Random Thoughts – ROAD LIFE

A Hackneyed Gospel-Everything

2021-07-04T17:57:52+00:00By Sam Ford|Culture and Christ, Random Thoughts|

If you are anything like me, I have grown weary of seeing the word "gospel" attached to everything. We have gospel-centered, gospel-driven, gospel-community, gospel-doctrine, gospel-communication, gospel-marriages, gospel-everything. There is nothing wrong with the word, but I fear its overuse will eventually make it meaningless...or worse. I agree with what I believe is the intent behind the use of these compound words. Authors, bloggers, pastors, and teachers are all addressing heart motivation. The last thing they want is someone to approach discipleship, marriage, doctrine, or any aspect of life, in a self-centered or self-reliant way--the very antithesis of the gospel. I don't argue we should stop using the word, rather, we should regularly remind ourselves not only of the facts of the gospel, but its implications. In other words, we need to stop assuming people understand the truth of what we are talking about just because we attach the word Gospel to [...]

A Terribly Good Friday

2012-04-06T08:50:56+00:00By Sam Ford|Random Thoughts, Re:Sermon|

For his anger is for a moment, and his favor for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Psalm 30.5) As I tucked my kids into bed last night, I reminded them that this (Thursday) was the night that Jesus ate his final meal with his friends before he would be arrested and murdered. I have tried to imagine what Jesus was feeling knowing that within hours, one "friend" would betray him, one friend reject him, and everyone else would run and hide. His own people would falsely accuse him, his religious leaders illegally try him, and his government would refuse to defend him. What could he possibly have felt? I seems like I have the tendency to (wrongly) believe that, because he was without sin, somehow that makes him without emotion. If he is fully human, than we know that cannot be [...]

Friday Funny: Tithing

2012-02-24T10:52:52+00:00By Sam Ford|Random Thoughts|

http://youtu.be/0VSCrRrY-aM

We foolishly showed these videos in a service once. I say foolish, not because it isn't true. I say it simply because a discerning person (or pastor) knows that just because you can doesn't me you should. Still makes me laugh though.

From The Pursuit of God

2012-02-20T07:30:54+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

The doctrine of justification by faith—a Biblical truth, and a blessed relief from sterile legalism and unavailing self-effort—has in our time fallen into evil company and been interpreted by many in such manner as actually to bar men from the knowledge of God. The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego. Christ may be "received" without creating any special love for Him in the soul of the receiver. The man is "saved," but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God. In fact he is specifically taught to be satisfied and encouraged to be content with little. The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word. We have almost [...]

Basic questions you might not have biblical answers to

2021-07-04T17:59:24+00:00By Sam Ford|Random Thoughts, Theology 101|

A small group of men and I are going through a basic discipleship class (@6am on Friday mornings!). In the past, I have might have viewed much of the content in the book we've chosen as too basic, too simple, or too elementary. That is until I read verses like Colossians 2.6-8 and realize that it's these basic principles, the ones that we first learn as "newly planted" believers, that help us grow: 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. The study we are going through does what I have often failed to do as [...]

Friday Fresh WORD…

2012-02-17T09:30:48+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

http://youtu.be/6NYp_il0Qzc

Are pastors making it too easy?

2012-02-14T16:41:56+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

A word to pastors... As I am reading through the gospel of Mark, I am struck by many of the things that Jesus says. Without fail, a careful reading of Jesus' words will blow every predictable stereotype or expectation we might have for what a "good pastor" should or should not say. There are many times when I think to myself, "Wow, that wouldn't go over well" or, "I don't think I could say that...at least not that way" We are much more willing to overlook what we'd consider "verbal slips" by Jesus' ( being God incarnate), but seems that we wait like doctrinal-mercenaries to pounce on any pastor who might try the same thing. For example, consider what Jesus says in his encounter with the "Rich Young Man" as well as the words to his disciples following the conversation (See Mark 10.17-24). After this young man tells Jesus how [...]

Paul &_______ (Monday Morning Pastor…on Tuesday)

2012-02-14T10:33:28+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts, Re:Sermon|

For the month of February, we are preaching a series entitled PAUL &. It is an important sermon series designed to remind our church of its "family traits" or core values: Gospel Truth, Gospel Community, and Gospel Living. Instead of three sermons with those titles, we've decided to examine four different relationships Paul had over the course of his ministry. The first Sunday in our series we preached about Paul & Barnabas. This text emphasized gospel-encouragement. Although we'd love to be known as a church full of good people who say good things to make you feel good, we believe the Bible. And the Bible says that we are a church full of bad people who put their faith in the goodness of Jesus who helps us, by grace, encourage others. In other words, if we are not encouraging by, for, and to Jesus, then we are not encouraging the [...]

You’re No Superman

2021-07-04T18:00:41+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

Sin is sinister. Our trials come in many different shapes, sizes, colors and shades. But when the trial overwhelms us, when the temptation overcomes us, it seems that we are led in one of two directions--pride or despair. Both pride and despair comes from a rejection of the savior. Both pride and despair is rooted in the conviction (however momentary) that Jesus is not quite enough. Sometimes we despair. That means we start to believe that Jesus is not powerful (or loving) enough to remove my guilt, heal my brokenness, or to free me from some plaguing sin. Sometimes we become prideful. That means we that, though we may say we believe all those things about Jesus, secretly we slip on the messiah-cape do our own work to fix the problem, restore "it" to health, or otherwise save the world from sin (including ourselves). It is difficult to remain Christ-centered when you believe [...]

A Return to “Dumb”

2011-12-13T17:01:29+00:00By Sam Ford|Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. (1 Co 6:12). I've finally done it. I have deactivated my "smartphone" phone, at least for a while. So this is goodbye games, goodbye navigator, goodbye news flashes, goodbye Google Sky, goodbye in store price-checks, goodbye Facebook updates, goodbye Twitter notifications, goodbye email, goodbye calendar, goodbye weather reports, goodbye verse of the days, goodbye YouTube on the toilet, goodbye location check-in, goodbye lightsaber-phone, goodbye blinking light, goodbye obnoxious chime. I won't miss you, I am going back to "dumb". Why would I do that? Frankly, I think I was becoming enslaved to technology. And though there are perhaps a thousand arguments as to why people might "need" their phone, I think we all might be a bit delusional. We've been fished in, hooked on, and otherwise persuaded to believe we need a bunch of APP crap that [...]