the way, obedience is the way through. To the other side. Promised Land!

He said I had to do it. I fought for weeks! Terrified. One trembling foot set out.
He said He would never leave me. He didn’t. He was there the whole time.
He said He would help me. He did! He was my strength.

Clearing out the garden this morning, shovel going deep, He showed me again. You’re weeding, little bird.

Yes, I am! Making room for new life. Blessed be His Name.

You can post a comment below or visit HLB (His little bird) at knowing His name