<![CDATA[Southwest Christian Church - Blog]]>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:29:46 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Christ and kirk: pastoral reflections]]>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 03:53:39 GMThttps://www.southwestchristianchurch.org/blog/christ-and-kirk-pastoral-reflectionsAs a church, the elders have decided to help us all think through the assassination of Charlie Kirk from Scripture. We hope this serves you and your families well. The document is attached below.
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​Grace and peace.
]]><![CDATA[God moves in a mysterious way]]>Mon, 19 May 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.southwestchristianchurch.org/blog/god-moves-in-a-mysterious-waySinging Truth
God's providence is his meticulous sovereignty in the world as he works to unfold his purposes through, against, by, or without normal means (Westminister Confession). In Genesis 45, several times Joseph attributes to God's sovereign providence that "sent" him and moved him to where he is now, even though it was the repeated, sinful acts of evil men doing the willing and acting.
God has made us a singing people -- and one of the most treasured hymns for you to sing in the midst of deep difficulty that is rich with biblical truth is William Cowper's (pronounced Cooper) famous hymn from the 18th Century called, God Moves in a Mysterious Way. Enjoy.

God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform;
he plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines, of never-failing skill;
​he fashions up his bright designs, and works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints fresh courage take,
the clouds that you much dread,
are big with mercy and will break 
​in blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
but trust him for his grace;
behind a frowning providence,
he hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
unfolding every hour;
the bud may have a bitter taste,
but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
and scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
and he will make it plain.
]]><![CDATA[Making friends with your brother's assassin]]>Thu, 24 Apr 2025 20:02:32 GMThttps://www.southwestchristianchurch.org/blog/making-friends-with-your-brothers-assassinConsorting With the Enemy
Few sermons are easy to remember. But illustrations are easy to remember. It is a rare gravity of some preacher's to paint such pictures of biblical truth, we cannot but think of them constantly.

Below is one of the most gripping illustrations about sin from Charles Spurgeon: 

​Let us abhor the sin which brought such agony upon our beloved Lord. What an accursed thing is sin, which crucified the Lord Jesus! Do you laugh at it? Will you go and spend an evening to see a mimic performance of it? Do you roll sin under your tongue as a sweet morsel, and then come to God’s house, on the Lord’s-day morning, and think to worship him? Worship him! Worship him, with sin indulged in your breast! Worship him, with sin loved and pampered in your life!

O sirs, if I had a dear brother who had been murdered, what would you think of me if I valued the knife which had been crimsoned with his blood? —if I made a friend of the murderer, and daily consorted with the assassin, who drove the dagger into my brother’s heart? Surely I, too, must be an accomplice in the crime! Sin murdered Christ; will you be a friend to it? Sin pierced the heart of the Incarnate God; can you love it? Oh, that there was an abyss as deep as Christ’s misery, that I might at once hurl this dagger of sin into its depths, whence it might never be brought to light again! 

(Taken from Lama Sabacthani?, a sermon on Matthew 27:46, preached on March 2nd, 1890, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.)
]]><![CDATA[is church membership biblical?]]>Fri, 07 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.southwestchristianchurch.org/blog/is-church-membership-biblical
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This Sheep Was Born [Again] There
It was the the Lord Jesus, the good shepherd (cf. Psalm 23) who says in John 10 that the "sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name," (John 10:3). Jesus Christ is Yahweh -- the same God who spoke that he came for his sheep in Ezekiel 34:11-16 (cf. John 10:3-16).

It has been the consistent model of God's redemptive history that he would know each of his covenant people and that they would know him -- and know each other (Genesis 1-2; Numbers 1:1-2). The Exodus narrative shows the Lord appointing leaders to for his people (Exodus 18:21; Deut. 1:13-15). And in the New Testament, God has given under-shepherds to shepherd, tend, and lead his people (1 Peter 5:1-5; see 1 Timothy 3:1ff, Titus 1:5ff).
The Psalmist helpfully states, "The LORD records as he registers the peoples, 'This one was born there.' Selah," (Psalm 87:6).

Church membership is the new covenant way that the Lord can cause sinners to be born again, turning goats into sheep so that his under-shepherds of the church can recognize, "This sheep was born [again] there."

The New Testament and Church Membership
Where does the New Testament explicitly state, imply, or necessitate church membership as the normative, healthy model for the local church?
  • Matthew 18:15-17, "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
    • Who is the identifiable gathered group of believers who are fitted and able to deal with unrepentant sin if not the members of that body? Or do we tell it to any old church in the area? Church discipline requires in-house family matters (members; cf. 1 Cor. 5:12-13).
  •  Hebrews 13:17, "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you."
    • What group of Christians is a pastor accountable for if not those who is regularly entrusted with, interacting with, and tending like a shepherd? The same group of believers that regulalry sees his life and hears his preaching (Hebrews 13:7).
  • Acts 2:37-47 shows that as the Lord gave the growth to those whom he saved, Luke shows us that they recorded the number.
    • This same body was involved in choosing the deacons (Acts 6:1-6) as a congregation, and it is these for whom their leaders are to care for as God's flock (cf. 1 Peter 5:1-5).
  • Romans 16:1-16 may as well be the church roster for those in Rome that Paul knows by name.
  • 1 Timothy 5:3-16 cannot be obeyed or useful if there is no specific group of members to be "enrolled" in to qualify for church-member care

Matt Chandler helpfully summarized, "Local church membership is a question of biblical obedience, not personal preference.
]]><![CDATA[A warning of worldliness]]>Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:43:02 GMThttps://www.southwestchristianchurch.org/blog/a-warning-of-worldlinessDo Not Love the World
It may sound confusing at first, but the Bible tells us to not love the world (1 John 2:15)...but doesn't John also write elsewhere that "God so loved the world" in John 3:16? The same author?
The Apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit uses the same word with different contextual definitions that are easily seen. The Greek word Kosmos in at least 10 different ways in the gospel of John alone: 
  • The created universe (John 1:10, 17:5), the physical earth (John 13:1, 21:25), the world system (John. 12:31, 14:30, 16:11), the mass of humanity except believers (John 7:7, 15:8).
  • A large group of people, but not everyone (John 12:19), the elect (John 3:17), the non-elect (John 17:9), the realm of mankind (also John 1:10, 3:16), Jews/Gentiles (John 4:42), the public (John 7:3-4).

Just as if you said the word bark: do you mean what dogs do, what trees have, or holiday chocolate?

It is the definition of the world system that 1 John 2:15-17 is employing. And it is in that warning that I hope you are fed by one of the Puritans (a personal favorite) of old, Thomas Watson. Enjoy:
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“O the hazard of honor, the damage of prosperity! Pride, lust, and worldliness, are the three worms which breed in prosperity. (De. 32:15) The pastures of prosperity are dangerous. How soon are we      ensnared upon the soft pillow of ease! Prosperity is often a trumpet which sounds a retreat—it calls men off from the pursuit of religion. The sun of prosperity often dulls and puts out the fire of piety!

“The world is full of golden sands, but they are quick-sands! Prosperity, like smooth Jacob, will supplant and betray! A great estate, without much vigilance -- will be a thief to rob us of heaven! 
Adam in paradise was overcome, when Job on the dung-hill was a conqueror. Samson fell asleep in Delilah's lap. Just so, some have fallen so fast asleep on the lap of ease and plenty, that they have never awaked until they have been in hell! 

“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" (Lu. 18:24) His golden weights keep him from ascending up the hill of God! And shall we not be content, though we are placed in a lower orb? What if we have not as much of the world, as others do? We are not in so much danger! As we lack the riches of the world, so we lack their temptations. O the abundance of danger—which is in abundance!”
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1 John 2:15-17, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
]]><![CDATA[10 quotes on prayer]]>Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:10:04 GMThttps://www.southwestchristianchurch.org/blog/10-quotes-on-prayerThe Throne of Grace
In Hebrews 4:16, we are told to come to the sovereign Lord's throne with boldness and access in prayer. And in a similar manner, James 4 promises that if we "draw near to God," our God will "draw near to you," (James 4:8). What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

So, here are 10 quotes on prayer to ignite and encourage your prayer life:
  1. D.A. Carson, "All of us would be wiser if we would resolve never to put people down, except on our prayer lists."
  2. Charles Spurgeon, "Anything is a blessing which makes us pray."
  3. Robert Murray McCheyne, "God will either give you what you ask, or something far better."
  4. A.W. Pink, "The measure of our love for others can largely be determined by the frequency and earnestness of our prayers for them."
  5. Thomas Brooks, "God’s hearing of our prayers doth not depend upon sanctification, but upon Christ’s intercession; not upon what we are in ourselves, but what we are in the Lord Jesus."
  6. Jerry Bridges, "Prayer is the most tangible expression of trust in God."
  7. John Piper, "Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. Prayer humbles us as needy, and exalts God as wealthy."
  8. J.C. Ryle, "Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you."
  9. John Bunyan, "The truths that I know best I have learned on my knees. I never know a thing well, till it is burned into my heart by prayer."
  10. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer."

As the word of the Lord commands us, "Pray without ceasing," (1 Thess. 5:17)]]><![CDATA[Don't waste your life]]>Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:49:44 GMThttps://www.southwestchristianchurch.org/blog/dont-waste-your-lifeJames 4:14b, "For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." 

Probably one of the most impactful sermon of my Christian life. I can still remember watching this recorded sermon over a decade ago and being gripped by these truths. Don't waste your life:
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