I grew up in a small Southern Baptist church in eastern Kentucky. Five generations of my family had attended the church, and my great-great-grandparents are buried nearby. My grandfather drove the church bus, and my mom played the piano. 1/7 I remember flags flanking the stage as we sang patriotic songs every year during VBS. The pastor preached from the KJV, visited the sick, and called unbelievers to repentance. We sang hymns from the Heavenly Highway Hymnbook. 2/7

What is the message of God’s gospel?

God sent his Son, the second person of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ, to rescue sinners. He was born of a virgin and lived a sinlessly perfect and obedient life under the law. 1/4 Jesus was crucified on a cross as a substitute to pay the penalty of God’s wrath against sin. In his body, he bore the punishment due to sinners to impute to them his perfect righteousness, by faith, making them acceptable in the sight of God. 2/4

How are believers to respond when imminent danger threatens our families, churches, and neighborhoods? When the enemy chisels away at the truth, revealing an ever-growing fracture of deceit, what are the righteous to do? 1/6 Some run for higher ground and cloister themselves away from growing danger. Others think themselves immune from the peril and rush to swim in the world's streams, eventually drowning in the rushing waters of compromise. Still, others don’t know how to respond. 2/6

🧵 God’s wrath is a foreign topic nowadays.

Even to mention God’s wrath is to evoke rejection by our hearers: "God would never be that harsh… I thought God was love, not wrath… Surely God wouldn’t send anyone to hell… Doesn’t God say that he loves sinners?" 1/7 Our problem with God’s wrath springs from the fact that we consider wrath in human categories rather than divine. That is, we conclude that God must be like us when he expresses his wrath, a morally monstrous and vindictive person who threatens, "You just watch out!" 2/7

Gentleness is a rare fruit among believers today. We have many discussions on "tone" but few on gentleness. According to Scripture, gentleness is a potency controlled by a humble heart. 1/4 Like the other fruits of the Spirit, gentleness is not a natural inclination. Our natural tendency is to power forth, tear through our opponents, and crush those we disagree with. Paul commands Timothy, “O man of God…pursue…gentleness” (1 Tim. 6:11). 2/4

What is a pastor? 🧵

The primary position of leadership and care within the body of Christ is the position of "pastor." There are five biblical titles given to this one office: 1/11 1. Elder (presbyteros): someone tasked with the administration and spiritual guidance of the church. He is a steward of God, a manager of God’s household who administers the spiritual treasures of God’s mysteries (1 Cor. 4:1; 1 Thess. 5:12; 1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:7). 2/11

The Lord’s Table is one of the foremost places within the church to gather in mutual love and reconciliation. This is why the Lord’s Supper is not to be celebrated alone, for it is a congregational meal to demonstrate and foster genuine love among the people of God. 1/4 In our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, he taught: “If you are offering your gift…and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matt. 5:23–24). 2/4

The past few years have been difficult for us all. The secular and evangelical world as we know it has changed and is shifting at breakneck speed. The challenges are immense that face us all. God is doing things we never imagined. /1 But rather than jointly pursuing the transcendent glory of God’s truth, linking arms with fellow believers, and standing together to defend the faith once delivered to all the saints, we’ve become small-minded, opinionated, prideful, and petty. /2

If the Bible doesn’t guide us, our emotions inevitably will. Quick follow-up. My intention is not to dismiss one's emotions as a powerful source of influence in our lives. After all, Scripture talks about fear, delight, anxiousness, anger, etc. But our lives can't be directed by how we "feel" at any given moment. 1/6

Oneness among the people of God is a defining characteristic of the church. We don’t have to read far into the New Testament until we find Jesus speaking of the oneness of his bride. The content of his high priestly prayer in John 17 abounds with oneness petitions. 1/8 He prays that believers “may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (v. 21). His people’s oneness offers a flawless testimony that he is the Son of God. 2/8

The rhetoric regarding Simone Biles — "you're soft," "you aren't a real winner," "get over it," and "toughen up" is being said about a world-renowned athlete who performs at the top level of her sport. It's nothing more than kicking her while she's down. This mentality is so prevalent among Christian believers. We've created a "macho" Christianity that plows ahead with no regard for the damage we may be causing ourselves, others, and ultimately our witness for Christ.

How are believers to respond when imminent danger threatens our families, churches, and neighborhoods? When the enemy chisels away at the truth, revealing an ever-growing fracture of deceit, what are the righteous to do? 1/6 Some run for higher ground and cloister themselves away from growing danger. Others think themselves immune from the peril and rush to swim in the world's streams, eventually drowning in the rushing waters of compromise. Still, others don’t know how to respond. 2/6

I grew up in a small Southern Baptist church in eastern Kentucky. Four generations of my family had attended the church, and my great-great-grandparents were buried nearby. My grandpa drove the church bus, and my mom played the piano. 1/7 I remember the Christian and American flags flanking the stage as we sang patriotic songs every year during VBS. The pastor preached from the KJV, visited the sick, and called unbelievers to repentance. We sang from the Heavenly Highway Hymnbook. 2/7

I am a Christian and I believe the Bible is God's inerrant and sufficient revelation to man.

I am a Christian and I believe in the Trinity––Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I am a Christian and I believe all men and women are made in the image of God but are sinners by nature. I am a Christian and I believe in the sinless life, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am a Christian and I believe salvation is wholly by God's grace and exclusively found in Jesus Christ.

“God loves you,” isn’t the gospel. Confusion abounds regarding the content of the gospel.

The gospel: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4).

This is good news!