Brook Hills College – Blog

Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
~Jonathan Edwards

“Carry each others’ burdens . . . and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2)

We are convinced that Small Groups are not just another program to plug into, or a weekly event to fill up your already overcrowded schedule. It is LIFE!! …in more ways than one.

First off, it is how we grow in the Gospel inwardly . You show me a Christ-follower who is isolated and I bet he/she is stagnating in their personal growth in Christ and will eventually fizzle out of the race. This is not a Brook Hills truth, but a biblical truth. (Eph 3:14-21, Heb 3:12-13) We need each other. Simply put, God’s transforming work in our lives is intended to take place in the context of biblical community.  We are in desperate need of hearing the Word of God from others’ lips (TEACH) and seeing the Word of God in others’ lives (SHOW)! Not convinced?…keep reading.

Secondly, it is how we grow in the Gospel outwardly.  You show me a Christ-follower who is isolated and I bet he/she is inconsistent at best in their ministry of the Gospel.  If not, it will not be long until they become inconsistent.  Biblical community is the channel for God-honoring perseverance.  Whether it is in Karachi, Pakistan or on a university campus in Birmingham, Alabama… we need each other to grow outwardly. (Heb 10:24,25)  We need to be encouraged and held accountable through our Christ-centered relationships to consistently and passionately proclaim the Gospel (SHARE) and to do justice (SERVE).

With that said, really there are only TWO types of Christ-following College Students reading this blog:

1. You are already involved in a disciple-making small group. Congrats! Make sure you do everything you can do, from prayer to pleading with your group, to ensure you all are intentionally doing life together in Christ! Make it a high-priority in your life, not just an add on to your crazy schedule.

2. You are NOT involved in a disciple-making small group. Uh oh! Choose one of the these two ways to connect.

a) Connect to an existing group HERE.

b) Form a new group on your campus among your peers (don’t start hyperventilating, College Ministry staff can come alongside you to help in this). For steps on how you can begin this process, go HERE

And as always, you can contact us (College Ministry Staff) if you have any questions or are in need of a little help connecting to or forming a new disciple-making small group.

Britten

Jesus made one of the most astonishing claims in all of history when He said, “All authority on heaven and earth has been given to Me.” Below John Piper explains exactly what He meant when He spoke those words in Matthew 28.

Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”  …if you gathered all the authority of all the governments and armies of the world and put them in the scales with the authority of the risen Christ, they would go up in the balance like air.  All authority on earth has been given to the risen Christ.  All of it!

The risen Christ has the right to tell every man, woman, and child on this planet today what they should do and think and feel.  He has absolute and total authority over your life and over cities and states and nations.  The risen Christ is great—greater than you have ever imagined.

Here is our witness to the world: The risen Christ is your king and has absolute, unlimited authority over your life.  If you do not bow and worship him and trust him and obey him, you commit high treason against Christ the King, who is God over all.  The resurrection is God’s open declaration that he lays claim on every person and tribe and tongue and nation…  “All authority on earth is mine.” Your sex life is his to rule; your business is his to rule; your career is his to rule; your home is his; your children are his, your vacation is his, your body is his; He is God!

So if you resist his claim, feel no admiration for his infinite power and authority, and turn finally to seek satisfaction from thrills that allow you to be your own master, then you will be executed for treason in the last day.  And it will appear so reasonable and so right that you should be executed for your disloyalty to your Maker and Redeemer that there will be no appeals and no objections.  Your life of indifference to the risen Christ and of half-hearted attention now and then to a few of his commandments will appear on that day as supremely blameworthy and infinitely foolish, and you will…weep that you did not change.”

College students find themselves in a stage of life that allows them unparalleled opportunity to serve a few weeks, a few months or even a few years of their lives overseas engaged in the mission of Christ- “make disciples of all nations.” Whether it is a few weeks in-between semesters, during summer breaks, or even a year or two post-graduation, college students are afforded the opportunity to impact nations with the Gospel throughout their time in college.

Below is link to another opportunity for you to GO this summer and spend a few months in one of the most unreached countries in the world. As you read up on the details, please let us know if you need any help getting connected.  (Click on the image for more info)

I recently read “Shadow of the Almighty: Life and Testament of Jim Elliot” and as I finished it up, I decided that this guy has officially cracked my Top 10 list of “Heroes of the Faith”.  I saw so many evidences of grace in his life that I long to see in my own.  I in no way desire to elevate him to a status that even he would not approve, but I do believe he lived a life and died a death we can esteem and emulate.

He demonstrated unbelievable devotion to Christ! His resolve to spend his one life well for the Glory of Christ among all peoples was a humbling thing to be confronted with. He so clearly embodied his life statement; “He is no fool who gives up what he can’t keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Not only in his death did he give up what he could not keep, but also in his life. This guy was extraordinarily disciplined and devoted to bringing Christ glory in all facets of life, both public and private. So, in an effort to encourage… maybe a better word is to implore, college students to follow his example I have put together a few lessons we can learn the life and death of Jim Elliot.

o   Appreciate the enormous gift of grace of parents who raise/train you to Glorify Christ

College student- this might seem insignificant to you. But I assure you this is vitally important.  Tragically, many students, even Christian students, have been greatly influenced by the model of the family found in the sewer of sitcoms on television. Not so for Jim Elliot. In his first year at Wheaton College he wrote in his journal, “I have come to realize that my arrival at this point is not of my own efforts, nor merely by the sure ticking of this winged racer called Time, but by the quiet, unfelt guidance of a faithful mother and father-preacher who has not spent so much time rearing other people’s children that he hasn’t had time for his own.” Deep gratitude for the God-appointed parents in your life is a sign of spiritual maturity.

o   Be consumed with not wasting your life on trivial, insignificant things.

Jim Elliot was keenly aware that time is a non-renewable resource. While at Wheaton College he was relentless when it came to redeeming his time. (Eph 5:16) His biographer writes, “He had lists of people to pray for, a list for each day of the week, and if time alone in his room was limited, he prayed as he walked up to breakfast on campus, or as he stood in line at the dinner hall. An odd moment here and there in the day was given to prayer for those names, or to memorization of the Bible verses, which he carried, written on small cards in his pocket. And when it came to living a life that is distinctly different than typical life driven by acquiring the American Dream…there is need to give you just one quote from his journal, God, preserve me from living a life which conforms to the general pattern.” Enough said.

o   Recognize that God-appointed missionaries don’t wait to get oversees to become missionaries

Often times, we only hear of this man’s martyrdom at the beach in Ecuador. However, Jim Elliot was a ministering machine while in college. Everything from weekends to summer breaks were spent ministering the Gospel to people.  He also did not wait to set sail for the South American to do cross-cultural missions. His first short-term missions trip was he and a buddy hitchhiking to Mexico on their summer break from school. His time at Wheaton was spent in preparation for his calling to the mission field, but also there was time devoted to ministry.

o   Feel the burden that many are without the Gospel and will stay that way until someone packs their bags and boards a plane with a one-way plane ticket

One of my favorite quotes by Elliot was, “Our young men are going into professional fields because they don’t ‘feel called’ to the mission field. We don’t need a call; we need a KICK IN THE PANTS!” He understood the command of Christ to “make disciples of all nations” was not ambiguous and was actually directed to him. In the journal found on the beach where he was martyred was written-

+1700 languages have not a word of the Bible translated.

+90% of those who volunteer for the mission field never get there. It takes more than Lord, I’m wiling.

+64% of the World have never heard of Christ.

+5000 people die every hour.

+The population of India equals that of North America, Africa, and South America combined. There is 1 missionary for every 71,000 people there.

+There is one Christian worker for every 50,000 people in foreign lands, while there is one to every 500 in United States.

His biographer states, “In view of the unequivocal command of Christ, coupled with these staggering facts, Jim believed that if he stayed in the United States the burden of proof would lie with him to show that he was justified in doing.”

o   Embrace the reality that reaching the unreached will involve radical sacrifice and radical rewards.

Sacrifice is not optional for those who take the Gospel to the unreached.  Primarily, because most of the unreached people groups do not want you or your Gospel to come to them.  I remember hearing John Piper say, “If it were easy, it would have already been accomplished. Frontier Missions always involves great sacrifice.” (somewhat of an accurate quote) Also, understand that Jim Elliot’s sacrifice was not simply for sacrifice sake. It was for an eternal reward. Jim Elliot’s life and his death reveal that he had embraced this truth. You don’t live the way he did, continual denial of self, without a great understanding of the reward of heaven.  One philosopher has rightly concluded that all we that we do, even something as horrendous as suicide, we do in pursuit of our own happiness.  Jim Elliot was convinced that true happiness was not found in this world, but found in serving Christ and ultimately experiencing His presence for all eternity. For that reason, he chose to take the Gospel to those who would murder him.

I know that the “shock and awe” of the devastating earthquake in Haiti is beginning to wear off. Typically, it does not take long for our attention to be diverted away. In an effort to remind our college students that there are still those made in the image of God suffering tremendously, I wanted to post some resources to help us maintain focus in relief work by praying, giving, and possibly going.

Mark Driscoll has preached a sermon at Mars Hill Church that should be listened to by all. It will offend, spur you on, and leave you in a position of “Woe to me if I just sit here in my comfortable affluence”.

Also, Resurgence has put together a prayer resource.  Please remember that prayer is an essential part of the mission. Corrie Ten Boom asked the question, “Is prayer your Steering Wheel or Spare Tire?” I pray it is a foundational element of our response to the devastation.

Elliot Grudem said this of the prayer guides, “Prayer guides are just that: guides. They are a tool to help you think about what to pray. As you use them, spend time thinking about the Psalms that you find before each prayer. Spend time thinking about the situation in Haiti. Write down your thoughts as directed. Once your prayer is written out, get on your knees (a posture of humility) and read your prayer to God. Finally, allow your emotions to enter into your prayer.”

• A Prayer of Lament (Psalm 123)
• A Prayer of Confidence (Psalm 124)
• A Prayer for Restoration (Psalm 126)

I am not a big Hip-Hop kinda guy (though I use to be a pretty big Tupac fan prior to sanctification). But I love Lecrae with Reach Records. His bible-saturated, Chirst-honring, Gospel-centered lyrics always leave me glorifying God! Below is a video of a song written specifically to raise awareness and money for relief work in the earthquake shattered region, the video features footage from the ground in Haiti and of the recent concert in Minneapolis where $20,000 was raised.

Also, our church is working with various partners to discern how Brook Hills can best be a part of serving the people of Haiti long-term. As it is with our all our global efforts, we want to come alongside the local churches, not jump over them, and support our brothers and sisters across Haiti as they learn to share and show the Gospel in the midst of great struggle. Below are some links to organizations that Brook Hills partners with that you can continue to support with your money.

• Compassion

• Samaritan’s Purse

• International Mission Board

Finally, our Pastor David Platt recently preached a sermon entitled “How to Respond to Natural Disasters” you can Watch or Listen to the message online. Also, he has written a great article on the same topic- Natural Disasters.pdf.

I hope and pray that we do not forget our brothers and sisters in Haiti, but continue to press on in good works.

Galatians 6:9-10 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Radical Global Involvement

Commitment #5 of Radical Experiment is to “Spend Time in Another Context”. Most, if not all, will give the majority of time to making disciples right here in Birmingham. However, as a church we have committed to give at least 2% (one week) of our time in Gospel ministry outside of Birmingham for the sake of God’s glory in all the world.

Why Global Mission efforts?

We serve a God that has promised to exalt Himself among the nations. And we are a people who are called to a mission to make disciples of all nations. According to the Word, we do not have the option to sit back and ignore the urgent spiritual and physical needs of those around the world. We are called to action. We have been commissioned to impact nations with the Gospel.

There is urgent spiritual need in our world. Over 1 billion people today do not have access to the Gospel. In addition, there are over 6,000 people-groups in the world that are still unreached with the Gospel.

There is also urgent physical need in our world. Today, over 26,000 children will die of starvation and preventable diseases. Furthermore, over 1 billion people lived on less than $1 today.

The testimony of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation is that we were created by God to enjoy His grace, so that we may extend His glory to all peoples! Matthew 28:19 commissions all, not just a select few, to “go and make disciples of all nations…”

Why now?

College students find themselves in a stage of life that allows them unparalleled opportunity to serve a few weeks, a few months or even a few years of their lives overseas engaged in the mission of Christ- “make disciples of all nations.” Whether it is a few weeks in-between semesters, during summer breaks, or even a year or two post-graduation… college students are afforded the opportunity to impact nations throughout their time in college.

Not only do students have great opportunity as far as time is concerned, they have an abundance of resources backing them as they go! There are many organizations and individuals who are willing to help students take the Gospel to the unreached peoples of the world!

So, prayerfully consider your 2010 Global involvement. Fill out an application. Turn in the application along with a $100 deposit. And see your view of God, yourself, and the world you live in transformed by your time making disciples oversees.

FYI…

Our South East Asia trip in May almost completely full. If you are interested in this trip- contact us ASAP.

Our East Asia trip  in May is wide open. I encourage you to prayerfully consider whether or not you should spend your time in a city that is less than 1% evangelical Christian.  You would be working among university students, which many have never even heard the Gospel.

Our Mid-Term trips (Summer-Long and/or Fall Semester) are amazing opportunities designed for students considering a long-term missions commitment; particularly those who are willing to forgo a semester of study in order to experience missionary life abroad.

I do not believe there is a magic bullet to help you thrive in prayer. At the end of the day it is a discipline that must be developed by the power of the indwelling Spirit. However, below is a resource that I have utilized for a few years now that I believe you will find beneficial.

I continually find myself in prayer (whether spontaneous or concentrated) utilizing the IOUS acronym by John Piper. I pray it for myself, my family, those I lead in ministry, and those I meet who need the Gospel to transform their lives. Sometimes it is a heart whisper throughout my busy day. Other times it is a prayer offered as I lay prostrate on the floor. It is simple enough to put to memory rather quickly, and deep enough to meditate on for hours on end.

I hope you find it to be of use in your personal prayer time. For all you rowdy college students…know that I regularly go before the LORD, begging Him to accomplish these things in your life.

1. The first thing my soul needs is an inclination to God and his word. Without that, nothing else will happen of any value in my life. I must want to know God and read his word and draw near to him. Where does that “want to” come from? It comes from God. So Psalm 119:36 teaches us to pray, “Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain.”

2. Next I need to have the eyes of my heart opened, so that when my inclination leads me to the word I see what is really there and not just my own ideas. Who opens the eyes of the heart? God does. So Psalm 119:18 teaches us to pray, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.”

3. Then I need for my heart to be enlightened with these “wonders.” I need to perceive glory in them and not just interesting facts. Who enlightens the heart? God does. So Ephesians 1:18 teaches us to pray “That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.”

4. Then I am concerned that my heart is fragmented and that parts of it might remain in the dark while other parts are enlightened. So I long for my heart to be united for God. Where does that wholeness and unity come from? From God. So Psalm 86:11 teaches us to pray, “O Lord, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.”

5. What I really want from all this engagement with the Word of God and the work of his Spirit in answer to my prayers is that my heart will be satisfied with God and not with the world. Where does that satisfaction come from? It comes from God. So Psalm 90:14 teaches us to pray, “O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

6. But I don’t just want to be happy in my own little private world with God. I want my happiness to be as full as possible for spreading and expanding for others. I want to be strong in joy. This will make me durable in the face of threats or adversity. Where does that strength and durability come from? It comes from God. So Ephesians 3:16 teaches us to pray, “That God would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man.”

7. Finally, I want my strength in Christ to produce good deeds for others so that the glory of God will be seen in my life. Who produces these good deeds? God does. So Colossians 1:10 teaches us to pray, “That [we] will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord . . . bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

All this I pray “in Jesus’ name,” because God gives these things to my soul only because Jesus died for me and removed the wrath of God so that the Father might “freely give me all things” (Romans 8:32).

“As it is the business of tailors to make clothes and of cobblers to mend shoes, so it is the business of Christians to PRAY!” Martin Luther

Britten

Sacrifice our Money on Specific Purposes

For those of us who are on board with the Radical Experiment, we have committed to look at all of our expenses within the church, individual and family budgets and begin to view them through the lens of specific need in the world.The hope is to set a cap on our lifestyles so that we can free up as much of our resources as possible to be used for the sake of the glory of Christ in His church, among the lost, and among the poor.

A few weeks into the Radical Experiment I personally believe that this is the most difficult of the 5 commitments to keep.  We can discipline ourselves to read and pray daily. But there is always an aspect of dying to self that is involved in saying no to indulging ourselves and saying yes to sacrificing for others in dire need (especially those we have never had the opportunity to meet).  Despite the fact that we are aware that 26,000 children will die today of starvation and/or preventable diseases and we are aware that there are more than 1 Billion people who have no access to the Gospel- it is still exceedingly difficult to go without when it comes to our American luxuries. The past 3 weeks have proven that in the Taylor family and I assume it has done so in your life as well.

So, on day 21 of 365 of the Radical Experiment- I wanted to help remind you of why we should be dying daily to our unnecessary purchases on self.

(if you are viewing this through RSS feed, you might need to click HERE to watch the embedded video)

“We have money to use it in such a way to show money is not our god, but God is our God…Money is not our treasure, Christ is our treasure!” Piper

“Because your steadfast love is better than life” Psalm 63:3

Gallop Poll on Religion was quoted some years ago saying, “We are having a revival of feelings but not of the knowledge of God. The church today is more guided by feelings than by convictions. We value enthusiasm more than informed commitment” So many in our culture look to the Church to provide goods and services, that will enable them to continue in their self-absorbed life. Thankfully, I see something drastically different here at Brook Hills. I believe the direction is actually polar opposite, and that starts at the top with our Elders!

Need an example?… Disciple-Making Institute!

One of the umpteen reasons I am humbled to be a part of covenant community called The Church at Brook Hills is the The Institute for Disciple-Making (IDM). The Institute was birthed out of a biblical conviction that the best context for the training of God’s people to fulfill God’s mission is the local church.  The classes offered through IDM seeks to prepare church leaders in numerous capacities—small group leadership, worship leadership, pastoral ministry, missionary service, and much more. Below is the philosophy driving this picture.

Philosophy of Ministry

The Institute for Disciple-Making at Brook Hills seeks to align itself with and support the Vision, Mission and Goal of this faith family.

• We seek to glorify God by loving Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind (Matt. 22:37). His character, will, and ways are infinitely worthy of our reverent and serious contemplation.

• We seek to make disciples by teaching the Word of God. Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples by baptizing and teaching (Matt. 28:19-20). Disciples are sanctified by the truth; God’s Word is the truth (Jn. 17:17).

• We seek to make disciples of all nations by learning for the sake of others around the world (Matt. 28:19). Our efforts here are intended for world impact.

As you see below, there are some pretty potent classes offered this semester. I think it would be well worth the few hours per week to dive into one (or more) of these classes.  Remember, as CS Lewis said, “He (Christ) wants a child’s heart, but a grown-up’s head!”

Spring 2010 Offerings
Class	Day	Time	Room	Registration
Evangelism and Missions Dr. David Platt & Jonathan B.	Sunday	4:00-6:00pm	M17	Click Here
Biblical Counseling Dr. Mark Shaw	Tuesday	6:30-8:00pm	M17	Click Here
Intro to the New Testament Dr. Bart Box	Wednesday	6:30-8:00pm	M17	Click Here
Christian Theology II Dr. Bart Box	Thursday	9:00-11:00am	M17	Click Here
Christian Theology II Dr. Bart Box	Sunday	6:00-8:00pm	M17	Click Here

We seek to make disciples of all nations by learning for the sake of others around the world (Matt. 28:19). Our efforts here are intended for world impact.