Should I Ask the Question? Question & Comment Evaluation Chart for Students

While in the classroom have you ever thought to yourself:

1. Should I ask this question?
2. I shouldn't have asked that question.
3. I wish that person would stop asking questions/making comments and dominating class discussion.
4. I think I have something good to add to this discussion, but I'm not sure if I should say anything.
5. I should've said something.
6. I know that person has something good to say, but why won't he/she say it?
7. I'm lonely.

The folks at Christians for Better Classrooms have provided all students around the world a Question & Comment Evaluation Chart to help us answer the inner-monologue many, if not all, of us reherse each time we are in the classroom. Enjoy.

The Gospel in Our Mouths

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:13-17 ESV).

“But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1Peter 3:15 ESV).

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV).

“But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it” (Deuteronomy 30:14 ESV).

“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore” (Isaiah 59:21 ESV).

Preach the word. Share the Gospel with your mouth. Plead for His grace to help you do it. Fail on human terms and let God determine what is successful. His Word has and will triumph in bringing His sheep into His flock, bringing the captives home and brining life where there was death.

Best of WTS Sale: Pastoral Ministry Resources

Prices good until August 28

Called to Awaken the Laity (Paperback) by Oak, John H. $15.99 $9.59	Cross and Christian Ministry: Leadership Lessons from 1 Corinthians by Carson, D. A. $12.99 $7.79	Elder and His Work by Dickson, David $9.99 $6.99	From Embers to a Flame: How God Can Revitalize Your Church by Reeder III, Harry L. $12.99 $5.85
Heart of a Servant Leader: Letters from Jack Miller by Miller, C. John $12.99 $6.49	Making Kingdom Disciples: A New Framework by Dunahoo, Charles H. $12.99 $5.85	Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Dever, Mark PT 211: 100% $15.99 $8.79	The Peacemaking Pastor: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Church Conflict (Paperback) by Poirier, Alfred $14.99 $8.99
Reformed Pastor by Baxter, Richard PT 311: 100% $9.00 $4.95	Shepherds After My Own Heart: Pastoral Traditions and Leadership in the Bible (New Studies in Biblical Theology Vol 20) (Paperb by Laniak, Timothy S. PT 311: 100% $24.00 $13.20	Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer (Paperback) by Sanders, J. Oswald PT 332: 100% $13.99 $9.09

Christina & Baby Are Immune!

We just received word from our doc that Christina has been previously exposed to Fifth Disease, therefore, she is immune and consequently the baby in her tummy is immune. Praise the LORD!

Interesting to think of certain trials, illnesses, pains, sufferings etc. that the LORD ordains to take us through for future blessings. Principally, these bringings from God are for our eschatological blessing in Christ's return and our eternal communion with the Triune God.

May we rejoice always and

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when [we] meet trials of various kinds, for [we] know that the testing of [our] faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4 ESV).

• See Brothers, Our Affliction is for Their Comfort.

Prayer Request for My Wife, Son and Unborn Baby

We found out today that our 2.5 year old has Fifth Disease which is usually not that big of a deal for kids.

The rash can last a couple of weeks (some cases lasting for several months) and may itch. Patients are usually no longer infectious once the rash has appeared.

In most cases Fifth is mild, however, there are serious consequences for certain risk groups:

In pregnant women, infection in the first trimester has been linked to hydrops fetalis, causing spontaneous abortion.

My wife, Christina, is 18 weeks pregnant. She is going in to the hospital tomorrow morning (Friday) to get blood work done.

Please be in prayer for her, our nonborn baby and Nation. I'll give updates when I get them.

I'm leaving Sturgis early to be with her, Nation and Noelle during this time.

As an update on Sturgis...

God encouraged my heart much this week with the power of the Gospel to convert the desires of non-believers and increase affection for Christ in believers. By God's design I met and shared the Gospel with numerous people this week. But, one of those most impacted by its power was me.

Thank you for your prayers for us while we were here. And, thank you for your prayers for my wife, our non-born baby and Nation.

Muzzled Mouths: If Not in Sturgis, in God's Courtroom

Please continue to pray for us as we share the law to the proud and grace to the humble. Pray that idolators of self would become worshippers of our Triune God. Pray that our people will have boldness to declare with their mouths "that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God" (Rom. 3:19 ESV).

Pray that we would not be silenced by uncomfortableness, but would "Count it all joy...when [we] meet trials of various kinds, for [we] know that the testing of [our] faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that [we] may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4 ESV).

“What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet'”
(Romans 7:7 ESV).

Please also be in prayer for my beautiful, pregnant helpmate Christina and my two wonderful children as I am gone. Pray that the children would be obedient and Christina will have energy to care for them and that she will delight herself in the LORD.

The Word Has Not Failed in Sturgis

This is Bike Week in Sturgis, South Dakota. Over 500,000 bikers have overtaken a town of around 6,000 like they have for the past 67 years. I am here with Southwestern in partnership with a motorcycle ministry group called the Hellfighters to share the Good News of Jesus Christ to 1) non-believers in hope that they will repent of sin and believe in Christ through the change of desires birthed by the Holy Spirit; and, 2) to believers that they would continually delight themselves in the LORD as the Spirit gives them affections for Him and keeps them until the day of salvation.

Sharing the Gospel is so profitable for our souls - we see our need for our Savior afresh; we recognize our depravity and His grace and mercy; we feel the enlivening power of the Holy Spirit attesting to the power of God for salvation for all who believe, us included; we pray fervently that God would bring life to the corpses with whom we speak; we see the work of the conscience which God has graciously placed in every person as it condemns or commends them as they stand before the good law of the LORD; our hearts' yearn for strangers that they become brothers and sisters.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel. For it is the power of God for salvation for all who believe, to the Jew first and then to the Greek, for in it (the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed for faith from faith (Romans 1:16ff).

What about all those who reject Him here when you share the Gospel or even attempt to speak to them and they will not listen?

It is not as though the Word of God has failed. He will bring to Himself His sheep and His Word will succeed in that. His Word will not fail in the conviction of sin. His Word has succeeded on the cross, in the hearts of those who have and will believe and in the hearts of those who reject Him for it bears witness to their guilt before God.

I urge you now - believe in the Gospel. Plead with God to give you affections for Him. Plead that He would give and keep your faith in the treasure of all that God is for us in Jesus Christ by the uniting power of the Holy Spirit. Repent of sin and hope in God. Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Share the Good News with others teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded. Rejoice in the LORD always!

Straight Out of SWBTS Host Change

Starting this Friday Straight Out of SWBlogTS will be hosted at Straight Out of the SWBTS Blogosphere by another a group of folks more capable than I.

My goal for Straight Out of SWBlogTS was to highlight the positive work and interesting thoughts of current SWBTS student and faculty/staff bloggers. May the weekly updates at their new host reflect well on the seminary - it's dedicated faculty, hard working staff and developing student-theologians - and our beautiful Triune God.