Daniel Beckworth

A Day of Graduation

Daniel Beckworth — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:34:21 +0000

Today I will attend three graduation ceremonies followed by a party to celebrate our seniors who are embarking on a new journey. The parents of these teenagers will shed tears of joy and sadness. It will be a bitter-sweet day that will never be forget for these youngsters. It will also be a day that I never forget. May 23, 2013 will forever ring out in my head because on this day I am forced to answer the question, “What have I made?” Have I spent the past year making disciples of Christ with these teenagers? Or I have I squandered it on pizza parties and youth events? It is a question that we would all do well to ask ourselves today in student ministry.

Instagram Will Kill Your Youth Ministry

Daniel Beckworth — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:28:43 +0000

Social media has swept across this great nation like wildfire. Facebook is on its way out. If you still use Myspace you’re most likely a stalker or very lonely. Twitter is still rocking along quite steady and has yet to be completely infiltrated by preteens and stay-at-home moms. Vine represents the latest trend in video social media. And Instagram has firmly captured the market on pics. All of these sites host the massive “no, no” that I would like to delve into for a brief moment, but perhaps Instagram and Twitter host the largest majority of the crimes.

I am of course talking about the local youth pastor taking a “selfie” with one of his female students. Some of you might not think that this is a big deal, but it carries major implications. And quite frankly, it seriously ticks me off. Every time I see this pop up on my timeline I want to throw my iPhone and kick a puppy. Seriously bro, how could you be so dumb? Here are some of the reasons why this is inappropriate:

1. A description of the crime

I’m not talking about posting a group pic of several students or even a group pic of several of your female students and you along side them. I’m talking about the pic that only includes the youth minister and a female student. This crime is only intensified when the two are extremely close. To make matters worse, I often see the youth minister and the female student hugged up on each other. The youth minister further brings criticism against himself if this offense is repeated on a weekly basis. Seriously bro, stop now.

(Side Note: at this point of writing this blog I’m so angry that I literally almost punched my computer screen)

2. It’s straight up creepy

Every time we see that pic pop up on our timeline we all think, “That dude is a creep.”

3. Rumors spread quickly

If a crazed teenager grows angry at you, it is not uncommon for them to make up horrific stories about you. You can check out a real life story here. Don’t give anyone ammo to use against you.

4. Ministers of the gospel must be above reproach.

1 Timothy 3:2 tells us that “an overseer must be above reproach…”

Ephesians 5:3 states, “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”

Posting picks of just you and a female student certainly leaves room for speculation. As a minister and a Christian, we must work to remove any room for criticism in the realm of sexual immorality. Don’t ride alone with a female student. Don’t counsel alone with a female student. And don’t post selfies with female students.

Note: This blog is not directed at an individual. It is simply a general observation made on the part of the writer.

Let’s be honest…

Daniel Beckworth — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:40:47 +0000

Let’s be honest: If you combine a charismatic speaker, a talented worship band, and some hip, creative events, people will attend your church. Yet this does not mean that the Holy Spirit of God is actively working and moving in the lives of the people who are coming. It simply means that you have created a space that is appealing enough to draw people in for an hour or two on Sunday.

Francis Chan, Forgotten God (Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2009), 31.

Eyewitness Testimony and the Historicity of the Resurrection of Jesus

Daniel Beckworth — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:40:03 +0000

The eyewitness accounts from the New Testament alone present an overwhelming amount of evidence for the historical credibility of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The eyewitness testimony of the disciples is all the more believable due the Jewish law code which placed a heavy emphasis on the truthfulness of eyewitness testimony. John Weldon suggests that no other religious system has stressed the importance of truthful testimony more than the Jewish system.[i] The disciples would have surely grown up learning the importance of truthful testimony and lived in a culture that placed much weight on this issue. Also, it is important to note that most of these eyewitnesses went to their grave while upholding the truthfulness of their testimony.

2 Peter 1:16 says, “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”[ii]
1 John 1:1: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.”[iii]
The disciples said, “He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days…”[iv]
Acts 2:32 states, “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.”[v]
John says, “And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.”[vi]
Luke writes, “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who form the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order…so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught” (emphasis added).[vii]

One aspect of the eyewitness testimony of the early Christians is the fact that these testimonies were circulated within a culture of knowledgeable and intellectual people, most of whom were hostile to this new religious movement.[viii] If the early Christians were guilty of spreading false information, the hostile opponents of the day would have surely ridiculed this new religious movement to the point that expansive grow would have surely been impossible.[ix]

The Apostle Paul confirms the widespread knowledge of the resurrection account in 1 Corinthians 15 and also notes the awareness surrounding this event with the likes of King Agrippa and the high-ranking Roman officials (Acts 26:25-26). Regarding the credibility of hostile eyewitnesses Dr. John Montgomery writes, “This rule underscores the reliability of testimony to Christ’s resurrection which was presented contemporaneously in the synagogue- in the very teeth of opposition, among hostile crossexaminers who would certainly have destroyed the case for Christianity had the facts been otherwise.”[x]

[i] Ankerburg, John and John Weldon, Knowing the Truth About the Resurrection (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1996), 20.

[ii] 1 Peter 1:16, NASB

[iii] 1 John 1:1, NASB

[iv] Acts 1:3, NASB

[v] Acts 2:32, NASB

[vi] John 19:35, NASB

[vii] Luke 1:1-4, NASB

[viii] McDowell, Josh and Sean McDowell, Evidence for the Resurrection (Ventura, CA: Regal Book, 2009), 147.

[ix] Gundry, Stan, An Investigation of the Fundamental Assumption of Form Criticism, thesis presented to the Department of New Testament Language and Literature, Talbot Theological Seminary, June 1963, 43.

[x] John Warwick Montgomery, “Legal Reasoning and Christian Apologetics,” The Law Above the Law (Oak Park, IL: Christian Legal Society, 1975), 88-89.

The Importance of God’s Word

Daniel Beckworth — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:00:51 +0000

So important is the Bible as the primary means of grace that God gives to his people that Charles Hodges reminds us that throughout history true Christianity has flourished “just in proportion to the degree in which the Bible is known, and its truths are diffused among the people.” Moreover, he notes that there are no evidences of salvation or sanctification to be found where the Word of God is not known. “The nations where the Bible is unknown sit in darkness.”

Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology, pg. 953

The Valley of Vision

Daniel Beckworth — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:45:22 +0000

I recently picked up a copy of The Valley of Vision. VOV is collection of Puritan devotions and prayers. The Puritans were masters of meditation and prayer and their influence is greatly seen in Christianity today. As Baptists, we typically shy away from written prayers, but this book has shown to be a great aid over the past few days as I have used it in my personal devotion.

The breakthrough for using this book comes courtesy of Joe Thorn. He created a VOV prayer guide. This guides the reader through a scheduled reading for 9am, 12pm, and 3pm. You can of course adjust this guide to create your own schedule.

You can purchase The Valley of Vision here.

You can find Joe Thorn’s guide through VOV here.

What Are the Marks of a True Church?

Daniel Beckworth — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:25:51 +0000

The New Testament church is marked by certain characteristics that are undeniable. We certainly have churches of all shapes and sizes. Every variety of music is represented. But Protestant churches acknowledge two marks that distinguish the true church: correct preaching of Scripture and the correct administration of the sacraments.[i] Any gathering that fails to rightly administer either of these two requirements is not a true church. Failing to adhere to these requirements leaves you with nothing more than a neat club.

The main area of concern that I see that the American church faces is rightly preaching the Word of God. The number of preachers, and I use that term loosely, that completely rip a passage out of context is astounding. The Scriptures are nothing more than the appetizer to the entrée of their edgy talk and life stories. This ought not be so. It is also shocking to see the number of speakers who simply refuse to even bring a Bible onto the stage and fail to quote Scripture apart from a few scarce paraphrases that would make Eugene Peterson blush.

Brothers and sisters, take notice of what is being said from the pulpit this Sunday morning. Is Christ lifted high by the proclamation of His Word? Or is your pastor glorifying his own name by impressing you with cool stories and examples?

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Ps. 115:1 (ESV)

[i] Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995), 1247.

You Don’t Have to Try Harder

Daniel Beckworth — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:44:34 +0000

One of the often forgotten attributes of regeneration is that it produces results in this lifetime.[i] An epidemic we see in Southern Baptist churches is the idea that you can repeat a prayer, live a life void of God, bear no fruit in accordance with godliness, and somehow spend eternity with God. The marvelous work of redemption purchased by Christ Jesus on Calvary’s Cross and His death-defying resurrection demands that all of humanity respond either in hatred or passion.[ii] Regeneration guarantees that the believer will be changed in this life, not simply hopefully looking forward to eternity in an ethereal heaven void of suffering and pain. Jesus affirms this idea in John 14. Jesus tells us, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching (john 14:23).” This is not a decree from Christ compelling humanity to earn salvation by keeping the commandments; rather, Christ is affirming that those who have been born again will have new desires to accompany this new birth. Jesus is not saying “Do better” or “Try harder.” He is affirming once again that obedience to God is impossible apart from a regenerate heart that has been wired to love God (Romans 8:8). One of the marks of the believer then becomes a supernatural desire to obey the Father.

[i] Grudem, 704-705

[ii] Chandler, Matt, The Explicit Gospel (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2012), 63.

Brothers, We Are Not Witchdoctors

Daniel Beckworth — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:03:24 +0000

Brothers, We Are Not Witchdoctors from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Front Lines

Daniel Beckworth — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:51:16 +0000

I’m taken by this, because there is nothing I want more than for my life to matter. I want to be used profoundly by God, to be seized by his great and mighty hand and thrust onto the stage of history in order to do something significant. With as pure of a heart as I can muster, this isn’t about fame or prestige. It’s about wanting my life to count where it is needed most.There is a great movement of God that has been set loose in this world, and I want to be on the front lines.

- James Emory White