The Wood's Secret Garden

Paul instructs Timothy to be certain to pray for all types of people ( 1 Tim 2.1 ). He is specific to include even the leaders whom we may not agree with such as kings ( 1 Tim. 2.2 ). We should note that the types of leaders who governed the early churches were far less sympathetic towards the ministry of the gospel. Furthermore, Paul instructs Timothy and the churches that they are to “lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” ( 1 Tim. 2.2 ). This is part of the motive to pray for the leaders. We want to be about reflecting Christ. And still more, there is the fact that there is really only one King. There is one Savior. There is only one Mediator ( 1 Tim. 2.5 ). And it is God’s desire that men come and fall down before him and worship him. This desire is for all types of people that they would all bow before the one King, Jesus Christ. Now, let me just reset this. Paul instructs a pastor to lead prayer meetings and model personal prayer for all type...

Disclaimer: I don't see any realistic solution to this problem and I don't claim to have any of the answers. I am simply sharing the following to inform those who may be unaware of the problems that some lay people face when desiring to join a local church. For the average lay person, membership in a local body is usually not a huge and perplexing decision. They attend a local church, they feel the teaching is biblically sound and the worship is to their liking. They fill out an application, the church leaders interview them, and their application is usually accepted and they are introduced as new members of the church (of course each church has their own set of steps). They do not know that the statement of faith that they agreed to, as part of the membership requirements, includes doctrines that they may have never even heard of let alone know whether they agree with those doctrinal positions or not. To take it even further, most lay persons who are members of Baptist church...

There is a group of young, confused, professing Christians on a local college campus who are warring against each other in the public square and it disgusts me. I hope God will forgive me for “modernizing” the following text. I woke up with this on my heart: "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not publicly protest against other people’s sins in your name, and shove gospel tracts down people’s throats in your name, and publicly rebuke other professing Christians who would not join us in doing many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." Students have you read: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, i...

Ho do you spend your time, "christian"? Picketing and protesting against the homosexual agenda? Poking lost sinners in the eye, so that they will respond back in anger, so that you can feel persecuted for righteousness sake? Recently students on a local college campus had a captive audience of unregenerate souls, and instead of using that opportunity to preach the beauty of Christ and the gospel of Christ, they used that opportunity to fight their "moral" and "political" agenda's. It was UGLY! Hundred's of young lost souls were gathered and the opportunity was wasted. Instead of them using this opportunity to herald the loveliness of the Savior, they poked people in their eyes with self-righteous, angry and hostile talk because, the truth is, that many of them would probably rather eliminate all of the lost sinners from their campus than to see them come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. What shame and dishonor we bring to the name of...

History was made with the election of the first African American to be President of the United States–Senator Barak Obama. As Christians, we are called upon to pray, support, and honor our leaders, especially our president, even if we have strong differences. It is true that change is coming. I don’t think any of us can accurately predict what that change will look like, but we can take a hard look at ourselves as Christians in America and consider what needs to change about us. Perhaps for the first time Christians will no longer seek to Christianize America but speak prophetically and live missionally in our growingly secular world. Our greatest need is not to fight the battle against the culture but to fight against the battle of unbelief. We must learn to live as missionary citizens. The context of American culture is drastically changing, no doubt. We need a Christianity with a gospel that is sufficient, a mission that is dominant, and a Savior who is triumphant. Now is not the t...