Articles
“Relationships Within the Body” (July 27, 2011)
One of the most difficult issues in human relationships is forgiving an offense (cf. Gen. 32-33; Prov. 18:19). This is true for unbelievers in the world, and it is also true for believers within Christ’s Church. Christians, though, have a distinct advantage over those who remain in the world—we have the gracious example of the Lord Jesus Christ who forgave us so much (cf. Eph. 4:32; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; 3:18). Beyond that, we also have the Holy Spirit who dwells within each one of us and makes it possible to truly forgive past offenses (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16, 6:19-20). Because of these powerful truths Christians can and do forsake their sins, forgive one another of past offenses, forbear with current offenses, and forget the hurtful words and actions of others who have hurt them deeply. Let us give praise to God for all that He has done and continues to do in our lives!
Consider some wise counsel on this subject from two godly men…
From the Protestant Reformer, Dr. Martin Luther:
“Therefore a Christian should follow a different practice. When he sees the mote in his brother’s eye, he should go look at himself in the mirror before passing judgment. He will then find beams in his eye big enough to make hog troughs. Consequently he will have to say: What is this anyway? My neighbor has done this once in a quarter, a half, a whole year; but I have become so old and have never yet kept the commandments of our Lord God, yea, I transgress them every hour and moment. How can I be such a desperate rascal? My sins are nothing but large oaks, thirty feet tall; and I allow the paltry motes, the specks of dust in my brother’s eye, to irritate me more than my large beams! But this should not be. I must first see how to get rid of my own sins. This will keep me so busy that I shall forget about the motes.” (Martin Luther, What Luther Says, Weimar Edition 52, p. 524)
From the English Puritan, Thomas Watson:
Question: “How do we know when we have forgiven another?”
Answer: “When we resist all thoughts of revenge; when we will not do our enemy’s mischief, but wish well to them, grieve at their calamities, pray for them, seek reconciliation with them, and show ourselves ready on all occasions to come to their aid in distress.” Also… “We are not bound to trust an enemy; but we are bound to forgive him.” (Thomas Watson, Body of Divinity, Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, p. 581)
–Pastor Marcus Serven
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“CHEF Conference exceeds all expectations!” (June 24, 2011)
This year the CHEF Conference (June 21-22, 2011) in St. Charles, Missouri was as wonderful as it ever has been. By the way, C.H.E.F. stands for Christian Home Educators Fellowship. We met at the spacious St. Charles, MO Convention Center. This was a very nice setting for the 1000+ people who attended.
Organization & Speakers:
The Jon and Candy Summers family and their support team did a superlative job of organizing it, promoting it, and staffing it. The speakers were both challenging and encouraging. We heard rousing presentations from Voddie Baucham, Reb and Beverly Bradley, John Dwyer, Douglas Phillips, Bill Potter, and Herb Titus. What a line up!
Curriculum Fair:
Besides that, there was a full exhibit hall with over fifty vendors. Our own family ministry, the Genevan Foundation for Cultural Renewal, had a booth at the conference where we sought to encourage the recovery of family discipleship and promote resources for family worship—Hymnals, Psalters, and instructional CD’s. Most of our church families were in attendance as well, so that it was a joy to run into dear friends throughout the conference.
Lots of Books!
For me one of the great blessings of a gathering like this is in being able to peruse the wares of all the book vendors. I picked up two helpful volumes on family discipleship: (1) Family Religion, by Matthew Henry (Christian Focus Publications), and (2) The Godly Home, by Richard Baxter (Crossway). Both are reprints from the Puritan era and contain a wealth of practical instruction. Here are a few thoughtful quotes on training children from Matthew Henry,
“Let parents and governors of families make conscience of instructing their children, and servants, in the forms of sound words…Tell them why you read the Bible with so much veneration…Tell them why you make conscience praying to God so solemnly every day…Tell them why you observe the Lord’s day, and make such a difference between that and other days…Especially tell them of their baptism…Tell them of the corruption of their nature, which needed cleansing; and of the grace of God in Christ, in which there is cleansing virtue.” (Matthew Henry, Family Religion, 92)
“It is good to have an interest in the prayers of those who are of the spiritual seed of Jacob, that seek God and know how to wrestle with him, and to improve that interest for ourselves and our children…A treasury of prayers laid up for our children may stand them in better stead than thousands of pieces of gold and silver laid up for them.” (Matthew Henry, Family Religion, 99)
This is good and earnest advice from a godly man. I thank God for the CHEF Conference and the abundant resources and wise speakers that are made available every year.
–Pastor Marcus Serven
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“Men’s Advance–A Brief Report” (March 22, 2011)
Attendance and Speaking Times:
This year we had ninety-seven men and boys attend the Men’s Advance (Feb. 25-26th). I was very pleased with the turnout. Moreover, it was a great privilege for me to work with Dr. Derek Carlsen. He exemplified the doctrine of “Perseverance” through the way in which he met the difficult challenges of his own life—these he related to us with several gripping stories. Especially interesting was his bold and principled stand against tyranny within his native country of Zimbabwe. All six talks are listed on Sermon Audio. You can find the link here. I truly hope you enjoy them!
Mrs. Elise Carlsen, Derek’s wife, also spoke with our wives and daughters at a special gathering at my home on Saturday afternoon. Elise challenged the women to trust God in the midst of persecution, suffering, and trials. As you might imagine this is not easy thing to do, but Elise illustrated this kind of trusting attitude from the events of her own life! It was quite powerful.
Discussion Groups:
One aspect of the Men’s Advance that makes it very different from many other Christian conferences is the group discussion that follows every session. Our discussion groups were led by Al, Bill, Chris, Dan, Jeff, and Paul. In these six groups the men and boys weren’t allowed to simply “sit and soak”, but were encouraged to apply all that they had heard. In short, we learned how to persevere in our own personal faith, in our own homes, and in God’s kingdom work—especially when life gets difficult.
Excellent Meals:
Besides the speaking times, we had some excellent food. From my informal survey I learned that most of the fathers enjoyed the Beef Stroganoff with garlic-roasted green beans that we were served on Saturday evening. Whereas the boys enjoyed the deep-dish pizza we received on Friday night. At all four meals there was an abundance of food and extra side dishes—salads, rolls, salsa, tortillas, vegetables, and deserts. No one went away hungry! Special thanks go to Angie, Beth, Carrie, Cheryl, and the dynamic duo of Melissa TD and Melissa W. There were lots of kitchen helpers this year—both young and old—to assist in the serving and clean-up. Thank you one and all!
Family Concert:
As we already knew from 2009, the concert with the Lautenschlager family on Saturday night would be superb—and it surely was! They led out with a number of hand-clapping and knee-slapping American folk songs and concluded with several bluegrass favorites (ie: “The Orange Blossom Special”). I noticed that there were lots of budding young musicians crowded around Daniel, Katie, Shoney, and Zach after the concert asking questions. The closing dinner and concert drew well over two hundred twenty-five people. It was a fine conclusion to our whole event.
I will post the important details for next year’s Men’s Advance (2012) later in the springtime–dates, theme, and speakers. Be on the look out!
–-Pastor Marcus Serven
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“Men’s Advance–What Are the Talks About?” (January 27, 2011)
Our 2011 Men’s Advance is now just one month away! Some men who attended the 2010 Men’s Advance recently asked me the question—“What are the talks about this year?” The main theme for this year’s conference is “Perseverance—in your life, in your home, and in God’s kingdom work”.
Specifically, we are going to address the importance of perseverance and how it relates to the disciplines and demands of the Christian life, how you can trust in the sufficiency of Scripture to solve broken relationships within your own home, and how you can work hard in God’s ever-expanding kingdom with a grateful heart.
The doctrine of “Perseverance” has some related subjects that will be addressed as well—personal assurance, back-sliding, endurance, fruit-bearing, gratitude, pleasing God, and the security of the Believer. Besides hearing the talks, we will give ample opportunity to discuss and apply these important concepts in small groups throughout the Men’s Advance.
Below you will find the titles for each one of our talks and the key Bible passages.
Friday Evening, February 25th, 2011 “Perseverance—in your life”
Session #1 - Marcus Serven, “Kept by the Power of God”, Key Texts: John 10:28-29; Phil. 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5, 9
Session #2 - Derek Carlsen, “Bearing Fruit and Pleasing God”, Key Texts: Matthew 7:15-20; John 15:5-8; Colossians 1:9-14
Saturday Morning, February 26th, 2011 “Perseverance—in your home”
Session #3 - Derek Carlsen, “Loving Servant Leadership in the Home”, Key Texts: John 13:1-20; Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3:7
Session #4 - Marcus Serven, “Child-Training and Discipline in the Home”, Key Texts: Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Psalm 78:4-7; numerous Proverbs; Ephesians 6:4
Saturday Afternoon, February 26th, 2011 “Perseverance—in God’s kingdom work”
Session #5 - Derek Carlsen, “Seek First the Kingdom of God”, Key Texts: 1 Kings 3:10-14; Matthew 6:33; Mark 10:29-30; Colossians 3:17
Session #6 - Marcus Serven, “Enduring to the End”, Key Texts: Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Philippians 2:12-13; 2 Peter 1:10
Sunday Afternoon, February 27th, 2011 (1:00-3:30 PM)
Worship Service at Covenant Family Church - Derek Carlsen preaching, Key Texts: John 21:1-19 and Isaiah 66:1-2
I certainly hope you can attend this year’s conference! You can register online as well as by mail. Make sure you do so before February 6th to receive the early-bird price of $60/person.
–-Pastor Marcus Serven
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“Why a Men’s Leadership Advance?” (January 7, 2011)
This is a good question and it deserves a thoughtful answer. The reason we call our men’s conference an advance is because as Christians we are determined to not retreat. Instead, we are committed to advance through time with the Gospel of Jesus Christ knowing full well that Christ will be victorious over all of his enemies. It is good for us to reflect upon these Scriptural statements from King David, our Lord, and the Apostles:
–Psalm 110:1 “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’.”
–Matthew 16:18b “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
–1 Corinthians 16:13-14 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”
–2 Corinthians 10:5 “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
–1 John 4:4 “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Bible passages like these give strength and resolve to Christians. Each one is significant in its own way in shaping the Christian life. Therefore, the vision for our Men’s Leadership Advance is to educate and encourage Christian men to fulfill their God-given calling as leaders in the home, and to better prepare them to serve as leaders within Christ’s Church.
–-Pastor Marcus Serven
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“A Firm Foundation” (December 7, 2010)
What does the Bible say about itself? To me, this is a fascinating subject because it shows the strong foundation that our faith rests upon. Moreover, it is good for us to recall that these are God’s very own words about his book and they demonstrate the self-authenticating nature of the Bible. For example,
– Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
– Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
– Isaiah 55:10-11 “…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
– John 10:35b “…and Scripture cannot be broken.” (quoting from Ps. 82:6)
– John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
– 2 Timothy 2:9 “But the word of God is not bound!”
– 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
– Hebrew 4:12-13 “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.”
I hope you enjoy these stirring references from the pages of Holy Scripture. More passages could be listed, but suffice it to say these particular ones give the Christian some idea of the strength of our spiritual foundation. We have a firm foundation, indeed!
–Pastor Marcus Serven