by Bret Capranica | Sep 8, 2010 | Featured Articles, Pastoral Ministry
Local Church Giving from Bret Capranica on Vimeo. Unfortunately, as soon as I bring up the topic of money, as a pastor, some will associate the subject with the Benny Hinn”™s and Robert Tilton”™s of the world. Forget these charlatans. Let”™s simply be honest about what the Bible does say about Christians and giving. The Bible Says Much About Money I won”™t take the time to mention all or even most of the passages, but Jesus and the Apostles often used one”™s positions and wealth as a firm illustration of where one”™s heart is (i.e., Matt 6:24; 1 Tim 6:6-10, 17-19; Luke 12:13-21). Our Spending Says Much About Us Any examination of my checkbook will expose a wealth of information about what is important to my family and me. In this country, there is a tremendous amount of financial freedom in contrast to the rest of the world. We spend money on what we want. And what we want reveals much about our heart”™s desires. Tithing or Free Will? Inevitably, when Christians discuss the subject of giving, the issue of tithing will come up. No small debate exists among modern American Christians about whether the Bible, particularly the New Testament calls us to give ten percent (a tithe) of all we bring in, or if giving levels are merely left open to the Christian”™s conscience. Before I speak about my position, let me review a few biblical points Tithing Was a Principle Before It Became a Law Before Moses commanded it, the patriarchs practiced it (Gen 14:17-20; Gen 28:20-22). In fact other religions before and during the patriarchal era...
by Bret Capranica | Sep 7, 2010 | Education, Featured Articles, Marriage and Family, Pastoral Ministry
Educating Our Children from Bret Capranica on Vimeo. How should we think about educating our children, especially in light of the very strong convictions held by those in home schooling, private schools, and the public school system? Parents Are Responsible In God”™s plan, I think the Bible is clear on who is fundamentally responsible for teaching children: parents. Deuteronomy 6 indicates that parents are charged with teaching children God”™s ways throughout the normal flow of life. Ephesians 6:1-4 clearly lays responsibility upon parents to raise their children in God”™s wisdom and ways. Parents are responsible for their children. This seems fundamental, doesn”™t it? Thus, it is not ultimately the church”™s children”™s ministry that is responsible for teaching our children about God. It is not the student ministries of the church that is chiefly charged with a teenager”™s spiritual life. Neither schools (private or public) nor even the church, as an institution, are ultimately the overseers of who, what, when, where, why, and how our children are educated ““ parents are. That”™s who God charged to be responsible for a child”™s education. Options are Legitimate Parental responsibility does not demand parental involvement alone. Certainly the church”™s children”™s and student ministries can be an asset to our children”™s learning more about God. Pastors and teachers are charged with spiritual instruction within the church ““ children included. Thankfully, parents are not mandated to teach calculus to their children. But they are charged with being responsible for being involved in who will teach them. Responsibility to oversee a child”™s instruction does not demand that no one else be included in instructing a child....
by Bret Capranica | Sep 6, 2010 | Christian Living, Featured Articles, Pastoral Ministry
An Affirmation About Alcohol from Bret Capranica on Vimeo. An increasing drumbeat in contemporary American churches is one on the subject of alcohol consumption. Not alcohol abuse ““ but consumption. I believe the vast majority of evangelical Christians (if not all) would affirm that the Bible speaks not only derisively, but condemningly of the abuse of alcohol. The contemporary dividing line is over the use of alcohol. In this post I want to look at a few issues on this subject, describe my position as I understand the Scriptures, and conclude with an affirmation I join in making with the elders at Summit Woods Baptist Church. The Use of Alcohol Can Be a Divisive Issue: It Can Be Generationally Divisive The use of alcohol seems to have a very dark line of division between generations. A large portion of the rising, energetic, biblically loyal, evangelistically passionate, and serious minded, younger generation of Christians is far more open to the use (again, not the abuse) of alcohol. This is in stark contrast to other generations who have traditionally advocated a position of complete abstinence. In my interaction with both groups, this issue brings out high energy and intense emotions. I find that a younger generation is more ready to make use of what they see as a biblically gray area and eschew others who are offended by their beer drinking (or whatever beverage they choose). In turn, in receiving the tongue lashing from the teetotalers, these imbibers return the favor with equally biting comments about the legalistic behavior of their oppressors. I honestly believe each group has valid concerns and...
![Answering Hot Topics – How Long Should a Sermon Last?]()
by Bret Capranica | Sep 5, 2010 | Featured Articles, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching
How Long Should a Sermon Be from Bret Capranica on Vimeo. How Long Should a Sermon Be? Here”™s a long post about long sermons. I’ve never known this not to be an issue. Some could care less how long the message is, others have firm convictions based on personal experience and contemporary studies as to how long any public address should be in order to be effectively assimilated. I want to address this issue from a number of fronts: Regular, consecutive exposition is the sort of preaching I believe is most helpful for the sanctification of God’s people. Those who know me know that I believe expository preaching is what is most helpful in the corporate sanctification of God’s people. I like to define expository preaching as sermons where the point and structure of the sermon reflect the point and structure of the biblical passage. My definition doesn’t demand long or short sermons. I think shorter sermons may be able to present the point of a passage as well, perhaps better than a longer one. However, longer sermons may prove more effective in not only presenting the point of the passage clearly, but also demonstrating how a preacher arrived at his conclusions. Nonetheless, I think, as a regular diet, moving through books of the Bible book-by-book, passage-by-passage, showing the author’s intention and clarifying the contemporary application of a text is overall most helpful in the spiritual growth of God’s people. What are the most helpful ingredients in this sort of preaching? In a typical exposition here are the elements I want to accomplish: “¢ Introduce the main idea of...
by Bret Capranica | Sep 4, 2010 | Calvinism, Featured Articles, Pastoral Ministry, The Gospel
Am I a Calvinist? from Bret Capranica on Vimeo. As you might imagine, I am often asked about this. Obviously, I have openly identifed myself with Calvinism in some regard, but when really pushed on this issue I don’t have any desire to publicly defend myself as a Calvinist. That’s not because I’m ashamed of what I believe or with whom it may associate me, nor am I trying to duck behind a facade and not answer tough questions. I really do have an aversion to many of these sorts of public theological labels. Admittedly, I am probably inconsistent in my aversion. I don’t mind being called a Baptist, even though I abhor some of the caricatures, but I am not dogmatic in defending myself as an ardent Dispensationalist, though I would hold a number of its tenets. Why I have an aversion to theological labels. 1. Labels tend to avoid biblical discussion. If I simply come out and publicly identify myself as a Calvinist or even a Dispensationalist, the conversation with many immediately ceases and we tend to go no further without any real biblical interaction over the issues. Or, association with a particular label often leads to a mere discussion of whose syllogism is most logical. Maybe that has its place, but not fundamentally. Why begin, not with “are you a . . . “ but with “how do you understand this biblical passage, or that doctrinal implication.” I have no interest in defending Calvinism per se. I have great interest in discussing biblical texts and how we come to certain conclusions about them. 2. Labels...
