Free to Serve

Sermon Study Guide - 2 Timothy 3:1-9

We don't talk about false teaching nearly as much as the Bible does. From Jesus' prophecies about the end times in Matthew 24 to nearly all of Paul's epistles, false teaching is a reality we are warned against. 

This is certainly the case in 2 Timothy. Not only should we be on the lookout for false teachers, we should be tending to our own heart, making sure that we are spiritually mature. 

I pray that this study guide through 2 Timothy 3:1-9 is of help to you.

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Happy Birthday MVBC

It was on October 11, 1959 that Mount Vernon Baptist Church was born.

A small group of Christians actually hatched plans for the church in March of 1956. They sought the help of Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, they reached out to other Christians in the area of Mount Vernon Highway and Powers Ferry Road, and they prayed . In July of 1956 they purchased 21 acres of land, but it would be years before they built a meeting place.

In the meantime, they gathered as Mount Vernon Chapel at James L. Riley Elementary School--58 yeas ago today. Dr. Monroe Swilley, the pastor of Second Ponce preached the first service, and 32 people signed up to join what they called a mission (we would call it a church plant).

For a few months the mission was served by various men: James L. Baggott of the Atlanta Association, Frank Hopper, and J. B. Lawrence, previously of the Home Mission Board (now the North American Mission Board). But in November of 1957 the members of this small church plant called Forrest Garrard, Jr. to lead them.

Garrard labored and preached and the mission grew. In October of 1957 Mount Vernon Chapel had 83 members, but when they were ready to constitute as a church two years later, that small group had swelled to 232. 

If you were at the James L. Riley Elementary School that Sunday in 1959 when the chapel became a church you would have listened to Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." Then you would have stood up and sung Fanny Crosby's "To God Be the Glory." After prayer and preaching you would have sung one final hymn, "Onward Christian Soldiers," by Sabine Baring-Gould. The famous anthem concludes with these words:

Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,

Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song;

Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King;

This through countless ages men and angels sing.

55 years later, we are still a happy throng, and we are still singing. By the grace of God, Mount Vernon has held tightly to the gospel of God's great grace. We exist for his infinite glory. We long to see our neighbors reached for Christ. We humbly expect God to do amazing things in us and through us. Until the Lord comes again, we will do what we have always done: we will preach, we will pray, we will pursue lives of holiness, and we will wait for Christ's return.

Happy Birthday, MVBC.

 

Greg Gilbert in Atlanta

Greg Gilbert is coming to Atlanta. He's speaking on 21st Century Challenges to the Gospel this Saturday night, starting at 7pm. Sunday morning he'll be preaching from Ezekiel 1-3. Both events are at Mount Vernon Baptist Church.

He's the pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, KY. He's the author of What is the Gospel?, What is the Mission of the Church?, and Preach. 

I'm thankful to have served with Greg in Louisville. I've seen his heart for the church, his robust defense of the Christian faith, and his commitment to see the gospel reach the nations. If you can, join us this weekend, and pray that the time is fruitful.

Sermon Study Guide: 2 Timothy 2:14-26

It's childish to think a new day demands a new message. And yet that's exactly what we see today as immature Christians shave off parts of the gospel message to make it more palatable to an unbelieving world. Every generation has its false teachers--those who change, ignore, subtract from, or add to the gospel with the hope of being more effective. 

In this week's sermon study guide, we are give sound instruction from Paul about what false teaching is and how we are called to resist it.

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Everyday evangelism

Doctors are encouraged when they correctly diagnosis a patient. Lawyers are encouraged when they find just the right precedent. Plumbers are encouraged when they have all the necessary parts needed to fix the drain. Athletes are encouraged when they place in the race. 

What encourages pastors? TONS of things! I'm encouraged when I hear how people are trusting in Christ through the fire. I'm encouraged to see church members fold newcomers into their lives. I'm encouraged when believers sacrifice of their time and money to take a short-term missions trip. I'm encouraged when a dad tells me he's started reading the Bible faithfully to his kids. I'm encouraged when people ask me specific questions about a sermon (it means they were listening!). I'm encouraged by so many things.

But what encourages me most? Truth be told, the answer to this question may change from day to day. But today, I'm most encouraged when I see people strategize different ways to share the gospel with people in their lives. Maybe they are looking to have a neighbor over for dinner. They might be praying about having a hard conversation with a parent. They may be studying hard to learn how to lead an evangelistic Bible study in their home.

When Christians live this way, it must be due to the fact that God is real and His gospel is precious to them. They have decided not to leave the evangelism up to Sunday morning preacher, or the gifted evangelist, but they've simply taken it upon themsleves to be salt and light wherever they are. There is nothing particularly radical about this life--it's simply being a normal Christian sharing a beautiful Word in a hostile world.