The Shepherds' Conference 2020 Is Coming Soon!

The Shepherds' Conference in 2020 (for pastors, elders, and church leaders) is slated to be on Doctrine.
This is a good time to be focusing on that, because a lot of churches are going off course.
They usually live-stream the conference (at least in recent years), so I'm hopeful it will happen again this next time!

Most of the speakers (but not all) are going to be "in house" so to speak (with connections to Grace Community Church, The Master's Seminary & University).
Steve Lawson teaches some at the seminary, and even H. B. Charles got an honorary degree from TMS.
I don't know of any direct connection with Conrad Mbewe or Paul Washer, so they are exceptions.
John MacArthur, Paul Twiss, Nathan Busenitz, Mike Riccardi, Abner Chou, Austin Duncan, and Phil Johnson are all on the list of speakers. 
I have been blessed to live-stream them even when they speak at Grace Community Church, and so I feel quite safe to recommend them.

I tweeted a suggestion after the last conference that they do an "in house" one the next time, so I'm happy to see that it is planned to be mostly that.
I'm not saying that they did it because of me, but I'd like to imagine they noticed the tweet!

The conference is scheduled for March 4-6th.  You can watch the video below as well as visit the the Shepherds Conference Site.

John MacArthur on Shepherds’ Conference 2020 from Grace Community Church on Vimeo.

Grace Community Church Christmas Concert Announcement Plus James Phillips Sings a Carol

Concert Notice

I'm excited to tell you that they have finally officially announced one of the Grace Community Church Christmas Concerts will be live-streamed on Sunday, December 22, 2019!
I was hopeful they would do it again this year as in the past.
It's been one of the highlights of December for me in recent years.

The time of the concert is 6 PM Pacific / 8 PM Central / 9 PM Eastern U.S. time.
Stream it at:
Grace Church LIVE

Update: You can watch the recorded Concert HERE.

Christmas Carol Music

James Phillipps has sung quite a bit at Grace Community Church in recent years (but will not be singing at the concert this year), and I'll admit I do like to hear his voice.
He has reminded me a little of the style of Matthew Ward (someone I used to hear some in the past - having grown up listening to a lot of Christian music).
This particular style (double voiced) is a lot different than what I'm used to hearing from him!

My First Thoughts on the Documentary "By What Standard?"

A new documentary was just released by Founders Ministries, and it is called "By What Standard?"

It explains why critical race theory and intersectionality should not be used as "analytical tools" in the church (specifically talking about the Southern Baptist Conference).

The terms "critical race theory" & "intersecionality" are complicated, so I will encourage you to watch the documentary for a further explanation on what it's about.

The documentary sounds a warning bell of the dangers ahead for those opening the door to using the social theories mentioned above.  

From what I've seen online people are already biting the baited hook and are placing identity & victimhood over Scripture.

They are letting cultural acceptance & ideals corrupt their view of what the Bible clearly says.

I appreciated the film, and I only noticed a couple of things that I would give a disclaimer on.

One is name of the program / podcast that Summer Jaegar has to do with.  

I don't even want to share the name.

I know some are annoyed that I take offense at it, but others will understand. 

 

Secondly, I do not believe that social work is a "gospel issue."  

The man (sorry, I don't know who he was) may have been meaning that Christians will be transformed as a result of the Gospel (being saved), and will have fruit.  

(Plus, I know people can do mercy ministry where the true Gospel is proclaimed).

Also, the miracles the apostles did were signs of their apostolic authority.

That being said, this was an important documentary, and I hope many people will take heed.

Please don't be put off by the terminology, if you haven't heard it before.

You can watch the documentary it HERE. 

Tom Ascol of Founders Ministries who was a large part of the documentary recently had a medical emergency, but he is doing better.  You can read some about that HERE.

False Comparison: Skin Color & Physical Behavior + a Message for "Transgenders"

I recently read an article about category mistakes...where people try to compare skin color to homosexual behavior.

Another headline summary I saw recently compared those offended by a biological male being in the girls shower or locker room to those uncomfortable during the time of desegregation. 

Yikes!  That is not the same thing at all!  

This ridiculous ploy is the type some took to try to demean being against the legalization of calling homosexual behavior "marriage" before the U.S. "Supreme" Court made a colossal wrong decision on it. 

Someone wanted to equate my being against homosexual sin being called "marriage" to those prejudiced based on skin color in past days.  

They thought people like me were on "the wrong side of history."

It is a category mistake calling something "marriage" when it doesn't meet the Biblical standard for what marriage truly is (and God knows better than any human court). 

Believing what God says may get a person insulted and mislabeled, but it is better to be insulted for what is right than what is not.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Genesis 1:27 NASB

And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’?  “So they are no longer two, but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

Matthew 19:4-6 NASB

People need to turn from sin and to Christ. 

You don't turn from skin color (which is a blessing that God created that should be appreciated). 

You also cannot truly change what you are biologically no matter what hormones are given or the surgeries that try to change appearance.  

Some may call themselves gender fluid, but God is the one who determines what category you are biologically.  We can't change that, and it is good and right to be satisfied.

You repent of sin.  Sin is wrong.  Sin is something against God.  It is rebellion.

Skin color & the biological sex that God created you is something right (and a blessing from God).

As far as those who are biologically a male or female who want to be or feel like they should be something else (identifying as "transgender"), I am sharing the following message I heard recently by Don Green that could change your life..  I do care.