Trent Griffith's Blog

Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:51 PM

Trent Griffith

The time has come! On February 8, 2009 Harvest Bible Chapel worshipped together for the first time at Northpoint Elementary School. For three years we have transformed a room built for physical education into a place of spiritual transformation. This Sunday, February 9, 2012 (2.12.12) we will worship for the final time at the school.

Many of you can think of specific moments when God met you in a life changing way on that gym floor as you tired to get comfortable in that brown metal folding metal chair. Others have developed impressive biceps from setting up and tearing down those chair each week so others could meet with God too. On Sunday, we will put those chairs away for the final time before moving into our new home on Hickory Road.

One last time, we will stand in worship, celebrate God's goodness, and open our Bibles in the place it all began. I believe it would be appropriate for us to examine the same passage of scripture on our final Sunday at Northpoint that we studied on our first Sunday at Northpoint. In the process we will be reminded of the only thing that our church really can't live without.

Do I have you thinking? Trying to remember? No worries! Just BE THERE...EARLY! Come expectantly and prepared for a meeting with God as we celebrate all that God has done to build his church!

Welcome home Harvest!

Resolved: I'm Starting Over

Sunday, January 01 2012 @ 08:30 PM

Trent Griffith

Today most of us will make some kind of New Year's resolution as a way of addressing our regret for being too busy, too lazy, or too self-indulgent last year. But Christian resolve ought to be profoundly deeper than dropping a few pounds or spending more time with family and friends.

The most famous list of all resolutions was crafted by a teenager named in 1722 and 1723. There were 70 in all. They were so different than the self-improvement lists we make today in our New Year’s resolutions. They centered on Christ and were fueled not be willpower but by the power of the gospel. They are also distinct in that Jonathan Edwards made them not for a year but for a lifetime.

Edwards recognized his need for gospel empowered resolve,“Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.”

Nathan Busenitz suggests Edwards' seventy resolution into ten general categories. I have listed these categories with at least one of the Edward's resolutions and scripture that supports them.

1. To live for the glory of God.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God;
Rom 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

2. To make the most of this life, in terms of eternal impact.

17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
Mat 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Luke 9:24-25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
Matt 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

3. To take sin seriously.

65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this all my life long, with the greatest openness I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119.
Gal 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

4. To become theologically astute.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
2Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Col 1:9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
2Ti 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

5. To be humble.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.
Prov 8:13 The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
James 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

6. To exhibit self-control in all things.

40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking.
1Cor 9:25, 27 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

7. To always speak with grace and truth.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
Eph 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

8. To constantly develop an eternal focus.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
Col 3:1-2 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

9. To be a faithful Christian, in prayer and dedication.

42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God
44. Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions;
Rom 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
2Pe 1:10-11 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

10. To daily pursue a fervent love for Christ.

53. Resolved,… to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer.
Mat 22:37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Eph 3:17-19 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

A Vacuum of Virtue

Monday, December 19 2011 @ 07:02 AM

Trent Griffith

This week I celebrated my 17th wedding anniversary. When I proposed to Andrea I did not give her an engagement ring with diamonds. I gave her a ring with rubies. As I placed it on her finger I quoted Proverbs 31:10 says, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” I wanted her and everyone who saw the ring to know that I believed she was a woman with a rare quality--virtue.

I define virtue as the internal moral character that fuels right choices and empowers uncompromising integrity. Virtue is a moral compass that always points the way we ought to live. Virtue is the strength to stand when the winds of compromise are blowing against you. It is not a sissy word. The root of the word conveys heroic courage to stand strong especially in the face of moral relativism. For Christians it is the first thing we are commanded to add to our faith. (2Peter 1:5).

Virtue is rare these days. In fact, the news headlines declare America is becoming a vacuum of virtue. Whether it is a child-sex scandal at Penn State or voyeurism in the boys locker room at Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana, it is obvious that we are in a moral free-fall. As a result, 1 in every 18 men in the United States is a convicted criminal. A number that has quadrupled since 1980. (Reported in this NY Times article)

Even the 2008 financial collapse was a collapse of virtue. A federal commission cited the government's “pivotal failure to stem the flow of toxic mortgages, which it could have done by setting prudent mortgage-lending standards.” Prudence is an issue of virtue. Wall Street firms were criticized for not telling investors the true state of their finances—an obvious absence of virtue. And too many Americans abandoned principles of virtue by borrowing excessively to finance houses they knew they couldn’t afford. They wound up owing more on their homes than they were worth. An absence of virtue resulted in an absence of restraint in spending. (Cited in this article from the NY Times.)

The bottom line is that too many people failed to do the right thing because virtue was missing. And we are all paying the price.

Virtue cannot exist in a vacuum of Truth.

America is a vacuum of virtue because our educational system, political system, family systems, and now many churches have embraced a philosophy of moral relativism. When this happens virtue becomes a matter of opinion.

A nation that loses virtue creates angry people. There has never been more polarization in our politics. There has never been more protest against business practices. There has never been more distrust of Christians. There has never been less interest in marriage.

People are looking for a political solution but it will not come because it is not a political problem. People are looking to Wall-street and banks for a financial solution but it will not come because it is not a financial problem. It is a spiritual problem.

Why are people so angry? Deep down they know things are not the way they are supposed to be. We know there is something missing in our government, families, and churches. What is missing is virtue.

Virtue is simply the way things ought to be. But that definition assumes that there is an absolute standard by which we should govern ourselves. It assumes that truth is defined by someone or something outside of popular opinion. It assumes truth and virtue are transcendent--that it exists outside of the human experience. It assumes there is a God of all virtue that we should seek to imitate. It assumes that God and His virtues are knowable. It assumes that God has taken the initiative to reveal his virtue to us. It assumes that we will be accountable for living virtuously. But most Americans refuse to allow God to govern them.

Freedom cannot exist in a vacuum of virtue.

When people will not allow God to govern them through virtue, then Government has to expand its power. It should come as no surprise that we have recently seen the greatest expansion of government in generations as a result of our vacuum of virtue. Freedoms are taken away. When we cannot govern ourselves others step in to regulate behavior by force.

What America needs is a resurgence of virtue. But who will supply it? There are two remaining incubators of virtue in our culture. First, is the Church. We are the only ones who have access to God's virtue. Christians aren’t manufacturers of virtue. They are just distributors.

The second incubator of virtue is marriage and family. Virtue fuels the honor and nobility of keeping ou promise as higher than pursuing our freedom and escape my pain when relationships are hard. Virtue informs our sexuality. Virtue calls us to see our bodies as God’s temple. Virtue causes us to see sex as a gift from God as an instrument for exclusive love between one man and one woman. Virtue says, “In faithfulness and trustworthiness I will protect my marriage and children from the destructive forces of sexuality that undermine trust and commitment in my family.” But without virtue our sexual appetites cannibalize marriages and families and nations.

The more rare a jewel, the higher its value. Who can find a virtuous people? for their value is far above rubies. We live in a vacuum of virtue. If you have it, your value is priceless.

Spiritual Promptings

Monday, November 14 2011 @ 08:28 AM

Trent Griffith

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the agent of change in every believer’s life. In fact those who are indwelled by the Spirit of God are guaranteed to change as He prompts them. The Holy Spirit draws, convicts, seals, teaches, reminds, fellowships with, imparts gifts to, helps, comforts, prays for, empowers, fills, and sanctifies every child of God.

Many people mistake their own fleshly desires for the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Those who often say, “God told me…” are susceptible to subjects feelings and emotions. And the only guy more dangerous in the church than the guy who says, “God told me…” is the guy who says, “God told me to tell you…”.

Do I believe God still speaks? Absolutely! But not in a revelatory sense. God is not giving special revelation to special spiritual people. Those who think they have special revelation are trying to use spiritual intimidation to gain power. The Spirit of God simply prompts us to obey what God has already revealed in His written Word.

How can you be certain that you are being prompted by the Holy Spirit? The best way is to confirm it with a passage from the Word of God. The Spirit of God never conflicts with the Word of God. In fact, the Spirit of God inspired the Word of God and illuminates the Word of God to our minds as we read it. The further you move from the Word of God the less certain you can be you have been prompted by the Spirit of God.

I made a quick list of all the spiritual promptings I could remember receiving from God’s Spirit last week. After I made the list I realized that every one of them could be confirm by something I had previously read in Scripture.

Get out of bed. Psalm 127:2
Go to bed. Proverbs 6:9-10, 20:13
Make the bed. Matthew 23:11
Write that “Thank you” note. Phil. 1:3
Tell your wife you love her. Eph. 5:33
Snuggle with your kids. Eph. 6:4
Pray for your mom. James 5:15
Slow down. 1Peter 2:13-16
Don’t eat that. Proverbs 23:21
Don’t buy that. Luke 14:28
Turn that off. Psalm. 46:10
Read this book. Proverbs 9:9
Pay for his lunch. Acts 20:35
Ask his forgiveness. Matthew 5:23-24
Text your friend. Proverbs 27:10
Confront your friend. Proverbs 27:5-6
Relax. Matthew 6:34
Read your Bible. Psalm 119:97
Ask for help. James 4:6
Provide help. 1Cor. 15:1-3

What is the Spirit of God prompting you to do today?

My Love/Hate Relationship with Words

Tuesday, November 08 2011 @ 08:18 AM

Trent Griffith

I have a love/hate relationship with words.

I love words because they are God’s chosen vehicle to deliver His truth to the human race. Words convey the gospel. In fact, Jesus is called the living Word of God and the Bible is the written Word of God. Everything in creation exists because God spoke words. God’s words are true. God’s words are clear. God’s words are revealing. God’s words are sharp.

I love God’s words and I love speaking and writing words about God’s Word.

I am humbled when someone says, “You are a gifted speaker” after I deliver a message. But then I wonder, “It may be a gift, but it sure feels like work!” What takes me 45 minutes to say on Sunday often takes 15 to 20 hours to prepare Monday through Saturday.

And that is why I sometimes hate the excruciating pain it takes to craft the message with precision. As a preacher, I take very seriously my responsibility is to handle accurately the word of truth. The most often used key on my keyboard is the delete key, not because my words are misspelled, but because they miss the impact I want to make and misrepresent the power of the message.

I recently saw a tweet from John Piper that made me realize I’m not the only preacher with this love/hate relationship with preparing words worthy of the gospel…“Tears, I feel you. You make me want to quit life. But excuse me, the Master has given me work to do. I must prepare a sermon.”

So, on this Tuesday morning, the countdown to Sunday has begun. Five days and counting…

How do we KNOW we should begin an expansion project for our church?

Sunday, June 05 2011 @ 04:47 PM

Trent Griffith

Honestly, we have no special revelation from God indicating the exact dimensions, cost, or timing of the expansion project for our property on Hickory Road. We have the Word of God to give us principles. We have the Spirit of God to guide us into truth. We have God-called men of God giving leadership to the church of God. Knowing if, when, and how to shape an expansion project is an application of wisdom and an act of faith. But what do we KNOW that gives us confidence that our faith is moving us in the right direction?

We know that 180,000 people live within a 10 mile radius of the Hickory Road property.
We know that God wants all of them passionately worshipping Jesus in spirit and truth. John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
We know God is glorified by much fruit. John 15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
We know God wants to build His Church. Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
We know God’s gives a church growth when it holds on to Jesus as its head and holds together in unity. Colossians 2:19 holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
We know God has made the fields ready for harvest. John 4:35 Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
We know God loves it when his people are generous. 2Corinthians 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We know God has more than enough to meet every need. Malachi 3:10 put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
We know that horizontal giving produces vertical worship. 2Corinthians 9:12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
We know that God is please when people far from God draw near to God in faith. Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Conclusion: God’s character, God’s ability, God’s worship, and our urgency compel us to seize the opportunity to move our church forward in faith by making room for more worshippers to gather together at our property on Hickory Road.

The Truth Behind the Tithe

Saturday, June 04 2011 @ 12:14 PM

Trent Griffith

Tithing is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the bible. Giving ten percent of your income is certainly noble and would be a worthy goal for every Christian. But if you think 10% is God's and 90% is yours, you've missed the truth behind the tithe.

The Old Testament teaching on tithing was more akin to our modern tax code than generosity. There were actually 3 different tithes required in the Old Testament to fund the theocratic government. One was to be paid every third year. So if you follow the pattern of the Old Testament tithe you would actually be paying 23.3%. But remember it was more like paying your taxes. What is the biblical teaching on giving? Pay your taxes AND give generously to the Lord from your heart.

I believe the Old Testament teaching on the tithe reveals 10 truths BEHIND the tithe that every New Testament Christian must embrace BEFORE he can consider himself an obedient giver.

1) Give with pre-determination. Rather than asking, “What should I give?” every time God gives to you, decide now. Just like you budget for recurring expenses, predetermine where and how much you’re going to invest in funding ministry before it comes in.

2) Give as a priority. God’s priority is always give, save, spend NOT spend, save, give. When you have the right priority your giving will determine your spending. When you have the wrong priority, your spending will determine your giving.

3) Give a percentage. Don’t get hung up on 10%. Some can’t give 10% but can still give generously in faith. Others can give 10% without exercising faith. Generosity is not determined by what you give. Generosity is determined by what is left over after you give. Whether you give 10%, 11% or 1%, give something that stretches your faith. Giving a percentage of your income forces you to look at all of your income and expenses from God’s perspective. Do you know what you make? Spend? Give? If not, how can you determine if you are being generous?

4) Give the first and best of what God provides. Quit feeling so generous when you drop off your old underwear at Goodwill. God doesn’t want your leftovers. Give God your best stuff. Give off the top of everything you take in. Write the check for ministry before you write the check for the mortgage and groceries.

5) Withholding what belongs to God forfeits God’s presence. In Malachi 3:6-9 God tells his people why He had left them. They had stolen what rightfully belonged to God. If God seems distant to you, you might to see if you have His money in your bank account.

6) Bring what you give to the place of worship. In the Old Testament, God’s people brought the tithe to the place where they worshipped. Today, God’s people should bring their gifts to the local church where they worship. The local church is God’s plan to reach the world. Other ministry giving should be above and beyond your responsibility to fund the ministries of your local church.

7) Giving is a test God loves to prove He can pass. In Malachi 3:10 God invites you to test him in your giving. Leonard Ravenhill said, “You have an incredible opportunity to be the first person in the history of the world whom God has every failed. So test Him.”

8) Giving acts on the promise that God has plenty. Only when you believe that God can open the windows of Heaven to supply all your need will you give at a level that demonstrates faith.

9) Giving invites God’s protection. Malachi 3:11 promises God will “rebuke the devourer” for those who honor God in their giving. Times of economic hardship are the worst time to hold out on God. You can’t afford to go without God’s protection during difficult times. Get God’s money where it belongs now, before God sends the devourer to collect it!

10) God delights in blessing people who give in faith. Do you want God to bless the things you care about most? When you give God’s way He will ensure that you become the object of His blessing so others will take note of His ability to provide. God has no greater delight than showing off His glory in those who trust him with their finances.

Signature Course

Tuesday, May 24 2011 @ 09:31 AM

Trent Griffith

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

A few miles from my house they built a new golf course. Not just any golf course. A golf course design by Jack Nichlaus, one of the greatest golfers ever. It is not an easy course. It was design so that the even the best would have a hard time staying out of the water and avoid the sand. It is a signature course.

I, however, will have no trouble avoiding the sand and surf of Harbor Shores. I am committed to avoiding the course! You see, I have trouble negotiating the miniature windmill on course B at the local Putt-Putt with my pink golf ball. I have no interest in playing a course that Jack signed his name to.

God has a signature course designed specifically for you. It is different than the one he has designed for me. It is “set before us.” At times God sets a Putt-Putt course before you. At other times God pairs you up with Jack facing challenges you would rather avoid.

Like me, you may have no interested in playing a course God has designed with the hazards of job loss, health concerns, or difficult relationships. But no matter how hard the course God has set before you, keep moving forward. Stop wondering if you are on the right course. Stop asking for mulligans. Stop wishing God would set you on an easier course like the one he assigned to you neighbor. God uses the difficulty to strengthen your faith and prepare you for what’s ahead.

If you aren’t facing any challenges or trials on your course you may need to ask God if you are on the course he designed for you. Quit patting yourself on the back for your victories on the course that your 10-year-old makes hole-in-ones on. Join the rest of us who are negotiating the hard stuff. Take a risk. Try something challenging for God.

Remember Jesus had a course set before him too. It was infinitely harder than the one set before you. How did he finish his course? He kept his eyes on the joy that was set before him. We all have a different course but we all have the same motivation to finish; the joy of looking to Jesus standing at the final hole ready to receive you as one of His own.

Keep your eyes on the prize. Today are playing is His signature course.

Ghetto Heaven

Tuesday, May 24 2011 @ 08:09 AM

Trent Griffith

Revelation 21:3-4 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

According to a survey in the L.A. times, for every American who believes he is going to hell, 120 believe they are going to Heaven. Everybody wants to go to heaven. Who wouldn’t want to escape the difficulty of this world and live in a place of perfection? But not everyone who wants to go to Heaven is going. Only those who chose to worship Jesus here will be allowed to worship him there.

To be sure, heaven is a place where God will wipe away every tear. No more pain. No more sorrow. No more cancer. No more heart disease. No more still births. No Alzheimers’s, No depression or anti-depressants. No loneliness. No fear of devastating tornados or earthquakes. No terrorists. No fat grams in Krispy Kremes. No polarizing politics. There certainly won’t be any politicians because there will be no liars in Heaven. There won’t even be any preachers in heaven because there won’t be any sin to preach against. We will all be worship leaders.

But why? When we think of heaven we tend to think of all the benefits to enjoy for ourselves in heaven. But in heaven you will not have a single thought of yourself. That’s what got Lucifer and one third of the angels kicked out of heaven! You see, in heaven every thought you have will be of God.

The removal of sin, pain, and heartache is for the purpose of freeing you to worship God without distraction. Heaven exists for the unhindered worship of God by his completely perfected creation. In Heaven God receives unhindered worship from us while we receive unhindered joy in Him.

Maybe you aren’t really that passionate about worshipping Jesus here on earth but think that God has a special “scratch and dent isle” in heaven for remedial, sub-par worshippers like you. You think, “I would be happy if Jesus would just let me live my life on earth without radical abandon to His Lordship then just let me live in ghetto heaven for eternity.”

You don’t get it! Heaven is not a place where God makes much of you. Heaven is a place where you will make much of God. If you haven’t found the joy of making much of him here on earth what makes you think you will enjoy heaven where unhindered worship will be our eternal job description. Why wait? Give yourself to the worship of Jesus in preparation for heaven.

Don’t be content with ghetto worship as a ghetto Christian in ghetto heaven.

Choosing Hell

Monday, May 23 2011 @ 10:08 PM

Trent Griffith

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. God is not willing than any should perish.

How could a loving God send a person to hell? The answer lies in how seriously God takes sin. You cannot comprehend in your finite mind how infinitely offensive your sin is to an infinitely holy God.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to lead an all-day parenting seminar at a local church. I spent hours pouring out everything I had learned from God’s Word about how to motivate children to obey with a right attitude every time. The attendees listened eagerly as I shared proven techniques of imparting wisdom through patient instruction and extracting foolishness through loving correction. I shared personal examples of how my 3-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son had become so compliant and obedient in response to my tireless investment in their lives.

When the seminar was over, I walk out of the church to find my 2 precious angels having the most wonderful time in the parking lot throwing large rocks onto the hood of a beautiful new Buick owned by one of attendees.

The innocent smiles on their faces revealed they had no comprehension of how much damage they were doing. Apart from the cost to repair the paint they had scratched, they had just undone everything I was attempting to communicate about parenting. What they thought was a fun way to spend afternoon was actually invalidating my message and compromising my character as a father.

Like my children, we are clueless as to how offensive our sin is to God. By our hypocrisy we can invalidate the message those far from God need to hear and believe. What we consider playing around, God views as a compromise of his infinite holiness. And infinite holiness has an infinite price tag when violated.

So how do you suppose I should deal with my little Buick terrorists? I could demand justice from my children. “New paint job…$1000! Pay up! Now!” But they have no ability to pay. I could extend mercy, “At least you weren’t throwing hand grenades. I’ll delay payment. But you are going to work it off.” That would take too long. Or I could give grace. “You are broke, but loved. The damage you’ve caused will cost me but I will pay your debt out of my own resources.” They would be wise to receive the grace freely offered by a loving father.

Hell is reserved for those who reject God’s infinite grace to pay the infinite price for infinitely offensive sin.

A better question than the one we started with is, “Why would a person choose to pay the price for sin in Hell when grace is freely offered by a loving God?”

The Fourth Nail

Saturday, April 16 2011 @ 04:11 PM

Trent Griffith

Colossians 2:14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

How many nails were driven into the cross when Jesus was crucified? You probably answered, “Three...two through his hands and one through his feet.” But have you heard about the fourth nail? John 19:19 tells us, “Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

The fourth nail attached a sign to the cross to make it clear what legal demands had been violated requiring the criminal’s death. The sign was hung not to announce who was being crucified but rather to announce why he was being crucified. Pilate’s inscription falsely accused Jesus of challenging the authority of the king.

But Jesus, of course, was not guilty of any crime. He had no criminal record. But you and I did! By our sin we have failed to meet the legal demands of God’s law. Not only have we broken God’s law but sin within us actually makes us haters of God’s law. In our humanity we want to be the ultimate lawgivers. We don’t want anyone ruling us. We want to be king! That makes us guilty of challenging the King’s authority to rule us. The sign that should hang over my heads is, “Trent Griffith, the King of Himself.” That is the crime before God for which I should be crucified.

But when Jesus was nailed to the cross so was the record of your sin debt that stood against you with its legal demands. For those who have received Christ, we have assurance that our criminal record has been nailed to the cross. Every legal demand has been paid. Every crime has been pardoned. Our sin no longer stands against us. The debt has been canceled and God will never require more payment than the one Jesus paid.

What should you do when you are plagued with guilt over you sin? What should you do when you believe you have to do something to pay God back for the things you’ve done? What should you do when the devil accuses you of being unworthy of forgiveness? What should you do when you are tempted to dishonor God and willfully sin presuming on his grace that God will forgive you anyway?

Look at the cross. Remember the fourth nail. Jesus nailed your record of debt to the cross with him forever announcing to you and any accuser that you will never be treated as a guilty criminal. “This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Grab and Release

Saturday, April 16 2011 @ 03:48 PM

Trent Griffith

Col 3:21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

Everything I ever needed to know about parenting I learned when I took the training wheels off Leah’s bike. At four years old she begged me to release her from the enslavement of those extra wheels that were slowing her down. I tried to convince her they needed to stay on for her protection but she persisted in demanding her freedom.

So one day I removed them and began the process of helping her gain her balance on two wheels. With one hand I grabbed the handle bar. With the other hand I grabbed under her seat while I ran beside her as she tried her best to multitask peddling, steering, and balancing. Occasionally, I would let go until she started to wobble. That’s when I knew it was time to grab. Finally, after multiple grabs and releases, I let go and she took off.

The secret to being a great dad is knowing when to grab and when to release. Dads who won’t grab discourage their children because they just are too busy grabbing other things. Their kids need the protection of a dad who is engaged in their lives. These dads have made the mistake of letting go way too soon. As a result, some kids end up in a ditch with some pretty nasty scars. Dad, if you won’t grab you can be sure there will be plenty of others standing in line waiting for the opportunity to grab hold of our kid’s hearts and steer them in a wrong direction.

Other dads won’t release. Overprotective dads provoke their children by controlling the choices of their kids. The older a child gets the less a dad can expect to control their behavior from the outside in. Many teenagers push back even harder against rigid rules. Dad, are you forcing compliance when you should be cheering from a healthy distance as a coach would from the sidelines watching his team execute the game plan they have practiced all week?

Wise fathers know it is the heart that controls behavior. You regulate behavior in your children by making continual investments in your child’s heart. You should ask your children to give you their heart as God’s Word shows us in Proverbs 23:26. “Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways.”

By the way, I forgot to teach Leah how to brake so if you happen to see a fatigued little girl circling your neighborhood, send her home, would you?

Grand Openings

Saturday, April 16 2011 @ 03:43 PM

Trent Griffith

Colossians 4:3-5 Praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.

Imagine yourself standing in a long hallway with doors on either side. Some of the doors are closed and locked. Others are cracked. Others are wide open.

In a very real sense today you will walk down this hallway as you encounter people who need to know the mystery of Christ. For those of us who have received the message of the gospel the mystery of Christ is not mysterious. Colossians 1:26 tells us Jesus is “the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints.” As His saints it is our job to deliver the message of salvation by grace through faith to those who have yet to believe.

Some of our unbelieving friends are behind doors that are slammed shut and locked. Our job is not to kick down the doors with our persuasive arguments or winsome personality but to deliver the message to those who are open to hearing it. Only God can “open up to us a door for the word.” Our job is to pray that God would open the door by warming hearts, overcoming doubt, and creating a sense of need in our unbelieving friends.

But after we have prayed, “God, Open the doors!” God commands, “Open your mouth!” Our job is to make it clear to outsiders what God has done to purchase redemption and what he requires of those whom he will save. Some people are so concerned with getting the gospel out that they fail to get the gospel right. Others are so consumed with getting the gospel right that they fail to get the gospel out.

Ask God today to open a door for you to deliver the good news that salvation is available to all who will repent and believe. After you have prayed don’t be surprised to see a crack in a door that was previously shut. Don’t walk past it! Make the most of the opportunity that God has provided.

First get the gospel right. Then get the gospel out!

What has God been doing in your church lately?

Monday, March 07 2011 @ 04:24 PM

Trent Griffith

I spent 15 years in the ministry of revival and spiritual awakening in over 300 churches in North America. My longing was to see the tide of sin swept back by a movement of the spirit of God that turned the hearts of God's people back to holiness, surrender, and worship. My desire for revival in the local church has not diminished even though I now a pastor one,

The last two years I have spent myself planting the seeds of revival deep into one local church. Through the unapologetic preaching of God's Word and crying out to God to do something which can't be explained by marketing strategy or creative engineering, I have watched God bring spiritual awakening in the lives of individuals and families who previously were unimpressed with the massive weight of God's glory.

I feel totally inadequate to lead the organizational challenges of launching a new church. I rarely know what the next step should be in building the programming required to minister to the people that God is bringing to our church. But I delight in (and labor tenaciously at) simply opening God's Word, explaining its message, and calling people to surrender themselves to it without reservation.

I have spent 18 weeks walking our congregation verse-by-verse through the book of Colossians (which takes about 11 minutes to read). I still have about 5 weeks before I finish preaching through the book but I regularly hear people in my church tell me, "You are going to fast."

During those weeks I have seen God rescue people from the debt of their sin and publicly proclaim their new life in Christ. I have heard a 7 year-old tell me how God gave him a new love for His Word in the middle of a worship song sung with passion by our congregation. I have seen God turn the heart of a drug addict back to the lordship of Christ and to his 4 year-old daughter. I have met with a man who spent 17 years serving in a well-respected church who admitted he had never been challenged to believe the gospel. His heart is now exploding with faith and he is sharing it with everyone in his circle of influence. An engaged couple who began attending our church surrendered their relationship to Christ to ensure purity and begin their marriage on the solid foundation of God's plan. In the process they have been new life in Christ. I had the privilege of officiating their wedding two weeks ago.

God continues to weave people of all generations and backgrounds into one body unified around the urgency of worship and witness. And to humble surprise, the Lord has just graciously given us 10 acres of property and a facility positioned for unlimited growth for gospel-driven ministry.

God is doing so much I had to take a day just to step away from it all and say with the psalmist, "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!" (Psalm 96:3)

The spiritual awakening that I am seeing in the lives of a few is just a tasted of what I want to feast on in the days ahead as God's glory penetrates the darkness in our community of Granger, Indiana (South Bend, Notre Dame). Could this be the beginning of a revival among God's people resulting in a spiritual awakening in a community saturated with the glory God!

Last year I had the opportunity to lead a Revival Conference at The Moody Church in downtown Chicago. Pastor Erwin Lutzer kindly recounted what God did in the 4 days we met together. As you listen, Join me in believing God for something bigger than we can imagine as He awakens a people longing for his glory.

A Message From Dr. Erwin Lutzer from Life Action Ministries on Vimeo.

Two Thoughts on the Rob Bell Brouhaha

Wednesday, March 02 2011 @ 01:41 PM

Trent Griffith

Two Thoughts on the Rob Bell Brouhaha

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