#matt foreman

[confessingbaptist]

Pastor Matt Foreman

Pastor Matt Foreman:

I would like to propose that Reformed Baptists should have three tiers of closer ecclesiastical cooperation and interest. Tier 1 is the work of your own church. Tier 2 is working with other churches who share your own ecclesiastical commitments and with whom you can work most closely for the work of planting other churches, cooperation in missions, etc. Tier 3 is working with those from other Reformed denominations who agree with you theologically on the basics of the Gospel, the authority of Scripture, etc. (Some might add a fourth tier for looser fellowship with broad evangelicals…)

Put another way, my thesis is this: As a Baptist, while I believe in the independence of the local church, I also believe (with historical precedent) that Baptists should be involved in formal Associations. But in addition, those churches and Associations should also have an outward impulse, an open hand to broader fellowship across denominational lines, seeking to humbly contribute to the larger Reformed communion…

Reformed Baptists should seek to be actively engaged in the larger Reformed communion. We should have an open hand to the Reformed Resurgence and even the New Calvinists. We should be seeking to be involved and to add our voice in groups like the Alliance, like Together for the Gospel, like the Gospel Coalition. God has been working among these groups. We do well to listen. And Reformed Baptists have an important voice to add…

Read Outgrowing the Ingrown Denomination

 Related:

Another Reformed Baptist Perspective on Associations of Churches by David Chanski [PDF]

Some Objections [Against Associationalism] Considered pt. 1-3 [Dr. James Renihan]

Singing As A Means of Grace [6-Part Blog Series by Matt Foreman]

[confessingbaptist]

The Decablog has setup a new feature on their blog called The Rhino Room. They describe it as follows:

Each week, we will ask a question of a panel of ministry leaders from different parts of the world, and they will have 150 words or less to answer. We hope the varied perspectives will provide a comprehensive overview of each question, and offer ample material for discussion in the comment section of the blog.

The questions will cover a wide spectrum to include systematic and biblical theology, culture, history, pastoral theology, etc. Each week’s question and answers will be posted on Tuesdays and, we hope, the remainder of the week will be filled with discussion…

Since they announced that last week, this Tuesday brought on their first question which was, “What is common grace and how is it manifest?” 

Here is just one of the eleven answers they got from Reformed Baptist ministry leaders:

Matt Foreman (Pastor, Faith Reformed Baptist Church of Media, Pennsylvania)

Common Grace is God’s general goodness, loving care, and providential influence for all of His creation, especially in humanity. By common grace, God retains his image in humanity, influences their consciences, restrains their sin, and manifests his goodness and gifts in their lives, irrespective of their faith or its lack. God can be at work, manifesting goodness, in and through even unbelievers and unbelieving cultures. However, God only shows special, saving grace to his elect.

Check out the rest of the answers.

Feel free to send your burning questions to the blog admins. I may even send the backlog of “Ask a Reformed Baptist” to them! :D

 Related:

Can a person lose their salvation? Conrad Mbewe answers

How Should We Preach Christ in Every Sermon? Fred Malone Answers

Of What Use Is The Law? Jeff Robinson Answers

[confessingbaptist]

Pastor Matt Foreman

The newest Decablogger, Matt Foreman, finished up his first blog series Singing As A Means of Grace:

…When Reformed Christians talk about the ‘means of grace’, they usually are referring to the corporate practices of the church – like prayer, Bible reading, preaching, Lord’s Supper and Baptism – that God has revealed as means and practices that lead to spiritual growth. They are the channels that God promises to use through the Spirit to build up and nourish God’s people. I want to argue that Christians need to recognize the place of spiritual singing as an important and Biblical means of grace…

In the next few posts, we are going to explore why and how to use singing as a means of grace.

Here is the series:

Introduction

Why Do We Sing?

Singing As A Ministry of the Word

Singing Corporately

Singing Different Types of Songs

Singing With Grace In Our Hearts

 Related:

The Lord’s Supper As A Means Of Grace By Richard Barcellos

Lord’s Supper: Means of Grace | 5-part Sermon Series – Richard Barcellos

‘Growth in Grace’ Series [Sam Waldron]

[joshgarzastrength]

A little bit of focus goes a long way.

[bodybossteam]

Lessons from the Great Romanian Nicu Vlad: Striving for Greatness

Nicu Vlad… ever heard of him?  He’s credited as one of the greatest weight lifters of all time, and arguably where the name Romanian Deadlift (RDL) was born.  Check out his YouTube video of his 1985 Clean & Jerk of 215 Kg (474 lbs!) here -- video.  Impressive.  Vlad won Olympic Gold at 1984 Games, Silver in the ’88 Olympics, Bronze in ’96, and three (3) World Championships in ’84, ’86, and ’90.  Color me inspired.

Matt Foreman, football and track and field coach at Mountain View High School in Phoenix, AZ, wrote in 2008 in Catalyst Athletics about his time at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) training three weeks with the famed Romanian – “Lessons from Romania: Nicu Vlad at the Olympic Training Center”.  Foreman writes about the awe-inspiring performances and mentality of Vlad and his coach Dragomir Cioroslan. 

The article is a great read, and one that applies to athletes, not just weight-lifters.  In fact, the article hones in on some important lessons that should be revered in everyday life.  Here, let me summarize some of Foreman’s key points:

Vlad is a beast, and a marvel.  I needed to start with that…

Impeccable technique.  Vlad performed with perfect mechanics for every exercise, never mind the weight.  Foreman writes how perfect technique means “make 50 kilos look exactly the same as 150 kilos”.  Every movement was identical for an exercise regardless of the weight.  Think about that for a second…  how do you apply great detail to everything you do, regardless of the “challenge”?

Short-term memory.  Foreman recalls one of Vlad’s “bad workouts” where Vlad missed the Snatch for 170 kilos the first time, then made it a few minutes later.  Vlad progressed to 180… missed that twice.  He then put on 185.  He paused in clearly a very concentrated position.  Then, after 10 seconds, grabbed the bar, and nailed it – “the easiest, strongest snatch of the day”.  There was no remark, no “temper tantrum” when Vlad missed the prior lifts.  Instead, he loaded the bar, and concentrated to nail the number he was gunning for that day.  See how this is could be applicable to you?  If not, give me a call.

Quit making excuses – all you need is in you.  Foreman writes about how many junior athletes at OTC complained about the gym being too small, dorms too hot, bars did not “spin well enough”, etc.  The junior athletes would later quit within years.  Vlad, Cioroslan always looked on and shook their heads.  Nicu remarked in an interview later, "In Romania, I train on a bar that is bent.  My gym has bad lighting and very little heat in the winters.  Here in America, you have everything you need to train.  It’s not in the bar or the gym or the platform… it’s in you.”  Foreman loved this principle, and I’m a big fan of it as well.  Too often, we get used to our comfortable lives, and start making excuses as to why we don’t exercise, get work done, etc.  At the end of the day, excuses just get in the way of accomplishing greatness.

Vlad was clearly a beast in more ways than weight-lifting.  I believe that’s what Foreman is also ultimately trying to convey in his writing.  As we coach today’s players and even live our everyday lives, the principles instilled in those around us and in us have lasting impressions far greater than in the weight room or on the field.  And of course, there are some great take-aways for weight-lifting, too, from the Great Vlad…

What are your thoughts about Foreman’s article?  How else would the above principles affect your own training regimens?   

[confessingbaptist]

Though we already highlighted some, here are more videos from Reformed Baptist Seminary on church ministry and the worship of the church.

Eight Free Video Lectures on Worship and Music – Pastor Matt Foreman

Reformed Baptist Seminary asked Pastor Matt Foreman to give eight lectures on the topic of worship and church ministry. Parts one and two of Matt’s lecture series consist of a redemptive historical survey or overview of worship in the Bible. He explains the relationship between worship as a way of life and corporate worship in part three. The fourth and fifth parts of his series focus on the regulative principle of worship and the distinction between elements and circumstances. Matt provides a theology of music and worship in part six, using the piano and an acoustic guitar to illustrate the principles he expounds. Then, in part seven, Matt gives practical guidelines for working with worship leaders and musical accompanists. Finally, he discusses special occasions such as weddings and funerals.

Part 1: Worship in Redemptive History (Part I)

Part 2: Worship in Redemptive History (Part II)

Part 3: Worship in All of Life and Corporate Worship

Part 4: The Regulative Principle of Worship

Part 5: Elements and Circumstances of Worship

Part 6: A Theology of Worship Music

Part 7: Practical Guidelines for Worship

Part 8: Special Occasions: Weddings and Funerals

  Contextualization & Church Ministry: Two Free Video Lectures

Contextualization in gospel ministry is a much debated topic. In the two lectures below, Bob Gonzales attempts to navigate a course between the extremes of what one writer has called “cultural gluttony” (over-contextualization) and “cultural anorexia” (under-contextualization). In the first lecture that’s entitled “All Things to All Men,” he attempts to provide an exegetically derived definition and description of what it means to accommodate our gospel ministry to those we’re trying to win to Christ. The second lecture, “Communication That Connects,” focuses more specifically on the contextualization of the gospel message itself in order to render its truth more intelligible and its relevance more apparent to the target audience.

“All Things To All Men”: Contextualization & Ministry, Part 1 – Bob Gonzales

“Communication That Connects”: Contextualization & Ministry, Part 2 – Bob Gonzales

  How the Bible Regulates Worship: Two Free Lectures

How does the Bible regulate our worship? Pastor Matt Foreman addresses this question as he lectures on the larger topic of worship and church ministry. In the two free video lectures below, Pastor Foreman addresses the distinction between worship as a way of life and corporate worship. He also discusses the distinction between elements and circumstances of worship.

The Regulative Principle Explained – Matt Foreman

The Elements and Circumstances Distinguished – Matt Foreman

  Here is the audio mp3s from these.

[asthecrowtherflies]

"Getting people to know someone who is gay is not an issue: more than 70% of the public already does. Instead, the challenge is helping decent straight people who already know someone who is gay work through their internal conflict between not wanting to hurt gay people and their own religious beliefs or other deep-seated concerns. Messengers with whom these conflicted individuals can relate are the most effective and powerful. Why? Because they can see someone just like them who has moved to a place of support for marriage equality. (This isn't rocket science; it's human communications 101.) "Gay messengers on TV are not as effective because they are (correctly) seen as not ever having had a similar conflict to work through and because they have something personal to gain from their advocacy.  Of course, the most effective way to move people on issues of LGBT equality is when LGBT people actually talk to straight people in their lives about these issues - as opposed to simply being 'out.' Data indicate that straight people who have had these talks are 15-16% more supportive of marriage equality than those who only know someone who is gay. However, it's the personal (not political) connection that counts in these conversations and that cannot be replicated by a stranger spokesperson on TV." - Matt Foreman, Director of Gay and Immigrant Rights Programs for the Haas Jr. Fund.