petebeck3, Author at Third Peter

Train Disciples to Be Competent Counselors

Posted October 13, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

Although the people in the local church are not usually professionals, they can be trained to be competent counselors. Most of us think of counseling as belonging to the realm of trained professionals and church leaders, not a ministry to be done by the average disciple. But what does the Word of God say?

And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14 (NASB95)

The Greek word that is translated “admonish” is noutheteo, which means to admonish, exhort, or give instruction. While it is true that some people have deep problems that those who have experience and training can best help, the average disciple who has the Holy Spirit inside them and who has studied the Bible has the ability and responsibility to counsel others.

We all need periodic input from others in order to maintain an “even keel” in life. God made us to be dependent on him and interdependent on one another.

Most problems, including relational, financial, and marriage issues, can be solved by applying general life principles found in the Bible.

In other words, the key to a happy and fulfilled life is following Christ’s teachings with the help of the Holy Spirit. For example, marriage problems usually arise when one or both partners violate Christ’s teachings. Marriages are always better when both spouses seriously seek to live as true disciples.

All followers of Christ who apply themselves to the study of God’s Word and listen to the Holy Spirit are able to guide and advise others.

All disciples are competent to counsel, to admonish, and to instruct at some level.

We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. ⁵ It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 (NLT)

Some of better at it than others, but all disciples can and should do it.

The most important counselors in the world are parents. They have the responsibility to disciple their children from birth forward to fear of God, follow Christ, love of people, and live responsibly as adults. During the child rearing process, parents are responsible to address and correct sinful and foolish behavior and teach their children principles for holy and wise living. If we do a good job, our children will acquire spiritual insight and practical skills that will help them be successful adults. Parents are able to use daily events and situations to instruct their offspring what it means to fear and serve the Lord and love and respect other people. No other counseling is so pervasive or as important as parenting.

If we expect the average follower of Christ to be able to parent, surely we are also competent to counsel one another in most things.

The best counselors seek to teach people how to go to God and the Bible for their answers. The goal of parenting is for children eventually to mature to the point where they do not need continual input from their parents. Because many people are lazy or insecure, they either do not want to go to the trouble to seek the Lord and read the Bible for themselves or they do not have confidence in their ability to make sound judgments.

Rather than simply tell people what to do or not to do, if we are going to help them grow, we should ask them to first go to God and the Bible for an answer.

We can then act as a “sounding board” for them, either confirming what they heard from God or showing them how they are mistaken. This way of doing things propels them into maturity and increases their confidence that they can make sound decisions with God’s help.

Just as a physician who is a good general practitioner knows when to refer a patient to a specialist, we must realize when people have problems that exceed our wisdom, experience, or faith level. For example, if a marriage is falling apart, the pastor or elders in a church should be consulted. If spouses are just struggling a bit, another believer or couple may be well able to handle it. If there are deeper and more serious mental, physical, or spiritual issues, It would be wise to consult church leadership. There is no shame in admitting we either do not know what to do or realize a particular situation is more properly in another person’s domain. We certainly do not want to compound problems by trying to help when we do not really know how.

The more that average disciples are willing to accept the responsibility for inputting in to other disciples’ lives, the healthier will be the body of Christ.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. ¹⁵ Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. ¹⁶ He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:14-16 (NLT)

Disciple-making churches teach and equip their people to be competent counselors.

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Train Disciples to Cast Out Demons

Posted October 12, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

In order to fulfill the Great Commission, disciples need to be competent to share the gospel and possess basic ministry skills, such as healing and casting out demons. Disciple making churches believe that the five-fold (or ascension gift) ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher (Ephesians 4:11-12) exist to equip and launch the rest of the church into ministry, which includes competency in sharing the gospel, healing the sick, and casting out demons.

Jesus gave his followers authority to set people free from demonic oppression.

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:7–8 (NKJV)

The Lord taught that casting out demons is one of the signs of the coming of God’s kingdom on earth.

But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. Matthew 12:28 (NLT)

Although the Bible does not give us conclusive information on the origin and identity of demons, it makes it abundantly clear that they exist and pose a very real danger.

Any serious Bible-believing disciple must acknowledge that demons exist and come to terms with his or her responsibility to help people be released from their oppression.

Materialists usually dismiss the supernatural out of hand. Even those who profess to believe the Bible may find it “difficult to swallow” that people have demons. In Jesus’ day their were no asylums for those suffering various forms of insanity and torment. They had to be cared for by family or were simply abandoned, as in the case of the Gadarene demoniac. (Mark 5:1-20) Today we usually hide and medicate the most severely demonized. The less severely affected probably don’t even know what their problem is.

Demon oppression is misunderstood, thanks to how it is presented in the movies, lack of proper teaching, and our general fear and avoidance of the supernatural. Many conceive of demon oppression as “possession,” which is unfortunately how some versions of the Bible translate the Greek word daimonizomai.

To be biblically accurate, we should say that people are “demonized,” not possessed.

Possession infers ownership; whereas, demonization communicates the idea of being oppressed, which can take place at various levels.

Using the false notion of “possession,” some argue that it is not possible for a Christian to have a demon, since we are owned or “possessed” by God’s Spirit. When we properly translate the word as demonized, we see that believers can be demon oppressed, and, in fact, many are. (If you wish to read more about how people become demonized, click here.)

Once we believe that individuals can be and are demon oppressed, if we are to be effective at setting people free from them, it is important for us to be able to discern the presence of demons when we encounter them.

We should not assume that demons are behind almost every sin, sickness, and bondage issue, as some do. I think the Bible makes it clear that our main problem is our “flesh,” that part of us that is still connected to the Adamic body. The “flesh” cannot be saved or reformed. It only wants to oppose God.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:1–8 (NASB95)

This will be the case until we are raised from the dead and receive new spiritual bodies. Nevertheless, we are not in bondage to the “flesh.” We have the ability to “walk in the Spirit” and experience freedom. Many who profess Christ, however, still struggle mightily with the fleshly side of their being. Until they learn to walk in the Spirit, that will be their exprerience. If we try to cast out the “flesh,” we will fail, since that is an impossibility. If people think their “flesh” is a demon, they will be greatly discouraged to find that it did not leave when told to do so. That is why we need spiritual discernment to distinguish between the “flesh” and a demon. Demons must always obey our commands to leave. I never assume that demonization is the problem, unless it is blatantly obvious.

Unconfessed sin is another primary source of oppression, especially when it is bitterness or past involvement in the occult.

Jesus warned us that people who refuse to forgive will be turned over by God to “tormentors.” (Matthew 18:33-35) These are likely evil spirits. The quick way to be set free from them is to repent of holding offenses. (You can read more about this by clicking here. To learn more about how occult involvement opens doors to demon oppression, click here.)

Another source of oppression and bondage is what some people call generational sins or “curses.” These are sins that one can see being passed down family lines. One generation after another gets impacted by the consequences of sins committed by family members who lived before them. This is especially true when the successive generations involve themselves in the same sins, perpetuating the cycle. Although, demonization can be associated with generational devastation, the problem should first be addressed as its own issue. I have written extensively on this subject in my series on “Biblical Healing and Deliverance.” If you are interested in learning more, click here. Two other frequent sources of bondage are lies people believe and unhealed traumatic pain. Once again, you can read what I have written about this in the aforementioned series.

After we address these potential roots of oppression, we sometimes find that demons have attached themselves in areas where we have practiced sin, held on to bitterness, been involved in the occult, believed lies, experienced traumatic pain, or been victims of generational devastation handed down to us.

Thankfully, one of the gifts of the Spirit is discerning of spirits, which enables us to detect the presence of demonic spirits.

Diagnosing the presence of demons is the most challenging part of liberating people from them.

The Holy Spirit will help us in this area.

Once we detect a demon, I believe it is important to address how and why it gained entrance into the person’s life.

Demons cannot simply “hitch a ride” whenever they want. We generally have to open a “door” to give them entrance. Once a person repents and renounces whatever opened the door, it becomes a simple matter to cast out the evil spirit.

The authority of the risen Christ is the key to casting out demons.

When Jesus rose again, he completely defeated Satan and all demonic powers. He has given us his authority to speak in his name. When we command demons to leave, they must obey. The Holy Spirit will enforce our words. He is the power behind Christ’s authority. You can read more about the details of casting out demons, by clicking here.

Of all the ways people get into bondage, probably the easiest to deal with is demonization, IF we first deal with what opened the door to oppression.

This is why I advocate for a broad spectrum approach to setting people free from bondage in my Biblical Healing and Deliverance series. If we fail to shut the door to oppression by first dealing with unconfessed sin, bitterness, past occult involvement, unhealed traumatic pain, lies people believe, and generational devastation, we may cast demons out the front door, only to see them reenter through the back entrance. (Matthew 12:45) If we handle things properly, our simple command in Christ’s name will require demons to leave.

To properly train disciples to be effective in this ministry, it is important to teach them what is contained in this article and to demonstrate the ministry in their presence. Once they understand their authority in Christ and the other principles in this article, they are ready to operate in this ministry. I suggest having an experienced person be present to give counsel and feedback until the disciple becomes competent and confident to operate alone.

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Chapter 88: Having Done All, Stand

Posted October 11, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

Standing our ground is perhaps the most important aspect of spiritual warfare.

For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.  Ephesians 6:13 (NET)

Paul uses an analogy from ancient warfare when he wrote that we should put on spiritual armor by faith, which is described in the passage following the above verse. Even though he lists each piece of armor in Ephesians Chapter Six, we should not think of it as individual pieces acquired separately.

Every aspect of our armor comes as a package when we receive Christ.

We simply need to recognize what we have and consciously arm ourselves with the same. This is the same as “putting on Christ,” which is mentioned elsewhere. (Romans 13:14 and Galatians 3:27) We are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10), having all that we need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) In other words, God does not dispense grace or gifts piecemeal. Rather, he gives us all things in Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV)

Understanding that Christ is our spiritual armor enables us to stand against the enemy.

Standing firm positions us to experience God’s fighting on our behalf. During Jehoshaphat’s rule, when Israel faced a vast horde of enemy soldiers, God instructed his people to trust completely in him.

You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! Tomorrow march out toward them; the Lord is with you!’ ”  2 Chronicles 20:17 (NET)

Ultimately every battle is the Lord’s.

When David faced Goliath, he proclaimed (prophesied) that God would defeat the giant.

And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”  1 Samuel 17:47 (NLT)

David had to fight, but he understood that really the battle was being waged by God himself, who gave David the victory. The rest of the army of Israel stood back in fear, but David stood firm in faith. His stand of faith resulted in his being willing to enter battle with the giant enemy warrior.

Standing firm results from our knowing that God is with us to give us the victory.

Somewhere along the line, David wrote the beautiful song we know as Psalm 23. Perhaps it was before his pivotal defeat of Goliath.

David understood that his strength was found in God’s presence.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  Psalm 23:4 (NASB95)

Moses was able to stand up against Pharaoh because he too knew that God was with him.

But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”  Exodus 3:11–12 (NLT)

It took a while for Moses to be convinced, but eventually he came to believe that God was indeed with him, which enabled him not only to confront Pharaoh but also to lead Israel for forty years through the desert.

If God is with us, it is enough for us to stand up against any force of evil and fulfill our calling.

Standing against the wiles and onslaught of the enemy also requires courage on our part. The devil seeks to convince us that God has abandoned us, and we are on our own.

Faith in God’s faithfulness allows us to shield our hearts against these lies.

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Ephesians 6:16 (NLT)

Jesus guaranteed that the enemy cannot ultimately harm us.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.  Luke 10:19 (NASB95)

But this promise does not preclude that we may suffer threats and harm to our physical bodies through persecution.

The tests and trials of life are used by Satan to make it appear that God cannot be trusted.

These contradictions to God’s benevolent promises to keep us from all evil, are tests of our ability to stand by faith in his faithfulness. Jesus withstood these contradictions, and so must we.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.  Hebrews 12:1–3 (NLT)

Sometimes God grants us a magnificent deliverance in answer to our faith. Other times he may allow us to suffer contradiction, giving us the opportunity to demonstrate our courage and faith in the face of adversity.

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.  Hebrews 11:32–40 (NASB95)

Whether we experience glorious victory over the things that challenge our faith, or God allows us to suffer contradiction, we must stand by faith.

When we make up our minds to give God thanks in every circumstance because we fully believe that he will work all things out for our good and his glory, we become overcomers by faith.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

Whether we receive the object of our faith in this life or not, we overcome because of our faith stance.

Such faith glorifies God because it is God-centered rather than man-centered.

Standing by faith is rooted in the conviction that God is loving, faithful, and always with us. Our part is to remind ourselves of these things by remembering to pray, study the Word of God, share the gospel with others, and worship. This allows us to be fully clad in God’s protective armor, which protects every part of our being from head to foot. As we learn to stand on the promises of God, his Word becomes a spiritual sword in our hands by which we can defend ourselves and inflict damage on the enemy of our souls.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—  Ephesians 6:14–18 (NKJV)

The belt of truth holds everything in place through our conviction that every word of God is true. The breastplate of righteousness guards our heart from the onslaught of condemnation. Our feet or walk with God is protected and strengthened as we fearlessly share our faith with others. Our faith acts as a shield to protect our hearts from Satan’s fiery darts of doubt and fear. The helmet of salvation guards our minds with the hope (firm conviction) of God’s complete faithfulness. Knowledge of God’s Word put into practice enables us to properly defend ourselves and even attack. Finally, prayer is how we stay in a proper attitude of complete reliance upon God for ourselves and others.

Click here to see all the articles in this series.

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Knowing God Better, Life’s Greatest Blessing!

Posted October 7, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

In the Old Testament on several occasions God revealed something about his character and nature by using a compound name for himself. What the Lord allows us to go through in life are opportunities for us to know him better. No matter what comes our way, God will work everything for good (Romans 8:28). If we seek him, every test and trial we face will be an opportunity for us to get to know him in a deeper way.

Knowing God better is the greatest blessing in life.

Jesus said:

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NKJV)

If we approach life with this mindset, we will be overcomers by faith.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 (NKJV)

We sometimes think that going through life without encountering difficulties is the best possible thing, but having no troubles may cause us to miss a chance to know God better.

God wants us to embrace difficulties as opportunities to grow in faith.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2–4 (NLT)

Psalm 23 is one of the most beautiful and most quoted passages in the Bible and reveals a lot about God and the gospel. It was inspired by the Spirit of God and written and sung by King David, who was an accomplished musician and poet. It has endured for three millennia and will continue forever because it is the unchangeable word of God. This short psalm is packed with revelation about God’s heart and nature. In it we find the first compound name of God that I will cover

The Lord Is My Shepherd

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalm 23:1 (NLT) —

Here the Spirit revealed through David that God the Lord is our shepherd, who provides, guides, and protects. David called him Yahweh-rah, the Lord my shepherd.

If we know and rely upon him to be our shepherd, we always have everything we need.

Jesus is the ultimate Good Shepherd who gave his life for his sheep. (John 10:11) He did this to bring us back to the Father by providing forgiveness for our sins, setting us free from all that enslaves us, giving us life eternal through the Holy Spirit, and making us children of God through the new birth. Ultimately we will co-rule with Christ over his creation. This is what Jesus called “abundant life.” Once we come to know Jesus as our Shepherd, life will never be the same.

Another aspect of the shepherd ministry is reflected in another name of God, Yahweh-shamar, the Lord our Keeper.

The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. Psalm 121:5–8 (NKJV)

Gospel Hint: If we encounter a person who feels lost, abandoned, fearful or who generally needs a “shepherd,” we should present Christ as the one they seek. He proved his love for us at the cross and his ability to take care of us at the resurrection.

The Lord Who Provides

Another Old Testament compound name for God was revealed to Abraham when God tested him regarding his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac. At the last moment, when the angel restrained his hand from carrying out the deed, Abraham saw a ram caught in the thicket that he could sacrifice in Isaac’s stead. He named that place Yahweh-Jireh – the Lord who Provides.

Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.” Genesis 22:14 (NASB95) —

In the hour of Abraham’s testing and obedience, God’s provision became apparent. When we truly get to know God, we discover that providing for his people is part of his nature. It is who he is. We should never doubt his kind intention to provide for our every need, especially when we step out in faith to obey him.

Gospel Hint: Is we find someone who is afraid that they will not have what they need, we should introduce Jesus the Good Shepherd and provider. He is our shepherd. We shall not lack. We can always count on God to provide. If we surrender our lives to him, he graciously extends his care to us.

The Lord Our Peace

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. Psalm 23:2 (NLT) —

Green meadows and peaceful streams are part of God’s provision for his sheep – peace and rest. Jesus promised that he will give his disciples peace that passes natural understanding. God revealed himself to Gideon as Yahweh-shalom, the Lord who is our peace, on the day he commissioned him to fight for Israel against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.” 23 Then the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace... Judges 6:22–24 (NKJV)

Peace does not depend on our circumstances, but on God’s promises and his presence in our lives.

Jesus said that he will give us peace in the midst of the storms we encounter in life.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27 (NASB95) —

Peace is one of the defining characteristics of those who know God.

It is a fruit or result of God’s Spirit inhabiting and transforming us on the inside. The more we trust and rely on our Good Shepherd, the greater our peace.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7 (NASB95) —

Gospel Hint: When we encounter someone who is afraid, we should tell them about the Good Shepherd who relieves us of our fears and imparts peace that passes understanding. His perfect loves displaces or casts out fear.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 (NASB95)

The Lord Our Healer

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Psalm 23:3 (NASB95) —

One important ministry of the Good Shepherd is that he restores and heals our bodies and souls. When we are born again, God makes our spirits brand new, but our souls still need a lot of work.

The new birth is once for all, but the restoration of the soul takes a lifetime. This is part of Jesus’ ministry as healer.

Everywhere Jesus went he healed and restored people. He still does today, but now he uses his Spirit-filled people to accomplish the work.

Before we can help others, we need to experience his healing and restorative work in our own lives.

One of the compound names of God in the Old Testament is Yahweh-raphah, the Lord who heals.

and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” Exodus 15:26 (NKJV)

Healing is part of God’s nature or character.

Under the Old Covenant, healing was promised to those who kept the law. Under the New Covenant, it is a benefit for those who put their faith and allegiance in Jesus, who perfectly kept the Law on our behalf. It is not something we have to wrestle from him.

It flows from his kind heart to hurting people.

Healing and deliverance from demonic oppression accompanied the preaching of the gospel in Jesus’ and the apostles’ day. Nothing has changed in God’s plan. God wants his people to experience his healing and restorative touch today, too.

Gospel Hint: If we encounter someone who has physical, emotional, or spiritual pain or disease, we should offer to pray for them as we tell them that Jesus still heals. We never know what God may do.

The Lord Our Righteousness

Right paths and paths of righteousness are different phrases for essentially the same thing. God revealed himself as our righteousness in the Old Testament, the Lord our righteousness, Yahweh-tsidqenu.

In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’ Jeremiah 23:6 (NASB95) —

When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, he provided a right relationship with God or “justification” for those who put their faith and allegiance in him. By taking our sins upon himself and exchanging our sin with his right standing with God, we became righteous before God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) We are not self-righteous, but righteous in Christ. Apart from him we have nothing.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

This imputation of right standing with God paved the way for our heavenly Father to reconcile us with him completely and adopt into his family through the new birth.

Now that we have right standing with God, he is working his righteousness into us on a daily basis. In other words, the Holy Spirit is transforming us on the inside so that we more and more think, speak, and act like Jesus. This allows us to “walk” as Jesus did in “paths of righteousness.” When we live like this it brings honor to God and blessings to us.

Gospel Hint: Sometimes we encounter people whose lives are a mess because of their sins and failures. We can introduce the Good Shepherd to them as the one who can restore them and set them on a path to blessings and success. It starts with their surrendering everything to Jesus the Lord and receiving all he has to offer, which is mainly himself and his right standing with the Father.

The Lord Who Is Always With Us

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. Psalm 23:4 (NLT) —

We all go through a dark places. This can be very scary, especially when we feel alone. One of the most repeated promises in the Bible is “Do not fear. I am with you.” (Genesis 26:24, Deuteronomy 31:8, 2 Chronicles 20:17, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 14:27, and John 6:20) God revealed himself in the Old Testament as the ever-present One, Yahweh-shammah.

All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE. Ezekiel 48:35 (NKJV)

Psalm 139 is another place where King David expressed his faith in the ever present one.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. Psalm 139:7–12 (NKJV)

Jesus also is known as the One who is present in his name Emmanuel, God with us.

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” Matthew 1:23 (NLT)

Our Lord also promised that the Holy Spirit, his executor here on earth and our helper, will always be with us.

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; John 14:16 (NASB95)

The Spirit’s presence in our lives is a most precious gift.

Nothing compares. Because Jesus died and rose again, when we put our faith and allegiance in him, God comes to live inside us forever! We will never be alone again.

Gospel Hint: Abandonment is one of our greatest fears. Many people feel rejected and alone. Ultimately this is because our sin separated us from God. Jesus fixed this problem. All who put their faith and allegiance in him never need to be alone again.

The Lord Who Transforms Us

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. Psalm 23:4 (NLT)

The rod and staff represent the shepherd’s commitment to protect and guide his sheep.

One of God’s compound names in the Old Testament is Yahweh-Mekoddishkem – The Lord who sanctifies you.

Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. Exodus 31:13 (NKJV)

God is committed to transforming us into Christ’s image as we navigate this life with his help.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:28–29 (NKJV)

God’s protection from savage wolves and his loving discipline are represented by the rod. His discipline protects us from continuing on sinful paths to our own destruction. God disciplines all his children because he loves them.

For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” Hebrews 12:6 (NKJV)

Gospel Hint: God accepts us just as we are, but he doesn’t leave us in that condition. Most of us would like to be better than we are. Only God can get us there, as we learn to cooperate with the Spirit of God as he transforms us on the inside without condemning us for our many failures along the way. (John 5:24, Romans 8:1)

The Lord Our Banner

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Psalm 23:5 (NLT)

God revealed himself in the Old Testament as Yahweh-nissi, the Lord our banner in battle.

And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; Exodus 17:15 (NKJV)

Sometimes we think that peace means that we have been delivered from the threat or presence of our enemies.

God, however, prepares a feast for us right in front of our enemies. He wants us to ignore the enemy and focus on him.

The Bible teaches us the the battle is the Lord’s.

And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15 (NKJV)

God has already defeated Satan and his evil allies. All authority in heaven and earth has already been given to our Lord Jesus. Nothing can happen to us without the permission of our Lord, and he promises to work out everything, even the bad things, for our good. (Romans 8:28)

God wants us to learn how to stand against evil.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 (NKJV)

We do this by understanding that we are protected by God. We are seated with Christ in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6)

Our enemies must go through God to get to us.

This does not mean that we will never encounter tests, trials, or danger, but God is always with us as we go through these things. He is our victory. Our faith makes us overcomers in everything.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 (NKJV)

Gospel Hint: When we talk to people who are in the midst of some kind of spiritual battle, we can show them that God promises to be with us in the struggle and has already overcome the enemy. If we trust in him, he will give us peace in the midst of our warfare.

Conclusion

One of the most exciting things about being a follower of Christ is participating with him in helping others find freedom through our Lord and Savior! When Jesus launched his earthly ministry, he quoted Isaiah 61:1 and said that God’s Spirit rested upon him, anointing him for ministry.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, Luke 4:18 (NLT)

The anointing, which represents the Spirit’s power and presence operating in and through us, is what we need to effectively minister to others.

God honors us by allowing us to participate with him in this ministry.

God is not stingy. He overflows with blessings and has more than enough for all those who trust in him. This ties into God’s being our Shepherd and provider. As we are blessed by God, we can pass these on to others.

Gospel Hint: Many people live outside of God’s blessings because they have never surrendered their lives to Jesus. The gospel promises God’s richest blessings upon all who trust and follow Jesus.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6 (NLT)

Instead of being hounded by the curse associated with sin, Jesus opened the door for us to be pursued relentlessly by God’s goodness and mercy as long as we live.

When we die, we have the promise of being with God forever.

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:1–3 (NLT)

Gospel Hint: Jesus provides his followers with blessings here on earth and eternal life with him in heaven. Who would not want this?

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Teach Disciples How to Pray for Others

Posted October 5, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

Churches are responsible to teach disciples the important ministry skill of how to pray for others.

Prayer is a spiritual weapon, a conduit for God’s power and love, and a door opener into people’s hearts for the gospel.

Over the years, I have found that most people welcome prayer. Some have never experienced someone praying over them personally, even some who have regularly attended a church. “Hands on” prayer (when we touch the one for whom we pray, with their permission, is very different from being promised that we will remember to pray for them later. My experience is that the only people who resist an offer for prayer are religious people, who have their guard up, and hostile atheists, who adhere to their beliefs, even when they desperately need God’s help. We will find, if we try it, that the great majority of people will allow us to pray for them, if asked.

The first step in praying for others is to ask permission.

When people give us permission, often they think we mean sometime later when we leave their presence. We can surprise them by asking, “What about right now?” Almost always the response will be affirmative. I like to lay my hand on the shoulder of the person for whom I am praying, which is biblical; so, I ask if this will be acceptable. It almost always is.

We never know how God is going to show up when we pray for a person.

I remember once when the person for whom I prayed afterward asked, “Did you feel that?” They experienced a physical manifestation of God’s presence; even though I did not. God did that to encourage that person’s faith.

Prayer is a contact point with God for the person for whom we pray.

When we pray for people, they may experience some sort of a very personal “touch” from the Lord that makes them realize that he is present in their lives and cares about them. When God answers prayer, it is a demonstration of his love.

When we pray for people, it opens a door into their hearts and provides a spiritual bridge over which we cross. From that moment forward we almost always will have permission to talk with them about God.

Prayer bypasses the logical arguments people have erected in their minds that resist God and goes right to the heart. It also gives us a reason to reconnect with them later. We can ask them about the person or situation for which we prayed. We want to try to keep the conversation going.

If we are given permission to pray, it is important not only to pray for the thing or person requested, but also to listen to the Holy Spirit, who may show us other things to lift up to God in their behalf.

I have found that praying in the Spirit (tongues), usually silently to avoid provoking unnecessary questions or causing offense or confusion, unless I know they are Spirit filled, is a way for me to effectively listen to God. It is like tuning into God’s radio frequency. If you are unfamiliar with the amazing benefits of speaking in tongues, i encourage you not to dismiss this important gift. Praying in tongues allows us to pray 100% in the will of God for others. This promise is found in Romans 8:26-27.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  Romans 8:26–27 (NASB95)

The word translated as “helps” comes from the Greek word “sunantilambanomai,” which literally means to “take hold against together with.” When we pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit takes hold of the situation together with us to fight against that for which we are praying.

You can read more about the amazing value of this spiritual gift by clicking here.

The other gifts of the Spirit often begin to operate as we pray in the Spirit and listen to God with our hearts. We may receive prophetic insight, discerning of spirits, a word of wisdom or knowledge, or a gift of healing or miracles. This is part of what makes prayer so very special. Below is a verse that should encourage us all to pray for physical healing for ourselves and others.

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.  Matthew 10:7–8 (NKJV)

When we pray, it is vital that we understand and use the authority we have in Christ to intercede for people. We represent Christ as his ambassadors here on earth. We have been given the authority of the kingdom of God to confirm the truth of the words we speak.

Specific prayer for healing is a topic in its own right. I encourage you to click here for more teaching on this.

Let us not sell God short by failing to give him the opportunity to show himself strong in someone’s behalf!

Many of us are uncomfortable praying out loud in front of others. If we are going to use prayer as an outreach and ministry tool, rather than just for personal benefit, it is important for us to overcome our reluctance, pride, and fears.

Praying aloud has many benefits.

It allows others to agree with our prayer. It can strengthen the faith of the one for whom we pray, as they hear our words. If we make any faith commands, it makes them more effective, especially if we command evil spirits to leave or release the person from some kind of bondage.

Prayer needs to come from the heart.

There is no need to flowery or technically perfect. God simply wants us to be conduits of blessing for others, even if we don’t pray as wonderfully as someone else. We must come to realize that our halting attempts to obey God will likely inspire others to venture out in a similar way. We only get good at something by practice. That being the case, I encourage you to pray for someone today if you get the opportunity. Take the initiative if someone shares a need. We can even offer to pray a blessing over someone as we depart his or her presence. Any excuse will do! Do the previously unthinkable. Ask a someone if you can pray for him or her. Ask for their top two prayer requests and go for it. We will not be disappointed, and neither will the person for whom we pray.

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Training People to Share the Gospel

Posted October 4, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

One of the church’s primary responsibilities is to train people to share the gospel.

Every follower of Christ should be “gospel fluent”.

The gospel is much more than a “plan of salvation, “the “Roman Road,” or “Four Spiritual Laws.” Despite how handy these gospel summaries are, the gospel is more than that. We short change ourselves by trying to reduce the good news to a few steps or points. The first apostles never did this, and neither should we.

The Book of Acts is a wonderful place to examine how the early church presented Jesus. We can learn a lot by studying the gospel presentations of those early disciples. In fact, I wrote a series of articles to help you with this, entitled, The Gospel in a Nutshell. I encourage you to take a look at it. It contains many insights and tips on how to effectively share the good news. I also recommend a couple of books that powerfully influenced me: The King Jesus Gospel by Scot McKnight and Salvation by Allegiance Alone by Matthew Bates. The links will take you to my summaries of these two important works.

The gospel is the proclamation of the true story of who Jesus is, what he has done, what he is going to do, what it all means, and what we need to do in response.

We have four gospels recorded in the Bible. Each contains lots of information about Jesus. John’s starts in eternity past. Matthew’s begins with Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. Luke introduces his gospel with the birth of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, who was the forerunner of the Messiah. Mark also begins with John’s ministry and shows how it set the stage for Jesus. Each gospel includes information about how Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecies, ministered healing and deliverance in the power of the Spirit, modeled how to live in dependence on the Spirit, taught the truth, proclaimed the good news of his coming kingdom, died for our sins as the Lamb of God, rose from the dead in power as Lord of lords, revealed himself with many convincing proofs, commanded us to fulfill the Great Commission, ascended into heaven, poured out his Spirit to equip and empower the church, and will return again one day as the glorious Son of Man to raise us from the dead and judge all mankind. His is an eternal kingdom. That is the gospel.

The proper response is to repent from our sinful way of living and declare allegiance to Jesus, the risen glorious Lord.

Water baptism is our formal and public declaration of allegiance the Lord Jesus. When we believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess him as our Lord, we are saved. (Romans 10:9-10) All the benefits of his death and resurrection become ours – forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sonship. When are born again we become children of God. The greater challenge is to become a follower, a disciple, whose mission if to fish for people and make other disciples.

Every believer needs to understand the gospel and be able to share it competently. Imparting this knowledge and charging disciples with their responsibility for sharing the good news is the work of the local church. (Click here to learn more about the gospel.)

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Teach Disciples to Follow the Spirit

Posted October 3, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

Teaching disciples how to hear, obey, and partner with the Holy Spirit is one of the most important parts of the disciple making process.

God poured out his Spirit upon the church on Pentecost to launch the church age, initiate the Great Commission, and to fulfill Jesus’ promise to empower his disciples to be his witnesses.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT)

The risen and ascended Lord of the harvest knows that his church needs the power of God to accomplish his mission, and this is only available through his Spirit.

Jesus, the incarnated Logos, God’s own Son, understood from the beginning of his ministry that he personally completely depended on the power and operation of the Holy Spirit to fulfill his ministry.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, Luke 4:18 (NLT)

Jesus demonstrated what it looks like to be dependent upon God.

So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. John 5:19 (NLT)

We desperately need the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power simply to engage life on a daily basis. How much more do we need him to carry out the Great Commission!

Paul said it is one thing to “live” in the Spirit and quite another to “walk” in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) The Holy Spirit lives in every born-again person, but that is not the same thing as “walking” in partnership with him and being “anointed” by the Spirit for ministry.

The baptism in the Spirit is the gateway to effective empowerment for ministry.

This is too large a topic to cover adequately in this short article, but if you want to read more about this amazing promise and gift of the Father, click here.

Once we receive the baptism in the Spirit, we need a daily re-filling of the Spirit, because, as someone put it, we leak. This is available through a daily re-engagement with the Spirit through spending time with God in worship, thanksgiving, and prayer, which ought to include times of listening to anything God may wish to communicate to us. He also connects with us as we read the Bible.

The Bible and the Spirit are in agreement. They speak with one voice.

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, ¹⁹ singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. ²⁰ And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20 (NLT)

Jesus promised us that his “sheep” can and do hear his voice. (John 10:27) The voice of Christ is mediated by the indwelling Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is our interface with God. Through him we connect with God.

All followers of Christ are able to hear and communicate with God, but many do not know how or even believe they can.

Teaching followers of Christ how to hear the voice of the Spirit is a top priority in the disciple making process. (For more on this, click here.)

Once we begin to discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to us, the next step is to gain confidence, so that we will routinely obey.

When we hear God, but disobey, it effectively shuts down our ability to hear.

God is not playing games. As Henry Blackaby taught in his important series, Experiencing God, when God speaks, it places us in a crisis of belief. Are we willing to make the necessary adjustments to overcome our fear and resistance in order to obey him?

I do not think that it is hyperbole to say that teaching followers of Christ to take the plunge into obedience to the Spirit is a top priority in disciple making. (Click here to read more.)

Once disciples gain faith and experience in hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit, we can help them develop another very important “skill” – learning how to operate in the gifts of the Spirit as the Spirit directs. Jesus’ ministry would have been very different had he not used the gifts of the Spirit on a regular basis.

God wants us to follow Christ’s example and use the gifts of the Spirit to bless people and open their hearts to the gospel. (You can read more by clicking here.)

When we share the gospel, teach the Bible, and counsel others, disciples should rely upon the Spirit for revelation and the ability to minister with a power and authority that impacts lives. Some people call this the “anointing,” which is simply a succinct way to describe the operation of the Spirit in and through his people.

In conclusion, a huge part of the disciple making process is to teach disciples how to hear, obey, and partner with the Holy Spirit in every aspect of life, including ministry and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

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Teach Disciples to Interact with the Bible

Posted October 3, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

Churches develop disciples by teaching them how to properly interact with the Bible.

Jesus taught his followers that being faithful to his teachings is a core principle.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. ³² And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NLT)

In order for us to continue in the Word or remain faithful to it, we first need to read and study it.

It is impossible to be a proper disciple without making the study of the Scriptures a top priority.

But our interaction with the Bible cannot stop with acquiring knowledge: God wants us to become what James called “doers of the Word.”

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. James 1:22 (NLT)

Obedience to Christ’s teachings is the crossroad where the wide path mere churchgoers follow diverges from the narrow path pursued by true disciples.

It is a form of self-deception when we hear or read the Bible, agree in principle with it, but fail to put it into practice.

Conversely, Jesus promised that those who do obey his teachings will gain even more understanding of the meaning of what the Bible teaches.

Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. John 7:17 (NLT)

One of the unique things about the Word of God is that it can only be properly understood by those who practice it.

Disciples have a reverence for the Bible and its teachings.

Revelation from the Holy Spirit is the key that unlocks its contents and makes it “come alive” to us.

The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible and the conduit of revelation. Since he is the Bible’s behind the scenes author, he alone knows what it really means, and he has the power to open hearts and minds to its life changing power. Disciples have the Holy Spirit living within them as our personal tutor.

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT)

The Bible is not just a book to read and study. It is a living document, whose author indwells all disciples.

We have been given permanent access to the Holy Spirit, who works to open our hearts and minds to the truth and help us to live it out.

There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. ¹⁴ He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’ John 16:12-15 (NLT)

Followers of Christ need to be taught how to interact with the Bible under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

This living relationship with God’s Word allows the Bible to transform us on the inside.

There are basic principles of interpretation called “hermeneutics” that can be useful tools, as long at they do not become hard and fast man-made rules that eliminate our reliance upon the Holy Spirit. The Bible’s meaning sometimes transcends our current understanding. Although principles of interpretation are good, the Holy Spirit is not bound by them. We should make our disciples aware of general principles of interpretation to guard them from “going off the deep end” into error, while insisting that we remain open to the Holy Spirit, our teacher.

God speaks to us directly through the Bible via the Holy Spirit, making it truly alive and powerful.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

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The Priesthood of the Believer

Posted October 2, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

The priesthood of the believer was a foundational doctrine of the Protestant Reformation that opposed the Roman Catholic dogma that human priests are mediators between us and God. The doctrine of the priesthood of the believer reveals that Christ has made all believers priests in the New Testament sense, who are able to offer New Covenant sacrifices (praise, hospitality, giving, and consecration of ourselves to God) and have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit.

Disciples are the basic building blocks of the kingdom of God, “living stones” that the Holy Spirit builds into a fitting “house” or temple for God.

Jesus did not command the church to reproduce churches, but to make disciples. When disciples are made, churches are sure to follow. When churches are planted without disciple making being the top priority, we fall short of the mark.

The church is not a building. It is a living, moving “body,” which has the capability to reproduce itself at the discipleship level. Disciples have the ability, through the Holy Spirit, to multiply ourselves. In fact, that is our primary mission. We are to love God, love people, and make disciples.

Just as God commanded Adam and Eve, and afterwards Noah and his descendants, to multiply and fill the earth, so Christ mandated the church to “go and make disciples.”

That is our mission given by God. God’s mission supersedes every other mission that the local church may adopt.

Christ gave the church what some call the “five-fold” or “ascension gift” ministries – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, whose responsibility or function is to equip the church to do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11).

The task of the church and the five-fold ministry is to equip and make disciples who will make other disciples.

The question facing every missional church, then, is how are we to teach, train, and equip disciples who will go and make other disciples? What vision, information, understanding, wisdom, and ministry skills need to be imparted that will enable our people to become effective disciple makers?

Priesthood of the Believer

We start with a core commitment to the doctrine and practice of what some people call the “priesthood of the believer.” This doctrine was crucial to the advance of the Great Awakening, especially in the South.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers states that all believers in Christ share in his priestly status; therefore, there is no special class of people who mediate the knowledge, presence, and forgiveness of Christ to the rest of believers, and all believers have the right and authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of Scripture.

The propensity to think of “clergy” as a special class of people over and above the “laity” persists today, even in Protestant churches. It is part of the human condition for those in leadership to carve out a secure niche for themselves, and it is convenient for the rest of us to consign ministry responsibilities to the “professional” clergy instead of accepting our role as ministers.

The only way a church can effectively multiply disciples is by acknowledging and promoting every disciple’s duty to be a representative or minister of Christ in his or her own right.

This does not mean that everyone is part of the five-fold ministry. Rather, the job of the five-fold ministry is to equip the rest of the church to do the work of the ministry. In other words, those in five-fold ministry are increasingly successful as they move more to a coaching role, allowing their disciples to take on more and more responsibility.

In my experience, a small percentage of senior ministers make the commitment to do this. We convince ourselves that without extensive Bible training, people are not to be trusted with the Scriptures. We set the bar higher than did our Lord, who turned over the church to men with whom he had spent three years training, but who still did not understand many basic things. The “seminary trained” Pharisees criticized these disciples as being unlearned men. Jesus believed and knew that the Holy Spirit is a more than adequate “on the job” instructor.

Disciple making churches are willing to risk putting average people into ministry and leadership responsibilities.

Any gospel movement that rapidly expands must do this. The genius of the Great Awakening in the Carolinas was the willingness of church leaders, such as Shubal Stearns, who led the Sandy Creek Separate Baptist Church, to equip and commission average people to be preachers, ministers, and leaders. This is no small thing. It takes a radical commitment to the priesthood of all believers to properly develop and launch disciples and to be an effective disciple making church.

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Was the Virgin Birth Truly Necessary?

Posted October 1, 2024July 15, 2025
by petebeck3

The virgin birth is one of the key doctrines of Christianity. In this article, I will show why it is so essential and necessary.

The true story of Jesus begins with his mother Mary receiving an incredible announcement from the angel Gabriel.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:26-35 (NLT)

Why would God use something that is seemingly impossible, even ridiculous to some, as the means of bringing His Son into the world? Isn’t the resurrection a big enough hurdle for the modern rational mind without injecting a virgin birth into the Gospel story before we even get started? Why did God ask Mary to endure what was an apparent very large blemish on her character? I feel sure that most doubted her story. She must have endured the critical gaze of those who thought she was a loose woman with an illegitimate son. And how about the pain and confusion this abnormal birth caused Joseph? Couldn’t God have done this some other way? Apparently not.

The Bible reveals that Jesus is the God-Man, fully human and fully God. The human part is easy to grasp. The God element is more difficult and is something we must see by faith and revelation.

After his resurrection, Jesus confronted Thomas the doubter, who previously announced that he would not believe that Jesus rose until he put his fingers in the nail holes and his hand into his side. When Jesus suddenly appeared to him in answer to his request, Thomas blurted out: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) It was rather easy for him to arrive at that conclusion while standing in the presence of the risen Lord. The Holy Spirit must open our spiritual eyes for us to believe.

John the Baptist announced to the world that Jesus is the Lamb of God. What a shocker that message must have been to his listeners! Jesus was to be a human sacrifice! Most who heard those words probably concluded that John was just using poetic language. Even Jesus’ disciples, who heard the Lord tell them repeatedly that he would die on a cross, lived in denial regarding his coming crucifixion. No one grasped up front that Jesus would be God’s blemish-free substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind.

Jesus had to be a man without sin who also was fully God in order to become the perfect sacrifice who could pay the just penalty for our sins.

Jesus also had to become a true man because the first man, Adam, sinned against God and earned the death penalty for the entire human race. Since then every human being has become a co-conspirator by personally sinning. Jesus had to be truly God because only God is perfect enough to make a perfect offering.

In order for Jesus to be a human and at the same time avoid being born with a wicked and debilitating sin nature, which the rest of us inherit from Adam and our own natural fathers, he had to be supernaturally begotten by God with a human mother.

For Christianity to work, this had to be. It is the divine logic. Jesus became the “second Adam,” the spiritual progenitor of a new race of people. His mother was a “standard issue” human being, but his Father was God. He was conceived by the operation of the Holy Spirit, which made him the most unique and important person ever to walk this earth. He had to be in order to accomplish his mission.

Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:47 (NLT)

The Miracle of the New Birth

But Jesus is not the only person who has experienced a miraculous birth. His virgin birth prepared the way for a multitude of equally amazing births in which God is also the Father.

Through the miracle of the New Covenant, which was inaugurated by Jesus’ death and resurrection, every person who puts his or her faith in Christ is born miraculously. It’s called the new birth.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:5-7 (NLT)

The only way for a sinful human being to become a child of God is for Christ to be born or formed inside him. The Bible uses different metaphors or images to communicate what happens through the new birth process. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again. Obviously, Jesus did not mean that Nicodemus had to go back into his mother’s womb.

The new birth takes place when God’s life is planted inside a person causing him or her to come alive in the spirit.

Paul called it the new creation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

Peter wrote that the new birth is a result of God’s seed being planted inside a person, an obvious analogy to the biological conception process.

since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 1 Peter 1:23 (ESV)

The truth God wants us to apprehend is that, through the new birth, we who believe become authentic children of God.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 (ESV)

The new birth, like the virgin birth, is not religious jargon. It is real. It is a brand new beginning in God. It is the gateway to eternal life. It is the greatest gift of all!

The Divine Logos, who existed for all eternity as the Only Begotten Son of the Father, chose to become flesh so that we hopelessly estranged and lost humans could become part of the divine family and reconnected to God’s eternal purpose.

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, comes to live inside all born again people, giving us the same relationship with the Father as sons that Jesus has, minus the divinity.

That is why we too can cry out, “Abba, Father,” and have it mean something.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:15-16 (ESV)

If you think it’s hard to believe that God would humble himself to become a man, just consider how amazing it is for God to allow humans to become part of his divine family! And it all started with the virgin birth!

Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. Galatians 4:19 (NLT)

In the verse above, Paul takes things a step further. He not only wanted his readers to believe the gospel and be born again; he also was vitally concerned that his disciples be conformed to Christ’s image or likeness in how they thought, spoke, and acted. He understood that our focus should not be on mere outward conformity. Instead, transformation must begin on the inside, in the spirit, where the seed of God is planted and where the Holy Spirit dwells.

It is in the spirit that we are united with God’s Spirit, and it is from there that the life of God permeates our entire being as leaven spreads throughout a lump of dough.

When the life within completes its course, we will look, act, speak, and think like our Lord. He will have been fully formed inside us, conforming us to his image. Then we will have come full circle, so to speak. The Logos (the eternal Word of God, Jesus) became flesh through what is called the incarnation so that humans could become like the divine Logos through the new birth (a repeat of the incarnation) and the ongoing inner transformation by the Spirit.

So, is the virgin birth something essential? Yes, it is, and so is Christ’s resurrection and the new birth. All are miracles from God that have elevated believing humanity out of oppression and hopelessness into the glorious privilege of being children of God!

Why did God use things that are so “abnormal” and, to the world, incredible? It was because there was no other way.

God uses what the world has a hard time believing to deliver those who have faith. Faith itself is a gift from God, something the Holy Spirit imparts. Without God’s gracious help, no one could ever really understand the Gospel message, but when our eyes and hearts are opened, we are born again!

If you have never believed in your heart that Jesus is who the Bible says he is, but something deep inside of you is drawn to this wonderful message of hope, you can ask God’s Spirit to help you. One of his names is the Helper. He will lead you into all truth. He will help you to know Christ through revelation. He will help you to become a true believer. You too can experience the miracle of the new birth, too. Perhaps now is the time for you to offer a prayer from your heart. God will hear you. If you open the door, he will come in.

A Sample Prayer

Dear Lord, I want to be part of your family. I need your help. Holy Spirit please open my spiritual eyes, unstop my deaf ears, and soften my hard heart so that I can believe. Jesus, I ask you to come into my life and change me on the inside. I ask for the forgiveness and life that you died to give me. I surrender my life to you. Now I depend on you to do the rest. Amen.

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