Author name: Tom Stuart

The power of being with Jesus

2 Comments / Growth & Development, More on that message..., Stats & Trends /

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 NIV)

I’ve been giving thought to the results of the poll I took last Sunday as part of my sermon on “Convincing the Unconvinced.” The heart of my message was that faith sharing should be easy because the responsibility for persuading others of the truth of the gospel belongs to God. (John 16:8)

One of the questions I asked using our audience response system was “What keeps you from sharing your faith?” In the list of ten choices the top answers were “not sure what to say” and “don’t know my Bible well enough.” Statistically we were not any different as a congregation than other Christians across the country. Not surprisingly feeling ill equipped is the major reason even mature believers usually give for not sharing their faith. Why is that?

For one reason, there is a tendency to believe that education and training are prerequisites for effectiveness and success in doing anything including faith sharing. But that can end up being an excuse when it comes to personal evangelism. Most classes offered on that topic are usually very poorly attended. That in turn might indicate another underlying reason why more people hesitate to share their faith – apathy.

The account in Acts 3 & 4 of the apostles Peter and John boldly preaching the gospel reveals the secret to evangelism effectiveness.

The power of being with Jesus Read More »

How we have Americanized the Gospel

News & Reflections /

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” (1 John 4:1 NIV)

Recently God has again been challenging my thinking regarding the dangers in the Americanization of the gospel. In particular I have become increasingly aware of how a Christianized version of the human potential movement has subtly crept into pulpits of America. There is a tendency to take the teachings of Jesus and apply them in a way that justifies, and even furthers, the individualistic and self-actualizing lifestyle of the West.

Several weeks ago I listened to a sermon preached by a well-known pastor of a leading evangelical church in our country. It was a message challenging the listener to step out in faith, face his or her fears and do something they have never done before. It was a very motivating message, punctuated by numerous inspirational stories and some verses from the book of Joshua. At first blush it was the kind of message I wish I had preached.

But it didn’t take long before I realized that the message also irritated me. Why? Well for one thing I had done the things he talked about in the message but the results weren’t all they were cracked up to be. In fact, on a couple of occasions when I “stepped out in faith,” paid the price and reached my goal, I realized it wasn’t God’s goal for me. I was miserable and felt deceived. It was like working hard to climb a ladder that in the end was leaning on the wrong tree.

Thinking back on the message, the other thing that got to me was that I could not recall hearing anything about Jesus. Now maybe His name was mentioned, but more importantly there was not an emphasis on seeking Him and determining His will regarding the goals being set. I guess that is what really saddened me. Stepping out in faith is to be encouraged and so is facing ones fears, but if it is not done at Christ’s bidding with the power of the Holy Spirit, it is at best self satisfying and worse it is devoid of eternal glory and satisfaction.

Now I want to be quick to acknowledge, that to my chagrin, I have preached sermons just like that one. There is a strong temptation for preachers to deliver feel-good, self-help type messages because they characterize the cravings of the culture in which we live. But over the years God has dramatically opened my eyes and brought me to repentance in this regard. Years ago he spoke very clearly to me out of Psalm 138:2 that preaching must “exalt above all things His name and His word.”

Another way in which I have become aware of this incongruity between Jesus’ teachings and the unique way we apply them in the West is by meeting Christians from other cultures. In many ways, the lifestyles in other countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, stand in stark contrast to our own. They operate much more like the Biblical culture than we do with a concern for the corporate well-being versus the well-being of the individual. Our high value placed on freedom, prosperity and the accomplishment of the individual has a gravitational pull to preach messages focused on self-development.

How we have Americanized the Gospel Read More »

The secret to a happy life

2 Comments / Overcoming /

My wife has a poster framed and hanging in our dining room. It is a watercolor by artist Mary Engelbreit of two little girls gazing out a window on a beautiful summer day. Just outside that window we see flowers in bloom, the branch of a fruit laden tree and several bees and butterflies flitting about.
The girls are a study in contrast. On girl is very happy as she sports a big smile and her arms enfold two pots of flowers. The other girl is decidedly unhappy as she rests both elbows on the window sill with one hand to her face. She has a frown and her eyes are darting away from the little girl next too her. Underneath their picture is this quote from Abraham Lincoln: “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Like so many things we carefully frame and position throughout our homes, it isn’t long before we fail to notice them. To be honest, if I were pressed, I doubt if I could recall half of what hangs on our walls. But recently I have found the poster of the two little girls staring out at me, repeatedly drawing my attention. And here is the reason. The message is a joyful reminder for me of what God has done in my life.
In years past, all too often I was more prone to frown than smile. Even on sunny summer days I had my share of bouts with depressive views of life. Those like me, who have battled that dark cloud of the soul, know that beautiful surroundings alone do not alleviate unhappiness with its accompanying heaviness and hopelessness. At best, a person copes like the little girl in the poster, by diverting ones focus to other things.

The secret to a happy life Read More »

Never underestimate your impact for God!

2 Comments / Holy Spirit Aha's, News & Reflections /

But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. (Galatians 6:8 NLT)

Never underestimate the difference your life can make if it is available to be used by God. Even the act of opening your home to His work could change multitudes of lives and have an eternal impact far exceeding your imagination.

This past Saturday I went to the funeral of a dear saint named Lenore Hagen who passed away at age 85. I had known her and her husband Walt for many years when they were active members in the 1970s and 1980s of the Way of the Cross Church, where I spent my early Christian years and served as a pastor.

In our start-up phase of Bridgewood Community Church in 1994, to my surprise, the Hagens joined us and served as a great encouragement. I can still remember what a great sport Walt was in volunteering to be part of a drama team skit at one of our first services. Although they were with us for a brief time we kept in touch over the years and when Walt died seven years ago, Lenore asked me to officiate at his funeral.

They were both very simple, unassuming people; the kind of people who could have posed for Grant Wood’s American Gothic. But both of them had a deep abiding faith in God’s Word and a zeal to make themselves available to serve God.

Never underestimate your impact for God! Read More »

The danger of insisting on your own way

Growth & Development, Relationship with God /

“Woe to them . . . they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error.” (Jude 11 NIV)

Every time I read the story of Balaam it reminds me of the grave danger in insisting on my own way with God. He might give in to me but it may not be His perfect will. There are different measures of “God’s will.” There is the “good, pleasing and perfect will of God,” which of course all Christ followers are encouraged to pursue. (Romans 12:2) But there is also the permissive will of God with its variations which would be best to avoid.

I have learned this the hard way, and so in some measure can understand Balaam’s plight. On several occasions in my life I have committed to doing something I thought was God’s will only to find in the end it was really religious self-deception and fueled by a stubborn pursuit of my own desires. Even though I “prayed” about it and asked for God’s “perfect” will, my heart was so set on what I wanted that God gave me His “permissive” will instead and off I went to do my own thing.

Those decisions led to some very painful experiences. Through them I have learned more about God’s ways. Most importantly I have realized the necessity of checking the motivations of my heart as I seek His will. The clarity with which a person can discover God’s will for their life is directly proportional to their commitment to doing what He reveals. Nobody says this more clearly than Jesus. “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God.” (John 7:17 ESV)

The study of the false prophet Balaam illustrates this important lesson for everyone who genuinely wants to hear God’s voice and do His will. It pulls back the covers on hypocritical prayers desiring God’s will, and reveals a religious veneer covering up a stubborn heart that really wants its own will.

The danger of insisting on your own way Read More »

Scroll to Top