In several days the Olympics will begin in Vancouver, British Columbia. Athletes from around the world will compete in various winter sports, each seeking a gold medal.

Throughout Scripture, the Christian life is often compared to athletic events, giving us insights into how we can finish our race with joy. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14).

Allow me to share a few thoughts with you that I have been pondering this morning about the race the Lord has given me to run:

1. I must continuously look to Jesus as my goal.

In the Christian race, my main objective must never be the approval of men, keeping godly standards, or following a particular creed. While the encouragement of fellow Christians is a blessing, and biblical standards and creeds are needed, these are simply meant to be landmarks guiding me along my way to pleasing Christ. (more…)

As an independent Baptist pastor, I’m encouraged with the potential our churches have to reach an eroding society with the truth of the Gospel. As we are careful to maintain doctrinal integrity and biblical separation, the truth of God’s Word is given freedom to change lives for the glory of God. But sometimes we limit our influence by pettiness and strife.

This podcast lesson is my heart’s plea to independent Baptist pastors and leaders to see our potential reached by obeying the admonition of Philippians 1:27: “…that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

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We’ve added a special feature to this lesson (originally preached at the Spiritual Leadership Conference this past summer): in-studio Q&A at the beginning and end of the lesson in which I answer the following questions:

• What excites you about what God is doing in our local churches today?
• What burdens you about the movement in independent Baptist churches today?
• What is most needed from the younger leaders in local churches today?
• What is most needed from the older leaders in our local churches?
• Most of our listeners know that you’ve been dealing with a trial as your son Larry has been battling cancer these last couple of months. What has God’s been doing in his life during this time?

We are ministering in the last days. Now is the time to strive together—young and old, east and west—for repentance and revival in our land. This is not the time to marginalize, but to march together holding high the banner of truth.

The Spiritual Leadership podcast is a free resource from Striving Together Publications (a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church and West Coast Baptist College).

You can subscribe to this podcast through iTunes and listen on your computer or iPod. You can also receive the complimentary outline with each lesson. Click here for more information about subscribing to the outline.

One of the highlights of the year at Lancaster Baptist Church is our annual winter revival with Dr. John Goetsch. I look forward these meetings every year—both for my own spiritual growth and for the growth it brings in the lives of our people. Several days of concentrated meetings are spiritually fruitful because the culmination of attending each evening allows the preaching of God’s Word to gain momentum in our lives as we press on in spiritual battle.

Dr. Goetsch preached on the theme of “Humanly Impossible,” and each service highlighted God’s ability to overcome the humanly impossible strongholds in our lives and give us victory through Christ. The messages (audio and video) are posted at http://preaching.lancasterbaptist.org/winter-revival-by-his-spirit. You will be blessed, convicted, challenged, and encouraged by them.

I rejoice in the privilege of knowing and serving a God with whom nothing is impossible! Please continue to pray for Larry’s healing and for his strength during these weeks of chemotherapy treatments.

I must admit I had never anticipated that words like cancer, surgery, or chemotherapy would be a part of our everyday, family vocabulary. Yet, in the past several weeks by God’s sovereign plan, we have seen our son Larry endure two major surgeries, and he is now preparing for chemotherapy treatments that will begin this Monday, January 25.

As a pastor, I have prayed for grace to remain steady in preaching and ministering to our flock. I thank the Lord for the tremendous assistance from our staff and the overall daily ministry provided through our church family.

As a father, these have been times of tears and trust, and occasionally times of fear and then faith. Overall, I know that God is working in my heart in many ways to perform His will. It is my daily prayer, along with my wife Terrie’s, that He will grant us grace to trust Him more.

For Larry, I am sure there have been times of apprehension, but overall I sense a spirit of grace and trust that has been a tremendous testimony of his walk with Christ. Larry and Ashley have displayed a confidence in the Lord that has been such a great blessing for our family to observe.

The Bible says in Romans 8:28–29, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” While I feel it may be premature to share many of the lessons God has spoken into my heart during this time, there is no doubt that all of these things are according to His purpose and for the forming of our lives for His honor and glory. Moments of extreme difficulty have only reminded us of how greatly we need the Lord. (more…)

The title of the January edition of the Striving Together podcast is the same as our church theme for 2010: By His Spirit.

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In Zechariah 4:6, God  reminds us that what we accomplish for Him is, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” I’m looking forward to what the Lord will do through His people this year by His Spirit, and I pray this podcast will encourage you to attempt great things for God.

The Spiritual Leadership podcast is a free resource from Striving Together Publications (a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church and West Coast Baptist College).

You can subscribe to this podcast through iTunes and listen on your computer or iPod. You can also receive the complimentary outline with each lesson. Click here for more information about subscribing to the outline.