State of the Union Point 5: Risk for Evangelism

 After the Acts 15 Council meeting, we find Paul in Thessalonica in Acts 17 where he shares the gospel.

“Explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying ‘This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you is the Christ.’” - Acts 17:3

Sharing the gospel has always been risky, and it always will be risky. Given the cultural trends, the pluralism, the angst the pandemic has caused, the political polarization, sharing the gospel will be risky, but it is the right risk to reach a world that is chaotic and hopeless.

Let us call people to share the gospel and if they need help in doing that, equip them.

State of the Union Point 4: Risk to Plant Churches

 With the number of opportunities that God is giving us outside of the U.S., we can be vulnerable to think that God is not at work here in the States. 

Given the trials we have faced in SG, that have uniquely impacted our churches in the States, we can be prone to think that our reputation has taken a hit, and we can’t plant churches like we used to.

 Given the anit-institutional trends in our culture that tends to look down on the local church, we can wonder if planting churches is even worth it.

I understand those thoughts, but the book of Acts tells us that Paul and others encountered challenges and took risks to plant churches.

Church planting has always been risky, and it will always be risky, but it is a “right risk” to take in reaching the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let us take the greatest risks for that great cause of planting churches.

State of the Union Point 3: Risk to Build Biblically Faithful Churches

 Building biblically faithful churches has inherit risks.

First, building biblically faithful churches means we take the right risk of continuing preach and counsel our people with biblical truth. Given the rapid movement of the culture away from biblical truth, the faithful preaching of God’s Word will have more inherent risk of us being criticized.

We are on a trajectory where the culture sees the biblical truth we preach as the problem. The culture says teaching on biblical sexual ethics is the problem and must be censored. And, in a growing culture of victimhood, the truth we preach, and the truth we counsel our people with will be targeted as potentially oppressive.

Let us be men who risk our lives for the cause of Christ by preaching it anyway for the purpose of building biblically faithful churches.

Second, building faithful churches means that we take the risk of calling our people to a love for, and a commitment to the local church. Whether it is an anti-institutional mindset, or a suspicion of authority, or the lingering apathy people have post-pandemic, calling people to love the dearest place on earth will be risky.

We must build faithful churches by courageously, and graciously calling people to be faithful to their local church.

May a love for the local church not be a first or second generational phenomenon in Sovereign Grace, rather may it be a multi-generational distinctive.

Third, building faithful churches means we take the risk of honestly accessing the health of our local eldership.

One of the primary ways that Satan seeks to sow disunity in the church is to weaken and divide the pastoral team.

“Conflict, poor communication, and relational disunity on a pastoral team can lead to discouraged and weary pastors, and eventually, can diminish the unity and health of the whole church.”[1]

If we are going to call people to love the local church, let’s make sure that the church we are calling them to love is strong and united. We do that by honestly evaluating the health of our local elders, which can be risky, but it is the right risk to take.

Let’s take great risks for the great cause of building biblically faithful churches.

[1] Jon Payne, “Team Health Evaluation Tool” blog post, October 19, 2021, sgcleaders.com

State of the Union Point 2: Risk to Stand for Our Theological Convictions

The debate at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 was theological in nature. Good theology defined and shaped their unanimous decision as a Council. 

Last year, this Council unanimously approved our new Statement of Faith that contains the orthodox theology that defines and shapes our family of churches. This Statement of Faith clearly addresses many of the issues we see in our culture: Same sex marriage, gender ideology, sexual orientation, complementarianism, ethnic harmony, etc., etc. 

The Statement of Faith provides a theological foundation on which we stand to protect our churches from cultural influences that can cause theological drift.

Now here is the risk: 

When we stand for our theological convictions, which we will need to do, the culture and even some in evangelicalism will push back.

When we stand for our theological convictions, there is the possibility that people will pull out past accusations against SGC to discredit us. In that moment we must not distance ourselves from our family of churches and from the partnership we share. Rather, we must stand together knowing our feet are held firmly by his grace..

There will be risk in standing for our theological convictions, but it is the right risk to take. I’m asking our Council of Elders to equip the members of their churches to stand for our theological convictions by encouraging them to read the SoF, and the SG Journal to strengthen the doctrinal commitments and the gospel values that we share.

To continue to stand for our theological convictions highlights the vital need for theological training, whether that’s for new pastors or existing pastors. Therefore, I want to encourage the Council to send men to our Pastors College even when it seems risky. The PC model that started here in the States is being replicated throughout the world to equip men theologically, which is important as we expand globally.

Let us take the right risk to stand for our theological convictions.

State of the Union Point 1: Risk for Global Partnership Opportunities

In 1927, Roland Allen wrote a book entitled, “The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church.” 

He starts the book by describing what you see in the NT - the gospel is shared, people are born again, and churches are planted as the gospel reaches more and more people. Allen goes on to argue that that kind of spontaneous expansion is not limited to the apostolic age but continues today.

“By spontaneous expansion I mean something which we cannot control. And if we cannot control it, we ought, as I think, to rejoice that we cannot control it. For if we cannot control it, it is because it is too great, not because it is too small for us. The great things of God are beyond our control.”[1]

 That would describe what I see in SGC right now - opportunities to partner with churches throughout the world that is beyond our control because it is God’s doing.

Currently, we have at least 75 churches outside of the U.S. pursuing partnership with SG and we will potentially adopt 62 of those churches in the next 2-3 years.

Let us take the greatest risks of all for the greatest cause of all-the preaching of Christ to every tribe, tongue, and nation.

[1] Roland Allen, The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church, Wipf & Stock Publishers 1997, pg.13

State of the Union 2021 Intro: Risk for the Cause of Christ

Each year, at SGC’s annual Pastors Conference, I meet with our Council of Elders and present what we call a “State of the Union” address. This is just a name for an overview of the last year and a vision of what I hope to help lead us through in the coming year.

Below is a summary of this vision that I hope will challenge and encourage all who read – though, keep in mind, that I am speaking primarily to our pastors, and church leaders.

Overview

In what some might call the first Council of Elders meeting, the Council in Jerusalem was convened because as the gospel advanced, as churches were planted, and as the mission expanded, issues arose. 

In this case, as the church grew at Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, issues arose about the status of Gentile converts and their relationship with Jewish Christians. More specifically, we know from Acts 15:3 that there were Jews who were teaching that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. The council in Jerusalem decided that circumcision wasn’t necessary, so they wrote a letter to the church in Antioch ` their decision. 

As I review the last few years and look forward to the year to come, it’s important to me to draw the attention of our elders to the following verses:

“25 it has seemed good to us, having come bto one accord, to choose men and 

send them to you with our cbeloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 dmen who have 

erisked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 15:25-26

The Risk

In these verses, Barnabas and Paul are described as men who “risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” They were known as those who took faith-filled risks for the cause of Christ – many of which are detailed in the book of Acts. 

This is what I’m calling us to as brothers in Christ – to be men to take the right, prayer-saturated, faith-filled risks for the cause of Christ and to lead the members of our churches to do the same. I believe that we are at a pivotal moment in Sovereign Grace and I believe this call is critical to our mission as a denomination of churches. 

The Why

I understand that after enduring a global pandemic and persevering through several years of trials, we can be prone to wrap ourselves in self-protection and settle for the status quo. 

But, here is the question we must answer: 

“Will Sovereign Grace be known as a family of churches who reached its peak in the mid-2000’s, navigated through some troubles, and then simply coasted into being a relic?”

I say no. 

Rather, I believe that Sovereign Grace Churches will be known as a family of churches who responded to our trials - not wrapping ourselves in self-protection - but by taking the right faith-filled, forward-looking risks to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in ways that bore much fruit for Christ throughout the world.

Now, I want to be clear. I’m not talking about reckless risks that are thoughtless and prayerless in nature. I’m talking about taking right risks.

My concern is that we avoid taking any risks at all at a pivotal time in our story. May this never be said about the pastors and churches of Sovereign Grace and may it never be true.

One quote that stuck out to me recently was the following: 

“The biggest risk of all is that we stop taking risks at all.”[1]

May it be said that we took the greatest risks of all for the greatest cause of all-the cause of Jesus Christ! 

The Challenge

For that to be said of us, we must recognize the temptations to avoid risk. There are a few temptations that I think can be especially prevalent amongst us.

1.    One of the lingering effects of the pandemic is that we, and the people in our churches, just want to play it safe and not put ourselves at risk. In addition, the challenges we have faced in SG over the last 10 years can make us vulnerable to be risk averse and avoid future trials by not taking the right risks for the cause of Christ.

2.    While I love our polity and I truly believe that it has strengthened us, I’m concerned that we can be prone to think we can solve all our problems and find all of our safety in our polity. Rather, I believe it’s important to see our polity as a means that brings clarity and structure to the global opportunities God is giving us to take risks in advancing the gospel around the world.

3.    As some of us get older, lady comfort’s voice grows louder calling us to ease, drowning out the clear call of Scripture to be men who risk our lives for the cause of Christ until we finish this race for Christ.

These temptations (and others) to avoid risk must be met with faith to take the right risks.

The Call

The word “risk” means the possibility of loss or injury, so - in taking the right risks as churches, we may (probably will) make mistakes. 

We may see our reputation take a hit, put ourselves in harm’s way whether that is critique, and marginalization, or more serious persecution. But, risk means that we take them by faith, not knowing what the future holds, but believing that our risks are a part of God’s good, sovereign plan for SG.

Alongside this, we must remember that taking right risks is not a modern phenomenon because it is seen throughout biblical history. The redemptive storyline in our bibles is filled with people who took risks not knowing what would happen to them.

-       Esther takes a risk to help save the Jews by approaching the king not knowing if she will lose her life in doing so, saying to her friend “if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

-       Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego took the right risk to not bow down to the state ordered idolatry, and before being thrown into the fiery furnace said to Nebuchadnezzar, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…But if not, be it known to you…that we will not serve your gods…” Daniel 3:16-18 

-       Later in the book of Acts, Paul says to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 that he is going to Jerusalem, “not knowing” what will happen to him there except that the Spirit testifies that imprisonment and affliction await him, and so he takes a risk and goes anyway.

Why?

Because he did not account his life of any value or precious to himself, if only he could finish the course of his ministry to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)

May we be those kind of men, who lead those kind of churches, where we don’t account our lives of any value or as precious to ourselves, if only we could finish the course of our ministry to testify to the gospel of the grace of God throughout the world.

Let us be men and let us build churches whose doctrine of the sovereignty of God functions in a way that we take prayer-saturated, faith-filled risks trusting the One who knows and ordains our future.

And let us take these risks so that SG will not be a relic, but a faith-filled, forward-looking family of churches who finds great joy in advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ together throughout the world. 

May Sovereign Grace be known for taking the greatest risks of all for the greatest cause of all.

[1] Mitch Daniels, President of Purdue University, 2021 graduating class commencement speech.

New Ordination Standards

Among the most significant responsibilities we have as pastors in Sovereign Grace is to entrust the gospel to the next generation of pastors.

In his last letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul commands him and us: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). 

Entrust what you have heard to faithful men. 

There are many different ways we entrust what we have heard—the gospel and sound doctrine—to the next generation of pastors. One vital way we can do so is by continuing to uphold the high calling and biblical standards of eldership. 

THE ORDINATION PROCESS IN SOVEREIGN GRACE

Since ratifying the Book of Church Order in 2013, we have joined together to uphold the high calling and biblical standards of eldership through our ordination process, which has included extensive reading, theological papers, and written and oral exams administered by our Regional Ordination Committees.

THE NEW ORDINATION STANDARDS

On November 10, 2020, we concluded a seven year process of writing and deliberating and adopted our new Statement of Faith. Since then, the Theology Committee has rewritten our ordination standards to follow the Statement of Faith. These new ordination standards were approved in November of 2021 and are now ready to be used by our Regional Ordination Committees and our elder candidates. The full text of the ordination standards can be found in the Ordination Guide HERE.

The new ordination standards include many of the same things as before, local eldership evaluations, theological papers, and written and oral exams. However, the new ordination standards include a few changes:

•       There is no specific reading requirement. Preparing for the ordination exams will require reading! However, there is no longer a specific reading requirement. Local elderships can obviously continue to require reading; however, the reading requirement unnecessarily slowed the process for certain candidates. 

•       Both of the theology exams are online. In seeking to examine candidates on each part of the Statement of Faith, we expanded the theology exam into two smaller exams. In addition, these exams will be online, allowing for speedier grading and a variation of questions for repeat exam takers.

We are excited for these new standards to go live! 

We feel sure there will be a few kinks to work out as we go live and begin using the new ordination standards, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us or the chairman of your Regional Ordination Committee with questions. 

It is a joy to serve the Lord with you, 

The Theology Committee

Our Citizenship is in Heaven: Josh Blount's Outline from the Pastors Conference

During our recent pastors conference, Josh Blount served us with a breakout session entitled Our Citizenship is in Heaven: Christ's Church and Cultural Pressures. Josh Blount is a unique gift to our family of churches, and this brilliant session was a perfect example of why I look forward to learning from Josh for decades to come. Josh is a blend of towering intellect and pastoral gentleness, theological skill and shepherding instinct. In this session he winsomely defined and analyzed three significant unbiblical pressures that churches are facing today and provided a theological alternative to help us guard the heavenly and Biblical identity of our congregations.

Given the richness of Josh's teaching and the limited time of the session, his outline (and appendix!) is a useful resource for all of us and Josh kindly agreed to let us post it here. 

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Regional Evangelism Update from the Pastors Conference

During the Leaders Conference, Mark Prater called us to live like those who are willing to risk their lives for the sake of the gospel. One of the areas where we most need this challenge is in evangelism. Evangelism is not easy. It requires risk because our culture seems to be growing more and more hostile to the gospel each day. 

And it requires help. That’s why I was so grateful to meet with some of our pastors at the conference who have wisdom and experience in this area. I met with pastors in each of the various regions across the US who have a heart for reaching the lost. It was a very inspiring time of hearing miraculous stories of conversions and celebrating the grace of God that has saved us from our dire circumstances.

We also had an opportunity to strategize about how we can help Sovereign Grace grow in the area of evangelism. This is not an easy task, but I am excited about how God wants to use these men to help us grow in this challenging area, and I look forward to getting together again as we seek to help our churches obey the Lord in the glorious privilege of sharing the greatest news in the world. 

Jim Donohue is the Pastor of Evangelism at Covenant Fellowship Church, Glenn Mills, PA.

Stronger Together: Responding to Jared Mellinger's Message from the Pastors Conference

Our family of Sovereign Grace Churches started with a conviction: churches are stronger together. 

I’ve had the privilege of growing up in our family of churches and from an early age saw this partnership demonstrated. My parents hosted small groups in their homes and never missed a Sunday they couldn’t avoid at church. Why? Because as they said and demonstrated, Christians are stronger together. God’s design is for Christians to express their gospel partnership through local church life. I saw it before I understood it, but as I grew in my faith I saw this not only in my church but in the pages of Scripture.

But I saw something else: that churches need one another. Through the long years of our partnership with other churches, we’ve walked through joys and sorrows together. In a time of great need another local church sent a pastor to serve our church. In joy our church said goodbye to leaders who went to plant or support other churches. I grew up traveling every summer to meet Christians from all over our region who sang out the same gospel truths we did and prayed the same kinds of prayers we did. And when I began to read my Bible, I saw this reflected in the partnerships of New Testament churches.

It’s written across our family of churches and our Bibles: churches are stronger together. 

 That’s why I’m so grateful for Jared’s recent message on partnership. I’m so grateful for what I’ve experienced in our family of churches, but I’m jealous that we not lose it. What we fail to articulate is often what we fail to pass on. As Jared walked us through Scripture’s clear teaching on partnership, I felt two things: this is our history as well as may this also be our future.

It’s no exaggeration to say I’ve been hoping for this message for years -- a single, clear, winsome articulation of why we love partnership in Sovereign Grace and what we mean. It’s a message I can’t wait to get into the ears of the group of men exploring eldership at our church. It’s a message I can’t wait to point new members to when they say the way we talk about partnership seems different. It’s a message I think I’ll borrow from as we articulate our partnership in our new members class. It’s a message I hope to revisit regularly as a pastoral team. 

Brothers, I am jealous that our kids and our members experience what I experienced as a kid growing up in Sovereign Grace: I want them to see us living out church partnership among other churches. That’s something all of us must seek to live out in the specifics of our church context. But I also want them to see us pointing to this kind of partnership in Scripture. That’s something that must come out in our messages, conversations, and membership classes.

So even if you heard the message at the conference can I encourage you to do something? Listen and then take out a blank sheet of paper. Then pray and dream a little bit. What would it look like for your church to live this out? What kind of church will the kids in your kids ministry grow up in? Will they see partnership lived out? Will they hear it taught? 

May the generation after us grow to love and cherish the simple truth our family of churches started with: churches are stronger together.

Ricky Alcantar is the lead pastor of Cross of Grace Church in El Paso, Texas. He also serves on the Sovereign Grace Church Planting Team.