In my line of work, there are some mathematical things that I need to know.  Basic counting is a good thing.  Some principles of accounting are also helpful.  The Bible even contains some arithmetic…

• Noah certainly had to know some geometry and measurement.
• In Mark 4, good seed in good soil multiplied.
• In Acts 2, thousands were added to the number of believers as a result of Peter’s preaching.
• In Deuteronomy 4, God warns the people not to subtract anything from the law.

Unfortunately, division may be the most common mathematical function I’ve noticed. There is of course the division that the Bible warns about.  It isn’t so much a math function as it is a sin problem when believers cannot get along.  But I’ve noticed real life, numerical division.  Observe…

We can have 200 or so people gather for worship on a Sunday morning.  Divide by two.  That leaves us with 100 or so people on a Sunday night. Divide by two.  That leaves us with only 50 or so people on any given Wednesday night.

Why is this troublesome?  On any given week, up to 75% of our congregation is missing out on meaningful discipleship opportunities.  On any given week, 75% of our congregation chooses to skip the main opportunity we have each week to pray together as a family. To quote James, “My brothers, this should not be so!”

Do I think prayer meeting is important?  You had better believe it.  Read the first few chapters of the book of Acts and see what characterized the early church.  You can’t miss the fact that they prayed together whenever they came together.  We don’t know what it looked like, but we know they did it.  Thom Rainer, president of Lifeway, said succinctly, “Healthy churches are praying churches.”

This year, our devotion during prayer meeting is focused on the great prayers of the Bible.  We’re not only praying, we’re turning to God’s Word to help us understand better what prayer looks like and considering the various lessons that the Bible has to teach us about prayer.

So, consider this my open invitation to you who deem Wednesday nights unimportant.  Will you join us for prayer?  Go ahead and bring your burdens with you.  It’s a great time for our church to share in each other’s burdens.  Instead of division during the week, we might even begin to ask God for some multiplication.

In Christ,

Pastor Brian

PS – We even have dinner on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday nights so you don’t have to worry about feeding the family before church.  Contact the office if you’d like to have a meal waiting for you!

The Andy Griffith show is quite the icon in American culture.  There are plenty of times when things get just too busy that I would love to find a Mayberry to go visit.  You know Mayberry – a place where people sat in front porch swings, sipping lemonade, visiting with neighbors – who they actually knew – and loved ones.  It was a place where the barber knew your name, where the mechanic knew your car, where a trip to the pond with a cane pole was a perfect way to spend an afternoon, and where “bud-nipping” solved most of the town’s problems.  There are not too many places like that anymore.  I’m not even sure Mt. Airy, North Carolina, the town the show was filmed, is too much like Mayberry anymore.

Mayberry was also a place where the sheriff didn’t carry a gun.  Did you ever notice that?  He had access to guns.  There was a gun rack close to Andy’s desk.  He kept his revolver on top of the china cabinet at the house.  But Andy never carried.  I know, there are some who think this was just a subtle, anti-gun message embedded in the show – especially considering Barney’s innate ability to always seem to get into trouble with his six-shooter and his one, shiny bullet.  If Andy were truly anti-gun, he wouldn’t have grabbed a shotgun when a fugitive was on the run, or loaded up his revolver when an ex-con came to visit.  I think there was a much greater message in the “sheriff without a gun.”

In the 1965 episode, TV or Not TV, Andy explained why he chose to not carry a gun while on duty.  He said, “When a man carries a gun all the time, the respect he thinks he’s getting might really be fear. So I don’t carry a gun because I don’t want the people of Mayberry to fear a gun. I’d rather they respect me.”  Andy had something that many leaders only dream of – true authority.  He didn’t need a gun most of the time because the people in his town respected him and appreciated him.  Sheriff Andy had authority based on who he was, not because of a badge or a holstered Colt revolver.

In Mark 11, Jesus’ real authority is challenged by those whose pretentious authority He threatened.  Earlier in this chapter, Jesus came into the temple, and in act of righteous anger, he interrupted the booming temple economy.  He turned over the tables of those exchanging currency and selling goods to the pilgrims.  Instead of being able to come and worship, pilgrims had to deal with the hassle of the “worship market.”  Jesus’ actions undoubtedly cost the “authorities” a few bucks, so they questioned His right to do these things.  What they failed to understand was that Jesus’ authority was not granted by a man, an office, a badge, or even a Colt revolver.  Jesus’ authority was and is based on the virtue of His identity.  Jesus’ has authority because he is God.  And His authority is completely trustworthy.  And His authority will be on full display on the day that His name is proclaimed as King and “every knee will bow, in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

People in authority will fail us from time to time.  From time to time, even the best leaders will act out of anger, or selfishness, or sinfulness.  When leaders fail, it takes time, trust, and repentance to re-earn authority.  But Jesus’ authority is firmly rooted in His perfection.  And though we may not understand all of His ways all of the time, we can take great confidence that He has perfect authority over us and the intentions of his rule should never be questioned.  So, have you surrendered completely to the authority of Jesus Christ?  Or do you question His authority as you may question the authority of earthly leaders?

In Christ,

Pastor Brian

Perhaps your employer has conducted a year-end review on you.  Based on their evaluation of your job performance, you may or may not have gotten a raise in the upcoming year.  Maybe you’re in the process of evaluating your family’s budget in preparation for the upcoming year.  Maybe you’re evaluating your health or your diet. 

Regardless of what you are evaluating, regardless of how subjective or objective those evaluations may be, there is some standard by which all evaluations are made.  A company may use last year’s numbers to evaluate this year.  An employer may use an employee’s job description to evaluate performance.  A doctor may use blood pressure or cholesterol as a standard for evaluating health.

The most important evaluation that you may need to conduct is to evaluate how you’re doing in your walk with Christ.  Though it is the most important, it may be the most difficult to measure.  How do you evaluate something that is so personal, yet affects everything about you?  How can you tell if you are doing better than last year?

Different people may offer different standards.  Someone might say that growth is measured by the amount of time spent in prayer and Bible study.  In other words, if you’re reading & praying more than you were last year, then you’ve grown.  Others may measure growth by church attendance & participation.  Still others may determine growth on the basis of victories over besetting sin. 

Perhaps the most effective measure of spiritual growth can be found by determining fruitfulness.  While praying more, studying more, participating in church more, and sinning less are definitely good things that I strongly encourage, they must lead to fruit lest they become religious activities with no real bearing on the Kingdom.  John 15:5 makes it very clear.  “I am the vine; you are the branches.  The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”  Three verses later, Jesus said, “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.”

Picture a monk who goes to a monastery, takes a vow of silence, and spends the rest of his days reading the Bible and praying.  We are tempted to be impressed by such religious devotion.  However, there is a fatal error that we mustn’t overlook.  When we read the Bible and pray more, our response should be to tell others, not maintain silence.  This highly devoted monk has privatized something that Christ expects to be lived out in public.

So, how are you doing in your walk with Christ?  If you were to evaluate your walk with the Lord on the basis of spiritual fruit, would you say you’re doing better than last year, about the same, or much worse?  In other words, how’s your fruit?

Looking forward to a fruitful 2012,

Pastor Brian

Well, I took what was behind door number three. With as much kindness and with the biggest authentic smile that I could muster, I said “Merry Christmas!” Thankfully, the magnetrons at the door didn’t start going off. The sprinklers didn’t turn on. The manager didn’t call security to have me escorted out of the store. Nor was I subpoenaed on the spot by the ACLU. Instead, the young woman smiled and quietly said, “Thank you. Merry Christmas to you as well.”

I was thinking about this whole showdown between the “Happy Holidays” and the “Merry Christmasses” this week. Is there a way to redeem “Happy Holidays” from the secularists who simply want to combine the Christ of Christmas, the lights of Hanukkah, the culture of Kwanzaa, the turkeys of Thanksgiving, and the resolutions of New Years?

Our journey through Mark’s gospel may give us some further insight in our ongoing effort to keep Christ in Christmas. The Triumphal Entry, found in Mark 11, is a passage more comfortably considered near Easter. We’re still looking at poinsettias and pines; palms are better suited for a Sunday in the Spring. However, the Hosannas that rang out in Bethany that day, as Jesus rode into town on a donkey, may give us hope for the holidays as well.

A little Hebrew secret will make this all very clear. The word Hosanna and the name Jesus come from the same word, yasha, which means “to save.” This is why Matthew 1:21 says, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” The name Jesus describes the action of God on our behalf to provide salvation. Hosanna describes our prayer to God for salvation. The two are explicitly and implicitly connected. The incarnation of Jesus is just the beginning of God’s answer to the prayer of Hosanna.

So, if you really want to mess with the store clerk who tells you “Happy Holidays,” put on a great big smile and look them in the eye, and say, “Hosanna Holidays!” And when they look at you and say, “What’s that supposed to mean?” You can offer them the greatest gift that they could ever receive!

Hosanna Holidays!

Pastor Brian

I was thrilled to have been a part of the 2011 Georgia Baptist Convention.  I was delighted to hear the testimony of Dr. Richard Suplita, and the report of the GBC Study Task Force.  I was also encouraged at the number of younger people who attended this Convention.  I walked away from this meeting more encouraged about the future of our Convention.  There is however, one burden that I cannot get rid of.  Of all that was right about this year’s convention, there was one portion I feel is still terribly wrong.  We do not have an effective system in place for the election of the officers of the GBC.

This process is flawed in at least two significant ways.  First, we provide no time to actually pray about our decision for vice presidents.  This year, everyone knew who John Waters & Fred Evers were.  The campaigning, town-hall meetings, and endorsements had been going on for months.  At this convention, if someone walked into the presidential election without praying by name for the presidential candidates and their vote, then that was the fault of the messenger, not the process.  Typically, presidential candidates are known in advance.  But, there is always the potential for additional candidates to be nominated from the floor.  For the VP’s, most of the messengers had no idea about who the nominees were, nor did they have adequate time to commit their decision to prayer.  I noticed that many seated around me were discussing with one another how they should cast their ballots because they simply had no other way to decide.

The second flaw is that our current nomination process is very man-centered.  In bearing witness to the nominees’ character and leadership, we are making great statements about men and are not saying much at all about the One who made these men successful.  If we understand that “every perfect gift is from above” as James 1:17 reminds us, then we must understand that the ministries of our nominees are successful only because of Christ.

Dr. Frank Cox suggested a paradigm shift in terms of church planting during the Task Force report.  Why don’t we have a paradigm shift in terms of our officer election process as well?  Why can’t we require nominations to be submitted in advance of the annual convention so that messengers know who is being nominated for office before they arrive at the Convention?  Perhaps the Index could print a picture, a brief bio of the candidate, and a profile of the candidate’s ministry, rather than having to listen to a gifted orator preach a glowing mini-sermon about the character of each nominee.  Then messengers would have the opportunity to research, pray, and cast informed votes, rather than our current model.  I believe that doing so would greatly raise the significance of our election process, and help us look more like the Kingdom and less like the culture.

The picture above is of what was once known as the Mojave Desert Memorial Cross. This cross was erected in 1934 to honor those killed during World War I. In 2010, the cross became the center of debate within the United States Supreme Court. The cross was “covered” by the park service after lower courts ruled it in violation of the establishment clause of the US Constitution. In late April, the SCOTUS ruled that the cross could stay. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “The goal of avoiding governmental endorsement of religion does not require eradication of all religious symbols in the public realm”. A few days after the decision, vandals stole the cross in the middle of the night.

It seems all too common these days that our culture is attempting to sterilize itself from Christian influence. Whether it be the annual “nativity scene” battles that we fight every Christmas season or the venomous attacks against Tim Tebow, outspoken Christian quarterback for the Denver Broncos, American culture is more and more hostile to the things of God.

Christians are understandably concerned. It is offensive for us to see a cross covered in plywood or the prayers of a brother mocked on national television. It is alarming to hear our courts rule that public nativity scenes are illegal. Anyone can tell that this is a very slippery slope on which we play as a culture. What is the next step, covering the crosses at Arlington National Cemetery with plastic bags? Sandblasting the Ten Commandments from the carvings outside the Supreme Court?

It is not something new that we face, however. Since Jesus arrived, people have tried to silence His followers and minimize His impact. From Herod’s murderous attempt on his life in Bethlehem to the cross of Calvary, culture has rejected the call to follow Christ. Even a poor blind man in Mark 10 was rebuked for bearing witness to Christ. Blind Bartimaeus cried out, “Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!” The crowd grew very irritated with Bartimaeus’ shouting, but it didn’t silence him. Again he cried, “Have mercy on me, Son of David!” Jesus heard Bartimaeus’ plea over the rebuke of the crowd, and in the life of Blind Bartimaeus, Jesus was glorified.

We might do well to listen to the cries of Blind Bartimaeus. Even though we live in a world that wants nothing to do with Jesus, we should continue to cry out. They may tear down our nativities, they may board up the crosses, but they cannot silence our voices. They may rebuke us in public, but it is not the rebuke of man that we should fear. They may legislate and manipulate our politics to outlaw our free expression of faith in Jesus Christ, but they cannot take away our souls.

Nothing should stop us from proclaiming the greatness and the glory of Christ in our world today. They may not like it or want to hear it, but we must continue to tell the Good News. After all, it is only the Good News that will change the direction of our culture.

The old Christmas carol had said it correctly, “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.” We have a responsibility to tell anywhere our voices will carry.

In Christ,

Pastor Brian

From Thanksgiving to New Years, our televisions will be littered with dozens of “Christmas events.” You know what I’m talking about. Whether it be the 24-hour “A Christmas Story” marathon or Chevy chasing a SQUIRREL through the Griswold living room in “Christmas Vacation.” I can honestly say that nothing even comes close to communicating the significance of Christmas like Linus reading Luke 2 at center stage in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

I’m sure you remember the scene. Charlie Brown and Linus returned from Christmas tree shopping. They didn’t get the modern tree that Lucy had requested. Instead, they got a limb nailed to a board. They set the “tree” on the piano and the criticism ensues…

Violet said, “Boy, are you stupid Charlie Brown. You were supposed to get a good tree. Can’t you even tell a good tree from a poor tree?”

Patti sighed, “You’re hopeless Charlie Brown.”

And then ever critical Lucy barked, “You’ve been dumb before, but this time you bit it.”

The children all laugh and leave a forlorn Charlie Brown alone with Linus. Charlie Brown said, “I guess you were right Linus; I shouldn’t have picked this little tree. Everything I do turns into a disaster. I guess I don’t really know what Christmas is about. Isn’t there anyone who understands what Christmas is all about?”

That’s when Linus interjects a little Biblical truth into our lives.

I find the temptation very real to get caught up in the Holiday Hype. Whether it is going overboard on gifts or decorations or simply forgetting the true reason for the season. But the Holiday Hype really has nothing to do with Christmas.

In many ways, the rich young ruler of Mark 10 has a problem similar to the Holiday Hype. He’s caught up on things. The bottom of his Christmas tree would be stacked with a load of gifts with his name on them. He’s a “good” guy, follows all the rules, even says Merry Christmas. But in doing all the right things, he missed the most important thing. We’re told that when Jesus confronted him in this matter that he walked away from the encounter grieving, “because he had many possessions.”

This is a good thing to remember as the gifts pile up and as the bills for the gifts pile up in January. Ultimately, no gift given this Christmas will last. The toys will break or be outgrown. The clothes will tatter. The tools will rust. But the message of Christmas will last forever. Maybe we all need Linus to come to the center stage of our lives and remind us of the true reason for Christmas.

In Christ,

Pastor Brian

Don’t get me wrong; it is important that we remember our other Christian celebrations and that we remember they actually are Christian celebrations. Christmas is not about Santa, reindeer, or chestnuts roasting on an open fire. It is the season we remember God’s greatest gift to the human race, the gift of our Savior. Easter really has nothing to do with bunnies, eggs, or egg-laying bunnies. It is all about the greatest news ever told, the death, burial, and glorious resurrection of Jesus.

Thanksgiving is different. The common symbols of Thanksgiving actually supplement the significance of the holiday. The Pilgrim, often the symbol of Thanksgiving, reminds us of the Puritans who initiated the celebration of the day. The Puritans were Christians who sought a better life and a freer expression of their faith when they traveled across the Atlantic and settled in the New World. The turkey – other than going really well with dressing – is a symbol of God’s abundance. There’s nothing commercial about those things.

In a way, I’m glad that Halloween candy is 50% off while Christmas candy is being put on the shelf. I’m glad that we don’t have an abundance of Thanksgiving bombarding us at the store, because, truthfully my thankfulness cannot be dictated by the seasonal aisle at Wal Mart. My thankfulness is a personal expression of gratitude to my Lord for His provision in my life. It is something that my family expresses as we gather around a table and share with one another. It is something that remains sacred even in the midst of a vastly secular world.

There is one retailer who seems to share this sentiment. Maybe it is just marketing, perhaps an attempt to gain more customers, but the upscale retailer Nordstrom has a standing policy that they will not decorate for Christmas until the Friday after Thanksgiving. It is not uncommon to see a sign like this one posted in their stores. They say, “We just like the idea of celebrating one holiday at a time.”

I like that idea as well. And I think it is a good encouragement to all of us to remember this week to give thanks. James 1:17 reminds us that “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” If there is anything good in your life, then you have much cause for Thanksgiving.

Giving Thanks,
Pastor Brian

In just a few hours, Georgia Baptists will be asked to pick a leader for the next two years. This person, whoever it may be, will have a great deal of responsibility in the life of our denomination. This year, for the first time in years, we have a contested race. It isn’t just one guy that rises to the top and serves in the leadership of our denomination. It is between two. Two equally qualified, equally conservative voices – Fred Evers from Northside Baptist in Tifton, and John Waters from First Baptist in Statesboro. No doubt, you’ve had your fill of Baptist “politicking” from campaign ads in the Christian Index, to spam filling your email box, to cute little video endorsements from various pastors all across the state. And I am certain that there will be plenty of “politicking” going on inside the common areas of North Metro FBC over the next two days. But the question must be asked, “Brian, who are you voting for?”

Before I give my endorsement, let me first say how much I despise the process by which we nominate candidates for office in the GBC. Tomorrow, during the afternoon session, various pastors from around the state will stand at the mic and nominate their candidate for the different offices. Undoubtedly, the nomination will sound something like this…

“My candidate has been the pastor of Such-n-Such Church for the last 87.75 years. Prior to serving Georgia Baptists, he served in every other state as well as a few foreign mission fields. He is a Cooperative Program champion, increasing his CP giving a percent every year while at Such-n-Such, so that now the church operates with only 12.25% of undesignated gifts. He is a champion for the lost and prides himself on sharing the gospel with everything that breathes. Over the last 80+ years, Such-n-Such has baptized 4,357 dogs, 3,320 cats, and a couple of hundred farm animals. For this reason, Such-n-Such has consistently been ranked among the top 100 most influential Georgia Baptist Churches and has always been recognized as being one of the fastest growing Sunday Schools in the state. In fact, they’ve had to move out of their current facility and start having services in a barn down the street to accommodate the large crowds of barking and meowing congregants. My candidate is a fourth generation preacher. His Baptist roots run deep. His family was one of the charter members of the first Southern Baptist Church in Augusta. He has personally led mission trips to the furthest reaches of the globe, including a trip to evangelize the scientific community stationed in Antarctica. My candidate loves Georgia Baptists and has a vision for how we can reach the millions of lost and unchurched (and their pets) living throughout this great state. You should vote for my candidate.”

It is this way every year. When I hear us stand at the mic and heap these accolades on men, it makes me wonder if Jesus could even be nominated to a position of leadership in our convention. A homeless, unmarried, controversial, evangelist who constantly criticized the religious establishment. That guy’s probably not getting a lot of votes in Lawrenceville on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling that both Fred Evers and John Waters will have glowing nomination speeches prepared by very gifted preachers. The truth of the matter is that I would be honored to vote for the guy whose nominator simply said,

“He’s a sorry sinner, saved by a merciful God. In His grace, God has allowed him to have the great honor of shepherding His people. His church isn’t perfect, but they’re trying to walk with the Lord and support the Great Commission. My candidate loves Jesus because Jesus loved him first. I believe that my candidate is called by God to lead our convention for the next two years. He’s not completely comfortable doing this but is willing to follow Christ outside of his comfort zone. Because of this I will do everything in my power to support his leadership. You should too.”

Whoever THAT candidate is, that’s who gets my vote every time. This isn’t a Baptist beauty contest. It is, I hope, something much more significant. With all of this talk about change, let’s change the way we do things on Tuesday. And instead of boasting in a man and his leadership, let’s boast in Christ and how Christ has empowered and gifted men for sacrificial service to the church.

Looking forward to a “vigorous” Georgia Baptist Convention!

Brian S. Carroll
Northside Baptist Church
Newnan, GA

Jesus was extraordinarily ordinary. At least his humanity was. He was nobody that we should’ve made a big fuss about. He was born into poverty, not prowess. He was raised in mediocrity, not superiority. He conducted his ministry among the peasants and had little to do with the politicians. One might simply use the word “meek” to describe the circumstances of Jesus’ humanity. Yet even in the meekness of Jesus’ humanity, he was no less than the Son of God. This meekness is what makes the Incarnation of Christ so significant. He was willing to humble Himself, leaving behind the glory and splendor of heaven for a temporary sojourn on this earth.

This made Jesus approachable. Prior to Jesus, God was not easily accessible. Drawing near to God often meant certain doom. From Sinai to the Holy of Holies, you didn’t approach God without a clear invitation. Yet in Jesus, we see ailing women reaching out to touch Him. We see Gentiles beseeching Him for help. We see children climbing into His lap. Jesus was God, but by His grace, He put on flesh and walked in our shoes. The danger in this is that we forget His glory in the midst of his approachability.

In Mark 9, we are reminded in a powerful way that Jesus was more than just a Galilean carpenter. He was and will always be God. After Jesus and his inner circle of disciples ascended a high mountain, we are told that Jesus’ appearance changed. His dingy garments became sparkling white, and for these few moments, the glory of Jesus returned while he visited with two heroes of the faith – Moses & Elijah
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The Transfiguration gives us a brief, yet compelling reminder of who it is that we serve. Jesus isn’t a good man, a teacher, or a prophet – He is God. And as God, He shares His glory with no one. That is the mistake Peter made. Instead of keeping his mouth shut and reflecting on the significance of this event, he spoke up and offered to build three tents – one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. By doing so, he was implying some level of equality among them. Don’t get me wrong, as awesome as it would be to see Moses and Elijah, they’re not God. They’ve seen God, but they’re not God.

We must be careful that we do not share the glory of Christ with any created thing. There is nothing that compares, nothing that even comes close. Jesus did live here, in our midst for more than three decades, but His home now is in heaven, and the next time we see Jesus, He will not be a humble carpenter, but a mighty Savior.

In Romans 1:22-23, Paul accurately diagnoses our tendency, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” That’s all idolatry is, sharing the glory of God with some other thing. The addict gives glory to the drug. The adulterer gives glory to the other person. The alcoholic gives glory to the drink. The glutton gives glory to the food. The prideful man gives glory to himself.

But the truth is that there is only One who is worthy to receive glory. The Psalmist said, “Not to us, Lord, but to Your name be glory…” We behold that glory for just a moment on the Mount of Transfiguration. One day we shall behold that glory forever and ever in the face of Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Brian