Interview 119: Shaping the Church from the Ground Up

1 Corinthians 6:1-7 says the following.Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren.The FBFI is no stranger to controversy. Our fellowship was born out of a reaction to the doctrinal compromise of the Northern Baptist Convention during the fundamentalist/modernist conflicts of the early 20th century.We have also been very vocal over the last 70 years or so regarding the compromise of New Evangelicalism, as well as compromise and errors within broader fundamentalism and evangelicalism.However, with the advent of the internet, social media, and even this blog site, we have had to seriously consider about how we approach conflicts between Christian brothers and how we approach them. …Read the whole post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We are finishing up our conversations on our July/August edition of FrontLine, which was on the subject of building the church: “Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church.”Our guest today is pastor Will Cover, from Houston, TX. His article was called “Shaping the Church from the Ground Up.” One of the unique features of Will’s ministry is his approach to small group Bible studies. I really appreciated the conversation we had. We aren’t offering Will’s ideas as the “only way” to “do church” — whatever that means — but we are giving it as an example.You might not use every idea Will shares, but I am sure you will come away with something that will be a help for your own ministry of building disciples.Before we get into the discussion, let me remind you that Will’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Article:Shaping the Church from the Ground UpThe Contents & Editorial for the July/August FrontLine:FrontLine: Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

This seems to be a hot topic these days. After all, it is easy to read someone else’s message on Sunday morning. And AI can write sermons. Also, AI tools now can examine every word every preacher speaks for unattributed quotes or content. It’s daunting to think that members of congregation can be using tools on their phones to evaluate the words of the preacher as he speaks. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and a misunderstanding of the nature of preaching verses the published word or academic paper. So, a few words are in order now, and a fuller development of the subject should follow later. Please read or listen to the end before you criticize.Originality in preaching should not be an expectation.The word of God has been exegeted by hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of preachers over the 2000 years of church history. Libraries are filled with books that explain passages both directly and indirectly. The Word we are commanded to preach is finite in content—bound within the 66 books of the Bible. We are commanded to preach the word of God—not our own creative thoughts or ideas. What should alarm a congregation on Sunday is not when their preacher says things that others have also said, it is when he says things that no other has ever said (someone else said this before me, but I don’t know who). …Read the rest of the article here or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

If you are a pastor, please read all of this. If you are not, please forward it to your pastor. He needs to hear it. And of course, read it yourself.Discouraging times need an encouraging message.The end of the first century was coming to a close. John, the last remaining Apostle was in exile on Patmos, and Jesus had not yet returned. With the passing of each year and the martyrdom of the Apostles, the hope of the 1st Century church wavered. At first, they expected Him to come at any time. Then, as time passed, they surely expected the time to be closer. But now John is coming to the end of his earthly sojourn and Christ will not return in His glory before the Apostolic age ends.Not only that, but the church had also endured several seasons of persecution—first under the Jews, then Nero, and now under Domitian.In this setting Jesus speaks these words of encouragement and challenge to His people. This message is intended for the churches of John’s day, but also for all the churches of the age between the close of the canon and the ultimate return of Christ.It is for us.The Jesus who was, who is, and who is to come.The self-descriptions of Jesus in Revelation 1 are profound. He is the timeless one. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the beginning and the end. He is the first and the last. He is the one who was, who is, and who is to come. He is the one who lives, was dead, and now lives forevermore. …Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

A pastor outside the FBFI once asked me that question. He could not understand why the chaplaincy is such an important part of the FBFI.For many who are hunkered down in the day-to-day battle of local church ministry, the military chaplaincy seems light years away. Community chaplains sometimes have contact with local churches, and some of our local church pastors are having rich ministry as community chaplains with police departments, fire departments, hospitals, and other organizations. However, many pastors and church members do not understand the enormity of the responsibility and opportunity that the chaplaincy is for us.Canadian Military Chaplains can’t mention God in public.In an August 12, 2026 article in Christianity Today, Adam MacInnis explained a new directive from Canadian Military leadership. …Read the rest of the article here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today I’m joined by my friend, Dave Huffstutler. Dave wrote an article for the July/August edition of FrontLine which was about growing churches: “Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church.”Dave’s article is about “Four Features of Church Growth in Acts.” Dave isn’t giving us “four principles for success” or “the Acts formula” for church growth. Rather he is observing features of growing church life in the book of Acts that parallel the kinds of church life we want to foster in our own churches.We had a wide-ranging discussion on many aspects of church life. It was a blessing to talk to Dave about it, then to think through it again in the editing process. In the interview, I mentioned our own church’s upcoming 40th anniversary celebration. Well, that “upcoming” turns out to be last Sunday, so we are moving now into our 41st year. The things we talked about in the conversation are things we have tried to do in our church and, really, every Bible-believing church tries to do all the time. It’s helpful to think about them again and ask ourselves questions about how we are doing and how we could be perhaps doing a little better in some areas of our own church life.Well, that’s enough from me. I’ll get into my conversation with Dave in just a moment, but first, let me remind you that Dave’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.And now for my interview with Dave Huffstutler.The Article:Four Features of Church Growth in Acts: Rediscovering the New Testament PatternThe Contents & Editorial for the July/August FrontLine:FrontLine: Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

“Sin is at the root of most psychological problems.” -- Gilbert FremontAs I rode to a Diamondbacks baseball game with some men from our church last night, we began discussed about all the billboards advertising accident lawyers. You know the bunch. They are nationwide. Sweet James out of California, Morgan and Morgan out of Florida, and many more. I am old enough to remember when lawyers weren’t allowed to advertise. I am not sure that the commercialization of the legal profession has helped much or made the courts any more effective in producing justice.Now it’s the therapist’s turn. “Mental health” issues have almost become a badge of honor today. Insurance companies are covering it, and they are now advertising. The marketing strategy for the industry seems to be what it has been for most other products through the years.“Everybody needs to have one.”Really? …Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today I’m joined by my friend, Ryan Martin. He’s writing in the July/August edition of FrontLine which was about growing churches: “Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church.” Ryan’s article is on Jonathan Edwards and David Brainerd and what we can learn from their long-ago approach to ministry and apply it to modern churches today.I guess every church wants to grow. We all have many friends and family members we would love to see come to Christ and join the fellowship. Our neighbours, too! The more folks who come to Christ and join the local church, the better church life becomes.There are many obstacles, and we can learn from how men in the past faced obstacles as we evangelize in the present. Ryan Martin helps us discern some of the good examples these men set for us.Before we get into the discussion, let me remind you that Ryan’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Article:Edwards and Brainerd on Church Growth: Rediscovering Historical InsightThe Contents & Editorial for the July/August FrontLine:FrontLine: Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

In an article published this week in Torah.com, Jack Sasson asked an interesting question.“Why is ‘Do not covet’ in the decalogue?’”The Decalogue forbids patently reprehensible acts, but the prohibition against coveting is a potentially victimless offense and is the only one that exclusively addresses men. Moreover, this tenth commandment has no clear parallels in ancient Near Eastern law.As we trace through the Commandments in Exodus 20, all are public, outwardly discernible sins with offended parties—divine, human, or both.The first four commandments (Exodus 20:3-11) demand fealty to Jehovah. It must be exclusive—no polytheism. It must not be expressed in idol worship. He must be honored in all speech. He must be honored specifically on the Sabbath.The next five commandments in verses 12-16 are one-another commands that protect people from people. Honor your parents. Do not murder. Honor marriage and remain faithful to your spouse. Do not take what is not yours. Do not commit perjury, damaging your neighbor.But then comes that last commandment (Exodus 20:17), which is about a heart attitude—about desire. After noting that this commandment is exclusively addressed to men (It doesn’t mention coveting your neighbor’s husband, and women could not own property in the ancient Near Eastern world), Sasson says this about this commandment.Another oddity makes the Tenth Commandment stand out from the others: The previous commandments forbid patently reprehensible acts such as stealing, murdering, kidnapping, or committing perjury. By contrast, coveting in the Tenth Commandment is an emotional capitulation to intense envy, remediable only through introspection and self-examination.It is truly a commandment about jealousy and envy and is at the heart of all biblical sin. This might be one of the most important commandments of all. …For the rest of this post click here: Covetousness: The Different Commandment - Proclaim & Defend… or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

My father entered heaven in January of 2021. For our family, it was a traumatic experience.The Covid-19 virus spread through our church rapidly in December of 2020. We had to cancel services because there were no pastoral staff members healthy enough to lead. My father contracted the disease in that wave. He fought it off for several weeks at home before his low blood oxygen level demanded he go to the hospital. But even in the hospital, he did not improve.No one in our family was allowed to visit him there. Once he was moved to ICU, even my daughter, a nurse in that same hospital, was refused access to him. We communicated regularly with doctors and nurses and with him. He was intubated for several weeks, and then eventually weaned off the machine. Even off the ventilator, he still needed a pressurized mask to breathe.Dad had a hard time in the hospital separated from family. He was struggling for every breath and he was alone. On the day he died, we were Facetiming him and we listed to a doctor and nurse pressure him to remove his mask and die. I confronted them both by video and demanded that they stop trying to convince him to give up and die. They kept saying things like, “you might get better, but your health will never be the same.” They said they were just trying to be honest with him, but in the desperation of that moment, that was not honesty, it was pressure to give up. Eventually he asked for the mask to be removed, and with his hand he signed “I love you” to our family, before he breathed his last. …Read the rest of this post here: End of Life Decisions and the Christian Family - Proclaim & Defend… or just listen to the podcast! Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe