Author Archives: Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Weekly Links (2/14/2014)

Biblical love is an affectionate disposition that motivates the lover to consistently act for the welfare of another, whether or not the other deserves it or reciprocates. (Robertson McQuilkin)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! I hope this week has been a week filled with worship towards God and love for others. With today’s national recognition of, whatever it’s called, let’s keep our eyes on Christ, first and foremost, yes? Ok, now let’s dig into these links!

  • How do we create a culture of evangelism among God’s people in the local church? Mack Stiles provides some thoughtful pointers in this direction. I highly recommend everyone read this and apply accordingly.
  • Unless you’ve been fasting from media or talk of Christianity in the public sphere, you’ve most likely heard about the recent debate between Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis and Bill Nye “the science guy” (a show I thoroughly enjoyed growing up). The reviews and analysis of the debate has been voluminous. I direct your search to the following: Creation Ministries International, Rick Phillips, Al Mohler, Casey Luskin (Intelligent Design advocate), Dr. Jay Wile, David Coppedge, Ken Ham’s post-debate comments, and James White (video). I’d also recommend Randy Guliuzza’s message at TMS Chapel, “Engaging the Evolutionist” (video), along with AiG’s resources specific to responding to Bill Nye’s claims.
  • Speaking of evolution, Joe Carter continues his series on apologetics and worldview with his fourth installment, “Should You Trust the Monkey Mind?” I’d highly recommend you read this and his previous articles.
  • What is the need of the church, our country, and the world at this time? J.I. Packer believes it to be a renewal for personal holiness in the church. Take some time to watch the message of an 87-year old saint. I believe he has earned our attention.
  • For the dads and husbands preparing to be dads, here’s an article that deals with how to come home relying on the Gospel, while your children and wife await you. I think I may need to read this multiple times myself in preparation for marriage.
  • Wheaton College recently invited Rosaria Champagne Butterfield to come and speak concerning her past as a former radical leftist, feminist, lesbian professor, and her transformation upon coming to know Christ, leading to a silent protest among some of the students. President Phil Ryken issued a statement, Mrs. Butterfield answered some questions concerning this event, and a concerned open letter was written to the students involved in the protest. May the Gospel guide all conversations following this.
  • Since some of the affinity groups are studying the attributes of God this year, I thought it would be fitting to make mention of a new book by David Wells, called God in the Whirlwind: Understanding the Holy-Love of God, in which he explains how God’s holiness and love removes shallow theology from infecting the church. Read this blog interview done by Crossway, or the video series Crossway is putting out in promotion of the book (parts 1 and 2 so far).
  • How often do you stick up for yourself? Not in physical fights, but in conflict with those around you, those you love, those who know you well or best? Jared Wilson has some timely thoughts on crucifying defensiveness that I know I will turn to again and again. Something tells me I’m not the only one.
  • When should you go public with your faith at work? Here’s some good help in this area.

That’s all for now! Hope you all have a blessed weekend, and remember to pray for the LBCLA church plant inaugural service (and don’t forget LBC East Bay and LBCSJ)! See you Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

Weekly Links (1/31/2014)

The spiritual talk of today employs clichés that endanger the spirit by making truth secondary to what feels good; Jesus taught that feeling his presence is only possible because of the fact of his existence. The spiritual talk of today claims to be generously accepting of all faiths, while in reality— with a prejudice that disregards reason and misplaces faith— it undermines the only faith that truly teaches tolerance. (Ravi Zacharias)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! I hope that this week has been one of continual meditation and refreshment from our Lord. Without further ado, here are this week’s links!

  •  Do you understand your heart? Sinclair Ferguson has created a mini-catechism that helps you get a better grasp of your own heart. I think I need to check this regularly.
  • How do you know you’re in a Spirit-filled church? Do you know what to look for in a church? I think these 11 evidences of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in a local church is something to pray for and pay close attention to in the church.
  • The Council for Biblical Manhood & Womanhood’s blog series, Manhood and Technology, continues this week with a post on technology and the social media for the glory of God. Don’t miss out!
  • Crossway is continuing to post on worldviews stemming from RTS professor James N. Anderson’s new book on worldviews (which I highly recommend for both believers and non-believers). The second post discusses the importance of worldview analysis, and the third asks why we should think of worldviews in the first place.
  • How do you evangelize in the workplace? Should you? Greg Gilbert offers some very practical tips on how to be salt and light in the places people most spend their time throughout the week.
  • Speaking of evangelism, Mack Stiles has been a source of encouragement in this area, as he has many stories to tell and biblical insight into how to be a Christian who actually evangelizes. He recently addressed Christians being seen as crazy in our culture.
  • Is Jesus better than what you have? Is He better than your earthly relationships? Is He better than anything? Melissa Kruger gives us some food for thought that will help you ponder if you are sharing Christ with others as if He is better, and encourages you to do so.

That’s all for now!  Short and sweet, but good for the soul. See you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

Weekly Links (1/24/2014)

[God] is not a taskmaster. He is our Father. If you have no time for prayer, or no chance of secret prayer, why, just tell Him all about it–and you will discover that you are praying! (Author of Kneeling Christian)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday, everyone! I hope your weeks have been filled with opportunities to shine Christ brightly, wherever you are! Here are the links that I hope will be of help to you:

  • The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood blog has begun a series of posts entitled, ‘Manhood and Technology,’ addressing the interactions between our use of technology and how it relates to biblical manhood. The posts thus far have addressed the use of smartphones, why one man has kissed social media goodbye, and how not to be overcome by the use of technology. Knowing our church culture, it would be wise for the men (and even the ladies) to take an interest in this series. Have you had a heart check recently on your use of technology?
  • Andy Snider has written a very good post about the temptation to post the sins of others on social media. Is it a good idea to do so? He responds to the five common justifications for it.
  • What does good, effective accountability look like? Tim Challies provides some helpful material from Heath Lambert’s book Finally Free. 
  • Paul Tripp has a devotional posted every Wednesday on his site and newsletter, which I would highly recommend everyone subscribe to. He just posted the last installment of a series that runs very closely in line with his co-authored book, Relationships: A Mess Worth Making.
  • Where is the frontline of the pro-life movement? Brent Aucoin argues crisis pregnancy centers is where the arms of the church are currently engaged. He also makes a historical connection that is worth reading.
  • For those who do not know much about the Roe v. Wade decision, here’s 9 facts about it, and 9 more. Here are 60 online resources concerning abortion, and a recent discussion about abortion between John Ensor, Francis Chan, and John Piper (warning for the last link: there are graphic images played in the video).
  • Westminster Theological Seminary did some brief posts regarding abortion from their faculty in their News and Updates section. Check out these posts from David Powlison (video), Timothy Witmer, K. Scott Oliphint, David Garner, and William Edgar.
  • Do you know what a worldview is? Do you know what your worldview is? RTS Professor James N. Anderson has begun a new series helping us answer these questions and more. The material comes from a new book of his called What’s Your Worldview? An Interactive Approach to Life’s Big Questions (excerpt), which is done in the same format as the “Choose Your Own Adventure” stories. Make sure to check out his recommended list of books related to the Christian, as well as non-Christian, worldviews.
  • Ravi Zacharias has a thoughtful post on God, pain, and the irrationality of those who object to evil without the moral foundation to bring the objection up in the first place. Simple, yet clear and inviting.

I hope this week has been a blessed week for all of you, and that there have been many opportunities to pray for one another and for the lost. Make sure, to quote a wise man, to “be in the Lord’s house on the Lord’s day with the Lord’s people.”

Soli Deo Gloria

Weekly Links (1/17/2014)

“O Lord, grant that I may do Thy will as if it were my will, so that Thou mayest do my will as if it were Thy will.” (Augustine)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday, everybody! Another week has gone by, and the benefit of the church at large has provided links for this week! There’s much to chew on, so let’s get to it!

  • Recently, on the Dividing Line program, pastor and apologist James White invited Reformed Theological Seminary president Michael Kruger to interact with a phone call between a Lutheran and a Roman Catholic on a well-known Catholic radio show. Common objections to how Protestants view the canon were presented, allowing both White and Kruger to give informed and helpful responses. This was followed up with a post by another contributor to Alpha & Omega Ministries on two thorny questions brought up with regards to this issue (which itself was commented on by a Triablogger).
  • When non-Christian religious groups come to your door, are you willing to show Christlike love as much as showing them their error? False dichotomy, I know, but is there another way to show Christ to those who claim to know Him rather than jumping right into a theological boxing match? Case in point.
  • In case you missed it, there was a recent student conference focusing on the theme of missions. Called Cross Conference, there were 10 sessions given to mobilize students to consider their lives to be spent for the sake of the gospel. There were also a couple panel Q&A’s, and seminars addressing various aspects of missionary life. I’m personally looking forward to listening to the one on latinos and missions.
  • Joe Carter has begun an impromptu series on what he’s calling “an occasional series on apologetics and worldview analysis.” He just published his third entry, “When Atheists Are Angry at God.” Make sure you catch up with the two previous posts.
  • Biblical counselor Bob Kellemen listed his top 20 biblical counseling books of 2013 in two parts, with details as to why he thinks so. Check them out!
  • Here’s a helpful resource: a new commentary that addresses apologetic issues from the Gospels and Acts. This addition is sure to be of help to pastors, students, and everyone in between. The unique nature of this commentary is that it enters the discussion by demonstrating the criticism of Scripture as incorrect. The contributors “take the challenges seriously and seek to describe viable solutions that support faith and align with a high view of Scripture.” Andy Naselli provides a 29-page PDF to whet your appetite.
  • Tim Challies has a theological toolbox that he uses to help guide him in answering questions relative to their importance and also knowing how to live in line with God’s will. I highly recommend adopting this toolbox as your own.
  • Piggybacking Pastor Patrick’s post on Genesis and marriage, if you have never heard a defense of marriage from a philosophical and political science perspective (natural law for short), here is a speech given by Ryan T. Anderson that was provided as testimony to the Indiana House Judiciary Committee recently. He has also given a case for marriage early last year that is sure to be of help for us who still believe marriage to be an institution given by God and worth defending. May we use all arguments at our disposal for God’s glory.
  • As we celebrate Sanctity of Human Life this coming Sunday, here are some wise and thoughtful words from Russell Moore concerning this issue. May God spiritually transform unbelievers through His Gospel that leads to the preservation of human lives.

That’s all for this week! Looking forward to worshiping God with you all on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

Weekly Links (12/20/2013)

He, the Life of all, our Lord and Saviour, did not arrange the manner of his own death lest He should seem to be afraid of some other kind. No. He accepted and bore upon the cross a death inflicted by others, and those other His special enemies, a death which to them was supremely terrible and by no means to be faced; and He did this in order that, by destroying even this death, He might Himself be believed to be the Life, and the power of death be recognised as finally annulled. A marvellous and mighty paradox has thus occurred, for the death which they thought to inflict on Him as dishonour and disgrace has become the glorious monument to death’s defeat. (Athanasius)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope this week has been a blessing to you as we continue to prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior (you are preparing…right?)!

  • Pastor Jeremy Walker has some timely advice for prospective students that is applicable to anyone who is making plans to enter college. This is helpful for high schoolers, parents of high schoolers, and also leaders to be reminded that the primary goal for decisions related to a student’s future should always be the glory of God, and not our personal glory. If you fit any of the above categories, you would do well to look into this article.
  • Speaking of Jeremy Walker, he has also finished a series on doing effective personal evangelism (which Richard pointed us to in October). We are to be effective in the sense of “faithful communication of God’s saving truth to those who have not known it either entirely or accurately.” The completed series can be found with links to all the posts. May we all grow effective in the work of sharing Christ to all.
  • Ligonier Ministries (R.C. Sproul’s main ministry) has made their Crucial Questions booklets available to download for free back in June, but have continued to add more booklets that deal with more questions believers have about different topics. The three new booklets that came out How Do I Develop a Christian Conscience?, What is the Church? and What is the Lord’s Supper? Make sure to grab them (you can get all of them on Kindle, and most on iTunes), and grow deeper in your understanding of the Word.
  • How do we keep kids from expressing greed during Christmas? The ladies at Girltalk give 10 ideas, some of which I think I need to apply myself.
  • Christmas is a time we focus on being with our families (and rightly so), but we can also be thinking about how to bless those who are serving Christ in a foreign country, or who are currently away from family, who need encouragement from the body of Christ. Here are 15 ways we can do this.
  • James White, pastor and apologist (if you haven’t heard of him, let it end this day), was recently interviewed in Germany concerning Roman Catholicism, which is titled and subtitled in Czech (hi Mellwig family…and Hanka!), but is in English. Wise words from a seasoned debater who has engaged in about 40 different debates with leading Catholic apologists.
  • Stephen Meyer, one of the leading advocates of intelligent design, was interviewed by Eric Metaxas, concerning his newest book, Darwin’s Doubt. He gives some concise answers to what intelligent design is, along with some witty comments from Metaxas.
  • Looking for last-minute Christmas gifts for children and families that are solidly biblical? Then look no further.
  • Al Mohler writes a helpful essay on the state of the media in its praise of Pope Francis I and recent outrage at Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame, who are positionally on the same page concerning homosexuality. We all have been warned, and expect to be warned again and again. (Make sure to read Joe Carter‘s angle of this issue, as well as Mark Lamprecht‘s, who also gives some background to Duck Dynasty’s theology.)
  • It’s never too late to begin meditating on the birth of Christ, and what that means for us as believers in Him. Don’t waste your Christmas!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas wherever you spend it! May we truly remember the greatest gift that has ever been given, our Lord Jesus Christ, and rightly view all other gifts as pale in comparison. See you next year!

Soli Deo Gloria

Weekly Links (12/13/2013)

The biblical teaching regarding the incarnation of Christ and the person of the Mediator is awe-inspiring. This doctrine amazes us not simply because it is mysterious and somewhat beyond human comprehension, but because there is a sense in which the hypostatic union of the two natures in Christ is the greatest miracle in Scripture. In order to save us God had to become man. The Son assumed a genuine human nature in order to: perfectly obey God’s law (in order to fulfill the covenant of works), suffer and die on the cross as a vicarious atonement and rise again victorious over Satan, sin and death. Even now the God-man sits enthroned at the right had of God interacting and applying redemption to His people. It is a tremendous blessing to us that the Mediator will forever and ever be both God and man. For eternity we will be able to look at the scars in our Lord’s hands, feet and side. His glorified human body will be an eternal testimony to His supreme love; the love that caused Him to descend from the room of heaven to the filthy manger in Bethlehem and the painful road to Golgotha.

If you are not a Christian, then it is now time to behold the God-man with the eyes of faith. Believe in His person and His work of redemption. There is no other name given among men by which we can be saved (Ac. 4:12). There is only one mediator between God and man, the Man Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). Dear Christian, you know that there is no other greater motivation for obedience and good works than our love and adoration for Christ. Lord enable us to be continually faithful to our precious Lord and Savior—Immanuel. Amen. (Brian Schwertley)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Hello, everybody! It is with great joy that I get to partake in the weekly links for you this week. I hope that what is linked here will be of interest as well as draw the church closer to our Lord, all in the hopes of making God big (finish strong!). With that said, let’s get to it!

  • CCEF (Christian Counseling & Education Foundation), the leading biblical counseling “think tank,” has just come out booklets that deal with a number of issues that we all go through. Each of them has selected articles that address a specific area, which are: anger, parenting, redeeming psychology, relationships, and suffering. Currently, the set is at a discount, but ends this weekend.
  • Clint Archer, a South African native and graduate of The Master’s Seminary, reflects on his life and how Nelson Mandela had changed his view of race, leading him to learn how to love a terrorist.
  • Justin Taylor recently interviewed Gerald Hiestand, co-author with Jay Thomas, about their recently released book, Sex, Dating, and Relationships, which covers the themes and main argument of the book. This interview is a good primer on how Christians should view this area, which will not only be helpful in clearing the haze, but a point of entry in bringing a Christian worldview to bear on the lives of non-Christians. No doubt they have their own ideas of dating and marriage, and clear, biblical thinking in relation to this can definitely dispel myths as well as create opportunities to share the Gospel. Don’t enter a discussion on this subject unprepared.
  • Russell Moore addresses the nature of many Christmas songs and the lack of what is normally sung (to which I give a hearty amen). This sprung up in overhearing a conversation from a ‘grinch’ of sorts in “Rethinking Our Holly-Jolly Christmas Songs.”
  • In their most recent podcast, “Mortification of Spin,” Carl Trueman and Todd Pruitt discuss with Christopher Bogosh, a Christian nurse who just came out with a new book entitled Compassionate Jesus: Rethinking the Christian’s Approach to Modern Medicine, end-of-life issues and challenging the modern medical worldview. Shout out to all LBC members who work in a hospital (doctors, nurses, etc.).
  • The Master’s Seminary Journal is now being made available online only, and it looks like a feast of articles ready to be devoured. This new issue has to do with the Trinity, and the connection between the Triune God we worship and creation, inspiration, eschatology, and the early church witness prior to the Constantine. Many who disagree with God’s Triune nature (falsely) believe brought the doctrine into existence. Though not quite as many book reviews as Themelios puts out, TMSJ has 14 new reviews worth looking into. Check it out!
  • Has America become too vulgar? Al Mohler would argue in the affirmative. Find out why.
  • What is the relationship between Christians, sports, and manhood? Owen Strachan provides some insight for us.
  • How can you increase in your love for God and others by using first person pronouns (I, me, my, mine)? Bill Smith gives some helpful words that will cause you to think even harder on our Passion statement.
  • If you have known me for some time, you know I love sending articles that are worth reading and would like to begin linking to a weekly article that, like beef jerkey, take awhile to chew on. This week, since we’re ever coming closer to Christmas, a classic read on the incarnation is On the Incarnation by Athanasius, a 4th century bishop well-known for his unwavering defense of the deity of Christ against Arius (precursor to Jehovah’s Witnesses). You can read it online, in PDF, or even listen in MP3.

Make sure you have time in between reading to come to our Christmas Concert this Saturday! Don’t forget to come and worship God with us on Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

Lumos Saturday Seminars

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

What was your experience like in your high school youth group? Did you make a lot of friends? Or were you the shy type who only opened up in front of a small, select few? Did you enjoy your time with those in your youth group, or did you secretly dislike some people there? How was the teaching? Was the Bible central in what was being preached during Bible study, or did it seem more like a footnote to what your leader really wanted to talk about? What do you remember most about your youth group? How big it was? How small it was? How many friends you made?

These are some questions I never entertained during my high school years, since I never attended my church youth group. I was always put off by some of the students’ attitudes, and no one ever reached out to me. I was actually more comfortable hanging out with some of the senior citizens in my church, since they were very friendly, and they always had stories to tell about their lives. Friendships with my peers at school were what meant a lot to me, and I always knew where they stood (since I perceived Christians to be transparently hypocritical during that age, I reasoned non-Christians weren’t because of their transparent disgust for Christianity, which made me think they were more honest).

One of the regrets of my life was the fact that I had easily judged those who went to my home church and yet had no desire to serve my peers and develop an atmosphere of fellowship among them. It wasn’t until college that I realized I wasn’t a Christian that I had wasted so many opportunities to learn from those who served specifically in the youth ministry. There was a disconnect between what I was learning in school, and what I was interested in studying: apologetics. I wanted to learn how to defend the faith before I actually had faith!

Now that God has placed in my heart a desire to serve the youth, it has been a goal of mine to train our youth to be ambassadors at their respective schools. One of the ways this youth ministry has moved in that direction is to have Saturday Seminars. These times are dedicated to specific training in issues that these youth are already encountering or will encounter in the near future. If you read anything related to youth ministry, numbers are thrown out that ¾ or more of the youth who professed faith in Christ during middle and high school enter college and abandon the faith they once held. Though statistics are not our guide for determining our approach, we do see a need for those within our church to grow deeper in their knowledge of God, that it would withstand the storms that will come their way.

As an extension of fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), we want to foster a ministry conducive to discipleship, which includes the preaching of the Word of God. What these seminars are intended to accomplish is to set forth a biblical worldview that meets daily life, and is immediately applicable to the youth. A couple years back, I had the privilege of going through evangelism training that encompassed the message, the man, and the method of Gospel witnessing.

This year, our focus has been on building a Christian worldview, and areas our youth can apply their faith towards. I had the privilege of presenting first the building blocks of a biblical worldview, followed up by Lumos leader Josh Liu on applying it in the areas of modesty and purity. Seeing the many changes in culture that are sure to drastically affect the world the youth will be living in, we spent another seminar on the issue of abortion, and plan on spending time focusing on the nature and history of Scripture, since it is constantly under attack.

Though we understand these seminars will not be comprehensive in scope, we hope and pray that they will be a guide for them to begin studying more in-depth the issues that we see are important for them to understand. We live in a day of moral compromise and lack of fidelity to the truth of God’s Word, when models of courage and character are hard to find. We must be in the business of discipling and modelling of spiritual maturity for those younger in the faith. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to speak to our youth in areas that many involved in youth ministry have not deemed vital to address in the youth culture.

It is my conviction that the youth can understand more than the culture promotes. Our youth are living proof that they can listen to a 45-minute (many times, longer!) sermon, and can be challenged to live out their faith with prayer and encouragement. It is a joy and honor to play a small part in the work that God is doing in the hearts of our youth, and I pray you too can play a part in teaching the greatness of God to the next generation. What one pastor is known for saying is “Theology matters.” Theology matters extremely for the youth, since knowing who God is and who we are will radically affect the beliefs they will hold and color the many decisions they will make. Pray that our youth will be the next group of leaders in the church and will themselves be great models of godly living and bold witnessing!

EV & Your Degree – Work for the Lord (Part 2)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Author’s note: This series is going to be a lot shorter than I anticipated, but I hope God can use it for some good. I am moving from the singles to youth, and so this will be my last article for the Singles Ministry (as far as I know).

We first looked at a specific area in our evangelism approach relating our speech with our walk in the faith to encourage younger believers, as well as commend Christ to our unbelieving coworkers. Yet how this looks at the actual workplace is a different monster to tackle. At our church, we have many professions represented, from engineer to teacher to doctor to physical therapist to shuttle driver, and so on. How can we possibly cover the range of situations and experiences that are involved in these professions? How should a Christian view work in general, and how is Christ shown at your respective job?

First, let’s deal with what work is, according to Scripture. As early as the creation of Adam and Eve, work has been mandated as God’s way of subduing the earth pre-Fall (Genesis 1:28), and has only worsened since the Fall (Genesis 3:17-19). Proverbs 6:6-11 gives a beautiful picture of how hard-working an ant is, without needing to be supervised in order to do its part. From creation on, work is a command of God to dominate and exhaust the resources God has placed within it.

Work is also God’s gift to mankind to provide for what are the essentials of life (food, shelter), as well as being the support for the establishing of stable family life and ministry. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10-15, Paul is calling out those who would not put in their part to work, either from mistaking the return of the Lord to be soon (probably not), or those who were taking advantage of wealthier believers. He sees it as an issue of sin to refuse to work and depend on others for the work they have put in. Paul also sees work as an area where worship can be fostered (Romans 12:1), and a way to glorify the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31).

So if work is mandated by God and is also a gift of God, how then are we take that perspective when evangelizing our lost coworkers? Here are some guidelines*:

1. God is the Boss of all bosses.

As has been covered in our study of Colossians, you may have a boss that you report to and speak with on a regular basis, but God supersedes the authority of your employer. We see this in Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” We must never forget that God has appointed those in authority over us by His sovereign will, and should not see any problems as things God was not aware of when putting them there. No, God knew what would happen, and has you there to see how faithful you will be as a steward of His gift (1 Corinthians 10:13).

2. Honor and serve your earthly boss.

Peter commands us: “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust” (1 Peter 2:18). There is no qualification: every boss who has authority over every Christian should be the recipient of the utmost respect. He even goes a step further and teaches that we are to patiently endure unjust conduct from those over us: “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God” (v.20). God favors those who endure this kind of suffering. The only exception to disobey is when called to disobey God’s Word and authority.

3. Honor Christ as an example.

If you talk with anyone with a job past a few months, you will find that there are probably those who are not known for their hard work ethic. They become infamous for their ability to keep their job and yet not put in the necessary effort to appropriately earn a paycheck. As a follower of Christ, you are not called to laziness; you are called to work, and to do it unto the Lord (see point #1). What you say of Christ will be overshadowed by your example if it is not commending Christ, but condemning Christ in the eyes of your coworkers. This is why Paul writes, “Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled” (1 Timothy 6:1). The influence of your witness directly corresponds with your consistent example, and our mindset must be to gain a hearing with those who don’t believe, that they may put weight in the things we say when we do. Most marvel at the one who works hard, and does not grudgingly condemn those who do not put in as much effort. A skilled man is noticed by those high in authority, calling for us to always be excellent in whatever we do (Proverbs 22:29).

4. Have tact in finding gospel opportunities.

This could be a post, sermon, or book all on its own. Christ, in preparing to send out His disciples to the world to bring the message of Christ, tells them: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). How we communicate the gospel at work must be done in an appropriate time and manner (the last post addressed this very issue). How one does this includes asking many questions of your coworkers that draws out information about their lives, as well as their way of thinking about the issues of ultimate reality. Taking an interest in the things they find interest in speaks to them that you are serious in getting to know them. Discerning when to bring the Word of God to bear in your conversations will involve a deeper familiarity with the Word, as well as a deeper seriousness coming from the one you’re speaking with. They may have never had a conversation with a believer who was more willing to listen to them than speak to them, and that always speaks volumes to them.

5. Always be above approach at work.

Not only are we to be shrewd, but we are also to be innocent, or undefiled. We must never share the Gospel in a way where Christ’s name could be dragged through the mud because we didn’t represent Him well. We are ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5) 24/7, and that includes the workplace. As much as you possibly can, do your work in such a way that Christ can never be blamed for your laziness, but credited for your excellence and skill. As we do all for the glory of God, we will have those opportunities spring up, for God will want our faithfulness to be tested and shine brightly in the darkness, that the glory of Christ will continually lead to the opening of blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:6).

*I have been greatly helped here by the Grace Evangelism workbook for this post. Other resources I would recommend for further study include:

EV & Your Degree – Walk & Talk (Part 1)

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:5-6)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

I think every time I step onto the campus of UCSD, there is a strong desire in my heart that many would come to know and hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And fortunately, I have had those opportunities come during my time in college. One thing I miss is how much free time people had in sitting down outside and conversing about matters of life and death. Yes, many were opinionated and unafraid to share their views, especially when they heard me reveal myself to be a Christian. Sometimes I was speechless at what people told me they were willing to believe, and yet did not find Christianity a plausible worldview in their eyes.

Post-college, however, if God grants you the gift of a job and allows you to form friendships with those around you, there is opportunity after opportunity that the Lord will give to those who see. With the encouragement of the local church as well as focused prayer to God for Him to open doors, many opportunities may come to speak with our co-workers about the lordship of Christ over all.

This is the kind of prayer Paul writes about in his letter to the Colossians, the church at Colossae while in prison. After instructing them in putting off the old self and putting on the new self, Paul explains practically how this looks in the community of faith and also in the home. There is a way of living and speaking that is consistent with how the Gospel changes a rebellious heart. Paul is quick to remind the Colossians that he is in prison not for committing a crime, but for being faithful to the task that God has called him—proclaiming the mystery of Christ in the Gospel (Colossians 4:3). He asks the Colossians to pray that there would be doors opened for him to bring the good news of redemption to those imprisoned for committing crimes against both God and man.

Under the umbrella of prayer, Paul instructs the Colossians to walk and talk in a certain way that will show Christ is working in them, allowing Him to shine in Colossae as He was in Paul’s life. They are to walk in wisdom, not in foolishness. They are to no longer walk in an earthly manner, which he commanded them earlier to kill: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (Colossians 3:5). This was how the believers formerly lived and what they are to withhold in their flesh. This is how those outside of the faith are currently living, which you are to distinguish yourselves from.

How you are to live among unbelievers is this: with “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12). Even though this verse specifically relates to other believers, there is overlap.

You also are to talk with “grace” and “salty seasoning,” which doesn’t mean you look for salty food to consume. According to Paul, your credibility means more than good deeds (which refutes the notion of “preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words” approach). Paul does not qualify this; we are to speak graciously “always,” with speech that is purposeful, loving, truthful, and thoughtful (Ephesians 4:29-31). How you speak in the office (or wherever you work) is to be “salty;” in other words, preserving or delaying corruption in other people. Indirectly, Paul is condemning the kind of speech that is common among unbelievers-which many of us are guilty of-by commanding gracious and salty speech. This is not natural for us to do. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in helping us put off ungracious speech and put on gracious speech. He ends this exhortation with the result of following this command: “that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Speaking graciously and with a salty flavor is the way a follower of Christ ought to speak to non-Christians. You have been commanded long ago to walk in wisdom. How have you been in both areas? Would you consider your walk to be influenced by the wisdom of God at work? How does your family view your walk? Does your faith actually affect the way you walk? Our life should make Christ look attractive to them. When an opportunity comes up and you are asked to give your view on any given topic, your response should not be a garbled message if your life does not show the power of the Gospel in changing your life.

This is where the two areas come together. Not only must your walk be consistent with your talk, but your talk must be consistent with your walk. One does not supersede the other, but complement each other in a beautiful way. Walking in wisdom does not mean only letting your actions speak. To walk in wisdom makes you reliant on someone else who has spoken: God. If He lived under the philosophy of showing but not speaking, we would not know anything about Christ and salvation. One must not crowd out the other; our talk must match our walk, and our walk must not negate our talk.

How does this relate to you post-collegians? For starters, you have already been through what collegians currently go through. Do you not have wise words to impart to them about how you were able to live Christianly throughout your undergraduate studies? Aren’t some of you currently pursuing grad school, and have some growth in that area right now that would be of benefit to them? Do you know any collegians?

What convinces you that a person cares about you? When you know that someone is listening to you, and isn’t looking for an opportunity to jump in and correct you about what you just said. One way of reciprocating this to others is by showing that you are willing to listen to them, and not assume things constantly about them, or think they don’t know what they’re talking about, so you can demonstrate your superior knowledge in any given area. When you know that Christianity is true, and speak with someone who is not a Christian, the temptation to ignore or listen on a surface level to them is great. Understanding what they are actually saying or asking can make it easier to know how to answer them, when the time comes. If you have gracious speech, seasoned with salt, generally people will be more willing to say more and also to listen to what you have to say, because…you will be speaking graciously and with a salty flavor.

We need to remember that the Christian faith is more than doing good deeds, though it includes that. Our faith has within it good works, which God has created our new nature for (Ephesians 2:10). And yet, at the same time, we are not given leeway to stop short of saying something to someone about why we do anything good. If someone sees us being courteous and kind to others, they will conclude that we are good people. That is the OPPOSITE of what we want them to know. It is because of our wickedness and God’s mercy and grace that we would do ANYTHING good…because it is in honor of the One who saved us. That is what those around us need to know, and they can only know that if someone tells them. So will you?

EV & Your Degree – Introduction

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

When the issue of evangelism comes up at our church, typically it relates to the setting of a university campus, and the participants involved are typically both students: usually a believer and an unbeliever. The interest often arises from either a discouraging incident when that young believer gets flooded with questions by the unbeliever, or when there seems to be a disinterest in the things of God when conversing with that non-Christian. Many stories can be told by Christian collegians about the time they sought to reach out to another student with the Gospel, only to be shut down by simple assertions of superiority, or a sudden high (and often arbitrary) standard of proof. This may come up when students devote specific time on the campus walking around and engaging other students concerning truth and spiritual issues. Other times may include an informal Bible study reading through one of the Gospels, or discussing a book about the fundamental truths of Christianity.

College is filled with opportunities for students of Christ, who for a brief period of time are university students, to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord to those who are perishing. There are stories that can be told where a Christian, who knows their Bible, boldly sets forth the claims of Christ and draw people to see the glory of God in their witness of how He can change a wicked heart.

We have a fairly clear picture of how evangelism looks in the college setting, but what does it look like post-college? Once a Christian student graduates with his or her degree, what happens now? How does one remain faithful after they move out of the university setting, and no longer have as many opportunities as seemed easier to see? Can there still be a fervor for evangelism when one joins the workforce, or is it a new period in life where sharing Christ with others becomes one of deeds more than words?

The singles ministry at our church is not a monolithic group. There are those who have continued to study for a graduate program, or for a specific career. There are also some who have begun work, whether related to their field of study or unrelated; and then, there are those who are in the process of finding work, in transition. Unlike college, not everyone is on the same four-year track, differentiated only by how far they have progressed. The age range is considerably more than four years between oldest and youngest in this group. This is a reminder for me to not be simplistic in how I want to address this issue.

However, how one evangelizes may look slightly different when it comes to the collegian and the post-collegian (or the non-collegian as the case may be). No matter the case, there are some considerations that would be helpful for us as singles to consider in proclaiming Christ. Of course, there is overlap; many principles relating to evangelism transcend the stage in life you are in. However, your affinity group does not determine the importance of evangelism nor should the message be altered to relate to whom you are sharing Christ with.

Hopefully, we can flesh some of these ideas out in the months to come. My goal is to look to the Scriptures to gain a better understanding of what it looks like to be a faithful witness when you have finished college and are still called to be an ambassador of Christ in this postmodern and ‘tolerant’ nation. I pray we all have that mindset in whatever circle we have been providentially placed in by God.