01.25.10

What Do We Believe?

Posted in Didasko Ministries at 11:25 pm by Didasko

Naturally, being absent-minded and dense as granite I have neglected some very important aspects of this ministry. The first of these is a thorough doctrinal position of the ministry. How can I expect people to engage a ministry without any defined doctrine? Well, in my mind this is well established, but unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on who you ask) no one can read my mind. My intention is to do a clause by clause analysis of the major creeds of Christendom, which I have started on this blog, but this is going to take some time to finish. While this is ongoing, there are many doctrinal holes to fill. For the interim, I would like to suggest to anyone who wishes to know more about the doctrine of this ministry to examine the 1689 London Baptist Confession, as we are in nearly universal agreement with this document, and those minor points of disagreement are mere quibbles of language and the like. We can unanimously agree with an evangelical statement of faith such as this if anyone still has questions about our beliefs.

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01.01.10

Happy New Year!

Posted in Didasko, Didasko Ministries at 9:28 pm by Didasko

New Year’s posts are so passe, but I intend to do something a little different here. 2009 was quite a year and there is a lot for which we ought to thank God. God has granted us health and soundness of mind. He has given us the blessings of His Word, and has not left the righteous to fend for themselves. For all these, and many other blessing, we are extremely thankful.

Of course, those who regularly read this blog have noticed a drop off since September. While the Lord has been gracious with blessings, He has not seen fit to have us stationary. In September we bought our first home. This was a tremendous blessing, and precluded much writing. In addition, the church which I am the associate pastor at had a discipline issue that commanded attention as well. Finally, there are several research and writing projects over the past month-and-a-half that I have turned my attention toward. Hopefully the readers of the blogs will see the fruits of these works in the next few months.

Now that we have the past described, let me describe what I feel the Lord, if He is willing, will have us to do here. Over the next few months I will probably only post on this site to recap the activities of the ministry. This will probably occur at least weekly with occasional spurts of activity. After this period I aim to start describing and posting the projects that I am currently finishing. Please come back regularly to see updates and descriptions of these projects.

In conclusion, please pray for myself as my prayer is to launch this ministry in earnest in 2010. As always, I eagerly look for and anticipate your comments, concern, and contact over this New Year the Lord has blessed us with!

Please visit the corresponding New Years posts for the other ministry blogs here and here.

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09.07.09

Didasko Returns

Posted in Didasko at 4:16 pm by Didasko

We have had a most profitable move and I am excited with the possibilities here in our first house. I am learning so much about how God provides for His children and how to trust in Him more fully. It has been allot of work, but it is really paying off. Soon we will be fully moved and ready to go. Look forward over the next few days to new posts before I catch back up with the series we are working to complete.

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08.17.09

Moving…

Posted in Didasko at 9:09 pm by Didasko

Over the next few weeks I am moving myself and my family to our first home. This is an exciting time and one that I am looking forward to enjoying and fully engaging. Unfortunately, I am left with the conclusion that the blog must rest during this time. That said, I am looking to relaunch the blogs on Labor day in three weeks. Look forward to hearing from all of you then.

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08.16.09

Westminster Part VII

Posted in Didasko Media, Didasko Ministries at 9:53 pm by Didasko

All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all;¹ yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.²

1. 2 Pet. 3:16.
2. Psa. 119: 105, 130.

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08.15.09

Westminster Parts III through VI – A Review

Posted in Didasko Media, Didasko Ministries at 8:18 pm by Didasko

• In the section on the Apocrypha the Westminster Confession rightly declares the limitation of the Scriptures to those books previously delineated. The books of the Apocrypha are accorded mortal and potentially useful status at best. This shows a wisdom and spiritual sensitivity to the works of God as contrasted to the works of men.
• In section four we read about God as the source of Scripture and thus the source of Scriptures authoritativeness. There is no appeal that can be made beyond the Word of God.
• Section five covers the many ways that the truthfulness of the Word of God is communicated. However strict emphasis must be laid upon the fact that the mere approbation of the Holy Spirit is sufficient for Christian belief and trust in the Scriptures.
• Lastly for today’s review we notice the scope of the impact of Scripture upon the worldview of Christians. The Word of God sheds sufficient light for each believer to handle whatever situations and circumstances they find themselves. However this only applies to believers, as only the indwelling of the Spirit of God makes this possible.

Hopefully you have picked up the theme of this series. Namely, that we are looking at the Westminster Confession to see where we agree or disagree, since it unlikely that we can add anything to this work. Once we are through with this, anyone can look at this series and see how this ministry compares to the Westminster Confession and get a bearing on where we stand theologically.

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08.14.09

Westminster Part VI

Posted in Didasko Media, Didasko Ministries at 8:30 pm by Didasko

Tomorrow we will wrap up all four of these.

The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.¹ Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word;² and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.³

1. 2 Tim. 3: 15–17; Gal. 1: 8, 9; 2 Thess. 2: 2.
2. John 6:45; 1 Cor. 2:9, 10, 12.
3. 1 Cor. 11: 13, 14; 14: 26, 40.

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08.13.09

Westminster Part V

Posted in Didasko Media, Didasko Ministries at 8:46 pm by Didasko

We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of¹ the holy Scripture;² and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet, notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.³

1. [Am. ed. for.]
2. 1 Tim. 3: 15.
3. 1 John 2: 20, 27; John 16: 13, 14; 1 Cor. 2: 10–12; Isa. 59: 21.

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08.12.09

Westminster Part IV

Posted in Didasko Media, Didasko Ministries at 9:57 pm by Didasko

The authority of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the Author thereof; and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.¹

1. 2 Pet. 1: 19, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 John 5:9; 1 Thess. 2: 13.

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08.11.09

Wow!

Posted in Didasko Media, Didasko Ministries at 9:57 pm by Didasko

Sometimes there are works that are more important than they appear. Bob Jones University has put out one of those works in the Freedom Through Christ CD. There is a wide assortment of music on this CD, that should satisfy the music junkie. While not every song is exactly my taste, there are several that are must haves.

1. Two and three also is Before the Throne of God Above. This song melts the heart and thrills the soul. From the choral arrangement to the piano to the superb words, this song is a tremendous blessing. The words of the first stanza:

Before the throne of God above,

I have a strong and perfect plea,

A great High Priest whose name is Love,

Who ever lives and pleads for me,

My name is graven on His hands,

My name is written on His heart,

I know that while in Heaven He stands,

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

4. Track 13 solves my “organ fix” with a fine rendition of I Sing the Mighty Power of God.

5. The second Track is a “remix” (can I use that on a BJU title?) of At the Cross. Fantastic!

I highly recommend anyone to add this to your collection as a heart-lifting and edifying compilation.

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