It can be said that the Israelites had their own Great Commission (Deut. 4), only it was a call to stay and obey rather than go and proclaim. Theologians refer to this as “centripetal missions.” That term conveys the idea that rather than scattering through the world, as modern missionaries would, they were to stay and attract the world to them. Instead of global scattering, the Israelites were to demonstrate global gathering, by acting as a light to the nations. The surrounding nations would hear of the greatness of the Israelite laws, and they would be drawn to Israel. When they came to investigate the source of the wisdom the Israelites possessed, they would see that this wisdom ultimately came from Yahweh. In short, Israel, as a kingdom of priests and a light to the nations, formed ‘the essence of the Old Testament.’ (Jesse Johnson, Evangelism: How to Share the Gospel Faithfully)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! There’s lots of links this week, so I hope you have some time to click through and be blessed with what has been posted!

• Courtney Reissig recently spoke on the four myths of feminism, with four truths from Scripture contrasting these four ideas. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be audio, though there is a detailed report on her talk. Seems to be coming from her recently published book, The Accidental Feminist: Restoring Our Delight in God’s Good Design.
• At the April 2015 Mormon Sunday General Conference, Mormon Apostle Dieter F. Ucthdorf gave a talk that sounded strangely like salvation by grace alone, though upon closer inspection, didn’t contradict official Mormon teaching. If you’re hoping to engage in dialogue with a Mormon, Mormon Coffee’s analysis of the talk would be a helpful place to start.
• For the congregation, what are some tangible, practical ways to encourage our pastor? Look no further!
• Pastor Richard Phillips calls all Christians, particularly Christian men, to work heartily unto the Lord as a way to please Him, and what that means in everyday life. This applies at work, school, and in everyday relationships. Is it your aim to please the Lord today?
• Did you know the father of microbiology was a Christian layman-scientist? Look into the life of Antony van Leeuwenhoek, and be amazed at the accomplishments of a follower of Christ. Better yet, be amazed at the accomplishments of our Creator and Lord!
• In a culture where male leadership is downplayed while female leadership is continually accepted, Pastor John MacArthur explains the biblical concept of headship, and challenges us to consider the implications of living in light of this clear teaching.
• Did Jesus believe (and still believe) that believers have everything we need to be an effective apologist (defender) of the faith? By looking at the way He approaches His followers on the road to Emmaus, the answer is, “Yes!”
• Kevin DeYoung’s new book on homosexuality came out this week, which explains what Scripture teaches on the topic, as well as address common objections from many, Christian and non-Christian, who would contend that the Bible doesn’t condemn homosexuality. Crossway has posted multiple videos from DeYoung answering some of these questions, all of which you can find on their blog.
• For those of you taking Stephen’s class on church history, there was a recent debate between Pastor James White and a Roman Catholic priest on the issue, “The church would have been better off without the Reformation.” Hour one contains the debate and emails, while hour two continues emails and calls from the audience. If you want a good summary of what the issues of the Reformation were about, this would be worth your while.
• The Public Discourse has been front and center in writing articles that clearly articulate the ramifications of accepting same-sex marriage as a legitimate form of marriage by the state and country. This week, their articles have laid bare the fruit of adopting and promoting this lifestyle: from testimony by an adult who grew up in a same-sex home, to observable evidence from other nations and states the unintended reduction of marriage norms, to rebutting conservatives’ arguments for embracing same-sex marriage.

That’s all for this week! Please pray for the upcoming Women’s Seminar on Saturday, and looking forward to worshiping our Lord together this Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria