BRIDGE FELLOWSHIP: AN MARBC MINISTRY
  • About Us
    • Our Executive Director
    • Church Directory
    • Join Us
  • Resources
    • Bridge Fellowship Church News
    • Bridge Fellowship Blog
    • The Messenger
    • Pastoral Resources
    • Protect Young Eyes
    • CPR Ministry
    • For Sale or Giveaway Items
  • Events
    • Regional Associations
    • Annual State Conference
  • Revitalize
  • Plant

 The Messenger Newsletter

Organization News & Updates

The Barnabas File – Volume 5 Number 4 – 4/30/05

4/30/2005

0 Comments

 
“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” 11:23

“Congregations will gather around a pulpit from which living water is flowing!” –E. Stanley Jones

“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” John 3:5
​

Now, just because I quoted E. Stanley Jones, don’t go around saying that he is my favorite role model in ministry. I certainly do respect him for laboring 66 years as a missionary evangelist to the upper castes of India, but I do have a problem with much of his theology. But when he said that “congregations will gather around a pulpit from which living water is flowing,” I just had to say, “Amen!”
​Not only must the “living water” flow from our pulpits, but our people must be attracted to “drink” from it. In other words, it is very important how we communicate the Word. Someone once said, “He had nothing to say and he said it endlessly.” Another stated, “He was a marvelous preacher. At the end of his sermon there was a tremendous awakening!” I think it was Vance Havner who said, “I have never heard any messages I didn’t get anything out of, but I have had some pretty close calls!”

William Willmon wrote that “people are ripe for a voice that gives them something significantly worth living and dying for!” My dear friend, preaching is God’s means of confronting people with eternal truths! Each time we walk into the pulpit we must be reminded that our message will have “eternal” results. Several years ago, to help remind me of the necessity and urgency to depend upon God in my preaching, I wrote in the flyleaf of my preaching notebook five steps in seeking to preach not in my own strength but in the strength that God supplies, taken from John Piper’s excellent book in “The Supremacy of God in Preaching.”

1. Admit to the Lord my utter helplessness without Him (John 5:15)
2. Pray for help (Psalm 50:15)
3. Trust in a specific promise (Proverbs 3:5-6)
4. Act in the confidence that God will fulfill His Word (Isaiah 55:10-11)
5. Thank God both before and after the message (Psalm 100:4)

We need to pray that God will keep the passion in our preaching! We need to pray that our preaching will make a significant difference in the lives of those who come to hear us. We must keep the “living water flowing” so that they will want to hear. Then, when we have poured out our hearts, let the Holy Spirit take the “living water” and apply it where He may. We have no control over that. I remember once, early on in my ministry, when I planned to pour all of the “living water” on just one soul I had been witnessing to and he said that he would come to church on that Sunday and hear me preach. Well, he never showed up, and I preached that message with dismal heart for I was so disappointed that my “target” was not present. That Monday morning, a sweet little old lady who had recently started attending the church called and asked if I could come to her home and visit with her about Christ. I had not seen her in the small congregation of fifty that Sunday morning because I was looking for Ed. When I arrived at her home, she acknowledged that she had been convicted in the preaching service and wanted to trust Christ as her Savior. What a valuable lesson the Lord taught me that day. Let the “living water” flow to all, and watch the Spirit of God work.

As hundreds of our Bible believing and Bible preaching churches meet this Lord’s Day, let’s be sure that the “living water” is flowing, and that it is flowing in such a way that our people will be immersed in the Spirit’s working in their lives.
​
Maynard H. Belt
State Representative
Mich. Assoc. of Regular Baptist Churches
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    August 2016
    November 2015
    June 2015
    November 2014
    July 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    November 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    June 2009
    April 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    December 2007
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    August 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007
    April 2007
    March 2007
    February 2007
    January 2007
    December 2006
    November 2006
    September 2006
    August 2006
    July 2006
    June 2006
    May 2006
    March 2006
    February 2006
    January 2006
    December 2005
    November 2005
    October 2005
    September 2005
    August 2005
    July 2005
    June 2005
    May 2005
    April 2005
    March 2005
    February 2005
    January 2005
    December 2004
    November 2004
    October 2004
    September 2004
    August 2004
    July 2004
    August 2003

    Categories

    All
    Annual Conference
    Annual Conference 2012
    Annual Conference 2013
    Annual Conference Audio 2014
    Annual Report
    Articles
    Audio
    Baptist Testimony
    Book Browsing
    Calendar
    Church Ministries Conference
    Church Partnering Relationships
    Church Strengthining Seminar
    Day Of Prayer
    Events
    Feature
    From Where I Stand
    Ken's Road Report
    Links
    MARBC Churches
    MARBC News And Notes
    Men Modeling The Master
    News
    Ordination
    Pastoral Meditation
    Practical Ideas For Growth
    Resources
    Retreats
    Talents For Christ
    The Barnabas File
    The Word Has It
    Video
    Welcome

    Subscribe



    RSS Feed

The Bridge Fellowship is a regional partner with the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches.
5760 Cannonsburg Road NE
Belmont, MI  49306-9089
​(616) 364-5688

Site powered by design.faith
© 2022 The Bridge Fellowship, a ministry of the Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches. ​
  • About Us
    • Our Executive Director
    • Church Directory
    • Join Us
  • Resources
    • Bridge Fellowship Church News
    • Bridge Fellowship Blog
    • The Messenger
    • Pastoral Resources
    • Protect Young Eyes
    • CPR Ministry
    • For Sale or Giveaway Items
  • Events
    • Regional Associations
    • Annual State Conference
  • Revitalize
  • Plant