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Welcome Committee…Not program Committee

3/18/2024

So many people, when I was growing up in the church, used to love to argue about eschatology—the doctrine of the last times. We had movies that we saw as teenagers designed to scare people into the faith. I could very easily argue about my interpretation about the order of events for the Second Coming of Jesus.

That brings us back to Randy Alcorn’s article on False Expectations.

Again, here is the list from Randy Alcorn (Six False Expectations that Diminish Our Happiness):

1.God’s love for us should look just like we want.
2.We won’t be persecuted for our faith.
3.Jesus must return in our lifetime.
4.Life will go smoothly and we will always have health and wealth.
5.Life will be fair and people will treat us kindly and thoughtfully.
6.Churches owe us better treatment than we’ve received.

Let’s zoom in on the third false expectation: Jesus must return in our lifetime.

Again, there are wonderful Christians on all sides of the eschatology field: pre-, post, a-, mid-, (even pan—it will all pan out in the end).

But I have learned, in my later years, that I’m on the welcome committee, not the program committee.

Jesus, talking about the end times, said, “But about the day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36, NIV).

The more I thought about this verse, the more I had to move away from being a polemic advocate for my eschatological position and move toward holding on to what the Bible clearly teachers.

Again, from Matthew 24: “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44, NIV).

We need to on the welcome committee, not the program committee. If neither the angels nor the Son know the day or the hour, how dare any of us seem to think we have the itinerary locked in.

I’m not saying you can’t hold to a particular interpretation (I do, but I’m not telling!), but don’t get into battles over it.

What the Scripture clearly teaches is we should be ready for Jesus to come at any time. I remember hearing that Billy Graham said he liked cloudy days. “Why do you like cloudy days, Dr Graham?” I heard the reply was something like this: “Because it reminds me that any day, Jesus will come again in the clouds just as he promised.”

Jesus may come today. He may come tomorrow. He may come next year or in a century from now. The important thing is this: Are you ready for his coming?

If you would like a copy of my book, The Most Important Decision—Starting the Journey of Faith, use the contact form on my website and I would be happy to send you a copy.

Watch and be ready! Jesus is coming again!

Blessed are those who are persecuted…

2/14/2024

Randy Alcorn has written about the false expectations to which many followers of Jesus Christ might ascribe. Jesus always speaks truth and these expectations are false. We need to delete these expectations from our walk of faith.

Again, here is the list from Randy Alcorn (Six False Expectations that Diminish Our Happiness):

1.God’s love for us should look just like we want.
2.We won’t be persecuted for our faith.
3.Jesus must return in our lifetime.
4.Life will go smoothly and we will always have health and wealth.
5.Life will be fair and people will treat us kindly and thoughtfully.
6.Churches owe us better treatment than we’ve received.

Let’s zoom in on the second false expectation: We won’t be persecuted for our faith.

It should be obvious that this is a false expectation. Don’t you agree? After all, in his sermon on the mount, Jesus said,

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12, NIV)

According to Open Doors, more than 365 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. In 2023, 4,998 Christians were killed for their faith. North Korea is the most dangerous place in the world for Christians. In China, last year, at least 10,000 churches were closed. Churches must display signs reading, “Love the Communist Party, love the country, love the religion.” Last year, 14,766 churches and Christian properties were attacked.

I could go on and on, but I think you probably getting it: Christians are not exempt from persecution.

Now I don’t live in North Kore, China, Nigeria, or Ethiopia. I don’t experience persecution the way our 365 million brothers and sisters around the world experience.

But who knows what the future might be? The second century church father, Tertullian stated, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”

Randy Alcorn writes,

“In spite of multiple promises of suffering throughout Scripture, many Christians seem shocked or outraged when they have to face these trials. Americans have been slow to accept the extent to which Bible-believing Christ-followers have become socially unacceptable. Though we should work to hold on to our religious liberties, it’s likely they’ll continue to erode. But cheer up! Opposition is nothing new for God’s people, and historically the church’s greatest advances have come at the lowest ebb of its popularity.” (Six False Expectations that Diminish Our Happiness)

Our goal is not to be accepted by the culture or be popular in the culture. As the apostle Paul wrote, “we preach Christ, and him crucified.” As we shared last time, Jesus has called us to carry the cross and suffer for his name.

G. W. Kitchin wrote the words to this hymn in the 19th Century. May this be our aim as we follow our Lord:

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred name.

Come, Christians follow were our Savior trod.
Our King victorious, Christ the Son of God.

IT's Not Easy

2/9/2024

Last time, we shared about Randy Alcorn’s Six False Expectations that Diminish Our Happiness. Too many followers of Jesus, I’m afraid, might hold on to some of these false expectations. As Alcorn says, they “are not grounded in Scripture and undermine our happiness.”

Let’s review these false expectations:

1.God’s love for us should look just like we want.
2.We won’t be persecuted for our faith.
3.Jesus must return in our lifetime.
4.Life will go smoothly and we will always have health and wealth.
5.Life will be fair and people will treat us kindly and thoughtfully.
6.Churches owe us better treatment than we’ve received.

Today, let’s unpack that first false expectation a bit more: God’s love for us should look just like we want.

This is most certainly a false expectation, but I’m afraid, a common one. It also sounds like something a two-year-old would expect. But we can understand the thinking of some. An age-old question has been, “How can a loving God, who is all-powerful, allow bad things to happen?”

We expect God’s love to be demonstrated by a “celestial grandfather” who only gives out candy. God’s love is a love that was demonstrated on a cross; not in a recliner.

Alcorn writes, “If we ignore countless passages that promise us persecution and suffering while focusing on those that promise us God’s blessing, we lose sight of his promise to discipline us, build our character, and increase our Christlikeness through suffering.”

The apostle Peter wrote, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13, NIV)

We are God’s children. What kind of Heavenly Parent would he be if he gave us everything we wanted? If I gave my children everything they wanted when they were children all they would have eaten would have been ice cream and potato chips. Their mother and I loved them too much to allow that. We also loved them too much not to discipline them when they strayed.

So take some time for reflection. Do you have the false expectation that God’s love should meet your every demand and only be “rainbows and butterflies?” Or are you the follower who will “pick up the cross daily?”

Again, Alcorn writes, “We ought to expect with the highest confidence only what God has clearly, fundamentally, and absolutely promised. And if our gratitude is lessened with such an understanding, the problem is our expectations, not God’s promises. If we expect God to make our lives easy, our expectations are unbiblical.” (Eternal Perspective Ministries with Randy Alcorn)

[Also, if you would like a workshop for your church on How to Study and Understand the Bible, please contact me. We can do this in-person or virtually.]

False Expectations

2/1/2024

A few weeks ago while sitting in church listening to the sermon, our pastor mentioned six false expectations believers might hold. He then listed these false expectations that were written by Randy Alcorn.

Here they are:

1.God’s love for us should look just like we want.
2.We won’t be persecuted for our faith.
3.Jesus must return in our lifetime.
4.Life will go smoothly and we will always have health and wealth.
5.Life will be fair and people will treat us kindly and thoughtfully.
6.Churches owe us better treatment than we’ve received.

After hearing these false expectations, I couldn’t stop thinking about them and agreeing that many believers might be trapped in one or more of these.

What do you think?

Randy Alcorn reminds us that these six false expectations “are not grounded in Scripture and undermine our happiness.”

As one who has been in Christian ministry for a few (okay, more than a few) decades, I’ve seen too many in the church who have held onto some of these false expectations.

This is sad.

And even more sad, I’ve seen people walk away from the faith, partly because they were instructed by a false teacher that these expectations are biblical. They eventually become disappointed or hurt, and walk away.

Jesus said, “…false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24)

Paul shared these words with Timothy: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Those of us who teach the Word of God, whether from a pulpit, small group living room, or church classroom, we have a responsibility to teach God’s word faithfully and not foster false expectations.

We will tackle these false expectations over the next few days and share the biblical alternatives. Of course, as always, your comments and thoughts are welcome.

Also, if you would like a workshop for your church on How to Study and Understand the Bible, please contact me. We can do this in-person or virtually.

Blessings.

The Lordship of Jesus Christ: Authority

1/19/2024

A Call to the Lordship of Jesus Christ . All of us who are members of the community of faith need to serve under the Lordship of the One who has called us to be faithful followers and servants.

Do you remember the bullet points from an article by Dr. Vern Poythress, Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, entitled 10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship of Christ?

1)Christ is Lord over all because He is God.
2)Christ is Lord over all because in His human nature He has accomplished perfect obedience, has won salvation for us, and has been given universal dominion as a reward.
3)Christ claims authority over both believers and unbelievers.
4)We are to obey Christ in all things.
5)We are to serve Christ all the time, in all of life, with all our heart.
6)The means of grace guide us and equip us to grow in serving Christ.
7)Serving Christ makes a pronounced difference in every area of life.
8)Because of Christ’s lordship over the world, we can sometimes learn and cooperate with unbelievers in short-term projects.
9)Christ gives distinctive authority and responsibilities to people in various spheres of life.
10)Through Christ, God establishes a pronounced distinction between the church and other institutions on earth.

Let’s examine the ninth one:

Christ gives distinctive authority and responsibilities to people in various spheres of life.

When we celebrate the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we recognize we are all under this authority as His servants. We also must realize God grants authority and responsibilities to others. As Dr. Poythress writes, “Authority comes from God; it is not merely a human invention. All human authority is limited because it is delegated by God through His Son.”

The Scriptures teach civil authority is ordained by our Lord. Paul challenges the Romans: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." (Romans 13:1)

We need to remember this as followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be respectful—even when we disagree with some of our government leaders. Remember, Paul wrote this to believers in Rome who were being persecuted by the emperor.

We also need to recognize the authority of our leaders in our churches as well.

Listen to these words from the writer of Hebrews:

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
--Hebrews 13:7, 17

If we are disrespectful of authority or defiant of authority, we cannot really claim to be living under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Remember, Christ gives distinctive authority and responsibilities to people in various spheres of life.

This God-given authority, and the responsibilities that go with it, is from God—for our protection, for our benefit, and for His glory.

Remember that next time you see those flashing lights behind you on the road! Thank God for that authority—and slow down!

The Lordship of Christ: Cooperation

1/17/2024

A Call to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. All of us need to serve under the Lordship of the One who has called us to be faithful followers.

Do you remember the bullet points from an article by Dr. Vern Poythress, Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, entitled 10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship of Christ?

1)Christ is Lord over all because He is God.
2)Christ is Lord over all because in His human nature He has accomplished perfect obedience, has won salvation for us, and has been given universal dominion as a reward.
3)Christ claims authority over both believers and unbelievers.
4)We are to obey Christ in all things.
5)We are to serve Christ all the time, in all of life, with all our heart.
6)The means of grace guide us and equip us to grow in serving Christ.
7)Serving Christ makes a pronounced difference in every area of life.
8)Because of Christ’s lordship over the world, we can sometimes learn and cooperate with unbelievers in short-term projects.
9)Christ gives distinctive authority and responsibilities to people in various spheres of life.
10)Through Christ, God establishes a pronounced distinction between the church and other institutions on earth.

Let’s examine the eighth one:

Because of Christ’s lordship over the world, we can sometimes learn and cooperate with unbelievers in short-term projects.

Are you familiar with the doctrine of common grace? Common grace is the doctrine that teaches that God has bestowed his grace and kindness upon all humankind.

The psalmist wrote, “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” (Psalm 145:9)

Jesus said God causes “his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45)

Now, please realize that common grace—God’s kindness to all—does not mean we believe in universalism—all people have a joyful eternal future with God. No, only saving grace guarantees that—God’s sovereign call to those whom he has chosen to be his children through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

But we do believe God can use unregenerate people to perform good deeds in our world. As Paul said to a group of non-believing Gentiles, they “do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law.” (Romans 2:14)

So, that brings us back to the eighth truth about the Lordship of Christ: Because of Christ’s lordship over the world, we can sometimes learn and cooperate with unbelievers in short-term projects.

Are you willing to work with others to help feed the hungry? Can you stand beside an unbeliever to hand out food? Would you participate in a 5K to raise funds for someone who is battling cancer? This is another way we might cooperate with unbelievers in a short-term project. We do this because we want to share the love of Christ. Unbelievers do this because of God’s common grace—wanting to demonstrate good deeds. We can work side by side and learn how to be more effective servants of our Lord.

And of course, when we cooperate with unbelievers for the common good, we also have the opportunity to share about God’s saving grace as we build those relationships.

Perhaps you have some stories of how you have been able to cooperate in common grace situations. We’d love to hear about them. I'd love to hear about it in the comment section below. May God give us many more opportunities, and may they lead to the occasion of sharing his saving grace.

The Lordship of Jesus Christ: Distinction

1/17/2024

A Call to the Lordship of Jesus Christ . Although we come to the end of this subject, we must keep this emphasis as we serve Christ until He comes again.

One last time, let’s look at those bullet points from an article by Dr. Vern Poythress, Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, entitled 10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship of Christ?

1)Christ is Lord over all because He is God.
2)Christ is Lord over all because in His human nature He has accomplished perfect obedience, has won salvation for us, and has been given universal dominion as a reward.
3)Christ claims authority over both believers and unbelievers.
4)We are to obey Christ in all things.
5)We are to serve Christ all the time, in all of life, with all our heart.
6)The means of grace guide us and equip us to grow in serving Christ.
7)Serving Christ makes a pronounced difference in every area of life.
8)Because of Christ’s lordship over the world, we can sometimes learn and cooperate with unbelievers in short-term projects.
9)Christ gives distinctive authority and responsibilities to people in various spheres of life.
10)Through Christ, God establishes a pronounced distinction between the church and other institutions on earth.

Let’s examine the tenth one:

Through Christ, God establishes a pronounced distinction between the church and other institutions on earth.

Our mission as followers of Jesus Christ is to share God's love with all we meet.

As we look to fulfill this mission, we ask God to open doors so we will be invited to share the Good News that the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came to rescue us, forgive us, and grant us eternal life by His mercy and grace. We share this message as God opens doors for us. Then we pray, by the power of the Holy Spirit, they will come to faith and receive His precious gift. Our job is not done. We want to see them connected to a local church where they can grow in their faith and become more like Jesus.

So that brings us back to this tenth characteristic of living under the Lordship of Jesus Christ: Through Christ, God establishes a pronounced distinction between the church and other institutions on earth.

Dr. Poythress writes,

The true church is the body of Christ, made holy by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is manifested on earth in particular local gatherings of the body of Christ, and it is also enthroned with Christ in heaven. By God’s own appointment, it is distinct from other institutions by being holy and by being uniquely empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s will for its role in discipling and nourishing believers.

Other institutions will pass away. There will only be one institution that will last when time is over and there is only eternity—the Church—the Body of Christ.

So, please remember, Church is not a place we go—it is who we are in Christ. The Church is a holy people, serving a holy God—growing to be more like Him and going out to bring others to Him. This is why we want to see the people we serve connected to the local church.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

The Lordship of Jesus Christ: A Pronounced Difference

1/12/2024

A Call to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. All of us who are followers of Jesus need to serve under the Lordship of the One who has called.

Do you remember the bullet points from an article by Dr. Vern Poythress, Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, entitled 10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship of Christ?

1)Christ is Lord over all because He is God.
2)Christ is Lord over all because in His human nature He has accomplished perfect obedience, has won salvation for us, and has been given universal dominion as a reward.
3)Christ claims authority over both believers and unbelievers.
4)We are to obey Christ in all things.
5)We are to serve Christ all the time, in all of life, with all our heart.
6)The means of grace guide us and equip us to grow in serving Christ.
7)Serving Christ makes a pronounced difference in every area of life.
8)Because of Christ’s lordship over the world, we can sometimes learn and cooperate with unbelievers in short-term projects.
9)Christ gives distinctive authority and responsibilities to people in various spheres of life.
10)Through Christ, God establishes a pronounced distinction between the church and other institutions on earth.

Let’s take a look at the seventh one:

Serving Christ makes a pronounced difference in every area of life.

It’s time to ask a tough question: “As a follower of Jesus Christ, serving under His Lordship, is my life different in every area?”

The apostle Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17, NIV)

It’s not enough to say we are followers of Jesus and not be different in the way we live. The gospel transforms our lives from the inside out. Everything we do should be done for the glory of God.

Again, listen to Paul’s words: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Dr. Poythress writes, “Christian believers differ radically from unbelievers in the inclination of their hearts. This radical difference gets expressed in differences all along the line in every area of life.”

Our family life, our words, our thoughts, and our goals should be different from the world’s standards, as we live and serve under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

We are called to live holy lives—not just on Sundays—every day. The dichotomy of Sacred vs. Secular is a false one. That’s why Paul wrote whatever we do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. That’s why he wrote, everything—eating, drinking—everything—should be done for the glory of God.

Let us each make a commitment to allow the Holy Spirit to continue His work of sanctification in our lives—transforming us to be more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lordship of Jesus Christ: Amazing Grace!

1/11/2024

A Call to the Lordship of Jesus Christ has been our focus these last couple of weeks. We need to be men and women who “bow the knee” as servant leaders with Marketplace Chaplains.

Do you remember the bullet points from an article by Dr. Vern Poythress, Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, entitled 10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship of Christ?

1)Christ is Lord over all because He is God.
2)Christ is Lord over all because in His human nature He has accomplished perfect obedience, has won salvation for us, and has been given universal dominion as a reward.
3)Christ claims authority over both believers and unbelievers.
4)We are to obey Christ in all things.
5)We are to serve Christ all the time, in all of life, with all our heart.
6)The means of grace guide us and equip us to grow in serving Christ.
7)Serving Christ makes a pronounced difference in every area of life.
8)Because of Christ’s lordship over the world, we can sometimes learn and cooperate with unbelievers in short-term projects.
9)Christ gives distinctive authority and responsibilities to people in various spheres of life.
10)Through Christ, God establishes a pronounced distinction between the church and other institutions on earth.

Let’s focus on the sixth one:

The means of grace guide us and equip us to grow in serving Christ.

Grace is amazing, isn’t it? Of course it is!

First of all, we have been rescued by God’s grace: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

Grace enables us to get through the trials and difficulties in our lives. Paul wrote these words in the midst of a season of pain: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

It is grace that enables us to have a powerful prayer life: Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, grace is the means with which God guides us and equips us to grow as servant leaders.

I believe the word hesed in the Hebrew scriptures best conveys the grace of God. It’s a hard word to capture in English. You’ve probably seen it translated as mercy, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, or loyalty. It means we are part of His covenant community because of His loving-kindness.

The New Testament word is charis. It signifies the merciful kindness of our Lord, given to us, despite our sinful condition. This unmerited favor of God is a gift He’s given us to enjoy—a life with Him—and a life to grow and serve Him. It’s the means by which God pours His infinite love into our hearts.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed.
--John Newton

The Lordship of Jesus Christ: Serving

1/10/2024

A Call to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I trust we will continue to reflect and give glory to Him as we continue to serve Him.

Do you remember the bullet points from an article by Dr. Vern Poythress, Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, entitled 10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship of Christ?

1)Christ is Lord over all because He is God.
2)Christ is Lord over all because in His human nature He has accomplished perfect obedience, has won salvation for us, and has been given universal dominion as a reward.
3)Christ claims authority over both believers and unbelievers.
4)We are to obey Christ in all things.
5)We are to serve Christ all the time, in all of life, with all our heart.
6)The means of grace guide us and equip us to grow in serving Christ.
7)Serving Christ makes a pronounced difference in every area of life.
8)Because of Christ’s lordship over the world, we can sometimes learn and cooperate with unbelievers in short-term projects.
9)Christ gives distinctive authority and responsibilities to people in various spheres of life.
10)Through Christ, God establishes a pronounced distinction between the church and other institutions on earth.
Let’s focus on the fifth one:

We are to serve Christ all the time, in all of life, with all our heart.

We are here to serve the Lord Jesus Christ—not just 9-5, but all the time, 24/7/365.

One of the saddest verses in the Bible is in 2 Chronicles 25:2. It’s a verse describing Amaziah who became king of Judah when he was 25 years old. His father was Joash who became king when he was 7 years old. He was a godly king who restored the temple. But when Jehoiada, the chief priest (and his mentor) died, Joash abandoned the Lord and was killed in his bed by his officials.

So back to this sad verse about Amaziah.

“He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.”

You see, when Jesus is Lord, we must serve him wholeheartedly—all the time—with all our life—and again—with all our heart.

Paul challenged the Colossians to “live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10)

Paul also emphasized all the time and with all our life.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)

Brothers and sisters, we are here to serve—and we are serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jesus washed his disciples’ feet—the act of a lowly servant—it was to show the full extent of His love for them (John 13). This was not only a model for the Twelve, but for you and me as well.

We are to serve Christ all the time, in all of life, with all our heart.

That’s why we do what we do. Please recognize we have the joyful privilege of serving Christ—all the time—in all of life—with all our hearts. And of course, we know the ultimate goal of our service is to point people to Jesus.