Ep. 89 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin Chapter 13 Part 2

 Episode 89

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 13 Part 2

Ep. 88 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Chapter 13 Part 1

 Episode 88

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 13 Part 1

Entertainers of Goats

While others shelve the Scriptures to become entertainers of goats rather than feeders of sheep, we must declare with William Still, "Let goats entertain goats, and let them do it out in goat-land"! A pastor must feed his flock with "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27) as one who knows that the Bible, as is the Christ it reveals, is true food and drink (cf. John 6:55), both for his people and also for himself. Show me a pastor for whom the Bible is the song of his heart and the source of his deepest convictions, and I will show you a pastor who speaks with the power of heave behind his words, yet who walks in a spirit of humility and in utter dependence on God.

William R. Edwards, Theology for Ministry: How Doctrine Affects Pastoral Life and Practice

The Call of the Wild - Chapter 6 - For the Love of a Man

 The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Chapter 6 For the Love of a Man

Ep. 87 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin Chapter 12 Part 3

 Episode 87

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 12 Part 3

Pride Month Resources for the Church

 7 Pride Month Resources for the Christian Community 

The Gospel Coalition (Canada) recently published an article sharing resources for Pride Month. (You can read that article by clicking here.) This, along with the onslaught of pride-related images, posts, updates, and shares, got me to thinking that I ought to put some resources out there for my Edgewood Church family as they navigate pride month, pride fests, and pride coalitions, along with the proud people promoting these things. It has become increasingly important for me, as a pastor, to consider what I can do to shepherd the flock of God in all faithfulness so that when the Chief Shepherd appears, I might receive the crown of glory (see 1 Peter 5:1-4).  

This shepherding duty is not one that I take lightly. And now with people professing to know the truth and desiring to be teachers, but not having "...understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions." (See 1 Timothy 1:7), the job of defending the faith is one that requires two voices... as John Calvin says, "The Pastor ought to have two voices, one, for gathering the sheep, and another, for driving away wolves."

image via https://www.reftoons.com/ 

Being a bi-vocational pastor, I don't always have the time or the energy to deploy both voices as often as they are needed. This means that sometimes my best option is to point the sheep to the best watering holes and the richest pastures. Specifically, places where other shepherds have taken their flocks or where I've seen other sheep come away stuffed with a marvelous feast. So, here are a few of those bountiful places to graze, especially if you are famished or starving for some genuine food.

Reclaim the Rainbow by Bryson Gray, Shemeka Michelle, Jimmy Levy