Yes, I quite literally said this last Sunday in my sermon: "Easter Sunday is an assault on the resurrection.”

You can listen to that sermon here: https://-JVZ8T5.subspla.sh/xnk3skm

You might be reading this because you already understand what I am arguing for. Or you might be the victim of clickbait. I think clickbait can be quite a perverse thing most of the time, but the science behind it is, admittedly, quite genius.

Now that I have your ear (or eye), follow me for a moment. Let me restate the statement with some nuance.

Easter Sunday, as we know it in modern-day 2025—with the influence of Big Eva and all her pragmatism—you know, the smoke, the lights, the Easter bunny, the egg hunts, the flyer invitations, and so on—is an assault on the resurrection of Christ and its biblical implications, particularly the establishment of the weekly Lord’s Day gathering and the daily power available to all Spirit-filled believers.

Have you heard the phrase, "you've been sold a bill of goods"? The expression originated in the days when merchants sold goods shipped by boat. They would promise that the goods were guaranteed, but when the shipment arrived, the items were either missing or not what the buyer had paid for. In other words, they were deceived and misled into purchasing something that turned out not to be what they expected.

So here it is: You have been told that Easter was about Christ’s resurrection, but really you've been sold a bill of goods. Sadly, this is what many have been handed regarding Easter Sunday—not the rich, ongoing reality of the resurrection that shapes every Lord’s Day, but a substitute tradition that falls short of what Scripture teaches. Therefore, if the true biblical meaning is the resurrection and its implications, then the modern application of Easter Sunday is an assault on the biblical resurrection of Christ and its implications. We should think deeply and critically about this topic. We should not just so passively adopt the practices of the day.

I am not completely against annual celebrations like Easter and Christmas. In fact, even biblically there were annual celebrations that were observed (i.e., the different feasts, Passover, Pentecost, etc.). Not to mention that I highly value tradition rooted in church history. But I am afraid that the modern-day practice of Easter falls short in nearly every way, and I think there is a better way.

I realize writing an article like this brings plenty of potential scrutiny against my position. I admit my position is not foolproof. I do not intend to “throw the [proverbial] baby out with the bathwater,” but I do think this is one of the fruits of pragmatism which has rotted the church from the outside in.

This article is a critique of the “system” or "philosophy" known as pragmatism, which most evangelical churches have adopted, and it is to blame—in part at least—for a lot of spiritual lethargy in the church. Pragmatism is simply the philosophy of “if it works, then let’s do it.” Some would say that I am mischaracterizing them, their views, and their practices. I am positive that many good pragmatic Christians would not participate in a pragmatism that embraces evil practices, although there are some who do. The pragmatists I am mentioning are the ones who would say things like, “the Bible doesn’t forbid it, so therefore we are free to do it.” However, I believe there is a better way that is not flashy. In fact, it will seem quite boring in comparison. But I believe it is better and will anchor your soul in a more profound way than the false counterpart known as pragmatism.

Pragmatism draws you in like a Venus flytrap. At first glance, it appears attractive—its colors vibrant, its nectar sweet, promising life and growth. But beneath the surface, it’s a trap. What seems effective and appealing slowly closes in, suffocating true dependence on God’s Word and devouring the very life it claimed to offer.

So where do we go from here? Am I arguing that no church should put emphasis on the resurrection once a year in the Spring? No. Am I saying to ignore the fact that lost people are more prone to come to Easter (& Christmas) services than any other service during the year? No. Am I saying to scorn any church that does these things? No.

It amazes me how apt we are as Christians to go to church on Easter and be fully engaged. During “Holy Week,” perhaps we have been to other services, read an Easter devotional, participated in Lent, and seen everyone post on Facebook that “Sunday is coming!” We are absolutely ready to worship. The pastor gets up and says, “Christ the Lord is Risen!” and we respond with a hearty, “Indeed, He is Risen!” We sing with full heart and throat the third verse of In Christ Alone:

There in the ground His body lay,
 Light of the world by darkness slain:
 Then bursting forth in glorious Day
 Up from the grave He rose again!
 And as He stands in victory
 Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
 For I am His and He is mine—
 Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

The pastor gets up and preaches, and we are taking notes, confirming all that he is saying about the resurrection with plenty of out-loud moans of agreement and “amens.”
And then next Sunday comes. We show up late. We haven't really read our Bible that week. We’ve had arguments with our spouse, etc. We listen and are trying our best, but our hearts are really struggling. We sing, but if we are honest, our hearts are not in it and we are almost just moving our lips to the hymn. When the sermon is being preached, we catch bits and pieces, but our minds wander.

Which of these two Sundays is preferable? Obviously the first one. But which of these Sundays is normative? Probably the second. However, I think there is a third type of Sunday that actually sounds a lot like the second one—yet without the guilt that you are not giving your all to God.

See, we are to live in the power of the resurrection. Unfortunately, the modern practice of Easter Sunday creates an atmosphere of a mountain top experience (which is great for one week) and then leaves us in the valley every other week.

There is a better way! Every Sunday, whether it is a mountain top or valley kind of week, the power of the resurrection still applies to you and your worship of God. The whole point of 1 Corinthians 15 is that if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then we have no hope. But in fact, Christ was raised from the dead! So we should have hope in all circumstances, not just the valleys.

The power of the resurrection is a consistent stream of power to the Christian, and we should daily remind ourselves of this. Don’t let the temptation of mountain top experiences drive your Christian life. Mountain top experiences promise a lot and produce very little. You cannot be sustained by these things. Therefore, be committed to tapping into the power of the resurrection consistently.

This is a continuation of the previous point, but I will make it another way. Much like Easter Sunday is an assault on the resurrection, Valentine’s Day is an assault on true marital love.
What spouse wants to have the greatest day of their life on Valentine’s Day while living a mundane, below-average life every other day of their marriage? I would argue none. Spouses want consistent and growing affection, and that takes consistent effort. Valentine’s Day should not be the greatest day of your marriage.

Perhaps I am a little brainwashed here by my mother—rightfully so, might I add. My mom is a saint. She is selfless and loves to serve others. Well, this causes issues on Mother’s Day each year when it is time to celebrate her. As long as I can remember, every year on Mother’s Day, in response to gifts, warm wishes, and more, she will respond by saying, “Every day is Mother’s Day for me!”

Well, well, Mom! I think you are on to something. Perhaps we should say, “Every day is resurrection day for me!” Or at the very least, “Every Lord’s Day is resurrection day for me!”

The 1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 22: On Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day reads:
“It is the law of nature that in general a portion of time specified by God should be set apart for the worship of God. So by his Word, in a positive-moral and perpetual commandment that obligates everyone in every age, he has specifically appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy to him. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, the appointed day was the last day of the week. After the resurrection of Christ it was changed to the first day of the week, which is called the Lord’s Day. This day is to be kept to the end of the age as the Christian Sabbath, since the observance of the last day of the week has been abolished.”

So dear Christian, as you worship on the Lord’s Day, remember that you are doing so because this is the day that Christ rose from the grave!

The truth about the church, as it pertains to unnecessary pragmatism, is this: we have no obligation to do the pragmatic functions. Or let me propose a question: what must worship look like on what is known as Easter Sunday?

To be a biblical church that seeks to make an impact for the kingdom of God in the community in which God has placed them does not have to include the following:

• A sermon specific to the resurrection
  
  
• An emphasis on inviting friends and family for a special service
  
  
• “Outreach” ideas like an Easter Egg Hunt, etc.
  
  

If a Christian thinks these things are mandatory, then they have been enticed, lured, and eaten by the Venus flytrap of pragmatism.

On the other hand, a church can be a biblical church that seeks to make an impact for the kingdom of God in its community and have its service on Resurrection Sunday look like every other Sunday. Is He not risen every other Sunday? If so, then I am confused about why Easter Sunday is such a hype in the modern church when the resurrection is the hype of every moment for the born-again believer.

Notice that I have used intentional terms here that are important to understanding the conscience. They are terms of absoluteness like must, mandatory, or have to. Pragmatism binds the conscience to these things by saying if you do not do them, then you are not truly seeking to reach the lost and have an impact. This is simply not true.

In fact, what pragmatism has done is pervert the doctrine of the church, otherwise known as ecclesiology. What is the church's purpose? What are its functions? Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 14 that the church is a gathering for the edification of believers, not lost people. But he says that if lost people come into the gathering, then they should fall on their faces and worship God. Pragmatism reverses these things in many cases. It prioritizes and even binds the conscience to appeal to the lost person as primary. This is backwards from what the Bible teaches.

Therefore, it binds the conscience to unnecessary things—things that are not mandatory by any measure of the truth.

• Walk daily in the power of the resurrection.
  •  Give your mornings to God. Read, pray, meditate on the Scriptures and the character of God daily. Do this in the power of the resurrection—it is a fountain flowing deep and wide for you.
    
    
  • Give your days to men.
     Spend time with people who will help develop, challenge, and build your convictions as you walk in the power of the resurrection to kill sin and grow in holiness. It is good to have people who strengthen your convictions by agreeing with you, but also good to have people around you who challenge your convictions, which will in turn either strengthen them or destroy them.
    
    
  • Give your life to the church.
     You should not avoid the church. Rather, you should submit to the church, her leaders, and her members. Be a joyful, life-giving church member, not a mean, unsubmissive one. Division is not the spirit of the resurrection; truth, unity, and love are.
    
    
• Develop biblical convictions.

You should neither blow with the wind nor be immovable in your convictions. Be gracious and humble. The only immovable thing about a conviction is how closely it is tethered to the Scriptures—that is the lifelong journey.

May God bless you in the power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ,

SDG,
Ryan Wade

The Apostle Paul wrote 13 letters of the New Testament. Some of these letters were written to particular people[,] but most [were] written to churches. As the Apostle writes these letters, they would first be read in the local congregation and then copies would circulate to other churches. Of course, Paul was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to pen the very words of God. But my emphasis in bringing up Paul’s letters is to highlight the relational zeal and love that Paul wrote with. Notice this relational language of love and gratitude in his letters:

• Romans 1:8–12 – Paul thanks God for their faith and expresses a longing to see them [so as] to mutually encourage one another.
  
  
• 2 Corinthians 7:4 – "I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you..."
  
  
• Ephesians 1:15–16 – Paul gives thanks for their faith and love toward the saints.
  
  
• Philippians 1:3–8 – Paul thanks God for their partnership in the gospel and says, “I hold you in my heart.”
  
  
• Philippians 4:1 – "my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown..."
  
  

I have been in ministry for nearly 15 years. I have spent time with brothers who have been in ministry for decades. Admittedly, a lot of the talk amongst pastors is not talk of gratitude for “the flocks which God has made them overseers” (Acts 20:28). If you were to hear most pastors speak in private, you would hear a lot of negativity and ungodly speech. It’s as if they have forgotten the call to elders from Peter — “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly” (1 Peter 5:2). Pastors are tempted to fall into the trap which James gives great warning of in James 4:1 – “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” Many pastors have good and godly desires that are gone about the wrong way. It truly is a temptation for any pastor. However, the temptation cannot lead to treating the members of a church as if they are the means to fulfill his own vision and if they don’t then they need to “get on the bus or get run over” (a quote used by Mark Driscoll). This undermines the spirit of a pastor, who is called to be an undershepherd of Christ himself.

Now, pastors need to deal with tough situations, and they need insight and counsel where details need to be shared, but I am afraid that pastoring has been hijacked by ungrateful hearts. When this happens,  pastors fail to see God’s goodness and fail to maintain the high calling and character of pastoring. At the same time, every church is different and some brothers serve in particularly difficult churches where the fruit of their ministry may not be so evident to them. Regardless, I am convinced and want to be committed to having gratitude on my lips for the saints whom God has entrusted me to shepherd.

And this is the point of this article: to express gratitude to the saints of Faith Community Church.

When I talk to people outside of our church and they ask how the church is going, without a doubt one of the first things I say is that our people love the Word. Admittedly, it’s not easy to play church at FCC. So if you’re not coming for the Word, then you will probably not last long. That may sound harsh and I don’t mean it that way, but it is true. Our ministry is hyper-focused on the ministry of the Word. And our people love it.

Recently, through some providential circumstances, a friend was able to come to Bainbridge to be a part of our recent Family Conference. She is a videographer and offered to do some work for the church. I did not know what to think about a videographer doing “work” in the midst of the singing or preaching. Eventually[,] we came to a conclusion to do a short video which attempts to capture the ethos of FCC. In anticipation of this video being filmed, I asked several members of our church — “What do I say? What is it that captures what our church is all about?” Without fail, everyone that I got feedback from gave an answer that included the ministry of the Word.

To the members of FCC: You love the preaching of the Word. You love the Word in Community Groups. You love the Word in other formats such as conferences, workshops, additional preaching opportunities, etc. You are a wonderful picture of Paul’s charge to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16).

So thank you for loving the Word. After all, “the church is the pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15)!

No doubt our church is different from most modern American churches. I actually take that as a compliment. We intentionally avoid certain things in ministry and intentionally focus on other things in ministry. In short, you show up. You are committed in attendance and in heart, soul, mind, and strength. You take your roles seriously as members of the church, which is rare in modern Christianity. But might I add, it is biblical.

There used to be a phrase — “If the church doors are open, then me and my family will be there.” Of course, that phrase is loaded. Sometimes the church does things because that’s how they’ve always done it. Sometimes the church is legalistic in requiring people to be there every time the church doors are open. Obviously there are ditches to avoid here. However, none of these are true of the members of FCC. You come with joy.
 
For one, we have intentionally avoided too many scheduled things. While at the same time, I would say that we are by no means passive in our church calendar. We certainly want to grow and make every effort we can to do so. But the members of FCC show up because they are convinced of what happens at church. They know that if they miss, they truly have missed something special.

What a joy! So, to the members of FCC, thank you for your commitment to the ministry of FCC and being there when the doors are open!

Seeker-sensitive churches are churches that want to make an impact on people’s lives. However, they do so to the detriment of themselves, to God, and to His Word by being so out of balance in their attempts to reach people. In reaching people, they have actually sought to please people.

This is not true at FCC.

Without a doubt, the members of FCC want to reach people but they realize that what happens at church is not for the people primarily. Now, the saints will certainly benefit from gathering together regularly on the Lord’s Day. The Scriptures make that abundantly clear. But our primary focus is on God. And for that I am grateful.

Too many man-pleasers fill churches today and they have no real backbone on anything. Well, that’s really not pleasing to God and that’s not truly effective at reaching people. The order matters of who we are aimed at pleasing—and the members of FCC are aimed at pleasing God first and primarily with all that we do.

We are not interested in entertainment. We are not interested in self-help. We are not interested in shallow, meaningless relationships. Rather, we are primarily interested in God who is worthy of worship. He gives us the means of self-denial and true righteousness through the work of Christ. And He has adopted us into a great family with brothers and sisters who love our Father.

So, to the members of FCC, thank you for your commitment to being God-pleasers and not man-pleasers!

Commitment to a local church is a core essential of the Christian life. But it is not an easy task. At times, it seems like another plate to spin, another calendar event to fit in, and frustration on how it all works out.

My commendation to the saints of FCC is for the good work that you do and participate in. As you do so, be encouraged by Paul’s words in Galatians 6:9–10 — “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Don’t let the world convince you that this work is not necessary. We have a reward in eternity that awaits us if we continue in this work. Continue doing it, and grow all the more in the work. It is an honorable work.

Here are some principles to help you endure:

1. Be persistent in your daily personal spiritual disciplines. This will be the fuel that fills your tank to press on.
   
   
2. Develop relationships with your elders to be sure that the ministry of FCC never becomes aloof. The elders want to have a ministry that is biblical but one that is also effective. Biblical and effective ministry are not at odds with one another. You are a part of the ministry, and the elders want your fingerprints all over it as well.
   
   
3. Don’t forget the beneficiaries of your ministry: God, other members, the community of Bainbridge, the missionaries we support, and future generations to come. Have a long view in mind. You are building and leaving a legacy that will outlast you.
   
   
4. Develop a conviction that sounds a lot like — “If the church doors are open, then me and my family will be there.” You won’t regret it.

Someone who reads this might think that this sounds like a perfect church. Let me be the first to tell you that it is not. As I write this letter, I am writing it to the congregation as a whole [with] particular individuals in mind. There are, without a doubt, members of our church to which this applies more than to others. That is why this is a letter of commendation as well as admonition — to be sure that it is a well-rounded letter. Paul did this same thing. He would often offer commendation and yet avoid flattery. He would often offer rebukes and admonitions without being harsh and condescending. I hope to do the same.

Members of FCC:

• If you read this and are encouraged, praise God!
• If you read this and are encouraged yet challenged to do more, praise God!
• If you read this and are only challenged, praise God!

In this letter, you have 3 marks of what a faithful church member should be. So whatever stage you are at, always be striving to be more faithful!

My commendations do not come with no exceptions. Of course there are exceptions. I nor anyone in our church has the mindset that FCC is some church off in Utopia, USA. But as a whole, it is our desire to love God and to love one another.

If you’re not a member of FCC reading this, there are a few things worth mentioning:

• We are a church of redeemed sinners who submit to the rule of the Scriptures in everyday life and in the life of the church.
• We have wayward members. We rebuke one another. We struggle with sin. The elders make mistakes. Our services have hiccups in them. There is lots of forgiveness that is passed along. We have gone through all stages of church discipline on numerous occasions. To me, that is exactly what a biblical church sounds like. We are not a perfect church.
• Find a church and give your life to it. If you are close by to Bainbridge, come join us and you will experience all of these glorious realities for yourself.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Ryan Wade

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to worship at a church that is not the one I pastor. It was a glorious time to be with the saints at Cleveland Road Baptist Church in Athens, GA. Parker Moore is doing wonderful work there for Christ’s sake. In God’s good providence, the service was a unique one, as they were setting a man aside to be an elder of the church, and the whole service was centered on that purpose. There was a guest preacher who gave a charge both to the man being set aside as an elder and to the congregation. He preached from the well-known passage of Acts 20:17–38, in which Paul addresses the Ephesian elders.

You can listen to that sermon here!

The reason I mention that sermon is because the introduction really got me thinking about a particular topic that is close to my heart and quite important for the church to understand: the relationship between the elders and the church members.

The guest preacher that day said this in his introduction:

“What should you expect from your elders? Those of us who are in pastoral ministry sometimes smile at the accumulated expectations that people have for pastors.

People want a pastor:
 • Who doesn’t bend to criticism but responds and adapts to thoughtful feedback that people like them may give.
 • Who prioritizes deep sermon preparation but is available to talk anytime.
 • Who invests deeply in his family while still spending several evenings each week in committee meetings.
 • A young and energetic, but experienced and wise pastor.
 • One whose counsel is bold but gentle.
 • Whose sermons are deep but simple to understand—not too long, not too short, but just right.”

There is plenty to say on this topic, but I wanted to help us think through five principles for this relationship, as it pertains to the elders’ job as shepherds and the members’ contributions to this shepherding relationship.

The primary—though not exclusive—way that an elder shepherds the whole congregation is by preaching the whole counsel of God’s Word. Paul’s example and charge to the Ephesian elders was to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). As the church gathers each Lord’s Day, the sheep are gathering at the feeding trough of God, where the shepherd feeds them with the holy food of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

This is one of the many reasons the Lord’s Day is central to living a faithful Christian life. In attending the weekly Lord’s Day service, individual sheep gather to make up the whole congregation. As the shepherd feeds the flock, each individual sheep is fed by the Word when the Holy Spirit uniquely comforts, convicts, and applies the Word of God to their own life. At the same time, the flock as a whole is fed as the shepherd leads and guides them through the Scriptures.

Also, through the preaching of the Word, the shepherd is able to warn the sheep of the wolves whose aim is to devour them (Acts 20:29–30).

To shepherds:
 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” – 2 Tim. 4:1–2

To sheep:
 Go be fed by your local pastors, who are tasked with feeding you the food of God’s Word—the Word of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ!

Early in the book of Acts, the Apostles make it clear that their ministry was to be one of the Word and of prayer (Acts 6:4). Elders should be men of prayer, but also, their work as shepherds includes praying for their sheep.

Elders should be keenly sensitive and eager to find ways to pray with the sheep. Anything that comes up should be a matter of prayer. Here are a few suggestions to encourage this:

• Pray through the membership list consistently, and reach out to those you are praying for.
  
  
• Start and end meetings (church meetings, meals, etc.) with prayer.
  
  
• Pray spontaneously with the sheep.

• Who cares if it’s awkward? You have been tasked with the work of prayer. And might I add, your sheep should expect this of you. Before church? Pray. During fellowship time? Pray. At a meal? Pray. On the phone? Pray.

• Invite your sheep to share how you can be praying for them.

• Actually pray—and pray quickly. Be cautious about saying, “I’ll pray for you!” and then never doing so.
  
  

In an elder’s efforts to shepherd through prayer, he is acknowledging his limitations in wisdom and ability and taking the sheep, in prayer, to the Father who is able to meet every need in Christ. So elders, shepherd the flock through the ministry of prayer.

To close this section, here are a few promises of prayer from the Scriptures:

• “You do not have because you do not ask.” – James 4:2
  
  
• “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
  
  
• God answers prayer – Jeremiah 33:3, Matthew 7:7–8
  
  
• God hears our prayers – 1 John 5:14–15

Elders are not lords. In fact, 1 Peter 5:2–3 says:
“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

So how are elders to “pay close attention to the flock” (Acts 20:28), while also leading “not under compulsion” (1 Peter 5:2)?

Here are two ways:

Planned shepherding
This may look different in every church, but elders must have intentional ways of shepherding. Not to bind your conscience to all his practices, but to offer a good example, I commend to you Richard Baxter’s book The Reformed Pastor (by reformed, he means renewed, not necessarily Calvinist).

Spontaneous shepherding
 If elders plan to meet with each member twice a year (a reasonable goal) but fail to shepherd outside those times, they miss countless opportunities. Life happens spontaneously—job changes, births, deaths, joys, and griefs. Shepherds must be present for these.

Perhaps the best summary phrase I’ve heard is this:
“Shepherds should smell like sheep.”

Elders should seek to be hospitable, as they are able, by having people in their homes. Being hospitable is certainly not limited to hosting people in your home. The qualification of being hospitable has more to do with being a comforting, welcoming, tender person who readily available. However, being hospitable has to translate to an action of showing hospitality. This is a general principle to be worked out by each elder according to his family and situation, but elders should unapologetically practice hospitality (1 Tim. 3:2).

That said, elders and members should understand that an elder will naturally spend more time with some people than others. This can be a sensitive subject. Some members may feel entitled to an intimate relationship with every elder, but this is unrealistic. If an elder has a clear conscience before God and man, he is free to act accordingly. Some folks might share a meal with an elder 20 times a year, others only once. That’s okay. This should be handled carefully and with wisdom.

The biblical pattern of leadership in the local church is twofold: a plurality of elders and the priesthood of all believers.

A plurality of elders relieves the burden from the “ex officio” leader—whether he’s called Lead Pastor, Senior Pastor, Preaching Pastor, or The Full-Time Guy—from having to manage every detail of the church’s shepherding ministry. Other qualified men share the load.

As for the members' responsibilities, it’s vital to remember: elders are not the “professionals,” and members are not second-class Christians. Every member has a role, and it’s a beautiful thing when the church functions according to Ephesians 5:21:
“Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Elders should be encouraged—not threatened—when they see fellow elders and members offering wise, biblical counsel. I believe this pleases the Lord.

Although ordinary church members can apply most of what’s above, it is largely directed at elders. So, let me give some practical thoughts for the sheep: Be willing and eager to be shepherded by your elders. God has given them to you as a gift and called you to submit to their wise counsel and biblical admonition (Hebrews 13:17).

How do you do that? Here are a few ways:

• Go to church, and make your absences extremely rare.
  
  
• Follow up with your elders after sermons. Encourage them, ask questions, or express your desire to apply the Word.
  
  
• Pray for your elders—and let them know you’re doing so.
  
  
• Initiate a relationship with your elders. Don’t wait passively—seek it.
  
  
• Regularly seek their wise counsel.
  
  
• Relieve your elders by also engaging with other members for mutual growth in Christ.
  
  
• Be proactive in ministry. Don’t be a member who only receives.
  
  

In doing these things, the Lord will build a beautiful and gloriously productive church—for the sake of His glory.

Ryan Wade
Pastor at Faith Community Church Bainbridge
4/28/2025

You have heard the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The point is that the daily discipline of healthy living will appropriately address most health issues within your control. That apple represents the daily disciplines of Christian living, where good theology and daily spiritual practices form your regular diet. The apple is the normative thing. Similarly, good theology should be normative both in the daily life of a Christian and in the weekly diet of a local church.
However, that daily apple does not eliminate the need to visit a doctor occasionally for specific health concerns. Sickness will come, accidents will happen, and you will need more than just that apple. Likewise, the presence of wolves will introduce bad theology that seeks to lead us astray, and it must be confronted—both personally and within the local church.

Christianity is, in fact, a daily duty. Many in our day criticize the use of the word "duty" to describe the Christian life, often intending to avoid legalism—which should indeed be avoided. However, "duty" is a biblical word, and we must also reject the notion that the Christian life is devoid of responsibilities.

The Bible frequently uses the word "discipline." A Christian discipline is a duty that believers should fulfill. In fact, apart from fulfilling these duties, we cannot expect the fruit that comes only from obedience. Again, this is not legalism but biblical discipline.

Consider these biblical passages and observe the diligence and discipline commanded:
1 Timothy 4:7-10:
"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe."

Proverbs 4:1-2, 5-6, 13, 23, 25-27:
"Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil."

Psalm 1:1-2:
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

The point here is that the Christian life requires daily discipline to obey the commands God has given us in His Word. This is the daily dose of good theology. To make the comparison again, just as bodily health requires daily attention—exercise, healthy eating, etc.—so does our spiritual health.

(Perhaps in order... and not an exhaustive list)
1. The Holy Scriptures
The Scriptures will be the fountainhead for your intake of good theology, it is the only trye unadulterated means of good theology. Give yourself to the reading of His Word. Find a good reading plan, make a good reading plan—just have a plan. If you have no plan, you will consistently struggle with discipline in this aspect of your Christian life.

2. The Preaching Ministry of Your Local Church
The primary discipler of a church’s members should not be additional ministries but the Lord’s Day preaching of the Word. Be consistent in your weekly commitment to listening to and engaging with the preaching of the Word at your local church. This is an incredibly undervalued asset in maintaining a steady intake of good theology.

3. The Fellowship Ministry of Your Local Church
Close behind the preaching ministry—but definitely behind—is the fellowship ministry of your local church. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are also committed to hearing and obeying the Scriptures preached at your church. So, gather with them, discuss the Word, encourage one another, and obey it together.

4. Read Good Theology
Consistently reading solid books and resources will provide a steady intake of good theology. For recommendations, seek counsel from the leaders of your church.

5. Listen to Good Theology
Listening to solid resources—podcasts, sermons, audiobooks, etc.—is another way to receive a steady dose of good theology. Again, seek recommendations from your church leaders.

I will keep this portion brief, simply to raise awareness. The key point here is that not everyone who claims the name of Christ does so truthfully. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing, and their aim—whether intentional or unintentional—is to deceive. The goal is not to develop a spiritual phobia but to be alert.

Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."

Acts 20:29-31: "I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert"

Perhaps this subject could be explored further in the future, but for now, the point is simple: be alert.

I once heard about how the government trains people to identify counterfeit money. The training consists of two things: rigorous study of genuine currency and study of counterfeit bills. Which do you think they spend more time on? Surprisingly, they spend far more time studying real money.

So, devote more time to studying good theology than bad. When false teaching arises, it will stand out like a sore thumb. Just be alert.

There is more to be said about rebuking false teachers (Deut. 18:20) and even calling them out by name (2 Tim. 1:15), but for now—simply be alert.

• Be cautious of making it your primary focus to identify and call out false teachers. There is much more proactive work to be done in the kingdom of God than merely reacting to every false teaching. This is the entire point of this article: to encourage you to maintain a consistent daily dose of good theology. Just ensure that your good theology does not become a one-edged sword used solely to cut down theological errors.

• Be cautious of separating any of this from the local church. The backdrop of the entire New Testament is the context of the local church.
  • What is Acts about? Establishing the church.
  • What are the Pauline Epistles about? Life in the church.
  • What are the Pastoral Epistles about? Pastoring the local church.

There is no command in the New Testament that applies to an individual apart from the broader context of the local church. So, in your daily pursuit of good theology and your alertness against bad theology, ensure that the local church remains the setting in which you obey these New Testament commands.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Ryan Wade
March 2025

This Liturgy is taken from Faith Community Church and was used on December 24, 2023. This blog is written for a timestamp but also for use for other churches.

Good evening! We are glad you have come to worship with us at Faith Community Church for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

Tonight, we are going to consider, through song and reading, the whole life of Christ, from His first Advent, at His birth, to His second Advent, in His return, which we still eagerly await. As we pray, open your hearts and mind to consider the wonders of Christ this evening.

Let’s pray.

The birth of Christ was foretold by the prophet Isaiah nearly 750 years before His birth. 

Isaiah 9:6-7 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

Let’s continue to sing together as we sing, “What Child Is This?”

*at the beginning of this reading, the congregation will have their candles lit.

Luke 2:1-7 says, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

The light of the world has been born. As we light the candles this evening, we light them knowing what Jesus says in John 8:12: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

While this candle each of us holds is symbolic, I would encourage you to ponder whether or not you have realized your darkened heart because of your sin. Christ, the light of the world, has shone upon your darkened hearts and minds so that you would trust in Him as the only way of salvation. 

As we consider this, let’s continue to sing together, “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”

This little baby born in a manger was given the title Emmanuel, which means God with us. John says it this way, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus would not stay a baby but he would live his life continually as God with us. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was without sin, and in His life, he was continuing to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament. 

Luke 4:16-21 says, “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Dear friends, know that Christ lived his perfect life without sin so that he would soon be the appropriate sacrifice for your sins.
Let’s continue to sing, “Angels We Have Heard on High”

*blow out candles

Jesus Christ, born on Christmas morning, the Son of God, who was perfect in his life, was born to die. 

John 19:14-30 records this by saying, “ Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour.[c] He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic.[d] But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
“They divided my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 

As you blow out your candle, I pray you feel the weight of the death of Christ. Remember, that Jesus Christ came into the world to die for sinners. 
Let’s continue to sing and consider this reality.

Matthew 27:62-28:6 says, “The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”

Dear friends, Christ is no longer in the tomb! Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!

Let’s rejoice that Christ has conquered death, hell and the grave by singing, “Because He Lives”

Thank you for coming to worship with us tonight. I will leave you with this; Christ is born, Christ has lived, Christ was killed and buried, Christ is alive….and dear friends, Christ will come again!

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

As we light the candles again, in anticipation for Christ to come again, know that you, Christian, are what Jesus said you are in Matthew 5:14-16: ““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[b] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Dear friends, the light of the world has shone upon our darkened hearts and give to us the light of the world. We no longer walk in darkness but in light. Go, dear Chrstian, in the strength of the Lord and glorify your God in heaven. Until the light of the world comes again, we eagerly wait. 

This song is a cry of our eager waiting for His return. May this song be the mark of your life. 

At the end of this next song, you are dismissed. Please leave with silent reverence and carry your candles out with you and blow them out as you leave the building. Again, thank you for coming!

This Liturgy is taken from Faith Community Church and was used on December 24, 2024. This blog is written for a timestamp but also for use for other churches. 

Welcome to our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. This evening, we hope that you will glory in your redeemer that was born on that blessed Christmas morning. Tonight we will sing hymns as we edify one another and make a melody to the Lord. We will hear readings from members of Faith Community Church that capture the glory of Christ’s birth. And after the service, we invite you to enjoy hot chocolate and dessert with us. But to end our service, we will all light a personal candle that takes it’s flame from the Christ candle found in the center of the Rememberance table. In the flickering glow of candlelight, our hearts come alive with a sense of awe and unity. This timeless tradition, especially cherished during the Christmas season, transforms ordinary gatherings into extraordinary moments of spiritual reflection and celebration. Candlelight has been a symbol of divine presence and hope since the earliest days of Christianity. Rooted in the Jewish tradition of lighting lamps during religious rituals, early Christians embraced candles to signify Christ, the Light of the World, illuminating the path of salvation. This powerful symbol has endured through the centuries, reminding believers of the light that dispels darkness and brings peace to our lives. In church services, the act of lighting candles represents the spreading of divine light and the unity of the congregation. Each flame is a testament to faith, shared across generations, and a beacon of hope in challenging times.

Isaiah 7: 14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Thank you for being here and we hope your hearts will be encouraged and inflamed as we look to Christ, Immanuel, God with us, the Savior!

-Portions taken from “The Timeless Tradition of Candlelight” (https://www.concordiasupply.com/church-supply-blog?p=what-is-a-christmas-candlelight-service#:~:text=The Origins and Significance of,of hope in challenging times.)

As we consider Christ, we must consider why he had to come. Christ, the preeminent, eternal, son of God, who is the second person of the Godhead, was there in creation when Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day. God and man were in perfect harmony in the Garden of Eden. But the depth and darkness of sin was lurking in the hearts of Adam and Eve and before long they had disobeyed God’s good commands he had given to them. Paul’s description of man in Romans 3:10-18 is true of Adam and Eve and is true for every human, past, present, and future. Listen to this description of the depth and darkness of sin in the hearts of all mankind. 

““None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands;
no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Though man is deep in the depth and darkness of sin, Christ, who is without sin, has come to be born to die for such wretched sinners. As we sing these next two hymns, consider the depth and darkness of sin in your own heart.

The Light of the World has come to shine brightly in the depth and darkness of sin. The prophecy of Christ’s birth is given in Isaiah 9:6-7: 

“For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

In the darkness of sin, Christ came to redeem us from our sin.
In the darkness of confusion, chaos, and suffering, Christ came to be our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

The blessed prophecy was fulfilled when the angel spoke to the virgin Mary in Luke 1 saying, “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

This Christmas season, be reminded that Christ, the light of the world has come to shine in darkness.

1 John 1:5-8 says, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Christ has not merely come to exist as light in the darkness. In fact, light and darkness cannot coexist–light dispels the darkness. It overcomes darkness with its glorious radiance. This is exactly what Christ came to do. He did not come to merely coexist with light but to dispel that darkness of sin in the hearts of those he came to save. 

This Christmas, if you are a true believer, you can have confidence in Christ’s victory over the darkness of sin.

Where does this victory come from? It comes thirty-three years after that first Christmas morning where Christ rose from the grave. Therefore, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, He was born to die, but he was born to bring victory over sin. Christ, the light of the world, has overcome darkness!

*at this time, two individuals come to the Christ candle, light their own candles, and then begin lighting the candles of the congregants. 

Luke 2:1-21
"
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14  “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb."

Sin has separated us from God. Christ the Son is born and has redeemed us from sin and reconciled us to God. He has overcome darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of light. Now what? What is Christmas really about for us who are not looking forward to Christ’s birth but rather living in the reality of his birth and all the benefits that come with it?

Christmas is truly the endless celebration of Christ. So we should do just that, celebrate. 

This Christmas, celebrate Christ and his birth, 
Celebrate Christ and his life where he fulfilled the law on your behalf. 
Celebrate Christ who, though he was tempted he never sinned, therefore he can have sympathy with us in our weaknesses. 
Celebrate Christ, who is the greatest servant of all, though he is King of the Universe. 
Celebrate Christ who is worthy of all of our praise in every season and circumstance. 
Celebrate Christ who is Sovereign King over the universe and reigns from the right hand of the Father as he makes intercession for us. 
Celebrate Christ who took on flesh and was killed in our place. 
Celebrate Christ who was the payment for our sins by the shedding of his own blood. 
Celebrate Christ, who died and was buried. 
Celebrate Christ, who was raised from the grave. 
And Celebrate Christ who is coming again. 

This is the endless celebration of Christmas. 

As we sing this last hymn, Silent Night, consider the lit candles in the room as they represent the light of the world being born on that first Christmas morning and all the benefits that come with his birth for those who believe. Our hope is that your hearts have been encouraged and your hearts have been inflamed to celebrate Christ, the true meaning of Christmas. 

At the end of the last hymn, the lights will come on and you can blow your candles out. We invite you to stay for hot chocolate, dessert, and fellowship. Thank you for coming tonight to be part of this Candlelight Christmas Eve Service here at Faith Community Church.

I was driving to the church this morning, a cold and rainy December day, and as I pulled into the church parking lot I noticed the billboard that stands in the corner of our church yard. The use of this billboard was a 50/50 decision whether we should make a couple hundred bucks a year by letting someone else advertise there or if our church would use it. The elders decided to use it for church purposes. Originally on the billboard (both sides) was a large open Bible with our church name on it. Interestingly enough, there is a family who are members of our church who started coming to our church because of that billboard (only fuel to the fire for good use of the billboard, right?). Now on that billboard, with a white background and large black letters, it says:

The last phrase “The Church is Beautiful” caught my attention in a particularly unique way this morning though. There is a temptation for pithy statements of cliche phrases to lose their zing and umph sometimes, but this statement has proven itself time and time again. And it is proving itself again even this week. 

Disclaimer #1: I am writing this article to the members of Faith Community Church to admonish them with this; God is sovereign, the seasons of mourning and rejoicing are an inevitable joy under God’s sovereign rule, and he has given us himself (God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit), his Word, and his Church to help us endure with one another through these seasons. 

Disclaimer #2: The Church is beautiful for one reason alone, because it is Christ’s bride that he purchased with his own precious blood. But what I mean by this statement is that it is true, not only principally, philosophically, etymologically, and foundationally, but also experimentally. In other words, the members of FCC should also be “experiencing” the beauty of the church. Now, moving on…

Romans 12:15 says to “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.”

Within the last short weeks and months we have rejoiced and mourned in the life of our church:

• One couple experienced a wedding, the death of three grandparents, the joy of pregnancy, and the heartache of miscarriage all within a few short months. 
• One family endured the highs and lows of pregnancy which led to nearly four weeks in the hospital with a premature child birth but ended with a healthy mom and baby. 
• One member who lost a grandmother and shortly after got the news of her father’s cancer diagnosis which has progressively gotten worse and not sure how much longer he has.
• One member’s mother received a cancer diagnosis which has quickly progressed and heard the news that her mother only has weeks to live. Not to mention the same family lost a young cousin to a tragic accident last year. 
• Members who have dealt with family dissension due to their commitment to living a godly life.
• One member who has dealt with the pain that follows two hip replacements and a back surgery.
• Marital issues, parenting issues, work issues, issues, issues, issues...
• The birth of children!
• The joy of fellowship with one another!
• The news of couples getting pregnant!
• The welcoming of members who have been gone out of town for work for months!
• The blessing of family and friends!
• The renewing work of the Spirit in the hearts of believers!
• The satisfaction which comes from Christ alone!

Again, these are not all the things going on the lives of the members of our church. In fact, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Of this, I am certain. But what do we do in the midst of these circumstances? Many of these situations will not be fixed by the answered prayer of “take this cup from me.” In fact, many of these situations have not even seen the worst. Not yet, at least.

Yet, Paul does not say run from them. He says to actually mourn with those who are mourning. This is the beautiful part of the church–that as we mourn and as we feel lonely in the depth of despair, we have other brothers and sisters in Christ right there with us to encourage us with passages like Psalm 42:5-6 “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

And the equally beautiful part of the church is also that we are to rejoice with those who rejoice. It is true that the bad seems to always outweigh the good, or the mourning always seems to outweigh the rejoicing but the Lord has given innumerable reasons to rejoice with one another, and FCC is not lacking in reasons to rejoice with one another. Praise be to God!

Why would Paul include such drastically different situations like rejoicing and mourning in the same sentence? The answer is because the church is to be unified and one of the unifying things that God has given is seasons of different kinds (sometimes drastically different kinds like rejoicing and mourning) yet he gives the same source of comfort for everyone. 

2 Corinthians is filled with an eternal comfort and hope that believers should have. Notice the source of this comfort. 

2 Cor. 1:3-5
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”

Our comfort comes from Christ’s afflictions but we are to comfort one another with the comfort by which we have been comforted. How is this possible without the church?

Imagine your life without the comfort that comes from the brothers and sisters at FCC. Hopefully it doesn't take long for you to praise God for the blessings and beauty of the church. 

The Church is a display of God’s care for His people. I do not write these anonymous specifics of people within our church to create this hyper-sensitivity to these specific situations, although we should certainly tend to these situations in ways we are able to, by God’s help. It takes the whole church to tend to the needs of the saints and no pastor nor church member is ultimately sovereign, meaning we cannot know every single situation in the life of our church. However, I share these things to admonish you to walk in the spirit, obey the Scriptures, live among your fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. There are hundreds of situations going on within our church that no one knows about, yet we should be the light of the world and salt of the earth among one another.

Charles Spurgeon said,
“If I had never joined a church till I had found one that was perfect, I should never have joined one at all; and the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect church after I had become a member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us.”

Therefore, members of FCC, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn.” Give praise to God for the blessing and beauty of the church!

Dec. 11, 2024

Soli Deo Gloria,
Ryan Wade

Your books are not worth what you think! Burn your books!
Burn your books.

You may be thinking, “What is this pastor thinking? Is he some arsonist or something?” Why certainly I am not an arsonist in the way you are thinking. I am an advocate of reading and certainly reading good theological books.

So what do I mean by burn the books? I am a church planter and our church has been going through the book of Acts on Sunday mornings. It has been quite the journey. Our church is 8 months into the book of Acts and this past Sunday, I preached Acts 19:11-20. You should go read this passage. And also give the sermon a listen. You can go to our website and find this sermon. www.fccbainbridge.com

Just for a brief summary, God is performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul. People are being healed and evil spirits being cast out by the mere handkerchiefs that touched Paul’s skin. Some itinerant jewish exorcists (the seven sons of Sceva) caught wind of these miracles and decided they wanted in on this ministry. It doesn’t end well for the Seven Sons of Sceva. They end up being beat up by the demon possessed man and ran out of town. The Bible says that fear fell upon all of them in the city of Ephesus. Those who feared the Lord…what was their response?

They burned their books. These books that were burned were the books that had all of their modern cultural teachings in them. They were, in a sense, what defined their worldview, and they were certainly worth a lot of money. Some debate on the exact amount of money exchange it would be worth, but the Bible says it was worth fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Don’t miss this. What happens here is not a simple bonfire to celebrate some emotional experience of salvation in Jesus. This burning of the books was a willful decision of obedience to repent of their sinful past and its influences. It was the mark of a true change in their lives.

Repentance is the active, consistent, willful, daily discipline of turning away from past and current sin. It is the key mark of a true Christian.

How should we “burn the books” in our own lives?

1. Burn the books of blatant sin
The Bible makes it clear the relationship a Christian should have with blatant sin. It is one that neither denies the reality of sin in the life of a Christian but neither one who consistently lives in habitual blatant sin. The typical cliche phrase that everyone is true, “No one is perfect”. Now, what an individual means when they say that can have numerous meanings. If it means “no one is perfect”, so that person can justify sin, it is a terrible use of the phrase. A Christian also should not be one whose life is clearly marked by living in sin.

1 John shows exactly how we ought to live.

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
1 John 1:5-10


Paul also gives clear teaching on the relationship a Christian should have to sin. He says to “put it to death”, and “to not let sin reign in your mortal bodies”. Christian, at all cost, you should be putting to death the sin in your life.

Put to death the sin of pride.
Put to death the sin of seflishness.
Put to death the sin of anger.
Put to death the sin of laziness.
Put to death the sin of careless and aimless living.
Put to death the sin of sexual sin.
Put to death the sin of disobeying clear commands of Scripture.

"Be killing sin or sin will be killing you"
John Owen

2. Burn the books of unknown sin
Our sin is certainly not limited to the sins we are aware of. Because of the depth of sinful nature, our sinfulness is endless. It is constant need of searching and killing sin in us. Our sin is not limited to mere actions that we commit. Our sinfulness extends to our thoughts, our lack of actions, our intentions, our unseen desires.

How do we become aware of these unknown sins if they are indeed unknown? I think there are two main ways.

a. Scripture reading and prayer
The psalmists seemed to have had a high view of Scripture reading and prayer. Specifically in two places. Psalm 119 is a delightful place to start, the whole chapter is helpful, but specifically Psalm 119:9-12 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!” Spend time reading the Bible and your sin will be revealed to you. Once it is revealed to you, repent of it.

Another passage that comes to mind is Psalm 139. The psalmist starts out the chapter by acknowledging the truth of God’s sovereignty. God knows when we rise and lay down, he knows the words before we speak them, he knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb, he knows all things. The psalmist closes the psalm by praying a prayer for the Lord to reveal his sinfulness to him. Psalm 139:23-24″ Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” What a prayer to pray. You ought to pray this prayer often. The Lord will reveal these things to you. When he does, repent of it.

b. Godly relationships
God has designed the Christian life to be lived in the context of relationships. These relationships are designed to be lived in close proximity for the purpose of other people knowing our own sin AND being able and willing to reveal this sin to us. The two best ways for this to happen is (#1) to go to a Bible-centered church where these relationships can be developed, and (#2) to have godly mentors who can speak truth into your life.

3. Burn the books of idle influence
The Christianity that allows for idle time and an idle mind is no biblical Christianity at all. I certainly don’t mean that we must read, pray, think Bible all day everyday. I enjoy a good college football game. I enjoy a good nap. I enjoy other mindless things, but they are intentionally mindless. The mindless and idle activity I am talking about is the activity that has subtle influences on our minds and actions. The idle activity of unfiltered scrolling on social media, the idle activity of unfiltered entertainment, the idle activity of unfiltered thinking, the idle activity of unfiltered relationships. Notice that the common theme is the activity is unfiltered.

Let me help raise your awareness to the idle activity you are allowing into your mind and in your home. Unfiltered scrolling on social media will result in you being unsatisfied with the life you have because of everyone else’s posts that their lives are grand and perfect. It will result in you constantly wanting more and more stuff in this life because of the algorithms that social media has created to entice you to buy more and have more. The home remodels, the new vehicles, the vacations, more, more, more, more. These things are not inherently bad, but the discontentment it may bring is certainly bad. It will result in you seeing things about the opposite sex that you ought not see. Men, you do not need to see women in bikinis, women dancing, and the promiscuous, sensual, and outright sexual things that is now on social media. Just don’t give yourself the temptations there. Women, you do not need to see other men shirtless, dancing, and the promiscuous, sensual, and sexual things that is now on social media. Just don’t give yourself the temptations there. Social media is not bad but unfiltered use of it is dangerous. Not to mention the meaningless amounts of hours that is spent on social media when we could be so much more productive for our faith, for our friends, and for our family.

The idle activity of unfiltered entertainment is also dangerous. You should be aware and cautious of what you are truly watching on TV. Yes, it is just a college football game, but what about the commercials? Commercials are filled with worldly, anti-God prerogatives that promote sexuality against God’s design. Your kids are watching more than just the football game. I am not saying quit watching TV altogether, I am just saying that it should be filtered. The Youtube channels that young kids watch have commercials that are not what kids should be seeing at such young ages or at all really. Certainly we should be aware of the clearly sinful things that are on TV. Be careful of idle entertainment because it has more influence than you think.

5. Burn the books of self-sufficient living
What a task to burn these books. It seems like such a laborious, dreadful task that never ends. You are right, it is. But this is the good news of Christianity, we are not alone. We are not self-sufficiently burning the books in our life. We were not saved by works, and we are not kept by works. We are known by our works certainly, but what is the source of our works? It is the indwelling riches of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells within those who trust in Christ, and he is known as the helper, the comforter, the one who convicts of sin, the one who empowers us. Christian, you are not alone.

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
Ephesians 1:13-14

Always be burning the books in your life. Burn them now, and keep burning them until your breath is no longer in you. It is hard, but totally worth it. Do it for the glory of God! Burn your books!

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."
Romans 13:14



Ryan Wade
Pastor
Faith Community Church, Bainbridge, GA

Our church, Faith Community Church, in Bainbridge, GA was teaching on the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. As we got to Article 10, Chapter 3 on Effectual Calling, we entered into a discussion that needed some clarity. That topic of discussion was this; what happens to babies and those who are mentally handicapped when they die? 

This article in the 1689 addresses this doctrine.
Article 10, Effectual Calling, Chapter 3 reads as follows:
“Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who works when and where and how he pleases. The same is true of every elect person who is incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.”

From the outset, let me say that this is a topic of discussion that is full of emotions. The reason I mention that is two fold; 1.) to acknowledge our emotions and their validity and 2.) to help subject our emotions to the Word of God and the character of God as revealed in the word of God. I, as a man who loves God and loves His word, take the emotions involved in this topic of discussion as a gift, not an evil that has no place in this discussion. In fact, this topic of discussion as my wife and I have gone through the loss of a child to miscarriage are quite near to me. As a pastor, I have had close friends go through miscarriage as well as the loss of young children. So, may our conscience be bound to the word of God as it pertains to emotions and theological discussions.  

Here is the main question this article will aim to answer; what happens to those who are not able to outwardly respond in faith (babies who die in the womb, those who die early in life, and those who are mentally handicapped) to the call of the gospel through the proclamation of God’s word?

This article is aimed at accuracy and simplicity. Therefore, these arguments will not be teased out to each of their ends. In fact, many questions will not be answered in this article. 

This sobering statement must be said, the Bible is not crystal clear on the precise answer to these questions. Differing opinions are available on this answer but they are not derived from a chapter and verse of the Bible. Rather, each person must develop a systematic approach to answer these questions based on the Bible as a whole and the character of God. One writer says, “The Bible doesn’t explicitly answer the question of whether children who die before they are born again go to heaven. However, enough indirect information can be pieced together from Scripture to provide a satisfactory answer, which relates to infants as well as those with mental handicaps and others.”

The 1689 Confession does not teach anything that is contrary to what the Bible teaches. There are no reservations in affirming the 1689, including Article 10:3, due to lack of clarity. In fact, Dr. James Renihan says, “Elect infants and all other elect persons– both groups due to their conditions or disabilities– unable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word,  are saved by God's mercy through the mysterious working of the Holy Spirit and by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ.”

The argument for the salvation of all infants and the mentally disabled come from the reality that they cannot be appropriately called to faith by the outward proclamation of the gospel. This outward call has to do with their culpability to respond due to their real physical and mental limitations. In other words, an infant or a mentally disabled person cannot appropriately understand and make a conscious decision to have faith in Christ, which is the agent of justification. This does not take away the reality that even infants and disabled handicapped individuals are still born with a sinful nature. They too, have been regenerated by the Spirit according to the finished work of Christ. Or in other words, I believe that the blood of Christ is sufficient and efficient to save all the elect, which includes all infants and mentally disabled. 

John MacArthur argues in his book, Safe in the Arms of God: Truth From Heaven About the Death of a Child, that children are not innocent in their nature but they are innocent from the sin of unbelief. He says: 

“Throughout the history of the church, unbelief has been singled out as the primary damning sin. A person who doesn’t believe doesn’t obey. Unbelief always produces evil works. It is this record of unbelief and subsequent evil works that is revealed in the Great White Throne judgment; this record becomes the basis for eternal condemnation. 

Little children have no such record. They have no basis on which to believe or not believe. They are incapable of discerning right from wrong, sin from righteousness, evil from goodness. Scripture is very clear on this truth. Little children have no record of unbelief or evil works, and therefore, there is not basis for their deserving an eternity apart from God. As innocents, they are graciously and sovereignly saved by God as a part of the atoning work of Christ Jesus. 

As mentioned previously, after the children of Israel rebelled against God in the wilderness, God sentenced that entire generation to die in the wilderness after forty years of wandering. The Lord said, “Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to your fathers (Deut. 1:35). But God exempted young children and infants from this decree, and He explained why he did so: “Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it” (Deut. 1:39).”

So, why does the 1689 clarify “elect” infants? Well, in some of Spurgeon’s versions of the 1689, the word “elect” is not there. This could have been from Spurgeon’s preference to take away confusion about whether or not all or some infants were elect. The emphasis of the original authors of the 1689 seems to be that all who are unable to be outwardly called by the proclamation of the gospel, which are babies who die in the womb, infants, and mentally handicapped, are indeed elect. Each of these individuals are sinful in nature yet saved by grace and regenerated by the Spirit to the glory of God. 

So why would the 1689 make such a bold, clear statement on something that the Bible is not crystal clear on? 

First, they wanted to address a clear need in their day, and it is still a need to be addressed in our day as well. Renihan says, “It is a pastoral attempt to address a real problem. Perhaps it was more acute than in the twenty-first century, though even now it speaks to a reality faced by many Christian families.”

Secondly, the difficulty of forming convictions on doctrines that are not explicitly clear in the Scripture is a real difficulty. However, these types of convictions can be formed based on the character of God and other implications that are derived from the Scripture. While we can hold these convictions, the reason they must be derived from the Scripture is because our ultimate comfort comes from the character of God, which is found exclusively in the contents found on the pages of Scripture. Sam Waldron says, “Our knowledge of the character of God, his mercy and goodness, his justice and righteousness, his power and sovereignty, should guide us. We know that, whatever God does with infants, he will do what is good and just (Gen. 18:25). We also know that nothing will prevent him from doing what he pleases. He is not unable to save our infants dying in infancy (John 3:8).”

In conclusion, the doctrine put forth in the 1689 is derived from biblical principles and when understood in the context of the entirety of the 1689 and the biblical principles found therein, should be affirmed with confidence. However, this article is written to offer clarity for Faith Community Church in Bainbridge, GA. 

Concerning Article 10:3 of the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, Faith Community Church affirms:

“Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who works when and where and how he pleases. The same is true of every elect person who is incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.”

Further clarifications, more simply put: 

• All babies who die, either in the womb or in infancy, are saved and go to heaven
• Mentally handicapped individuals also are saved and go to heaven
• These truths are found principally in the Scriptures
• Our ultimate comfort comes from the character of God, particularly his goodness, justice, love, grace, and mercy

For more detailed research on this topic, here are helpful resources:

• A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith by Samuel E. Waldron
• Safe in the Arms of God: Truth from Heaven About the Death of a Child by John MacArthur
• A New Exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 by Rob Ventura
• To the Judicious and Impartial Reader: Baptist Symbolics Volume 2: A Contextual-Historical Exposition of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith by James M. Renihan
• https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/will-my-son-go-to-heaven
• https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/cognitive-disability-and-eternal-destiny
• https://www.gotquestions.org/do-babies-go-to-heaven.html
• https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/do-all-infants-go-to-heaven/
• https://www.gty.org/library/questions/QA101/Do-babies-and-others-incapable-of-professing-faith-in-Christ-automatically-go-to-heaven

Ryan Wade
Pastor, Faith Community Church
11/23/2023

• Are deacons the leaders of the church?

In short, no. Elders are the spiritual leaders of the church. The church is to be primarily a place for the ministry of the Word and prayer. That ministry, of Word and prayer, is led by the elders of the church. However, there is an aspect of service needed to carry out the practical needs of the church. Deacons help lead these ministries. Take, for instance, the apostles and servants of Acts 6. The church was growing so much that the apostles (proto-type elders) were being drawn away from the ministry of the Word and prayer to handle practical needs of the body. Therefore, the church appointed servants (proto-type deacons) to meet those physical needs. The deacons are to be assistants to the pastors to help deal with the physical needs of the body while the elders are tending to the spiritual needs of the church. There will be inevitable overlap between the two ministries but together the elders and deacons work harmoniously in different avenues to produce a healthy church. Both of the needs met by elders and deacons are spiritual needs and the church is tasked to meet them. The benefit of this clarification is the result; “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). 

• What is the difference between elders and deacons?

Elders are those men who have been tasked with the shepherding ministry of the Word and prayer. Deacons are those servants who are assigned to specific tasks or ministries in order to free up the elders to do the shepherding ministry of the Word and prayer. In other words, deacons are assistants to the pastors to help build up the church. 

• What are the qualifications of a deacon?

1 Timothy 3:8-13. Also listen to this sermon (link to sermon on deacons).

• How do I know if I am supposed to be a deacon?

Being appointed as a deacon is not a lone ranger appointment. It is a combination of needs of the church, personal qualification of character, personal ability to meet the need, and the church’s public appointment to the office. 

At Faith Community Church, deacons are nominated by the elders at a members meeting to be appointed to a particular task or minsitry. Then, the deacons will be observed and tested until the following member’s meeting. At the following members meeting, as long as no justified hesitations were brought up from the members of the church, then the whole congregation will appoint the deacons to office. 

• Can a deacon be divorced?

Yes. Although there are differing opinions, FCC has taken the stance that deacons can be divorced. However, there are situations where divorce would disqualify a person from being a deacon. This should be evaluated on a case by case situation. The qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 are not a list of qualifications which a person must have always had, but rather that they currently possess. For more information on those qualifications, listen to the sermon here:

• Can women be deacons?

Yes. With the understanding that women cannot be elders, FCC has taken the position that women can be deacons. The qualification in 1 Timothy 3:11 has the Greek word for woman. Oftentimes, this has been translated into the English as deacon’s wives. However, we believe the meaning of that word leaves room for women to be deacons. 

• Why is the title deacon necessary?

The title of deacon is an important and necessary title because terms matter. There is a potential for two bad situations as it pertains to the title of deacon. 

Situation one is the person who is desiring the title of deacon for a sense of entitlement. Perhaps this person thinks that if they have a title, then they will have more of a voice to influence people. This is a poor reason for a person to pursue a deacon role and title. A deacon is to be dignified, blameless and not greedy for dishonest gain. If a person is interested in a title for the sake of influence, they prove themselves to be unfit for the role and title of deacon. 

Situation two is the person who has been noticed to be doing deacon work but does not have the title of deacon, and furthermore does not want the title of deacon. First off, everyone who does deacon (Servant) work does not necessitate the title of deacon. The election of deacons are up to the entire church, not simply themselves as individuals. Secondly, while deacons ought to be humble and avoid seeking dishonest personal gain, they should not display false humility. False humility can sometimes be masked as humility. As it pertains to this situation, someone may say, “I will do the work of a deacon but I do not need the title of deacon.” While this seems virtuous, it actually has the potential of not being a display of true humility. 

So, the title is necessary for the sake of clarity. When deacons carry the title, they carry responsibility. Without this title, the responsibility either floats around and goes without necessary attention or the responsibility ends up on the elder’s plate. A person assigned to the task that has risen in the life of the church as a need ought to carry the responsibility and title. 

Therefore, the title of deacon is a necessary worthy title if a person is deemed worthy by the entire congregation. 

• What makes a person qualified to be a deacon beyond their character and godliness? If I am not a deacon, does that make me less of a Christian? And if I am a deacon, does that make me a better Christian?

Deacons serve the needs of the church, they do not serve any other purpose. It is not in the best interest of the church nor the individual that a person be nominated as a deacon other than for; a clear need in the church, a person’s character qualifications, a person’s ability to meet the need, and the church’s appointment. 

Deacons are not better than other members and that idea should not bear fruit in the life of a church. Each person is a member of the church and has a great addition to the body of Christ, no matter the title. Although titles are important and prestigious, they should not bolster pride or sinful hierarchy in the life of a church. 

• What is the relationship between deacons and elders?

Elders are given to the spiritual direction of the church as they lead through the ministry of shepherding by teaching the Word of God faithfully and prayer. Deacons work together with the elders to free up their time and attention from the service, administration, etc. tasks that arise. This does not mean elders are not involved in all the ministry of the church but rather that they “should not give up the ministry of the Word and prayer to wait tables” (Acts 6:4). So, the elders and deacons work together harmoniously in their respective lanes. 

• What is the relationship between the individual deacons?

At FCC, we do not have a “board of deacons.” The board of deacons approach to deacons lacks clarity for title and role of deacons. Deacons who carry the title of deacon but do not have a specific task will fall into the temptation that they have authority because of their title but fail to meet the standard because they are not serving. When tasks are not clearly specified, a deacon will either not serve or serve in unwanted or unnecessary ways. Since a deacon’s role is to serve the church and preserve unity, it is best that they serve in a specified individual role given to them by the elders and congregation. The only times that individual deacons will work together is when their deacon role requires the aid of another deacon. For instance, the deacon of administration may ask the deacon of hospitality to help with organizing a meal. Or the deacon of member care may send an email to the deacon of administration concerning a prayer need to be sent out to the church-wide email. Therefore, the deacons work individually to preserve unity in the church. 

• What is the benefit of deacons in a church?

Deacons free up elders to shepherd the flock through the ministry of the Word and prayer. This is the most important task of the church and elders are to be given to that task. Oftentimes, elders are so busy doing everything that they neglect the ministry of the Word and prayer which is detrimental to the health of a church. Therefore, the deacons help in this way. 

Deacons preserve unity in the church. Acts 6:1-7 is a great example of this. They will serve the practical needs of the church so that every perceivable need of the flock is met. When true needs go unmet, the flock gets divisive. Therefore the elders do the ministry of the Word and prayer and deacons meet practical needs. When this happens, unity is preserved and a healthy church is built. 

• Are elders the leaders of the church? 

The phrase that best describes church polity at FCC is elder-led, deacon-served, member-affirmed. Sometimes this is called congregationalism. This affirms that elders are certainly set aside leaders of the church but the elders do not have ultimate authority. The deacons serve the church under the leadership of the elders. And finally, every single church member has authority in the church. This authority of the church as a whole is emphasized in several places; church discipline cases in Matthew 18:18-20 and 1 Corinthians 5, affirming church leaders in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Acts 6:1-7, and singing and praying in Ephesians 5, Colossians 3, and James 5. The whole body works together for the sake of unity and the proclamation of the gospel. This is called congregationalism or as we call it at FCC; elder-led, deacon-served, and member affirmed. 

• What are the qualifications of an elder?

1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.

• How do I know if I am supposed to be an elder?

Becoming an elder is not a lone ranger decision. There are two aspects of the affirmation of a person to the office of elder. First, it is the private aspiration of a man (1 Tim. 3:1). If a man has the aspirations to the office of elder, he should let his elders know of this aspiration. Second, after quite some time of observing and testing a man’s character, the church will affirm or deny this aspiration and fitness for the office of elder. The affirmation of an elder should not be a hasty decision (1 Tim. 5:22). 

• Can an elder be divorced?

Yes. Although there are differing opinions, FCC has taken the stance that elders can be divorced. This should be evaluated on a case by case scenario. There are certainly situations where a divorced man is disqualified for the office of elder. The qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 are not a list of qualifications which a person must have always had, but rather that they currently possess. For more information on those qualifications, listen to the sermon here:

• Can women be elders?

No. This would be a clear violation of the Scriptures. Particularly 1 Tim. 2:11-15 where Paul says a woman should not teach or exercise authority over a man. A woman holding the office of elder would be contrary to the order of creation. Paul says in 1 Cor. 11 that women are created from man and are the glory of man. Therefore, a woman should never hold any pastoral office. It is exclusive to men only. 

• What is the relationship between the individual elders?

The elders, together as a body, have the authority. Each individual elder has equal authority, input, and responsibility. However, there are practical implications for what is commonly known as the first among equals. Some churches, including FCC, call him the Lead Pastor. The Lead Pastor does not have more voice or authority than any of the other elders. The Lead Pastor does possess a unique position as the man who has given most of his time and efforts to the preaching and praying ministry of the church. This man is worthy of double honor (1 Tim. 5:17-18). Though this role is unique, it does not carry more authority. In fact, it is each elder’s responsibility to be submissive to the overall decision and authority of the elder body. 

• Why a plurality of elders?

FCC is led by a plurality of elders because this is the New Testament standard. Every time in the New Testament the term elder is used, with the exception of the usage which refers to a particular elder, the plural is used. In other words, there is the expectation that churches have a plurality of elders. Although this is not the normal practice in most churches, it is the practice of the New Testament church. 

• What is the benefit of elders in a church?

Elders are a great benefit to the church. Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the Word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” Faithful elders set an example by faithful teaching of the Bible as well as a faithful life that is worth following. A church will only rise as high as its leadership, so it is extremely necessary of having faithful elders who teach the Word of God and live faithful lives. The benefit of this will be immeasurable in the life of the church. 

Sometimes in order to see the big picture, it is necessary to get into the weeds. This will be the case for this article. In order to know who is qualified to come to the table (getting into the weeds), we must have a firm understanding of the church of the living God (the big picture). 

The argument made in this article is this; the only qualified participants in the Lord’s Supper are baptized Christians who are living in a worthy manner and are in good standing with a local church. 

I will break the qualifications into four categories and tackle each one separately and then bring them back together at the end and answer some lingering questions. 

1. You must be a Christian

The nature of the Lord’s Supper is exclusive to only Christians. While there are no clear verses that say that unbelievers should not partake in communion, it is clear in the Scriptures that only those who have saving faith in Christ alone are welcome to the table. Some denominations practice what is known as “open communion”, but this is a clear violation of the practice of the Lord’s Supper. 

The Lord’s Supper was foreshadowed by the Passover in the Old Testament where the people of God would place the blood of a spotless lamb over the doorpost of their homes in order to avoid the killing of their first born child. In other words, only the people of God participated in the Passover. 

When Jesus reclined at the table and shared the last Passover meal with his disciples where he instituted the Lord’s Supper, it was only His disciples who were there. Perhaps some would argue that Judas was there and Jesus knew he was not a true disciple. The point is that those who were welcome are those who have outwardly professed Christ. Certainly there will be unregenerate people coming. News flash, there are plenty of unregenerate church members who have slipped through the cracks and joined most healthy bible churches. The point is that pastors should fence the table well to make sure that only Christians are coming to the table. 

Paul, in 1 Corinthains 11, emphasizes “when you come together as a church” (v. 18). His point was that only Christians were permitted to come to the table because of what the table represents. 

The Lord’s Supper represents the death of Christ which is the means by which sin was paid for. Parallel to the lamb that was killed to spread the blood on the doorpost during the Passover, Jesus Christ, the perfect lamb of God, has shed his blood for those who would trust him for the remission of sins. 

Only Christians can come to this meal. 

2. You must be baptized

Remember, it is necessary to get into the weeds to understand the big picture. If the Lord’s Supper is only for Christians, then it is only for baptized Christians. You may ask, are there such things as Christians who are not baptized? Certainly, this may be the case. Or you may ask, does baptism make you a Christian? And the answer would is no, it does not save you. However, saving faith, which makes you a Christian, and baptism, which is the public evidence you are a Chrisian go hand in hand. And it goes hand in hand that only a baptized Christian should partake of the Lord’s Supper, which is a meal only for Christians. 

This issue has everything to do with the fact that a person’s saving faith is not a private faith. Rather, it is a public one. And baptism and the Lord’s Supper are public ordinances. 

Baptism is the sign where the church affirms that a person has displayed true saving faith. Apart from the public sign of baptism, that person only has the private knowledge of their faith which is not enough. Since the Lord’s Supper is a public sign that you are a Christian, and to come to the table you must be a Christian, then you must be baptized (publicly affirmed as a Christian by a local church) before you partake of the Lord’s Supper. 

In other words, it is all about getting the order right. First, you have saving faith. Second, you are baptized to affirm your faith publicly with a local church. Third, you are welcome to the Lord’s Table. 

The reason for this qualification is because an understanding of the local church, its nature, and its authority matters. Oftentimes baptism is left out of the qualifications for communion and this minimizes the importance of baptism in the life of a Christian and ultimately minimizes the emphasis of the local church. When all four qualifications are matched together, a robust understanding of the church is preserved. 

I will answer some potential questions that may come to mind at the end of this article. 

3. You must be living in a worthy manner

Paul’s concern in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 was an appropriate manner of coming to the Lord’s table. Apparently they were coming  for selfish reasons, inconsiderate of others, and in an unworthy manner. Some may take this passage to be a warning to unbelievers, but it is, in fact, a warning to believers. Paul goes on later in the passage to say, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” In other words, before coming to the table, it is incumbent upon every Christian to discern of themselves their worthiness. The table of the Lord is a physical representation of the gospel, and the gospel bears fruit in our lives through righteous and holy living. We should not be living in unrepentant sin and coming to the table. Rather, we should abstain from the table, and repent of sin before we come to the table again. 

The table is to be fenced, not only from non-Christians, but also from Christians who are living in an unworthy manner. 

4. You must be in good standing with a local church

The church has been given authority by Christ. The church expresses its authority in church membership, baptism, preaching and teaching, and communion. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are corporate matters, along with church membership. If a Christian is not in good standing with a local church, then that person should not be welcomed to the table. 

What does it mean to be in good standing of a local church? It means, number one, that they are active or seeking to be active members of a local church. Number two, it means they are not currently involved in any church discipline cases where a church would caution another sister church of admitting a person into membership because of a particular sin. To be in good standing with a local church does not mean that a person is perfect, but rather that they are living their life in a way which a congregation can affirm that they are truly Christians and are living in a worthy manner. The qualification of living in a worthy manner is not an individual judgment but rather it is a congregation’s judgment, according to the Scriptures, of a person. 

Therefore, a person must be in good standing with a local church to be welcome to the table. 

After reading this article, you may be thinking how strict these qualifications are for the Lord’s table. Let me remind you that we are talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ where dead sinners are made alive. Let me remind you that we are talking about the church of the living God. Let me remind you that we are talking about the all sufficient, inspired, infallible Word of God. None of these things should be taken lightly. We need Christians and churches to take the gospel of Jesus Christ, the church of the living God and the Word of God more seriously than we are. We do not need more compromise, we need clearer expectations. This article is intended to bring more clarity, for the glory of God and the edification of the saints around the topic of who is welcome to the Lord’s table. 



Are children welcome to the table?
If a child is a Christian, who has been baptized, walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, and is in good standing with a local church, then yes that child is welcome to the table. 

If a child is working through salvation and questions about baptism, it is best to withhold from taking the Lord’s Supper until clarity is brought personally and within the congregation and they are baptized. 

What if I am a Christian and not yet baptized, what should I do?
You should seek membership with a local church where your salvation can be affirmed by elders and a congregation who know you and love you. Once this happens, you will be baptized and welcome to the table. Until then, refraining from the table would be best. 

If a person meets all the standards above, are there any reasons they should abstain from coming to the table?
In short, no. 

A prayer that is often used at Faith Community Church before taking communion comes from Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

This prayer is a request that God would reveal any unknown sin in your heart or life to you. Certainly there are sins that are hidden from you, but again, the qualification for communion is not perfection, it is worthiness. If there is any unrepentant sin in your life, then you should repent before coming to the table. Maybe another way to say this; you must come to the table with a clear conscience. Undoubtedly, there will be offenses between you and another person which would normally constitute refraining from the Lord’s table. However, as long as you have done your due diligence in reconciliation and your conscience is clean, then you are certainly permitted to come to the table. If not, then there still needs to be repentance and reconciliation with that person. 

For the sake of clarity, although communion is a time to reflect on sin and repent of sin, it is not a time to wallow in sin and our unworthiness. Christ has paid for our sin and we should have a clear conscience before God and man, and then enjoy the gospel feast found at the Lord’s table with the other saints. The Lord’s Supper serves as a formative thing as you reflect on your sin and the salvation in Christ. It forms a gospel perspective for life, both personally and relationally. 

May God be glorified, the saints be edified, and the gospel be spread to all nations!