The opposite of loving one another is to “bite and devour one another” (cf. Gal. 5:15). One of the hardest things to work on in the Christian life is putting others’ interest before our own. If people are honest, every person—perhaps not to the same degree—struggles with caring for self before caring for other people. The Christian faith is one of “putting off” and “putting on.” What do I mean? Paul uses this language a lot in his writings. If we are in Christ and have experienced through a work of the Holy Spirit what the Bible calls conversion, then we have the means to “put off” and to “put on.” In other words, we are to “walk by the Spirit” and not “carry out the desires of the flesh” (cf. Gal. 5:16). This can be a difficult process as the Holy Spirit shows us daily our need for repentance and turning to Jesus. Even Christians struggle with this temptation to “bite and devour one another.” It is part of our old nature to want to be right, to want to be the most liked, to want to be the smartest in the room, and to allow pride to puff up our hearts. When these type things are battling for our hearts, they are a work of Satan and the old nature we have been set free from in the gospel. We are tempted to do things to get our way or embarrass another brother or sister in Christ. This is not loving one’s neighbor as the Law of the Lord teaches us (e.g. Lev 19:18; Matt. 19:19).

What are some good examples of bringing oneself under the authority of God’s Word and allowing the Spirit to guide us? Let me give a few. James 5:9 says, “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.” This is a warning about what complaining against one another can bring. Philippians 2:14-15 says, “Do all things without grumbling and disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.” You want to prove yourself to be a child of God? This passage teaches us to stop grumbling and disputing so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, “children of God” above reproach. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:9, “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” And finally, one last passage to help us see our responsibility in “putting off” and “putting on,” we will read Philippians 4:8 which says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” We are commanded to think and dwell on good things. Things that are lovely, of good repute, excellent, worthy of praise, whatever is right, pure, and holy. This means we must work to “put off” what is opposite of these things just mentioned. We must work at loving our brothers and sisters in Christ and not “bite and devour one another.” After all, we belong to the same family of God, the Church. Love one another.

Leadership in the New Testament church is something that was very important both to the apostle Paul and Peter, among others. Leadership certainly should be something important to us too. In fact, these men will have great influence on the church and her future. I assume for many this can get confusing and at times convoluted. Often churches can get caught up in the emotional aspect of one’s feelings and forget that Scripture is not silent on this matter. In fact, I can admit my own failures as it relates to this particular topic. I have been in pastoral leadership for over twenty years and have made several mistakes over the years because I acted more out of my feelings than I did according to Scripture. It is easy to do because no one likes to tell someone they are not qualified at this particular time. It certainly does not mean they will never be qualified. It perhaps means for a season there is still work to do to meet the scriptural qualifications. A vetting process is not a bad thing; in fact, it is something the Bible instructs us to do as a church.  There are several New Testament passages one can look at when considering the process of vetting anyone for a leadership position in the church. A few passages that come to mind are 1 Timothy 3:10; 5:22, and 1 Peter 5:1–4.

Let’s look at these for the purpose of clarity and insight. In 1 Timothy 3:1–13 we have a unit of Scripture that speaks heavily on the qualifications of what it means to be both an elder and a deacon. In these passages of Scripture there is some overlap in terms of the two offices. In other words, the qualifications for both offices require a lot of the same qualifications. In 1 Timothy 3:10 Paul tells Timothy, “These men must also first be tested; and then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.” This means a man must first be vetted before placing him into an office of leadership. This is an example of overlapping when it comes to either New Testament office. In other words, both elders and deacons must (first) be tested before being allowed to fill either office. I assume that every church has their own process by which they carry out this “testing” or “vetting” and that is acceptable as long as the process is being carried out. In 1 Timohty 3:11 Paul says, “Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.” Whether one believes this is talking about women servants, men who are deacons and their wives, or elders and their wives, the point is still made. All categories are covered, and the meaning is for both the man and woman—the elder and his wife, the deacon and his wife—to be “faithful in all things.” This certainly does not mean that a person who misses something is disqualified for the office of elder or deacon, but it does teach an overall faithfulness to the church and ministries it carries out from week to week.

Why is this so important? It is important because it teaches others an example to follow. I think all of us are by nature people watchers. I know I am. People are constantly watching how you act, how you interact with others, how you carry yourself, whether you think something to be important or not. This is true of leadership, too, as it relates to the ministries of a local church, its worship services, and the events the church puts on to reach other people. The watching world is constantly evaluating whether we are living up to our calling. Of course, no one can be perfect, and that is not the intent of this article, but it becomes even more important for leaders and their wives to embody a spirit of faithfulness and to model to everyone else the importance of the New Testament church.

In fact, Peter reminds us of this very truth as he writes to those scattered abroad. In 1 Peter 5:1–4, Peter is writing to exhort the elders. Not only does Peter tell them to shepherd the flock of God among them, but he tells them to be “examples to the flock” (cf. 5:3). Why is it so important for an elder and his wife to be a good example to the flock? Well, the short answer is people are watching. They want to see how important you take the church of Christ. They want to know if it is important enough to you to make it a priority in your life. What takes precedence in your life? Where are your priorities? These are all very important things when it comes to leadership of the church. It does not mean leaders and their families cannot take breaks, check out for a few days, or go on a family trip. It does mean, however, that a leader must be found faithful and lead by example. This leading by example is being in full support of one’s local commitment to his or her church. It is a bare minimum for anyone who desires a leadership position.

This is certainly one reason a vetting process is important. We need men who are not only willing to lead by example, but who do live by example. They are men who care deeply about the sheep/congregation of which God has made them overseers and desire to model for the sheep a commitment to the local bride of Christ. This is certainly why Paul tells Timothy not to get in too big of a hurry during this vetting process and allow men into leadership that do not embody these characteristic traits nor desire to support the local church (cf. 1 Tim. 5:22). I have been on the end of “laying hands on” a candidate and therefore placing them into leadership before they were ready to be in leadership. It never ends well. This is why Paul tells Timothy to “[] not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin” (1 Tim. 5:22).

There is certainly a plethora of other passages we can cover that deal with the importance of a vetting process, but I hope this suffices for now. If anything, it will give us all food for thought. After all, this is why I write these articles, so that our minds can be challenged and we can think through different issues together.

I love MBC! I love getting to lead you and walk with you on a weekly basis. I love getting to be a shepherd of this local congregation. I look forward to what God will continue to do in and through us as a body of local believers united on all fronts to reach a lost world for the glory of God.

I ask you to be in prayer, as I know you have already been, for our very own vetting process. We have been working toward this goal for more than three years now and it can sometimes feel monotonous, but it should be enjoyable. We are bringing it to the finish line and presenting before you the first candidates for elder of MBC: Hank Henley, Paul Cagle, and Jarrod Anders.

God bless,
Pastor Corey

During my devotional time in the Scriptures, I have been reading through the Sermon on the Mount, which is found in Matthew 5–7. In Matthew 6:19–24 our Lord is teaching us about two different pulls in life. He is teaching us about two different kingdoms between which both men and women have struggled for centuries to maintain a balance. There is a constant pull to make something of ourselves and to provide for our families, which would also be a very biblical concept. As believers it is easy to lose sight to where God is calling us and to put all our energy into something that is passing away. I would hate to get to the end of my life only to realize I have given the biggest portion of my effort to building an earthly kingdom for myself. Jesus reminds us of something very important in Matthew 6:21: “for where your treasures is, there your heart will be also.”

In other words, what is most important to you currently? No one is denying the fact that you must provide for your family and put a roof over their head and food on the table. In fact, Jesus works through means to bring about His will and many of those means are realized in your efforts to work and provide for your family. The balance is lost when we begin to put more effort into creating a padded life over and against worshiping and serving the Lord. Jesus points to the fact that this world is coming to an end and all the riches you have worked for will one day be gone. In Matthew 6:19–20 we read, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.” Jesus ends this section with, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matt. 6:24). Obviously, Jesus knows we need provisions in life and that we must feed our families, but that is where we trust Him to provide for us as we work to provide for our families. We must not lose the balance and make everything in our life about making a dollar, building a lasting retirement, and missing out on important things such as spending time with family and godly friends because we are too engulfed in storing up treasures for ourselves here on earth. You never know, this very day the Lord may call your name and you leave this walk of life. If that be the case, can you honestly say that your “treasures are stored up in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal” (Matt. 6:20)?

I get it, believer! It is a hard line to tow and at times can become very difficult because many people make everything about riches and how well one is doing in this society. It is often how friends and family assess you to see whether or not you are blessed. Many people think because of money that God’s blessings are on them and this is not always the truth. There are many people in our world who belong to the Lord and do not know where their next meal will come from except that it will come from the Lord. Our heart should always be to serve our Lord and to live as Paul taught in Philippians 4:12–13: “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” What a great blessing! Whether you are rich and have much or whether you are poor and have little, God is with you!

Dear believer, keep a balance, serve the Lord, walk through the doors He opens for you that provide for your family, and realize always that we cannot serve God and wealth. God is who we serve; money is a means He uses to help us live in this society until He calls us home. Keep the balance between the two.

God bless,
Pastor Corey

It appears the seasons go a lot faster these days. We live in a culture that prides itself on fast-paced productivity and accomplishing as much as possible in a day’s time. The Christmas season is no different when we lose sight of what Christmas is all about. My prayer for you this year is that you slow down long enough to, by faith, see the Christ. In Luke 2:25–26 we read:

Christmas is a fun time to gather around the living room and exchange gifts, laugh, and make memories that will be cherished for years to come. It’s a time to see family members perhaps you have not seen all year. It’s a time to catch up on family news, encourage one another, and just slow down from a fast-paced lifestyle the other 11 months bring. All these things mentioned above are an excellent way to spend your time off. But make no mistake, the most important thing about Christmas is seeing the Savior of the world. Gazing in on the wonder of what Christ accomplished for us through His substitutionary work on the cross.

Simeon was granted the opportunity to physically lay his eyes on the Savior of the world. In fact, in Luke 2:30 we read, “For my eyes have seen Your salvation.” What a glorious sight for Simeon to see! I realize that we have yet to see our Savior with our own physical eyes, but my prayer for you is that you have seen Him by faith. I pray that this Christmas will be filled with joy, fun, gratitude, and most importantly, worship! Worship of the Christ! Worship of His magnificence, His excellence, His glory! One day your faith will become sight; however, until then, keep pressing on, keep trusting, by faith, in the Son of God; keep looking to Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith (cf. Heb. 12:2).

Merry Christmas!

In my morning devotion I read the words from Psalm 7, which are the words of king David. In verse 17 David says, “I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” The holidays can be a challenge for many people because they are faced with new struggles; perhaps the loss of a loved one, a new place of employment, or just simply being down on life. It’s hard sometimes to get out of our own heads and just enjoy the moment the Lord has placed in our path. Thanksgiving is still one holiday I enjoy because there seems to be no consumer attachment to it. Yes, many will buy special food for the occasion but that would be the case any day if you are to eat. It might be that the sales of ham and turkey are up during Thanksgiving, but no one is really worried much about gifts, or the hustle and bustle of getting that last gift before Christmas morning arrives. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas and enjoy it too! I just think Christmas has become too commercialized and our focus as Christians has been redirected to things that are of much less importance. Thanksgiving gives us a special opportunity to be around people for the sole purpose of being grateful for the things God has placed in our lives. There’s absolutely no commitment to bringing a gift, other than perhaps a pan of beans or some baked rolls if you are feeling generous. We can gather around the table and eat a meal with friends and family and discuss what it really means to be thankful for the things the Lord has placed in our lives. Such things as Psalm 7:17 mentions. “I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness.” Had it not been for the righteousness of Jesus we would all be in a lost condition without hope. When was the last time you thanked the Lord for His righteous salvation brought about by the work of Jesus? Perhaps Thanksgiving, being it is a holiday to be thankful, would be a great staring place for you to thank the Lord for His great provision of salvation in Christ. In fact, David finishes this verse with, “And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” Does the salvation you enjoy in Christ make you want to sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High? I want to encourage you to set a new tradition this year at your dinner table and talk about these things for a few moments before beginning to eat the food the Lord provided for you. After all, it is an opportunity the Lord has given you to engage in a conversation with someone—a family member or neighbor you have invited to be a part of your Thanksgiving tradition—for the purpose of sharing the gospel. Remember, it’s a blessing Being Thankful.