Every now and then, God uses a book to encourage my soul in Him. Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome by Kent and Barbara Hughes was that book. I have been thinking a lot about ministry success lately, especially with an upcoming ministry transition in my life. It is sad to say, that the world has influenced the church in regards to what defines success in the ministry: a large budget, large attendance, man-centered programs, and charismatic personalities that focus ultimately on man's personal self-fulfillment rather than on God's glory.

In his early years in the ministry, Kent Hughes planted a new church with him as the founding pastor. The mother church sent him out with twenty families and a 50,000 dollar love gift. The church plant had a bright future. Kent Hughes had just finished Seminary and was in his prime. He expected the church to grow. But to his astonishment, it didn't. After considerable time and great labor, he had fewer regular attenders than during his first six months. He was a depressed man. He wanted out of the ministry and wanted to quit.

The turning point happened when his wife told him, "Hang on to my faith. Because I believe. I believe that God is good. I believe that he loves us and is going to work through this experience. So hang on to my faith. I have enough faith for both of us" (pg. 23). After going through this dark valley, the Hughes began asking questions regarding ministry success:

1. Can a man be a success in the ministry and pastor a small church?
2. What is failure in the ministry?
3. What is success in the ministry?

So here are the principles of ministry success that the Hughes discovered...

Success is Faithfulness 

"Success, then, comes when we faithfully study God's Word and faithfully obey it, applying what we understand to all areas of our lives under the direction of the Holy Spirit. A growing knowledge of the Bible matched by a growing obedience is the path to faithfulness and success." (pg. 40)

"Success first begins with obedience to God's Word." (pg. 41)

Success is Service 

"So here's one secret of successful ministry: When we keep our eyes upon the cross, we want to serve." (pg. 50)

"Servanthood, as we have seen, yields success--because in serving we become like Christ." (pg. 52)

Success is Loving 

"Before all things, even service to God, we must love God with all our hearts." (pg. 58)

"Simply stated, we spend time with those whom we love. The more time we spend with God, the more we love him." (pg. 61)

Success is Believing 

"Without faith, there is no success." (pg. 63)

Success is Praying 

"Those who would minister for God, regardless of how well they have put on the gospel of peace, regardless of how well they wear salvation, truth, righteousness and faith, must make prayer the first thing." (pg. 78)

Success is Holiness 

"Holiness is foundational to true success. No one can be regarded a success who pursues a life contrary to God's will." (pg. 84)

"When lust takes control, God is quite unreal to us." (pg. 89)

"The logic of Scripture cannot be circumvented: God's will for his people is to be holy, thus no one can be regarded a success who lives contrary to his will. Holiness is fundamental to true success. Holiness must be our preoccupation, our earnest pursuit." (pg. 92)

Success is Attitude 

"Attitude is everything." (pg. 96).

"Two men looked through the bars. One saw the mud, the other, the stars." (pg. 99)

I loved this book. This is a book I am sure I will be returning to when I need to be reminded of what God defines as success. If you want to listen to these principles in a sermon, you can listen to it here.

"Be Holy, for I am Holy" (1 Pet. 1:16)

One of my goals every year is to read the Bible entirely from cover to cover. This week, I have started reading the book of Jeremiah. When I read the Old Testament Prophets, I am reminded again that God is a judging God. Here are some verses that struck me this morning as I was reading:

I have been doing my devotions in the morning in the book of Isaiah. I pray that I would learn to be a doer of the Word, and not just a hearer (James 1:22). Here are some things that stuck out to me this morning:

1. God is Concerned about Internal Holiness, Not Just External Religiosity (Isa. 58:1-7)

The Israelites are asking God why He is not noticing their fasting, "Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?" (58:3). But God answers and says he does not acknowledge their fasting because they still seek their own pleasure (58:3), oppress their workers (58:3), fight and quarrel (58:4). True fasting according to the Lord is to "loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke" (58:6). Moreover, true fasting is being generous and hospitable to those who are in need (58:6-7). In other words, true fasting is concerned about justice.

2. God is Concerned about the Poor (Isa. 58:10)

God says, "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday" (Isa. 58:19). Not only is God concerned about justice, but he is concerned about true generosity. I have been thinking about how this applies to me in my own context. I live in the Suburbs where it is reasonably comfortable and I do not exactly see many homeless people walking around the streets of West Covina. But I am sure there are poor saints in the local church who do not share their need because they feel ashamed or embarrassed. I'm also thinking about the saints in Iraq who are leaving their homes because of the terrorism of ISIS. Does this mean I need to give to a relief organization? Volunteer at a local homeless shelter? Be quick to give to someone who is asking for money on the streets? Lord, I need guidance on how to apply this in my own life.

3. God is Concerned about the Sabbath (Isa. 58:13-14)

Although we are not Israelites living under the Old Covenant anymore, I believe the principle of honoring the Lord's Day still applies. God rested on the Seventh Day after creating everything and He delighted in His Work. We too, must set aside a day, to rest and delight in the Lord. God says, "if you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy day of the LORD honorable, if you honor it, not giving your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly, then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth" (Isa. 58:13-14). It is discouraging to me to see Christians who are not concerned about honoring the Lord's day. Often times, many people make excuses not to gather with God's people because the reality of the matter is that they do not make the Sabbath (or Lord's Day) a delight. For me, Sunday is one of the most exciting day of the week because I get to sing God's praises, hear God's Word, fellowship with His People, observe the ordinances that remind me of the glorious Gospel, and be reminded of the goodness of God. If only we understood the privilege of worshiping freely with God's people in this country. With the recent events in Iraq, I am reminded not to hold the Lord's Day in contempt.

True religion according to Isaiah 58 is doing justice, being generous to the poor, and delighting in God on a Day we set aside to honor Him with His people. Lord, teach me how to do this in my life. Amen.

Ever since I got married in 2012 and became a father in 2013, I put on a lot of extra weight. I'm even scared for my wife to have another baby because I don't want to get even more fat! As I read Paul's epistle to Timothy, Paul says that a pastor must be "self-controlled" (1 Tim. 3:2). One of my personal confessions to the Lord has been my lack of self-control in regards to my exercise and eating habits. When I got married, I used to weigh 178 lbs. Today, I weigh about 205 lbs. I realize that this is not a good path to head down if I want to stay healthy and have a long-lasting pastoral ministry. My wife has reminded me many times that my body is a temple for the Holy Spirit and that I need to honor God with my body (1 Cor. 6:19). I confess to the Lord many times that I have lacked self-control in regards to eating only to fail again and again. But now I want to do something about it and start learning to eat better and live a healthy life not for my sake, but for God's sake and His glory.

I'm grateful to be blessed with amazing friends. I used to play professional paintball in my younger days, but left my paintball career because I believed God was calling me to serve Him in greater capacities in the local church.

However, many of the friends I grew up playing paintball with are now the top professional players in the league. One of my good friends, Scott Kemp, just recently won the 2013 PSP World Cup Paintball Championship. Not only is he a professional paintball player, but he is also a physical fitness model! I'm so proud of the accomplishments that friends like these have made and continue to cheer them on whenever I get the chance to watch paintball videos. My friend Scott also wrote a book called "A Road Map to Getting Shredded."  He graciously sent me his book to teach me some lessons he has learned over the past ten years.

In his introduction, he talks about how people need to have a clear destination and plan in regards to their fitness goals. In other words, losing weight is not randomly lost through some magical formula, but through hard work and knowledge (p. 8). He also informs his readers the need to understand which body type  they have (Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph). I would be a endormorph, which is someone "who has a thicker bone structure with a larger body mass. These people have a slow metabolism and will gain fat and muscle quite easily" (p. 9).

In the second chapter, he argues that a proper mindset is one of the essential tools to achieving one's fitness goals. He describes his personal experience regarding his paintball career and how a proper mindset led him to achieve a 2013 Pro Paintball championship. Simply put, if you want to lose weight or achieve success in any area of life, you need to train and strengthen your mind.

In his chapter on nutrition, he talks about how we need to avoid eating junk food and start eating clean. One way to eat clean is to prepare properly. I have personally seen Scott eat food in Tupperware multiple times a day so that he can meet his personal fitness goals. To lose weight, "you must burn more calories than you consume to lose weight, or vise versa to gain weight" (p. 24).

In his book, he continues to explain the "fuel" we all need to maintain our bodies: carbs, fats, and proteins. "Carbs are the body's main source of energy as well as the catalyst for efficient brain function" (p. 27). I'm a newbie concerning nutrition, so I'll probably have to reread this chapter to get familiar with the concepts.

In regards to training, he talks about cardio and weight training. Cardio can help a person burn calories quickly, but "weight training molds and shapes the physique" (p. 46).

In regards to supplementation, he says that "10 % is about how much of an impact supplements will have on your [fitness] results" (p. 57). I will not get into detail here, but supplements can help with what you are not getting from the foods you are eating.

On his chapter on recovery, proper sleep is essential to repairing the body. On average, a person will need 6-9 hours a day for his body to properly recover

Finally, Scott ends his book with some awesome quotes!

"Every one wants an easy way out, but there is no easy way out. The secret is hard work and consistency. Yes, it will be hard, but it will be worth it." (p. 59)

"We are creatures of habit and breaking the bad ones is the hardest part but once you create the good habits, it's cake from there." (p. 65)

"Education, proper time management, preparation, hard work, dedication, persistency, and progress are all key elements to success and anyone who has worked towards a goal knows this formula." (p. 66)

To summarize, if you want to lose weight, you need to have a plan, proper mindset, hard work, and dedication to achieve results. I believe this can be applied to any area of life as well: spirituality, finances, career, sports, etc. I know I won't be a fitness model like Scott, but his book did give me some great insights on working out and proper nutrition.

                                                           (Image from wired.co.uk)

What makes social media so addicting? What makes Facebook or Instagram or Blogs so addicting? I think one reason social media is so addicting is because it gives us the ability to recreate our world through cyberspace. In Tim Chester's Will You Be My Facebook Friend?, he argues that social media is addicting because we can recreate our own images, concept of space, and identity. In the online world, we can post pictures of us that are photo-shopped or edited by our phones. Moreover, we can come to a "space" where all our "friends" are there and see what they are up to. Chester writes, "What we cannot do in physical space, we can do in cyberspace: bring everyone together in one place." He also writes dealing with the topic of identity affirmation, "On Facebook I receive approval and I bestow approval. The result is that many people constantly check their Facebook page because this is where they receive affirmation." Isn't this so true? The "Likes" button are so addicting when we post a update or a picture. We want to see who "heart's" our pictures on Instagram. We want to see who comments on our blogs. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with "likes", "hearts", or comments, the real issue is what is going on in my heart. Why do I have narcissistic tendencies to see who "likes" my post or comment? Could it be that I am looking for self-affirmation. Could it be that my heart longs for self-approval? Could it be that I am longing for self-recognition? To me, it sounds it bit like Genesis 3 where Adam and Eve rejected God's Word because they desired to be like God as the Serpent tempted them to disobey Him. Instead of finding their identity in the One who created them, they sought out independence from their Creator which brought the curse of sin into the world. Social media is one avenue where we can seek self-affirmation, self-approval, and self-recognition. Social media is also one avenue where we can seek to be our own gods or commit idolatry. An idol is something that defines your identity and something that you cannot live without. I wonder how many of us are trying to construct an identity in the online world and how many of us cannot live without social media. Something has gone wrong here. The gospel tells us that we don't have to look for affirmation, approval, or recognition from ourselves through cyberspace, but we look for affirmation, approval, and recognition from our Creator who sent His Son to die for us to recreate us after the image and likeness of His Son (Rom. 8:29). Social media is simply a technological and communication tool. There is nothing inherently wrong with it in itself. The question is how our hearts respond to this medium: is it a medium by which I honor God through my pictures and words? Or is it a medium where I seek to honor myself through my pictures and words? Am I looking for self-approval or am I looking for God's approval in the online world?

(image from cnet.com)

I have a personal confession. I waste a lot of time with technology. A lot. It is amazing how technology and social media have revolutionized how we live, communicate, and play in this generation. On some days, one of the first things I reach for in the morning is my iphone to check the time, my email, bank accounts, social media, and blogs. On some days, I then proceed to read my Bible on my ipad. And then after Bible reading, I proceed to open my laptop to check out emails (again), bank accounts (again), blogs (again), facebook (again).  After I begin to read to prepare sermons, my mind wanders off and I begin checking out emails (again), bank accounts (again), blogs (again), facebook (again). I eat lunch, and then check my phone for emails (again), bank accounts (again), blogs (again), facebook (again), and a couple text messages. Dinner happens with the family. We put our daughter down for bed. The cycle repeats itself with technology after we have our free time. In fact, I'm writing this blog on my computer to post on social media!  I am aware of the dangers of technology and everyone knows how smartphones and  social media have actually made some of us more stupid and anti-social. Irony?  I been noticing this pattern in my life and I do not like it. Social media can bring great blessings if used properly, but also bring great curses if used improperly. Didn't Jesus say "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (6:21). I believe if Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount today, he would also say, "where your time is, there your heart will be also." Proverbs 25:28 says, "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." In the ancient world, walls protected the city from foreign invaders and I believe this verse is teaching us to set up proper boundaries so that we can live in a way that honors God. I have been reflecting on how technology and social media have been affecting our spiritual lives over the past few months and I believe it is VERY important for Christians to know how to honor God with our technology. I even preached a sermon on it (Social Media and the Gospel at CFBC). The sermon was more for me than for the congregation. In the coming days, I hope to reflect on how technology and social media affects our relationship with God, relationship with others, and ourselves. Technology can be idolatrous if not stewarded properly. Technology is a great servant, but a horrible master. I hope to write and blog more on this topic concerning how technology affects our worship, communication, time, family, friendships, and church involvement. I'm writing this because I know I need to repent and ask the Lord to help me glorify Him with my time and technology (Ps. 90:12).

• Thankful for my daughter.
• Thankful for my wife.
• Thankful that I slept at 1am and woke up at 4am to study Greek.
• Thankful for Starbucks to keep me up.
• Thankful for the Seminary Men TMS who were praying for my wife's recovery and healing.
• Thankful for the fruit of my Study in Greek Exam. 
• Thankful for Chapel: David's Sexual Sin with Bathsheba had disastrous effects upon himself and others (over 40 if I remember rightly)
• Thankful for Preaching Class: God reminds me to depend on Him, and when I think I'm a good preacher, He humbles me right away.

Here are helpful notes by my preaching professor Alex Montoya on why sermons fail. These notes are also adapted from Biblical Preaching for Today's World by Lloyd Perry.

1. The preacher does not know how to distinguish between an essay and sermon.

Writing and preaching are two different things. A preacher who just reads his notes, without understanding basic public speaking principles will bore the congregation. A preacher must preach to the listening ear. He must repeat, repeat, and repeat his points. He must maintain proper eye contact and not be monotone.

2. The preacher elaborates the obvious.

The preacher simply repeats the text. However, an expositor will spend time explaining and applying the text. This is where hard work and study comes in. The preacher must know the historical, cultural, political, and geographical background of the text. He must know the grammar and syntax of the text. He must understand the authorial meaning of the text. In other words, he must understand the text himself so that he would be able to help the congregation understand the text.

3. The preacher does preach with a purpose.

He has no main proposition, no thesis, or no purpose for preaching the text. The text must have a driving theme or proposition that the preacher is seeking to communicate. If your wife wakes you up at 3am in the morning, you should be able to tell her what you are preaching on the following morning. If you don't know what your preaching, the congregation won't know what your preaching.

4. The preacher expects too much from the audience.

The preacher data-dumps 30 hours of his preparation upon his listener. He gives 50 reasons why a first century boat was important to the text or he explains 10 reasons why the hiphil imperfect verb is important. He is like a fire-hydrant showering his poor listeners. Preachers must understand that they will probably only deliver 20 % of what they actually studied during the week.

5. The preacher assaults the will of the audience.

He preaches "down" at them. He preaches as if his people are "inferior," "stupid," "ignorant", or not "biblically trained." Instead, a preacher ought to have a heart of compassion to whom he preaches. Martin Lloyd Jones has rightly said, "It is one thing to love preaching, but it is another thing to love those to whom you preach." The preacher should always ask his listeners, "Did I help you with the truth of God's Word?" The preacher must preach from compassion, not pride.

6. The preacher tries to "get" without "giving."

Preachers must earn the right to preach. They must "work" the room to see who are their listeners. Preachers will labor hard to have interesting introductions and build rapport with the congregation. If you want your sermons to fail, isolate yourself and never interact with your people. If you want your sermons to succeed, make sure you are involved with the people of your congregation.

7. Preachers fail to recognize the limited power of listening.

Expository preaching demands a higher level of listening. However, we live in a facebook, 120 character tweet, tumblr digital world. We live in world that communicates information through the media rather than through insightful and engaging books. Therefore, a preacher must have an outline for his text and a main idea for his text to help his listeners know where he is going.

8.The preacher does not know the technique of persuasion.

The preacher needs to create the need of the biblical passage and seek to apply the passage to the congregation. Simply put, he must preach! He must demand a verdict! He must call for a commitment! He must confront theological or moral error! He must exhort, rebuke, correct, and teach with all patience!

9. The preacher fails to illustrate.

All great preachers use illustrations. The Lord Jesus used the illustration of birds and flowers to teach us not to worry. The apostle Paul taught us that we must endure in the ministry as a good soldier and athlete of Christ Jesus. Illustrations provide "color" and "flavor" to the congregation. The Bible is full of illustrations. If you want your sermon to fail, make sure you teach your people abstract concepts without illustrating.

10. The preacher fails to preach extemporaneously.

If you want your sermon to fail, just read your notes without any eye contact. Reading your sermon is a preaching sin Montoya tells us. Preaching is an event where you engage the congregation with the truth of God's word. If you are simply reading your manuscript while neglecting the people you preach to, you have failed to engage and preach to the audience. The preacher should avoid being monotone, stiff, and boring!

Just finished reading Just Do Something by Kevin Deyoung and found some helpful insights concerning discerning God's will in our lives. I like reading Deyoung's book because his writing is simple and easy to read. He also uses a lot of humor in his writings which made the book more enjoyable. I would recommend this book to any person trying to figure out God's will for their lives in any area of life, but specifically in regards to dating and finding the right career.

What is the Will of God?

Deyoung argues that the will of God can mean several things. First, God's will of decree is what he decides to do in eternity past and what he will accomplish no matter what. For example, it was God's will of decree in eternity past that the Son of God would suffer for man's sin and he would even predestine a redeemed group unto salvation (see Ephesians 1-2). Second, God's will of desire is His purposes or commands that can either be obeyed or disobeyed. For example, it is God's will of desire that Christians rejoice always, give thanks in every circumstance, and be Holy. However, Christians can reject God's will of desire through their disobedience. Finally, God's will of direction is what many Christians seek to know. His will of direction includes concerns such as: Who should I marry? Should I go on a missions trip this summer? What College should I attend? What should my major be? What career should I choose?

With God's will of direction, Deyoung argues that his will of direction is not emphasized in Scripture as the first two. In other words, God cares more about a Christian fulfilling His will of desire than trying to figure out whom we are to marry or what job should we choose. Does this mean that God doesn't care for those things? Of course not! Here is where I found the book to be very helpful and practical: If we don't know his will of direction for our lives, but follow his will of desire (i.e. the commands of Scripture); then everything else will fall into place. In other words, We must use SANCTIFIED COMMON SENSE!

Deyoung says that we should not overspiritualize things and just use plain wisdom in making the non-moral choices in regards to finding a spouse or choosing a career. Although there is no specific instruction in the Scriptures concerning whom should I marry or what job should I choose, there are specific principles in Scripture such as being holy, faithful, joyful, patient, kind, loving, etc (see Gal. 5:22-25). Simply put, take care of these things, then use sanctified common sense and make the decision in faith!

What College should I attend? What Career should I pursue? Whom should I marry?

Now to get very practical, Deyoung offers a couple of principles regarding the specifics in our lives where we need direction and guidance. Remember, you don't have to try to magically flip open the Bible to any random page and wait to hear "a word from the Lord" while neglecting the context of passage you are reading. You don't have to cast lots or roll dice or wait for the Lord to write in the clouds concerning your decision. Just use sanctified common sense!

1. Check Scripture Regarding Your Decision

Do you get the green light from the Scripture? For example, if you are interested in someone, but know that the person is a non-believer, you know that it is not God's will at the moment to date or marry that person. Or if you have to choose a job between working as a school teacher or taking pictures of models at the playboy mansion, I think its pretty obvious what God's will for you is.

2. Get Advice from Wise People

After you have checked the Scriptures and got the green light, ask wise Christian brothers and sisters concerning your decisions. The proverbs are full of instruction concerning getting counsel from mature saints. I remember asking lots of people within my church family regarding my decision to pursue Helen.  I remember that I didn't want to pursue her because she didn't read a book a day, talk like a philosophy and theology nerd, and because she was too girly. One Christian brother said to me in wisdom, "So, you want to date a man?" I was enlightened that very moment because I knew he was right! Simple and profound insights come from other Christian brothers and sisters.

3. Pray Over Your Decision

Ask the Lord for guidance. Ask Him to give you peace. Tell Him you want to glorify Him in your decision. Tell Him that you want His will to be done in your life.

4. Make the Decision in Faith

Romans 14:23 says, "For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." After you have checked the Scriptures, received wise counsel from your brothers and sisters in the Lord, and prayed, then just make the decision! Remember that God is Sovereign even if you made the wrong decision and he can work all things out for good (Rom. 8:28)! Remember that if God could work good out of a bloody cross for your salvation, he can also work good in a decision you have concerning school or a spouse! Simply put, trust the Lord!

Kevin Deyoung's Just Do Something was a great read. If you want more explanation, you can purchase his book here.

There have been many singles in our Church seeking advice on how to guard their hearts. I want to give practical principles on what it means to "guard your heart", specifically in relationships with the opposite sex. My wife and I took a walk a couple days ago and came up with this definition on what it means to "guard your heart."

Guarding Your Heart means taking measures not to foster additional emotional and physical attachment to someone who is not your husband or wife.

1. Avoid Physical Touch

I remember when I was single, I would give the girls in our Church "side hugs" because I knew I didn't want to develop any unnecessary physical attraction to someone I knew I was not going to marry. It sounds cheesy, but it helped guard my mind and my emotions from someone who was not my wife.

2. Avoid  Intimate Verbal Communication

Singles, don't tell someone "I love you" if they are not your husband or wife. I don't mean "I love you" in the sense of communicating affection for your brother or sister in the Lord like "I love you bro!" or "I love you as a sister in the Lord!"; what I do mean is telling them "I love You" because you can't control your emotions or you want to make the person like you more. I do remember telling Helen "I love you" before we were married, but I believe we were getting ready to get engaged or actually were engaged to be married.

3.Exercise Caution with One on One Time

If you spend time with the opposite sex alone, it is very easy to develop feelings for that person. I am not saying it always wrong to spend time with the opposite alone, but what I am saying is to exercise caution and discernment. You know your own heart. And if it is a person you like, obviously, you will develop feelings for them if you are hanging out with them one on one.

4. Avoid Long Talks On the Phone

People fail to guard their hearts when they talk for long periods of time on the phone with the opposite sex. Long talks does not mean 10 minutes, but hours and even whole nights! I am married and I don't even talk to my wife for 12 complete hours a day!

5. Fantasy/Lust

Another way to guard your heart is to not fantasize about another women/man that is not your husband or wife, especially sexually. It is often a great temptation for men to lust after women and even create sexual fantasies in their own heads (See Matt. 5:27-30). For women, I believe it is a great temptation to picture a perfect or ideal man; a man who will complete all her needs. Let me tell you women, Helen knows that I am not perfect. She just rubs my big belly and makes fun of me when I need nap time. The only perfect man that will complete you is the Lord Jesus.

6. Internet Stalking

If you want to be guarding your heart, don't facebook/twitter/tumblr/instagram stalk the person your attracted too. Don't always be looking at who they are hanging out with, what they are eating, and what they are doing. This is just creepy! Do something productive instead like reading your Bible or spending time with fellow Christians doing something for the glory of God!

7. Keep Busy

Idle time is the devil's time. When I was single, playing professional paintball kept my mind off unnecessary distractions. When I retired from paintball and became a Christian, I spent all my time serving the Lord in ministry. I taught High School Bible Studies and drove kids around trying to build gospel relationships. I also got to complete my Master's Degree in Philosophy and go on a couple of missions trips to Columbia and the Philippines. Singles, maximize your singleness for the glory of God!

8. Get Accountability

Share your struggles with a good brother or sister in the Lord (obviously men with men, women with women). Ask them to pray for you. Ask them for direction. Confess your sins to them. Confess your struggles. Ask them to identify any areas in your life that need changing for the glory of God. Ask them how you can be a better Christian and servant of the Lord!

I hope this is helpful to my single brothers and sisters in the Lord. Trust in the Lord's timing. Maximize your singleness. And if you love Jesus more than anything else, I am sure that God will take care of the rest. Guard your heart! "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:23).

I am on to a new book now and it is greatly ministering to my soul. Dangerous Calling by Paul David Tripp exposes the hypocrisy, shame, and self-deception that many pastors may go through in seasons of their ministry. According to Tripp, there seems to be a disconnect between a Pastor's public ministry and his private ministry. In other words, it is often a great temptation for a pastor to be a different person in private than he is in public. Tripp exposes the rationalization and self-deception that goes on in pastoral ministry. Here are nine ways for pastors to deceive themselves:

1. Believe that Theological Knowledge Equals Spiritual Maturity

Many pastors, especially seminary students, may believe that theological precision equals spiritual maturity. If I get the right doctrine, I am right with the Lord. However, you can be theologically accurate, yet spiritually immature. The Bible says even Demons are theologically accurate, yet are in Hell.

2. Read the Bible for Sermons, Not for Your Own Soul

Another danger pastors face is that they make the Word of God an intellectual exercise or just read it to get the job done. In other words, they don't read the Bible to feed their own souls. The Word of God must minister to my own soul first, before I can minister to the Word to others.

3. Isolate Yourself

Isolation is often a great temptation for many pastors. We get the "Elijah" syndrome believing that everyone has forsaken the Lord and I am the only person on this planet that is faithful to God. I am guilty of this view in the past, believing that 90% of the people in the congregation were unregenerate when in reality I was just discouraged and impatient with people.

4. Avoid Being Mentored By An Older Believer

If you want to be deceived, believe that you don't need discipleship yourself. Believe that you "know" it all because you are a M.Div Seminary Student. Believe that you are the next greatest preacher and expositor of all time. Simply put, believe that you are above discipleship yourself.

5. Neglect Nurturing Your Wife in the Faith

Because your wife is your partner in the ministry, she goes through the same trials as you do. If you want to be deceived and let your wife be discouraged, isolate her as well. If you want her to be encouraged, make sure she is also being discipled by a godly woman (see Titus 2).

6.Present Yourself as the Perfect Pastor

In other words, never share your struggles on the pulpit or anyone in your community. If you do this, there will be a great disconnect between your public life and  private life.

7. Avoid Family Time

You will burn yourself out in the ministry if you overwork and fail to spend time with your wife. If a pastor wants to have a good home life, he needs to take time to build his marriage. This means I must guard my date nights and getaways with my wife.

8. Avoid Counseling

Finally, a pastor can be deceived if he avoids counseling. Pastors need to have someone they can call to pray for them and minister to them. This could be people in your local church, your small group, or your school.

My wife and I were giving counsel to a good brother in the Lord yesterday concerning Biblical Manhood. I believe it was not only helpful advice for him, but a good reminder for me and anyone else that wants to be be a godly man. Here are some helpful principles:

1. Direction

A man of God knows where he is going in life. Although it may not be completely and absolutely clear in the moment, he has some sense of direction and purpose in life. Direction (for a Christian) is obviously grounded in God's Word. A man must know that he is called to salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. He must know that he is called to spread the gospel locally and globally. He must know that he is suppose to love the Church and his own family. Take care of these things, and I believe God will take care of the rest.

2. Discipline

Discipline in Greek could also be translated "training" "exercise", where we get the word "gymnasium" from. A man of God disciplines himself for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4:7-8). Discipline includes both physical and spiritual training. A man must have right sleeping patterns, a healthy diet (something I need to work on), regular exercise, and just simply getting things done in life. Spiritually, a man must know the Word of God. He reads his Bible everyday. He prays to the God of the Bible everyday. He spends time with the Saints so that he can be sharpened and refined. He spends time serving others. He spends time witnessing to others. A man must discipline himself so that he can be both healthy physically and more important spiritually.

3. Dependability

Every great man of God is a faithful man of God. In other words, he is faithful first and foremost to Jesus Christ. He follows Christ no matter what the cost: through pain and suffering, through blood and tears, through life and death. Second, he is faithful to his family. He is committed to his wife (if he has one) and committed to his own family. Those who do not provide for their own household are worse than unbelievers (1 Tim. 5:8). Third, he is faithful to the Church. He gathers with the Church regularly, consistently, and joyfully. He loves being in the house of worship. He loves hearing the Word of God preached. He loves singing about the Savior who died for Him. Fourth, he is faithful to evangelize the lost. Paul told Timothy to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:5). He knows that people are lost and are in need of a Savior. He prays for opportunities to reach the lost. He is always aware of unbelieving lost people and out of compassion he wants to reach out to them.

4. Devotion

He is a devoted man. In other words, he lives to serve others. He serves because the Lord Jesus Christ has served and has been devoted to him. Great devotion calls for great sacrifice. This is what the Lord Jesus has shown us. He was so devoted to the Father's glory, that He would willingly, obediently, and even joyfully die on a bloody cross to redeem us from our sin (Heb. 12:1-3). Now that's devotion!

Some more helpful principles on Leadership from Conviction to Lead by Albert Mohler

1. Leaders are Speakers

All great leaders in history have been great communicators. One can think of Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech, or Winston Churchill's speeches during World War II. Likewise, great pastors are great speakers. According to Aristotle, effective communication is broken down into three elements: ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos refers to the character of the speaker, while pathos refers to the arguments used to persuade the emotions of the listeners, and logos refers to the actual content of the message. I should be training myself to preach and teach regularly in front of public audiences. I am also helped by fellow Christian brothers who point out both my strength and weaknesses in preaching. I need to refine my grammar, subject-verb agreements, use illustrations, and speak with great conviction.

2. Leaders are Stewards

Simply put, God owns us. This means that I lived on borrowed time. I will give an account before God on how I used my time. This means that my body belongs to the Lord and my wife. This means "my" money is actually God's money. This means that I am to pass on truth that has been deposited to me to the next generation.

3. Leaders are Decision Makers

Leaders make decisions. In indecisive leader is a weak leader. I had to make a decision to marry my wife. I had to make a decision to go to school. I had to make a decision to commit to serving Christ. For Christians, the decisions we make must be rooted from the Word of God. To make effective decisions, we must present the problem, identify alternatives, analyze the problem, pause for reflection, and make the decision by faith grounded in biblical convictions. Leaders may fail and make bad decisions, but great leaders learn from their mistakes and make better decisions in the future.

4. Leaders are Virtuous

Character is a key ingredient for any effective leader. Paul lays out these characteristics in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 for pastors. According to Mohler, great virtues include: honesty, dependability, loyalty, determination, humility, and humor. A leader must always tell the truth, be a dependable person, and demonstrate loyalty to the organization he leads. He is also determined to get the tasks done. Moreover, he is a humble servant imitating the Greatest Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ.

5. Leaders Understand the Media

Mohler gave some practical wisdom on if you are interviewed from a newspaper or television report. If this is the case, then a leader must know what he is going to say. He must be respectful to the host. He must not be monotone. He must be presentable. If the leader seems uninteresting on radio or television, the listener or viewer will simply change the station or the channel.

6. Leaders are Writers.

Written communication is more important than ever as our technology become full of tweets, emails, and blogs. Leaders know how to write. To be a better writer, you need to read a lot! Leaders will also try to find the best words to communicate his thoughts. To get better experience in writing, simply write! I need to blog more and be thankful for my writing assignments in seminary.

7. Leaders Understand Digital Media

A leader will understand the avenues of social communication: blogs, websites, facebook, twitter, instagram, etc. Websites must be regularly updated and have good content if you want your viewers to come back. Often, many Christians who do not belong to a local church find places of worship from websites! I am grateful for my wife, who knows how to design a great website (www.cfbcwestcovina.org, www.ahthatslove.blogspot.com)! I am also grateful for my IPad and Kindle that carries multiple books on my eReader and podcasts of great Preachers.

8. Leaders Know How to Use their Time Wisely

Although digital media has provided great benefits to society, it can also be great time wasters. You can't buy back time. For Christians, we live for eternity. What we do on this earth has an eternal impact.

9. Leaders are Faithful

I was reminded to stay in the same place for a very long time. I want to celebrate with my wife our 100th anniversary. I want to be faithful to my local church just as my beloved Pastor Ed has served the church for over 25 years. I want to endure.

10.Leaders Understand Death

Everyone will die. It is a reality of life. However, great leaders will pass on their convictions, especially biblical convictions, to the next generation. Moreover, the leader will pass on his convictions to the organizations he serves (in my case the local church).

11. Leaders Leave a Legacy

Leaders will find a successor to lead the organization. The Lord Jesus passed on his authority to his twelve disciples. Paul passed on his ministry to Timothy. Timothy passed on his ministry to faithful men (2 Tim. 2:2). John Piper has passed on his ministry to Jason Meyer. Great leaders leave successors.

Leadership Is Management

Mohler argues that true leaders are also managers. Not managers in the secular sense, but managers in the sense they help organize, convince, and persuade people to achieve a common goal. Specifically in the Church, Pastors should strive to help equip every member of the body of Christ to glorify God through the Great Commission (Eph. 4:11-15, Matt: 28:19-20). Every member of the Body should be grounded in the Gospel and be able to both witness and disciple others. One helpful application that Mohler suggested was to understand the Church budget. The financial budget of the Church reflects the heart of the church in what it prioritizes. If a leader is not competent in finances, Mohler simply said to just learn!

 

Currently reading Albert Mohler's The Conviction to Lead and here are some principles of leadership I read this morning:

1.) Leaders are Communicators

All great leaders in the past have been excellent communicators. A leader speaks out of the conviction of his own heart. If a person is trying to "find" a message, he will not be a good leader. A true leader lives by convictions and lives to communicate those convictions. Obviously as preachers, we must live by the Word of God. Some convictions that I find out of the Bible include: God's Absolute Majesty and Holiness, the sinfulness of Man, the Substitutionary Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Resurrection of Christ, the beauty of godliness and holiness, and the eternal hope of the Christian through the Second Coming of Christ. May the Lord make these convictions deeper within my own soul.

2.) Leaders are Readers

I bought Albert Mohler's book at the Shepherd's Conference Bookstore. One of my favorite reasons for going to Shepherd's conference is to get a handbag full of books and look at the conference bookstore. I love the conferences not only for the messages, but for the books! I walk around the bookstore multiple times just as the Israelites walked around the Wall of Jericho seven times to see if there are many books that I really want. Mohler argued that we must interact with the book we are reading by taking notes, analyzing arguments, highlighting key points, etc. P.J. also affirmed that I should interact with my readings more so I don't forget. As a Christian, the Bible must be the number one book to read. A Christian should also read great classics like John Calvin's the Institutes of the Christian Religion, the works of Jonathan Edwards and Martin Luther, and biographies of great preachers like Martin Lloyd Jones. Mohler also recommended reading fictional books to help me learn to be a better narrator and use my imagination. Another helpful insight is to read current events in Newspapers such as New York Times or USA Today.

I have found gold online! Mljtrust.org is the website of one of the greatest expositor's of the 20th century, Martin Lloyd Jones. There are some profound quotes that he said in the lecture:

My immediate thought was "Evangelism is the primary task of the Church"; however, evangelism takes place through preaching the Word! In his lecture, Lloyd Jones showed from the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles that preaching was the primary task of the church. He argued that preaching was the primary task of the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to preach good news. Miracles and Healing was secondary to preaching. He also commissioned his disciples to preach the Word. In Acts, the apostle Peter preached at Pentecost (Acts 2). When there was a crisis of the distribution in Acts 6 concerning the Jews and the Greek Jews, the apostles chose seven men so they could devote themselves to prayer and preaching the Word (Acts 6:4). As the disciples were scattered because of persecution in Acts 8, the went about preaching the Word (Acts 8:4). In his final letter to Timothy, Paul told Timothy to Preach the Word! (2 Tim. 4:1-5). These reflections strengthen my conviction to faithfully preach the Word of God! Lord, help me be a faithful expositor of your Word! Help me declare only what You have spoken in Your holy Scriptures! For your glory. Amen

With the upcoming Spring semester at The Master's Seminary, I am taking two preaching classes to help refine and improve my preaching skills. With that in mind, I just want to review my sermon process.

1. Read the Text

This is obvious. I pray that God would give me understanding and it His Word would saturate my soul.

2. Analyze the Text

I normally print out a Greek and English translation on Mondays and make a preliminary translation. I am not that skilled in Greek yet, so I must confess I use Bible Works to check my parsing and words I do not know. After translating the text, I ask questions, mark the text, and reread the text. This happens ideally on Tuesday.

3. Observe the Text

After a preliminary translation, I have about five or six commentaries I dive into. Some of the commentaries I often use are John MacArthur's New Testament Commentaries, anything by John Stott, commentaries by John Calvin, and NIV application commentaries because they are easy to read. Commentaries help me look at cultural information, word studies, grammar, geography or any other relevant information. This happens ideally on Wednesday.

4. Outline the Text

After a rough translation and looking at several commentaries, I try to create a simple outline that will be easy to follow. I confess that my default outline is a three point sermon, however, I have preached sermons with five or six points. This ideally happens Wednesday or Thursday.

5. Memorize the Text

As I continue to examine the text, I try to memorize the Scripture I am preaching from. I will recite it my head while driving to School or before I go to bed. I think about how my points comes from the text (or doesn't) and constantly rehearse in my head what I'm going to say. This happens throughout the whole week.

6. Manuscript the Text

On Friday Mornings, I write out my manuscript. My basic manuscript outline consists of an: Introduction, Biblical Background Information, Main Proposition, Scripture Reading, Main Points, Summary, and Conclusion. With that Skeleton, I fill in the blanks with my outline and studies throughout the week. After filling stuff in and distracted by facebook, thegospel coalition, and other things, I look for illustrations on the internet or my personal journal to help explain my main points. My introductions are not as strong, but I will normally write it during this time. Same with my conclusion.

7. Pray Over the Text

After my manuscript is done, I pray that the Lord would use me to preach His Word. I get feelings of anxiety, depression, excitement, sorrow, discouragement, and comfort every week before I preach. I get anxious because I think, "Man I hope this is clear...." I get depressed at times because I don't live up to God's standards or dealing with personal sin throughout the week. I get excited by reminding myself of the gospel. I get discouragement from various trials of life and ministry. I find comfort from reminding myself that God converts the heart and I am merely an instrument who is called to be faithful. I also find great comfort from my wife.

8. Deliver the Text

Sunday morning comes and I am ready to go by 8:30. I teach Sunday School at 9 and print out my manuscript that morning. 10 minutes before the service starts, my wife prays for me and tells me, "My love, be simple, be clear, use illustrations! I love you!" As the hymn of preparation begins, I walk up to the pulpit asking that God would be glorified and Christ would be exalted by the power of the Holy Spirit. As I preach, the Lord uses me as his instrument and he has always been by my side.

9. Rest

After the closing prayer, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I trust God for the whole process and ask my wife if I was clear and if it went well. And of course, my wife always encourages me and tells me the Lord used me. I go home for my traditional afternoon nap and normally eat dinner with my wife and parents as I try to gospelize them. Monday morning comes and I repeat the process.