Recently we reached an important milestone for our congregation. Since my arrival as Pastor of Pisgah Baptist Church nearly five years ago, I’ve formally and informally preached toward a proper understanding of what it means to be the Body of Christ. So much of the Bible relates directly to our shared experience, identity, and responsibilities rather than individual issues. God communicates to His people, not to a large number of individuals that are unrelated to one another and ‘flying solo.’ In light of this preaching, we also began working through the practical implications of membership. Working with our staff, deacons, and membership review committee, we started a membership process three years ago that would ultimately bring us to an accurate picture of who Pisgah Baptist really is.
When I arrived, Pisgah had a membership of 958 people. As a result of congregational action on May 12, we are now a congregation of approximately 385 (any given month we see 324+ participate). This did not occur overnight, nor did it occur in one simple vote. The process involved a lot of discussions, meetings, contacts, investigation, and prayer.
What follows is a response to a thoughtful question Read the rest of this entry »
You’re not good enough. These words stir immediate emotion when we hear them. Imagine yourself at a practice hearing the coach yell these words. You experience a flood of emotion. First, you feel the deep discouragement of the young athlete and then driving disdain toward the coach for such a calloused approach. It’s hard to envision a time when these words would ever be appropriate. They’re certainly unacceptable coming from spouses, management, parents, or teachers. The only person we may excuse for this would be Simon Cowell. Could there be, however, a time when these words are gracious? Read the rest of this entry »
I was once asked, “What is faith?” In light of current discussions dealing with ‘communities of faith,’ ‘faith systems,’ and ‘faith-based organizations,’ there are those who are justifiably confused as to what faith really is. The answer to this question is significant – eternally significant.
Realizing that this term is culturally intended to have a very broad definition (one would expect this in an eclectic culture), we can’t escape its religious connotation and background. The very fact that Read the rest of this entry »
We each must recognize the value of God’s blessings. These blessings come in various forms. One blessing in particular is that of individuals who devote themselves to the study of God’s Word for the benefit and growth of others. The following are a few men that Read the rest of this entry »
The following is a link to a parallel translation involving four English versions of 4Q525. This particular Dead Sea Scroll is identified with other Sapiential (ie.: wisdom) texts that have provided helpful details regarding the perspective of a particular sect (likely that of the Essenes) within Judaism identified with Qumran. 4Q525 also provides an early example of writing that closely resembles Christ’s Beatitudes found in Matthew 5. I have created this document for those interested in the study of the DSS’s and yet possess little Hebrew understanding. Working through the text in this format will aid the reader in appreciating the work involved in publishing the contents of the DSS’s as well as in identifying the different renderings of this document.
4QBeatitudes [4Q525] A Parallel Translation
Founders Journal · Spring 2004 · pp. 25-28
(used by permission Jan. 20, 2010)
by Allen Harrison
There are many passages of Scripture that give counsel and encouragement to those who are involved in the preaching of the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul unfolds a variety of truths that apply to this great work of gospel proclamation.
The Privilege (4:1)
Paul writes, “since we have this ministry.” The ministry of the gospel is a gift. We believe in a divine call to preach. It is not a work that one takes up simply as a vocation, at least Read the rest of this entry »
Founders Journal · Winter 2003 · pp. 10-12,16
(used by permission Jan. 20, 2010)
by Allen Harrison
It’s hard to believe I have been involved in the ministry of the gospel for over fifty-one years. What a joy it has been, even with an assortment of difficult times along the way. I only wish I could do it all over again and again. Thank you, Lord, for calling me to preach! What a privilege it Read the rest of this entry »
Allen and I (ca. 2002)
Just recently I was at a meeting with some pastors and Allen Harrison came up in the conversation. A fellow pastor and I both knew Allen and reflected upon his life and ministry. We both appreciated his theological mind, gentle spirit, biblical wisdom, and pastoral concern. He had a tremendous impact upon both of us and is still greatly missed (Allen died in 2006).
The following is a ‘short list’ of those things Read the rest of this entry »
I can remember my delight upon receiving Keach’s Preaching from the Types and Metaphors of the Bible several years ago. It was intriguing to see the internal relationships that exist within the pages of Scripture. From Adam to the exile, from the tabernacle to the Sabbath we find tremendous examples of the types that are incorporated in Scripture. They not only prove helpful in moving the story of redemptive history along, but also serve as thickening agents of God’s gracious plot (thanks to Steve Rives for this metaphor). However, I’ve encountered instances Read the rest of this entry »
It’s been two weeks now since the annual meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention. The dust is settled and I’ve caught up (it’s always a ministerial sprint when returning from convention activities). In the midst of catching up, I’ve given the proceedings a lot of thought. I’ll be praying about the following matters:
**It was good to see that we are continually exploring new relationships and opportunities for mission work. Several partnerships were Read the rest of this entry »
