Tag: walking with God

Why Disciple-Making Must Begin with the Gospel

On By Jarrett Ray FletcherIn DiscipleshipLeave a comment

Today we launched a new discipleship group on my back porch at 6:45am. In our first meeting together, we carefully explained and studied the core message of the gospel. We began with God and His character, considered man’s need because of his sin, Christ’s righteous life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection, and the need for responding in repentance and faith. We discussed our individual experiences hearing, believing, and living the gospel. Though it may seem basic, starting any disciple-making effort must start with the gospel. Here’s why:

1. The gospel is the entry-point into life with God.

A disciple is someone who is following Jesus. Someone who is walking with God. The gospel is the message that brings us to God. The content of the gospel- Christ’s life, death, and resurrection- is the power of God to save (Romans 1:16). By believing it, we become sons and daughters of God, and begin a new life with God. We must start disciple-making with the gospel because it is quite literally the starting point of our lives with God.

2. The gospel is the foundation of walking with God.

Not only is the gospel the starting point of life with God, it is also the foundation of the believer’s future walk with God. We never outgrow our need for the gospel. Every day we are sinners in need of God’s grace. Every day we are recipients of God’s grace in Christ. Every day God sees us, not in our sin, but in the perfect righteousness of the Son.

Continue reading “Why Disciple-Making Must Begin with the Gospel” →

The Fear of God and the Blessing of Family

On By Jarrett Ray FletcherIn MiscellaneousLeave a comment

This will be a short post, but I want to give it a permanent place on my blog. One of the unexpected blessings I continue to receive as a pastor is the privilege of attending funerals of saints who have finished the race well. I have already been to one such funeral this week and will attend one more this weekend. These funerals remind me of what is important in life, namely faith and family (including both blood-relatives and church family).

At the funeral for Mr. Roy Ellis, a member of our church for over six decades who had five children, ten grandchildren, and seventeen great grandchildren, Psalm 128:1-4 was read:

“ Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,

who walks in his ways!

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;

    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

    within your house;

your children will be like olive shoots

    around your table.

Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

    who fears the Lord.”

Here’s what struck me as this verse was read in honor of this faithful husband, father, grandparent, and church member: God’s blessing for fearing Him is described in the context of the family. In other words, God desires to bless the man who walks in His ways, and one of His greatest blessings in life is family and enjoying God’s blessings with them. This blessing entails enjoying the fruits of one’s labor (v.2), but not for one’s self, but with his family- a fruitful wife and many children (v. 3). “Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.”

This, I believe, is the lesson, especially to men: don’t overlook the blessing of family. Don’t overlook the blessing of a wife. Don’t overlook the blessing of children. Rejoice in them, and praise God for them. THEY are His blessings to you. Be encouraged by this, and labor all the more to fear the Lord and walk with Him so that you may share the fruit of that labor with them!