In my 18+ years of pastoring, I have officiated a lot of funerals. Each one is unique, with particular opportunities to minister to the remaining friends and family of the deceased—and particular obstacles that make it harder to serve and help and proclaim God’s comforting and confronting truth. For some funerals, it has been a cherished friend and ministry partner. For other funerals, it has been an almost complete stranger who visited the congregation and sat in the back a few times or a relative of someone that attends the church.

I have assembled seven lessons I have learned over the years that might help you as you are tasked with this somber and serious responsibility.

1. Lean into the traditions of those who have come before us.

You do not need to start from scratch here. I remember the first funeral that I ever did. I felt completely unprepared, as if I was starting from scratch. Since then, I have learned that Christians have been burying their dead for 2000 years, and that there are liturgies and orders of service already written. They can be used and adapted to suit the particular need. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

I would commend The Pastor’s Book by R. Kent Hughes and Douglas O’Donnell https://www.crossway.org/books/the-pastors-book-case/
Conducting Gospel Centered Funerals by Brian Croft https://www.amazon.com/Conduct-Gospel-Centered-Funerals-Challenges-Shepherding/dp/0310517184
There is Hope: Preaching at Funerals by Paul Beasley-Murray
as well as the funeral section in the Book of Common Prayer https://raachurches.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/common-prayer-funeral-service.pdf

2. Honesty is the best policy.

If you did not know the deceased very well, do not pretend you did. Since honesty is the best policy, the preacher at a funeral should be truthful, honest about God’s Word, and honest about the person being memorialized. Sometimes, there may be a temptation to amplify or exaggerate how much you know the person. Yet there is no need to prove to everybody that you were super close with the deceased. If you did not know the person well, do not pretend you did. You can speak about interactions with the person that gave you a glimpse into their character or values, but there is no need to pretend that you were closer than you actually were.

Honesty is also the best policy for speaking about the harm the deceased has caused in their life. There may be people, including relatives, in the congregation who this person has deeply hurt. I believe that it can be appropriate to acknowledge it alongside the positive impact that the person has made. Maybe you could say, “This person has led a complicated life,” or “This individual leaves behind a legacy that includes both good and bad.” Oftentimes, I use Psalm 23 for funeral sermons. Verse 3 says that the Good Shepherd restores the soul, and then the very next thing is He leads me in paths of righteousness for His namesake.

In these situations, I often speak about the need for the soul to be restored and for the Good Shepherd to lead us down paths of righteousness. I also talk about how the soul’s restoration comes first, and the lifestyle change comes next. I also mention that sometimes there is an inconsistency between that, whether in my life or even in the life of Aunt Mary. Nevertheless, we can be thankful for the restorative work and always hope to be led along paths of righteousness.

3. Do not preach anyone into heaven, and do not condemn anyone to hell.

Funerals are not the best place to highlight any level of uncertainty you have about someone’s eternal destiny or where they are at the moment. Of course, let me be clear: I am not speaking about believers who have trusted Jesus and lived a life of faithfulness. We can have confidence in those situations. Recall 1 John 5:12. In these cases, we can know that the deceased has eternal life. For the believer, this is a signed, sealed, delivered, and done deal.

Instead, I am speaking of those on the margins of church life. Sometimes, I get asked to perform funerals for people in that situation. They did not leave a very clear testimony or statement of faith. Perhaps they attended church occasionally, or they sometimes liked to listen to the religious radio station. When I perform those funerals, I am not going to announce publicly that they are condemned to hell, nor do I want to fabricate some kind of assurance about their eternal salvation. I do not comment on those areas where I am not sure. As I lead a funeral service, particularly as I preach the funeral sermon, I am offering comfort and hope to the living and the grieving. I am not trying to speculate or pontificate about where Aunt Mary is right now, but I want to speak about the offer of salvation to all gathered. The living people in the room need to know how to be saved.

4. Use their Bible.

Use the deceased’s Bible. This is something that I have been doing for years and years, and it always brings a serious, somber weight into the room. Ask the family members if you can borrow the deceased’s Bible and spend time with it in the days or hours leading up to the funeral. I leaf through it and find the highlighted verses. I also look for the folded pages or scribbled notes.

You will want to include those in your sermon. You can speak to the gathered congregation at a funeral and say, “Here is a verse that meant so much to Aunt Mary. She not only highlighted it, but she also underlined it. She also circled a word. Listen as I read this portion from Aunt Mary’s Bible aloud.” This takes flexibility on the part of the preacher. It also means that you cannot just have one favorite funeral sermon that you use over and over and over again. Instead, you serve the family well and honor the deceased person by looking through the record of the deceased’s faith or devotional practices by combing through the pages of their Bible.

5. Make sure that Scripture gets the last word.

In some funerals, there are many eulogies. People come and share their recollections or remembrances or stories about the deceased. You never know what they are going to say. I have been present for some pretty unhinged stories in the past, including even some poor theology about how the deceased is now an angel in heaven or this, that, or the other. I find it valuable to thank those giving eulogies after they all get a chance to say their bit. Be sure, though, that the final word is what God has to say, whether through preaching or a scripture reading.

6. Do not preach too long.

Ten to fifteen minutes should be plenty, even less if possible. Many of us who preach are used to talking for 30 or 40 minutes. That is what is expected on Sunday morning. But I must remind you that a funeral is not a Sunday morning service. The family and friends are emotionally exhausted. Some of them are at their brink. So, you need to be brief and clear.

7. Do not leave too early.

As people are mingling and eating finger food, there are plenty of opportunities for you to connect with these hurting people. Be quick to ask questions. For example, “How did you know the deceased?” You can also ask them if they have any memories they would like to share with you. Or you could ask them if they have a religious background, saying perhaps, “What is this like for you?” Be ready to listen well and to be present for friends and family. It is tempting to close your Bible, shake hands with everybody, and then leave for your next appointment. But in my 20 years of pastoral experience and the dozens of funerals I have officiated, I have found a great openness and a real appreciation for when the minister sticks around and is available for those mourning the loss of their relative or their friend.

Conclusion

Thank you for being willing to serve the family and friends who are in their time of grief. I hope these seven lessons I have learned will be helpful to you as you comfort the grieving and proclaim the hope of the gospel in the face of death.

I commend to you these two episodes of the Expositors Collective Podcast:

In Times of Loss: Preaching at Funerals and Consoling the Grieving with Dr Paul Beasley-Murray https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/in-times-of-loss-preaching-at-funerals-and-consoling-the-grieving
Preaching at Funerals: Nick Cady and Mike Neglia
https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/episode-100-preaching-funerals

One of the greatest gifts that I have received from the ministry of Pastor Chuck was his emphasis on the grace of God. Not just the grace that saves, but the grace that upholds and sustains.

Returning to Why Grace Changes Everything

I frequently come back to these paragraphs from his important book Why Grace Changes Everything.

“One of the most tragic errors the church can make is to emphasise the work that believers should be doing for God. How many times have you heard heavy, condemning sermons that tell you, “You ought to be praying more! You ought to be giving more! You ought to be witnessing more, or reading your Bible more, or serving God on some committee more!” How often do you go to church looking for encouragement only to hear about your failure and how disappointed God must be with you?“

The last thing I need is for someone to lay a heavy burden on me about my failures. I know I ought to be doing more. No one needs to tell me that I don’t pray enough or read my Bible enough or give to God enough. All I get from such messages is a huge guilt complex. My frustration increases because I really want to love God more, to pray more, to have a deeper fellowship with Him. When we place our emphasis on areas of failure, we end up creating defeated, discouraged Christians who give up and drop out of the race.

What a different message we see when we turn to the New Testament! It highlights not what we ought to be doing for God, but what God has already done for us. What we can do for God can never be enough. Our efforts at righteousness are always marred by our imperfections. What God has done for us is perfect, beautiful, complete, and fantastic. How sad that we have reversed the equation and constantly harp upon our responsibility instead of God’s wonderful grace! This is why we see so much of the church on the verge of dying out. We don’t need someone to remind us of our failures as much as we need someone to show us the way out of our predicament. We need grace, not guilt.

Believing in God’s Promise

God has given you one simple responsibility: to believe in His promise. You can enjoy the blessing of a relationship with God even though you may not pray enough, or give enough, or sacrifice enough because of your faith in what God has already done for you.

God made Jesus to be sin for you that you might be made the righteousness of God through Him. Jesus imparts to you His righteousness when you simply place your faith and trust in the work He has done for you. His work is all of grace.”

The Simple Truth

How often do I myself need to be reminded of the simple truth that God is graciously and kindly disposed towards His children, not based on what we do for Him, but because of what Jesus has done for us!

The question is not “which variety of preaching is best” and then choose from the various genres and sub-genres of preaching options.

Some prefer topical sermons, because just like topical ointments, they go right to where the itch is…

Others prefer a more narrative approach, since life is one big unfolding story, shouldn’t our sermons include stories, or even be framed as one big story itself?

Maybe the autobiographical yet informative Ted talk is the way forward?

The real question is “is God’s Word powerful?” And since the answer is yes, we who have opportunity to speak about it in public need only to discover what model of preaching allows the Word to speak the most plainly, most directly – or to put it another way, what form of preaching unleashes God’s Word?

Since the Bible is God’s very words, and have within themselves His very authority – I believe that expository preaching should be the most consistent offering that we offer unto God and to His people

What is expository preaching?

Quite simply it is exposing what is inside the pages of the Bible to the hearers, for all to understand believe and apply.

think of a report who does an expose on a politician or a corporation. She does the work of discovering what is hidden and what previously is unknown, and then she exposes it to the watching world. “I want to tell you the true story of what you may only know the surface of”

Not to imply that the scriptures are unknowable, and locked to all but a few experts. It isn’t that the main message of scripture is inaccessible, but simple that it is un-accessed by many.

(Another example of exposition … maybe the mohler quote?)

So what the expositors does, week after week, is go deep into the pages, the themes, the paragraphs and the words of scripture.

But what is also happening – is that the expositor is going deep into the Word, and the Word is going deep into the heart of the expositor.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12–13, ESV)

Naked and exposed. The expositor is also the exposed one!

Such is the power of God’s wordand that is why expository preaching is powerfulbecause it is putting people into direct contact with God’s Word.

And what does it do? It exposes us. It lays us bare!τραχηλίζωtrachēlizō

This is the only time this word is used in the whole Bible.

Its used in extra biblical literature to describe when a defendant at a trial is made to face their accusers : a knife was put to their chin so that they would have to meet their gaze, they couldn’t look down in shame, or they couldn’t look away as a way of escaping the consequence of what they did, or the severity of the situation that they are in.

It is also used to describe grave face-to-face confrontations of two wrestlers who meet in the middle of the mat. they would grab each other by the throat to start their competition.

This is what God’s Word does to us! Now- granted this is very confrontational, and nearly violent language, but I want to highlight it to us right now at the start of this training event. We will be speaking about techniques and approaches for us to expose the meaning of ancient passages and how to help other people grasp the truths… but make no mistake… this truth is grasping you by the throat! You are being held in its gaze! You are laid bare before it. The expositor first and foremost must be exposed.

And – after that takes place in our personal study, then we are ready for public proclamation.

Since we are convinced of the inherit power in God’s Word, and as we shape our addresses to be plainly, simply, exposing one section at a time; it should be a humble yet confident act on our part.

Since this is God’s very Word – we’re not up there to speculate, we’re not surmising, we’re not commenting, we’re not sharing : we have something to proclaim!

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God;whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10–11, ESV)

No more sharing – it is time to proclaim

I flew over here from Ireland yesterday. There is a world of difference between the safety announcements at the beginning of a flight, and then what would happen if there is severe turbulence or if there is an actual emergency in the air. Instructions will be given, and everyone should listen, because this is crucial now.

My friends, we are alive in crucial times – no more messing about. There is a peripheral of frivolity that still exists, but more and more people are coming to realise that the times are getting serious, the stakes are getting higher

And lets not kid ourselves, your sermon isn’t going to save the world – but as we arrange opportunities for small or large groups of people to have a living, face to face, knife to the throat, hand to the neck confrontation with the living God; THAT is going to be what changes lives, and from a changed life, who knows what the ripple effect could be from there?

The God who spoke the the world into being now uses our words to shape the world to His will. – John Koessler

For information about our upcoming training events in Texas and Indiana visit ExpositorsCollective.com

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

]]> 157499 https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/vision-casting-as-a-tool-to-serve-gods-people-with-todd-peebles Tue, 11 Apr 2023 16:56:32 +0000 https://calvarychapel.com/?p=157437 In episode271, you’ll hear why casting vision is a powerful tool that is underutilised by many preachers, and Todd Peebles is going to give you...]]>

In episode271, you’ll hear why casting vision is a powerful tool that is underutilised by many preachers, and Todd Peebles is going to give you some very practical steps to start. Before that you will hear aboutPraying Over Your Passage

Todd shares his approach to preparing for a sermon, which involves praying over the passage he’ll be teaching on. He explains how this practice helps him to connect with God and gain a deeper understanding of the text, enabling him to communicate its message more effectively.

Planning a Preaching Schedule

Todd shares his process for planning out a preaching schedule months in advance, including how he selects topics and Scripture passages to teach on. He emphasizes the importance of seeking God’s guidance and being open to change as the schedule unfolds.

Casting Vision for the Church

Casting a vision” for a church is the process of defining and communicating a clear and compelling picture of what the church could and should be in the future. It involves sharing a vision of what the church can achieve, what it stands for, and where it is heading. It is a critical process for churches because it helps to provide direction, focus, and motivation for the congregation.

One of the most significant benefits of casting a vision for a church is that it provides a clear sense of direction and purpose. It helps the members of the church understand where they are heading and why they are doing what they do. This clarity can be motivating and inspiring, helping to unite the congregation around a shared vision and a common goal. Todd helps us think through this process together.

Todd was born in Stuttgart Arkansas in January 1970. His parents are Phyllis & Allen Peebles. As a child, he was privileged to be an Army Brat. This meant he got to live in some different places. His family lived in Heidelberg Germany, Clarksville Tennessee, Gauiter Mississippi and Crowville Louisiana.

Todd Graduated from High School in Crowville Louisiana in May of 1988. In 1990, he began to pursue his childhood dream of working in Law Enforcement. He Served the Stuttgart Arkansas Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department in Greenville Mississippi.

In 1995 Todd answered the call to vocational ministry on his life. He began serving in Youth Ministry. In 1996, Fellowship Baptist Church in Texarkana Arkansas Licensed him to the ministry. In 1998, Todd answered the call to serve His first church as Senior Pastor. In May of 1999, Shady Grove Baptist Church of Sparkman Arkansas ordained him to the Gospel Ministry.

In October of 2004, Todd and Shelly (Pease) Peebles were married. They now have four wonderful children, one boy and three girls. Todd has served as Pastor at churches in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and now serving as pastor in Kansas.

Todd graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity (MDiv) and a concentration in Expository Preaching in December 2011. Todd is currently working on a Doctor of Ministry also from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Todd is passionate about expository preaching, serving in the local church, and helping others with their calling in ministry as opportunities present themselves.

Recommended episodes:

Leadership Collective : https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2021/6/3/introducing-the-leadership-collective

Ted Leavenworth interview:https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/11/19/mistakes-new-preachers-often-make-ted-leavenworth

Rob Salvato interview:https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/5/12/episode-106-preaching-with-brevity-and-clarity

For information about our upcoming training events in Texas and Indiana visit ExpositorsCollective.com

The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/

Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

]]> 157437 https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/exposing-the-word-or-imposing-upon-the-word-riley-taylor-mike-neglia#new_tab Wed, 22 Feb 2023 18:05:56 +0000 https://calvarychapel.com/?p=49459 ]]>

Part 2 of 3

* This article is adapted from a series of papers written for Western Seminary.

Continuing this three-part celebration of Advent, this article centers around the coming of the Son of God in the flesh—the redemptive plan of God the Father accomplished through the working of the Holy Spirit. Specifically, my intention is to focus on the involvement of the Son, the second Person of the Trinity. As a result, we will better understand the means of our justification as well as the pattern we can follow toward sanctification and formation.

The Incarnation

While debated by some—(The ancient Arians asserted that Jesus wasn’t equal with the Father, and the modern Jehovah’s Witnesses and Muslims make similar claims)—the doctrine of the Trinity, at its core, asserts that Jesus is as much divine as is the Father, with both sharing the sovereign will, power, and authority that belong to God alone. As a result, the doctrine of the Trinity asserts that the one who came forth from Mary in human flesh was, in the language of the Nicene Creed, “very God,” not some lesser divine being, or a would-be God-in-the-making. Unless Jesus is one with the Father, He can’t really be Emmanuel and the doctrine of the Trinity provides the core root that supports and sustains the season we celebrate as Advent. As Douglas Wilson explains it in God Rest Ye Merry: Why Christmas is the Foundation for Everything,

Christ came to “ransom captive Israel” and to “disperse the gloomy clouds of night.” In our insolence, we were “doomed by law to endless woe” and were necessarily and justly consigned to “the dreadful gulf below.” But this darkness we had created was invaded by the heavenly host, “Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way,” and the night above the shepherds lit up as though a lightening bolt had refused to go out, had refused to stop shining. The road was weary, but now we may urge others to “rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing.” We needed this salvation just as He gave it. “O Savior, King of glory, who doest our weakness know.” The God who knows our frame timed it perfectly.^[1]

Immanuel, God with Us

While the incarnation is an event that encompasses the entirety of the Trinitarian community, it is most profoundly an event that concerns the second Person of the Trinity: God the Son. The Father and the Spirit are active in the sending of the Son, but the Son alone is changed, humbled or “incarnated.” The English word incarnation comes from the Latin caro: “flesh,” so the Christmas event is the “en-flesh-ment” of God. This is the teaching of the New Testament at several key points. For example, Matthew 1:23 states, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)” (ESV). Here we see the redemptive plan, which was prophesied in the days of the prophets, has come to pass. The virgin is bringing forth a male child, and this child shall be called God with us!

There are many stories of unlikely and miraculous births throughout the lives of the patriarchs and Old Testament saints, but each of those surprising and miraculous pregnancies resulted in an ordinary child being born. This was often a child who ended a lifetime of barrenness for the mother, and who would often go on to be a notable character in the following chapters—but an ordinary, human child nevertheless, with strengths and weaknesses, flaws and virtues, just like every other boy or girl on the playground. But there is something different and notable about THIS miraculous birth. This child shall be called Immanuel, which means God with us. The introduction of Jesus in the opening chapter of the New Testament makes it clear that He is God, enfleshed. John 1:14 states, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Word, Logos

The beginning of John’s gospel reaches back to the beginning and speaks of the Word (Logos), who is with God, and yet is God Himself as well. Jack Kilcrease writes, “John begins his Gospel by stating that Jesus is God’s eternal Word, who created the universe (John 1:1–2). The Word is the self-expression of God, His active force in the world.”^[2] In the beginning He spoke and the world existed. As Psalm 33:6 reveals, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” And Psalm 107:20 reveals, “He sent out His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.”

For us today, words are an essential part of our communication. (Not all communication is verbal, but a lot of it is!) Autism parents often use the phrase “use your words” in an attempt to help silent neuroatypical children express to the outside world what is going on in their secret interior mind. Likewise, God’s Words are expressions to others revealing what His interior life is like. In time, the Word became incarnate and dwelt among humanity allowing them to behold the glory of God. My seminary professor Gerry Breshears explains it like this: “The Logos is one of the strongest arguments for the deity of Jesus as the personal, eternally existing creator of the universe, distinct from yet equal with God the Father, who became incarnate (or came in the flesh) to demonstrate His glory in grace and truth to reveal life and light to men.” ^[3]

Fully God, Fully Man

For the second Person of the Trinity, the events of Christmas were deeply experiential, with real and profound implications on His life, from that point onward. He left the comforts and adoration of heaven to become a human with all the accompanying frailties and limitations. He was born into a country, culture, and people. He was born into a family and subculture, thus destined to wear the same clothes that everyone else wore and participate in the same traditions. He ate and slept. In short, He became one of us. Not God masquerading as a person, but Jesus dwelling bodily. As Breshears puts it, “Therefore, by incarnation we mean that the eternal second person of the Trinity entered into history as the Man Jesus Christ.”^[4]

How could God become a man? The Heidelberg Catechism summarises the incarnation in these words: “The eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal God, took upon himself true human nature from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, through the working of the Holy Spirit” which is based on the truths of the Chalcedonian Creed. The Chalcedonian Creed states that Jesus Christ is “truly God and truly man, of a rational soul and body; coessential with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin.” In sum, the creed declares that Jesus Christ in one person with two natures (human and divine) who is both fully God and fully man.

The change implicit in the incarnation (as mentioned above) was not a change of subtraction, but of addition. Augustine puts it succinctly when he writes that the second Person of the Trinity “was made what He was not, without losing what He was. The man therefore was added to the God, that He might be man who was God, but not that He should now henceforth be man and not be God.”^[5] How should this effect us today? Chiefly and foremostly, the coming of Jesus is to deliver sinners from judgement and to establish His kingdom on earth. The hymn “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” poetically summarizes it in this way:

Born Thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

Unparalleled Humility, Then and Now

In addition to the rescuing of sinners and the establishment of His kingdom, His birth, way of life, and even the manner of His death are exemplary for Christians. Jesus exemplified unparalleled humility in lowering and emptying Himself of the comforts, power and glory of the independent exercise of His divine attributes in exchange for a life of humility. Philippians 2:5-11 describes the cascading levels of lowering and humility that Christ underwent in order to accomplish His mission: coming as a human, and not only that, but as a serving human. Then He comes to die, and not only that, but even death on the cross! Paul uses this example to call Philippian Christians to a humble lifestyle and to develop habits of preferring others above self. As Breshears states, “In his incarnation, the Creator entered into his creation to reveal God to us, identify with us, and live and die for us as our humble servant.”^[6] The humble incarnation of God the Son has provided the means by which we are justified and sets a pattern for our sanctification and formation as well. In humility we were saved, and in humility we should follow in His footsteps.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

References

^[1] Douglas Wilson, God Rest Ye Merry: Why Christmas is the Foundation for Everything (Moscow, ID: Canon Press, 2012), 15-16.
^[2] Jack Kilcrease, “Jesus’ Incarnation,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2018).
^[3] Gerry Breshears and Mark Driscoll, Doctrine: What Every Christian Should Believe (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010), 214.
^[4] Breshears and Driscoll, Doctrine, 20.
^[5] Augustine, “Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 21” https:/www.newadvent.org/fathers/1701021.htm.
^[6] Gerry Breshears and Mark Driscoll, Doctrine: What Every Christian Should Believe (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010), 231.

Expositors Collective is an organization that hosts training events and provides resources to help people grow as Bible teachers and preachers of God’s Word. Recently, Expositors Collective came into formal relationship with CGN.

Teaching, according to the Bible, is a Spiritual gift, and it is also a skill which can be developed and improved. What is the relationship between the spiritual gifting of teaching, and the responsibility to steward that gift by doing your best to make sure you are rightly dividing and effectively communicating the “Word of Truth”?

As Christians, we all engage with the Bible at some level, so even if someone isn’t preaching sermons on Sunday mornings, they will likely have many opportunities to share Biblical truth and wisdom with others. For this reason, it is important for us to grow in both our private study and our public proclamation of God’s Word.

In this episode, Nick Cady speaks with Kellen Criswell and Mike Neglia about the history of Expositors Collective and what are some of the unique elements of it, as well as how Expositors Collective works with CGN in our mission to Proclaim the Gospel, Make Disciples, and Plant Churches.

Listen for a clip from Pastor Chuck Smith about sermon preparation and how it works together with the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@44.229.177.13

On this rebroadcasted episode of the Irish-Christian podcast Vox Hibernia, pastor Mike Neglia discusses some tough topics with guests Mary and Abigail. They talk about disabilities, worth and how the 8th amendment will affect the unborn’s right to life.

CGN / GoodLion Podcast Network is re-releasing this content because we believe it will be a helpful conversation for American pastors and leaders who find themselves in a post-roe world.

Show Notes:

Mary Holohan quote :

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/obstetricians-have-full-freedom-to-save-mothers-life-says-doctor-36791944.html

Proposed change to the Irish constitution:

https://beta.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2018/29/

41 quotes from medical textbooks on conception as the beginning of life:

http://www.lifenews.com/2015/01/08/41-quotes-from-medical-textbooks-prove-human-life-begins-at-conception/

Infanticide thought experiment:

http://jme.bmj.com/content/early/2012/03/01/medethics-2011-100411

What is the role of mission and outreach in the life of a church, or in the life of a disciple of Jesus? Is engagement in missions an optional activity, or is it an integral part of what it means to be a Christian? Where exactly is the “mission field”?

In this episode, I speak with Kellen Criswell and Mike Neglia about the history of missions and missional engagement in Calvary Chapel, and why this is a core value of CGN as a network.

We talk about how Calvary Chapel has been privileged to be part of two great revivals: one in the United States in the 1960’s & 70’s, and another in Europe in the 1990’s. I share some of the history of Calvary Chapel’s mission work in Central & Eastern Europe, and Kellen shares some practical steps for how to live with a missional mindset no matter where you are in the world.

The Calvary Chapel / CGN International Conference is June 26-29, 2022 in Costa Mesa, California. For more information and registration, visit conference.calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com

New episodes are being released every two weeks. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast, so each episode will be delivered to your device as soon as they come out.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at cgn@calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com

Well everyone, as you know the season of Easter is upon us!

My colleagues and I over at Calvary Global Network were, talking about ways we could serve the pastors in our network during this busy time, and we had a thought: there is so much pressure on preachers to come up with an Easter sermon every year that is both fresh and also impactful / evangelistic. Combine that with the busyness of Easter and it can create quite a challenging season for leaders.

With that in mind I sat down to have a conversation with Mike Neglia and Nick Cady, two pastors in our church family, and some of the leaders of The Expositors Collective, a fantastic ministry/movement all about helping preachers do their absolute best with their calling and craft.

We had a great discussion about Easter, and we’ve decided to release is as several small video clips for you to check out. We hope this helps you as you lean into the Easter season and seek after Jesus for what He has for your Church this year!

1.How do you approach your easter sermons?

2. How do you keep Easter fresh?

Mike and Nick also discuss their differences on the topic of lent in this one!

3. What are some unique ways to approach Good Friday?

4. What gets you excited about Easter?

5. What’s the worst Easter sermon you’ve ever preached?

Editor’s note: Nick Cady has a story in this one that simply can’t be missed… haha.

6. How do you help kids appreciate Easter?

Great question, especially for pastors with children.

7. How do you help your church staff enjoy easter when they are so busy planning it?

^{Mike Neglia is a leader in the Expositors Collective and will be sharing at the next seminar on April 5-6 at Maranatha Chapel in San Diego. Visit ExpositorsCollective.com for more information and to register!}

When I was in school, I loved English class. I’ve been a bit of a bookworm for as long as I can remember, and the novels, short stories, and poems that we read together in English class were always a highlight. My favorite teacher was my fourth grade English teacher, and her name was (I kid you not) Mrs. Story. Her passion for reading and literature has doubtlessly shaped me in more ways than I know. But as much as I enjoyed the literature, novels and narratives – I never quite understood “How the English language works” part of the class. My eyes would glance over the pages as we began to diagram sentences and talk about the differences between verbs, nouns and participles.

Something I did not comprehend until the past decade is the difference between an indicative statement and an imperative statement.

Most languages allow for different “moods,” which means that there are different ways of communicating information based on what action the sentence is meant to do, once it is heard or read.

If a sentence is imperative, then it is commanding you to do something:

“Get your feet off the table.” “Clean your room” “Change your tone.” “Love one another.”

If a sentence is indicative, then it is telling you a truth:

“It is 2016.” “It rains a lot in Ireland.” “You are staring at a screen right now.” “Jesus loves you.”
Each of those first sentences is telling you to do something, and each of those second sentences is telling you an undeniable truth.

One of the most important principles, when we come to read scripture, is this: The imperatives in scripture are all based on the indicatives.

This is especially true in Paul’s writings. When we are commanded to love one another, we are reminded of Jesus’ steadfast love for us (John 13:34) (1 John 4:11,19). When we are commanded to forgive those that sinned against us, we are reminded that we do so as forgiven sinners (Ephesians 4:32) (Colossians 3:13). When we are commanded to welcome strangers, we are reminded that we were aliens when Jesus welcomed us (Romans 15:7).

As Sinclair Ferguson writes: “Before ever any demand is made, the gift is offered: the announcement of good news precedes the challenge… The great gospel imperatives to holiness are ever rooted in indicatives of grace that are able to sustain the weight of those imperatives.”

Getting this into our heads and hearts will change the way that we look at the Bible.

Instead of seeing scripture as a collection of commands and rules for how we are to live our lives – connecting God’s imperatives to His indicatives will unlock the wonderful truth that the Bible is a record of the mighty acts God has done for us! Just as the Lord first liberated the Israelite slaves from Egyptian captivity before giving them His commandments at Sinai (Exodus 20:2), so Jesus first pays for our sins, justifies us and sends us His Spirit to indwell and empower us before we are expected to obey His imperatives.

I love Chuck Smith’s famous adage, “Where God guides, God provides.” I have found it to be true in my own life and seen it be true in the lives of many of my friends. And what is true in the financial realm is certainly true in the spiritual as well. If God is guiding you into holiness or obedience (which He is), He will also simultaneously provide the means and the ability to walk in the direction He is calling you to.

I was reading through my Bible reading plan, which currently has me in the book of Jeremiah, and I came across a phrase that gave me pause. In chapter 25 the prophet is speaking about a day of coming judgment, when God’s wrath will be poured out upon the nations (Jeremiah 25:15-17). His wrath and fury against their sin is pictured as a cup of wine, that sinners will be forced to drink, even against their will, (Jeremiah 25:28) when the time of their judgment comes.

This prophesied day of reckoning will be far-reaching and international (Jeremiah 25:32), and those who fall under God’s judgment are said to be “pierced by the Lord” (Jeremiah 25:33). When I came across the words “pierced by the Lord,” I stopped and underlined it.

After describing all of the judgment and punishment meted out, Jeremiah describes the recipients of wrath as being pierced by YHWH.

My mind jumped forward; doesn’t this sound familiar? A cup that is offered, wrath that is poured out and a pierced victim?

On Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus spent time in earnest prayer to His Father. He knew what was going to take place tomorrow, a day that would paradoxically be known as Good Friday for years to come. Knowing what awaited Him if He went ahead with the plan, Jesus prayed to His Father, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done”” (Luke 22:42, ESV). Jesus, in agony and weakness, referred to the events of Good Friday as “this cup.” The cup of God’s wrath, reserved for God’s enemies, was willingly taken by God’s Son.

On Friday Jesus was crucified, impaled on two beams of wood and suspended for all to see. The wrath of God was poured from heaven to earth. The sky grew dark as Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5); God’s anger against sin that the prophet Jeremiah wrote about centuries earlier was just as potent as ever, and on Good Friday, it was funneled down upon the willing Substitute.

For those who are in Christ, there is no wrath left for us. Jesus died draining the cup to the last drop, fully exhausting the holy fury of God.

Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath for us, so that He could extend the cup of God’s fellowship to us.

There is a yet future judgment (Revelation 15:7; 16:1) where future cups will be poured out, but now, between the past judgment of the cross and the future judgment of the parousia, this is the time when the cup of mercy, grace, forgiveness and fellowship is extended to the world.

Jesus drank the bitter cup of judgment instead of the sweet cup of fellowship, so that you and I could drink the refreshing and life-giving cup of grace and not drink the poisonous cup of wrath.

“In John chapter 16, Jesus says that the work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Him. And I think that the Spirit is so pleased when we as preachers work hard to glorify Jesus.”

Pastor Mike Neglia of Calvary Cork discusses what Gospel-centered preaching is and how to apply it.

Also, watch other 10 Minute Seminary episodes with Phil Metzger and David Guzik.

As America just celebrated Memorial Day to honour those who lost their lives in service to our country, and as the 72nd anniversary of the allied invasion of Normandy (D-Day on 6 June) has just passed, we show our appreciation to those who have put their lives on the line.

These service men and women rightly deserve recognition and esteem.

There is a strange phenomenon that has been getting some attention online in recent years; men and women are unlawfully wearing the uniform and patches of active duty or retired military. When they don these clothes, the public, staff and retailers treat them differently. They avail of military discounts, upgrades on flights and the esteem of passers-by. Legitimate veterans or active duty military can often spot them as imposters by their idiosyncratic insignia, lack of proper knowledge about terminology or the location of bases, etc. There are many videos that you can find online of these people being confronted and exposed for the frauds that they are.

When I watch these videos of the imposters being confronted and learn more about this phenomenon, I confess I’m intrigued and engrossed. I love seeing them exposed as fake, but I also feel so sorry for them and terribly embarrassed on their behalf.

The problem is, they are “stealing valour.” They’re just posing in military uniforms to gain the benefits and accolades. But, the problem runs deeper than just getting free stuff or discounts – these people are receiving recognition for acts they didn’t perform. They are wearing a uniform they don’t deserve. (Which, by the way, is a federal offense, and many have gone to federal prison for the act.)

I mentioned this to a friend, and he drew my mind to the righteous garments that Jesus Christ gives us. After all, haven’t we received robes of righteousness that we didn’t earn? Because of His imputed righteousness, we get to wear Jesus Christ’s uniform: His robes, His patches, His ID, His dog tags and His medals. Thankfully, when we dive deeper into our receiving of the undeserved robes, we’re able to see a stark contrast from those posing above.

Stolen versus Given

New and old Christians alike often struggle with the fact that they’re fully forgiven of their sins. It doesn’t feel deserved and, honestly, it’s not. We’ve done nothing to deserve what we’ve received. It’s hard to grasp that when God looks at us, He sees us washed as white as snow and wearing victory robes.

Are our robes any different than the fake uniforms those convicted of stolen valour claim?

By the grace of God, YES! Isaiah promises, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

While we didn’t earn the robes we’re given, just as the military imposters didn’t do anything to earn theirs, Jesus Christ freely clothed us. We have the imputed righteousness of Christ. We’re credited with God’s favour through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.

Time and time again, we may be reminded, often by the Devil himself, that we are undeserving of the robes of righteousness we claim, but as Martin Luther plainly states, we have a rebuttal: “So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: ‘I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!’”

We were given those garments by Another.

What a victory! Jesus made satisfaction on our behalf, allowing us to proudly wear the robes we’ve received. Just like the younger brother in the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 11, we are given the “best robe” because for we, “…Were dead and are alive again; we were lost and are found” (Luke 11:22-24).

The Bible has many other examples of being clothed by Another. The opening pages of the Scripture tell us of Adam and Eve, aware of their nakedness and feeling the shame of their sinfulness were clothed in garments prepared for them by God (Genesis 3:21).

In Zechariah, we hear God speak to a flawed servant of His by saying, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes” (Zechariah 3:4).

Isaiah 61:10 says, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; … for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

And believer, God has given you a new outfit as well—the uniform of salvation, the white robes of purity, the garments of righteousness. The clothing that we get to wear was earned by the valour, obedience, bravery and sacrifice of Jesus Christ – and it is His great joy to see you wearing His uniform.

Name: Mike Neglia
Family: Rachel (wife of 12 years) Eoin (10 years old) and Rosie (1 year old)
Years born again: 16 years
Years in ministry: 12 years
Ministry experience: After graduating Bible college in Siegen, Germany in the summer of 2002, I flew to London, then hitchhiked across the UK and over to Ireland and finished up in the city of Cork. I helped out with Calvary Chapel Cork for a few weeks of summer outreaches and intended on leaving, but the pastor asked me to stay on “for a little bit longer.” I stayed in Cork as a full-time missionary youth outreach coordinator/assistant for more than two years. In 2005 the pastor felt called by the Lord to go elsewhere (New Zealand) and asked if my wife, Rachel, and I would consider staying on and taking over the church. My first Sunday morning was October 18, 2005, preaching to a congregation of four people.
Current ministry role & location of local church: Lead pastor of Calvary Cork, Cork, Ireland
Church website & social media contact information: www.CalvaryCork.org, CalvaryCork on Twitter, CalvaryCork on Instagram, CalvaryCorcaigh on Youtube , Calvary Cork on Facebook.

What is the greatest life lesson the Lord has taught you recently?

The Lord is continually teaching me the same two lessons over and over again. First, that I am a great sinner, that my nature, my proclivities, my preferences are all tainted by sin. As an earlier confession of faith puts it, even my good deeds are “accompanied by many weaknesses and imperfections.” This is something that I must be reminded about regularly since I am so quick to pat myself on the back or to take pride in a season of fruitfulness or outward success.

The second life lesson that the Lord continually teaches me is that He is a great Savior. He loved me when I was His enemy and He went on a costly rescue mission to bring me to Himself. He has forgiven me of ALL of my sins, fully, freely and forever. He has sent His own Holy Spirit to dwell in me and He leads me in paths of righteousness. His love for me is total, constant and completely unmerited.

I know these are “basic” truths that we are all familiar with already, but for me I find myself being reminded of them afresh all the time.

What is the greatest ministry lesson the Lord has taught you recently?

The importance of doing ministry as a team has recently been emphasized in my own heart. We recently ordained two new elders to join our senior leadership team and it is a reminder to me of the benefits of a diverse team of qualified leaders, each bringing his own strengths and perspectives to the table, and each one committed to bringing the needs of the church before the Lord in prayer. I’m painfully aware of my own inadequacies and to be joined by others who are strong in areas where I am weak is a real blessing.

What are you looking forward to most at the CC Missions Conference?

To be honest, I am looking forward to sunshine and a bit of dry weather! Januarys in Ireland are notoriously cold and damp!

But in addition to meteorological blessings, I am anticipating rubbing shoulders with some modern-day heroes of the faith—missionaries who have gone far and deep into unreached communities, bringing the light of Christ into some of the darkest places on earth. I can’t wait to meet them!

What topic are you teaching on at the conference?

I’m doing a main session entitled “The Great Omission, ” speaking about the importance of declaring the whole gospel to the people that God brings into our lives. We face many temptations to hold back certain elements of the Christian message for fear of giving offense or causing discomfort. I hope to encourage people to firmly believe and boldly proclaim this life-giving message to the nations.

I’m also leading a workshop entitled “Friendship and Loneliness on the Mission Field.” Moving 5,000 miles away from home was definitely a crucible for my existing friendships. Over the twelve years that I’ve lived abroad, there were definitely some seasons and experiences of profound loneliness, but the Lord has brought some incredibly meaningful friendships into my life, both at home in the States and in Europe.

I’ll be talking about God’s heart for the lonely and the gift of meaningful friendships that He gives to us. I hope to encourage people to take their friends seriously and to invest in these life-giving relationships. I will also encourage sending churches on how they can care for overseas missionaries who are potentially dealing with a sense of loneliness and isolation.