Blog Archives

School is Back in Session!

2/28/2012

I never dreamed when I graduated high school those many years ago that I would be back in school at 40 years old, but I had no idea what the Lord had in store for me. I never dreamed I would be called to preach or pastor a church, but we have no way of knowing what all the Lord has in store for us.

I have prayed for some time about continuing my education. I had always said the one thing that furthering my education would involve (except the will of God of course) is that it would have to help me be more effective in pastoring the people God has graciously called me to serve. I am not interested in titles or accolades. After much time in prayer and seeking the right place, the Lord led me to Andersonville Theological Seminary in Camilla, Georgia. I have enrolled in the Doctorate of Ministry program which has a focus on pastoral counseling. This is one area that I have always felt inadequate and somewhat intimidated when called upon to offer counsel in a pastoral setting. The degree requires some doctrinal and theological studies also, but it has a great concentration on counseling as well. I have just completed the course on Pre-marital Counseling and emailed my test to be graded. I am waiting to hear the results and praying that I did well.

That course was very beneficial in that it offered a lot of in depth, practical help in counseling couples prior to the wedding. When considering the rate of divorce in our nation, even among the church, it is apparent that solid pre-marital counsel would prove beneficial. Pastors need to invest the time and effort to counsel the couple in hopes of better preparing them for the challenges of marriage while laying the foundation for biblical principles and godly expectations.

I will try to keep you updated from time to time on how things are going with my studies. I would ask that you pray with me regarding wise time management. I believe in being a good steward of all that God gives us and we need to be good stewards of our time as well. I have another dimension now to consider when planning my days and weeks. I pray that I will make wise decisions and manage my time effectively.

I hope you have a blessed week in the Lord. Keep looking up, for our Lord could come at any moment. Seek ways to be used of Him this week.

Preacher Chris

Perilous Times Shall Come

2/23/2012

We have been in the book of Nehemiah for the last several weeks on Wednesday night. The more I study that blessed portion of Scripture the more I see a distinct parallel to the day in which we live. Nehemiah was called of God to return to Jerusalem from Persia to lead the efforts in rebuilding the walls that had been torn down. Clearly you will have to admit that there are many walls (spiritual walls) in our day that stand in great need of repair.

The folks at Fellowship who read my blog may grow tired of this message, but God is doing a work in my heart as I study Nehemiah. Last night we began to deal with the survey that Nehemiah made in Chapter 2, verses 11 through 20. This was a crucial step in the rebuilding process. Nehemiah had to survey the damage; it was absolutley necessary. He also had to perform an accurate inspection. He didn't need a biased or political assessment of the damage. He needed to know exactly what he was facing.

There are few in our day who are willing to open their eyes and view the damage. Many of those who might venture into taking a quick glance are of the opinion that things really aren't that bad. I hear all the time that the times are changing; that is just the way life is these days. To that I will agree whole heartily. The times have definitely changed. Just to be honest, we are in a mess! The danger is found in the lack of concern for the needs of our day. We are the church. We are the current generation of believers. In essence, the buck stops here. If we fail to stand and seek the Lord for revival, this world will just continue to deteroriate at the break-neck speed it has been on for years. If the church doesn't wake out of sleep and open her eyes to the current situation, we will soon find ourselves in an unbearable situation. (In all reality that is probably what it will take to see real revival. We have been lulled to sleep by our own complacency. God may send persecution and adversity to wake us from our sleep.)

As I thought of our current situation I began to look within the pages of God's Word and found some interesting verses. This is not the first generation or society to reject God. The reason that Nehemiah was sent to rebuild the damage of a ravaged city was sin. The people of God rejected Him to the point of judgment. Consider these verses.

Jeremiah 6:15
    Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 8:12
    Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

Did you notice the similarity in those verses? They are almost word for word the same. If God says something once we need to pay attention, but if He says it twice, we really need to heed His Word! Does that not sound like the society in which we live? There is no shame or remorse for sin in our day. Most, if not the vast majority, have cast aside the standards of God. His Word assures us that He will visit those that continue in their sin. This will not be a casual visit, but a visitation of judgment. Consider what Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 15:8
    This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Matthew 15:14
    Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Are there any similarities there? We live in an age where people want to use Christ for their advantage and will speak of Him in a setting that is beneficial, but their hearts are far from Him. Our nation is being led by those who are blind to the things of God and many who fall into that same category are more than willing to follow. We have a nation of the blind leading the blind. The sad part is that both will end up in the ditch. I think of the old saying: "There is no man so blind as he who will not see." Are we willing to open our eyes to the truth and be honest about what we see? It is time for the people of God to refuse to follow this path of apathy and out right ungodliness and seek His direction and His ways.

I want to close these thoughts with the words of the Apostle Paul.

2 Tim. 3:1-5
    This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

I don't know of a passage of Scripture that defines our day better than this one. We are in the midst of the perilous times that Paul spoke of. Much of what is being offered by the modern church is nothing more than a form of godliness. There is no conviction or power in the average Baptist church any more. When this corruption invades the church, and in many instances it has, we can rest assured that we have entered these perilous last days. How long are we going to pretend that all is well? How long are we going to wait to rise and be heard? Our children ought to mean more to us than that! It is past time that we open our eyes to the truth and seek God in repentance. America has not gone to far for revival, but it will only come through the church. America will not change for the better until the church seeks God in revival and determines to set His house in order first! The question is whether we will submit to Him and seek revival. If this generation does not see real revival, I shudder to think what waits for the coming generation.

Preacher Chris

Snow in Mount Airy

2/19/2012

We got our first measurable snowfall of the year this afternoon and evening. We have a couple of inches on the ground and I have heard that it is pretty hazardous to be out. We erred on the side of caution and cancelled our evening service. (I don't know how much folks from other parts of the country read this blog, but I do know that many places consider it quite funny the way southerners deal with snow and make such a fuss over a few inches. I suppose it is all relative. If you were forced to deal with snow on a continual basis in the winter months, it wouldn't be that big an issue. Most folks in the south are not experienced driving in the snow and it doesn't take much to create problems.) But if you are not fond of this wintry weather, just hang on for a couple of days and it will change. The forecast is calling for mid 60's by the middle of the week. I know the Lord sends what we need and we have absolutely no control over the weather, but I for one am ready for spring time and warmer weather.

I was prepared to continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount this evening. We were going to look at Matthew 5:13 dealing with believers being the salt of the earth. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. That is an interesting thought our blessed Lord presented, containing much needed truth for our day. Surely you would agree that we need to present ourselves as salt and light in this difficult day.

Well I am not going to offer much discussion on the passage this evening. I will wait and preach it next Sunday evening, Lord willing. Just thought I would drop by for a minute and post and update. I hope your days are filled with blessing this coming week and that the Lord opens doors of opportunity to use you in mighty ways for His kingdom work.

Preacher Chris

Preachers Need Preaching Too

2/14/2012

I was privileged today to be able to attend Bible Conference at West Lenoir Baptist Church. It is an annual conference hosted by the church that also sponsors the great school that God allowed me to attend. There is always great singing, but most importantly, there is great preaching. Some of the finest preachers I know came through West Lenoir and there are many others who didn't attend classes there, but are closely associated with it. If you are a young preacher looking for a God centered, biblical education, West Lenoir is the place. Each of the instructors are great men of God who have a passion for helping young or inexperienced preachers.

Now to the point of my post. I fear that the average church member takes much for granted on any given Sunday. They assume that their pastor has spent the necessary time in the study to pray, study, discern, and prepare a message to preach. (Any preacher who is worth his salt will take the time to do that, regardless of his education or ability. He will spend time seeking the Lord, desiring to prepare a message and have a word from the Lord when the time comes to step behind the sacred desk to preach.) All of that is expected along with the miriad of other things that come along with pastoring todays churches. The pastor doesn't mind the time or effort involved with his work; it is his calling and he is happy to do whatever the Lord has for him. However, preachers need a time of refreshing once in a while as well. Look at it from a physical point of view. If you were so busy preparing and serving meals for others that you never had time to eat yourself, it wouldn't be long until you would begin to suffer the effects of malnutrition. It would be a shame to be around all that food and never consume any for yourself.

That is not the greatest of illustrations and it doesn't fit exactly, but I think you understand what I mean. Yes, as I study from the Word of God I receive nourishment for my soul. As I prepare to preach a message, God speaks to me and I continually grow in Him. But, there are times when a pastor needs to have the privilege to sit at the table and eat himself. If you live alone, or even if you are the primary cook of the household, there are times when you grow tired of eating your cooking. It is good to sit down once and while to something someone else has labored over and prepared for you. Preachers are no different. They enjoy what they do, but they need to be feed from a different table once in a while as well. I had that opportunity today and I am greatful for it.

If you have a godly pastor who faithfully and accurately preaches the Bible you need to thank God for him and hold him up in prayer. It would be a blessing to him and the entire church if the congregation would allow and even encourage the pastor to take a few times during the year to attend a good conference and find the refreshment he needs for his soul as well. He faithfully feeds you each week, so why not let him eat once and a while? Just a thought, but I promise you will notice a difference. He will find some rest and strength in the Lord and his preaching will be better for it.

Preacher Chris

Hidden Treasure!

2/9/2012

If you have visited the website or blog lately you are aware that we are studying in the book of Nehemiah on Wednesday evenings. I just finished chapter one last night, but it has already been a joy and privilege to have the opportunity thus far to study this great portion of God's precious Word.

I fear that we often miss many great blessings by assuming too much. Many would likely assume that there would be little benefit or application for the modern church from a study in Nehemiah. After all, it is in the Old Testament, they were Jews and we are Gentiles, those were the days of the law and we are now under grace, right? Yes all of that is true, but if that is the approach that we take to much of the Old Testament, we will miss much that God has preserved for us.

You must be careful when studying the Old Testament, particularly in regard to prophecy, because there are promises and prophecies that are specific to the nation of Israel and you may find yourself seeking to apply things to the church that God never intended. However, we can not allow that to keep us from the wealth of truth that the Old Testament reveals. Careful study and preparation will prevent misinterpretation. Much of what we read in the Old Testament may have no personal application for our lives, but there is an abundance of practical application. Nehemiah is one such book. The Lord had led Nehemiah from the comforts of the palace in Sushan to return to Jerusalem in an effort to rebuild the walls that were torn down and in a desperate state of disrepair. Much can be gleaned from Nehemiah and those who labored with him. We can also learn much about dealing with the opposition of the enemy.

I suppose the thing that has spoken to me most thus far is the state of brokenness that Nehemiah felt for the condition of Jerusalem and the spiritual state of Judah as a whole.

Neh. 1:2-7
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. [3] And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. [4] And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, [5] And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: [6] Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. [7] We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.

If you study the history associated with Nehemiah you will discover that Ezra also worked in Jerusalem during that time and he shared the same burden that Nehemiah did.

Ezra 9:3-6
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. [4] Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. [5] And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God. [6] And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

I don't know how you respond to these verses, but I will admit that they have deeply challenged me in my walk with the Lord. It seems as if there is little burden in our land today. Most are busy and content living their lives and feel little, if any, concern for those around them or the condition of our land. Surely we need a burden like Nehemiah and Ezra possessed. We need to see our curent situation for what it truly is and literally develop a brokenness for the needs of our day. We need to sense the urgency of the time and seek the Lord in revival. That is the only hope for the desperate needs of our day. We don't see physical walls torn down, but there are many spiritual walls that are in ruin and desperatley need restored. This will never happen until we open our eyes to the truth of where we are and develop a burden for these needs.

I am sure God directed me to study the powerful book of Nehemiah. If it doesn't benefit anyone else at Fellowship, it has already brought a new perspective to me. I am beginning to sense a newfound burden and I am greatful for that. Had I ignored the guidance of the Lord I would have never discovered one of the real treasures within His Word. Take the time to read God's Word and let it speak to you. You never know, you too might find yourself with a newfound burden and sense of direction.

Preacher Chris

Seeking the Lord

2/6/2012

Clearly we have been in the midst of difficult and trying times for an extended period. Everywhere we look we see the strain of the current economic crisis. The "professionals" tell us that things are definitely getting better, but the average guy on the street isn't seeing much of a change.

As I think of the current situation in America I am reminded of the current situation of our culture. Every aspect of our daily lives is consumer driven. Regardless of the business or institution, all are dictated by consumer demand. I suppose that is the product of free enterprise and it is good to see those who work hard to earn an honest living enjoy a measure of success.

But I fear the prosperity that we enjoyed for so long has created much of the problem we are facing today. Americans have grown so accustomed to having exactly what they want, when they want it, that it only adds to the pain and misery of a situation like the one we currently face. After so many years of having and acquiring all we desire, it is hard to face the realities of cutting back or doing without.

This consumer driven lifestyle has created a bigger crisis than we could have imagined. In the days of a booming economy the motto was "get it now and worry about paying for it later; everyone else has one, so you need one too." We have borrowed ourselves into despair and near ruin. Many of the problems that a large majority of Americans face are the product of living above their means and a lack of satisfaction with what they currently have.

As I thought of the current situation and the lack of contentment among so many, I was reminded of the words of our Lord. He addressed a situation much like the one we are facing today. Many of the Jews were concerned with material things. In fact, they placed more emphasis on possessions many times than they did their relationship with the Lord. I know that we must eat, have a place to sleep, and clothes to wear, but should all of those material possessions be the desire of our hearts and our priority. Consider what Jesus said. Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Is it possible that we have so idolized our possessions and been so driven by the desire to obtain more that we have forgotten God and made our personal desires the god that we truly worship. I am certainly not one who embraces the "health and wealth" doctrine that is taught by so many today. (I suppose most of those preachers have never considered preaching from the book of Job or the Pauline epistles. These were men who walked with God and lived for him and yet they faced great adversity and suffering.) However, do you suppose that it is possible that God has given America over to the god of prosperity? Has He looked upon our consumer driven society with its insatiable appetite for more and allowed us to suffer from our own greed and lack of responsibility. The Lord said if we would seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, then all these things would be added unto us. You will have to agree that serving the Lord or seeking His righteousness is not very high on the priority list of the average American.

The financial crisis in America is but one spoke in the wheel of despair that we face. I have said many times that what we need more than a balanced budget, $2.00 a gallon gasoline, or even world peace is a genuine, heart-felt revival. I agree that things are difficult for many today and I am certainly not making light of their difficulties. Many are struggling just to make ends meet. But, if God can use the mess we are in to turn our hearts toward heaven and bring about revival, then it will all have been worth it.

I have to ask before I leave, what or who is it that you seek? Are you seeking a means of financial adequacy, genuine happiness and contentment, or fulfillment in your life? If any of these things are in your wish list I can tell you how to obtain what you desire. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Preacher Chris

I am Chris Benfield, pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Boonville, NC. Here you will find some of my thoughts, particularly relating to the church and serving our Lord.

School is Back in Session!

Perilous Times Shall Come

Snow in Mount Airy

Preachers Need Preaching Too

Hidden Treasure!

Seeking the Lord

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