Posts Tagged worship
Lessons I Learned from Francis Schaeffer No. 2
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Christianity, Lifestyle on January 27, 2009
Lesson 2. There is only one reason to be a Christian.
In 1 John 5:19-20, the Apostle John wrote, “We know that we are God’s children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
I can remember hearing Francis Schaeffer say on more than one occasion that the only reason to be a Christian is because Christianity is true. After his death, I remember Edith quoting him as saying, “There is one and only one reason, and not two reasons, to be a Christian, and that is because Christianity is true.”
Over the years, I have thought about his statement, and I have wondered if Francis Schaeffer was right. I would like to share my reflections on what Fran’s statement means to me, rather than claim that he would agree with me in all these particulars below.
When teaching others about faith in Jesus Christ, the Bible, and Christianity, I like his answer. For example, we can reply to a nonbeliever, who accuses us of using Christianity or the church as a crutch that they do not need, that the only reason we are a Christian is because Christianity is true. Our reply might make them think further about the claims of Christianity. No one can accuse us of having a selfish motive for becoming a Christian, if the only reason we became a Christian is because Christianity is true. No one can accuse us of becoming a Christian as some kind of a “fire insurance policy” to keep us out of hell, if we became a Christian because Christianity is true.
Knowing that the only reason to become a Christian is because Christianity is true should have an impact on the way we do evangelism, the way we conduct worship, the way we study the Bible personally and in a Bible study class. In evangelism, we will not try to convert someone to Christianity by giving them selfish reasons to come to Christ. Giving someone a selfish reason and encouraging them to come to Christ for selfish reasons will not help them change from being a self-centered person to living the Christ-centered life.
In the Gospel of John, we learn that Jesus came into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through belief in Him. Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead to save us from sin and death. The Bible teaches that Jesus ascended into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of God and prays for us. These facts are true. They are “true truth,” as Fran was fond of saying. Think again about the verses from John above. Remember, he wrote, “The Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true.” It is true that Jesus Christ came into the world so we might know Him, know what is true, be set free by the truth, because He is true and Christianity is true.
You might also like to learn more about Francis Schaeffer from two of his biographies, now online for you to read for free at http://www.labri.net .
Copyright 2009 by L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.
International Bible Lessons
Prayer Steps to Serenity
Serenity Groups
A Psalm and A Prayer
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Extending Our Circle of Service
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Lifestyle on December 4, 2007
The Internet gives us an opportunity to extend ourselves beyond the people we normally serve in order to meet the needs of an even larger circle of people. Perhaps it is easier to think of more ways to serve more people if we think of this selflessly, putting service above self. One example might stir up our minds to discover some new ways to serve that might really take very little additional effort but really be worthwhile in serving others.
For example, our worship service at Stonegate Church is traditional, and includes a responsive reading and unison prayer each week (printed in the bulletin). In pondering how I could help others who prepare or conduct worship services, I decided that I could put these Psalms and Prayers on the Internet and make them freely available to others for not-for-profit use. This extension of service became A Psalm and A Prayer. It took me until Psalm 119 to think of this idea, so that is where we began. Currently, we have submitted responsive readings through Psalm 150 and have now started from Psalm 1 through Psalm 7. So, you might think of how you can begin to extend your circle of influence from right where you are. Feel free to share your own ideas in the comments below or post to our Simple Forum.