“The theology that matters is not the theology we profess but the theology we practice.”  So says Tim Chester and Steve Timmis in their book, Total Church.  While professing right doctrine is important, I understand and affirm the sentiment in this quote.  The principle behind this quote is quite simple.  Our stated beliefs held against our actual practice will show others what we truly believe.  For example, I could say I believe it is right to love and serve my wife, but if I continually criticize and demean her, do I really believe what I say I believe?  You may be asking why I am addressing this issue in the first place.  Simply stated, I am concerned about the heart of many Christians that make up our local churches today.  In my denomination (SBC), we fought the so-called “battle for the Bible” from the late 1970’s until the late 1990’s.  We rightly affirmed the Word to be inerrant, infallible, and God’s revelation of Himself to man.  In response to the return to biblical orthodoxy, our (SBC’s) seminaries are training men and women to be ministers of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and teaching students to cling to the truth that was once for all delivered to the saints.  For this I am tremendously grateful.  My concern lies with the disconnect between the theology we profess and the theology we practice.  Many pastors/church leaders will give lip service to the “inerrant, infallible Word of God” but when we take a closer look at our practice, we are still guilty of existential, individualistic, self-help practices.  Many of these pastors/leaders will criticize preachers who hold their Bibles up high and say it’s the Word of God, while not to refer to the Word again throughout the sermon.  However, I cannot see a difference from keeping your Bible open, pounding the pulpit, saying the Bible is inerrant, valuing expository preaching, while at the same time not practicing what the Word says.  If we truly belief this book (the Bible), our lives will be radically different.  The bottom line question for me is do we really believe Scripture to be sufficient for all of life?  If so, our preaching must coincide with our practice.  We cannot afford to continue this existential, pragmatic, program-driven, mindset that is prevalent in so many local churches today.  We cannot on the one had say we believe God cares for the outcast and marginalized in society, while on the other hand turn a blind eye to them on the street.  We cannot on the one had say we believe the gospel is central to all aspects of life, while on the other hand continue to preach moralistic sermons that lead to either pride or despair.  We cannot on the one hand say we believe it is God who builds the church, while on the other hand put all our efforts and energies into human planning and manipulative strategies that neglect the Spirit of God.  We cannot on the one hand say the church of God is the means to reaching the nations by multiplication and church planting, while on the other hand focusing all our energies on addition and building bigger buildings.  We cannot on the one hand say we believe the church is people not buildings, while on the other hand spend millions if not billions of dollars per year on physical structures to house our programs.  Maybe I am completely off on my assessment of the local church in America.  I pray that I am.  However, I fear that I am at least partially accurate.  As for me, I don’t want to be a man who gave lip service to the Word and never actually put my belief into practice.  God help us to not only profess truth, but live truth in love.  “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25).

I have a bad habit of starting a book, reading it for a few days, starting another book at the same time, reading both for a few days, starting another book, reading all three, etc.  Typically I’m juggling 3-4 at a time.  I don’t know why I do this.  Sometimes I wish I could stop, but this has been the pattern for many years now.  All that is to say that over the past few weeks I’ve read some great quotes and wanted to share them here. 

I have heard it said, “God didn’t die for frogs.  So he was responding to our value as humans.”  This turns grace on its head.  We are worse off than frogs.  They have not sinned.  They have not rebelled and treated God with the contempt of being inconsequential in their lives.  God did not have to die for frogs.  They aren’t bad enough.  We are.  Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it.  There is only one explanation for God’s sacrifice for us.  It is not us.  It is “the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).  It is all free.  It is not a response to our worth.  It is the overflow of his infinite worth.  In fact, that is what divine love is in the end: a passion to enthrall undeserving sinners, at great cost, with what will make us supremely happy forever, namely, his infinite beauty. – John Piper, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die, pg. 29

It is not pleasant to realize how much of a burden is placed on ministers of music and worship because of the dependence on style change as the core of the solution.  Ironically enough, while a music minister is expected to make distinct style jumps from one worship service to the next, the preaching pastor may do nothing more from one service to another than to take off his or her robe or more from the pulpit to the chancel floor.  How out of proportion!  How perplexing to think of the burden we have placed on music, this fleeting human construct.  The problem is not with any one style but with the reluctance of people to rub up against a multiplicity of styles, for it is the rubbing – the creative friction – that could bring about the stylistic syntheses that the body of Christ so desperately needs…The church desperately needs an artistic reformation that accomplishes two things at once: first, it takes music out of the limelight and puts Christ and his Word back into prominence; and second, it strives creatively for a synthesis of new, old and crosscultural styles.  A deep understanding of the arts, coupled to the understanding that at best the music of corporate worship is simple, humble, and variegated, would bring something about that would make all churches into worshiping and witnessing churches that happen to sing. – Harold Best, Unceasing Worship, pg. 75

But has Paul got a self-sufficiency? you will say.  How are we sufficient of ourselves?  Our Apostle affirms in another case, ‘That we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves’ (2 Corinthians 3.5).  Therefore his meaning must be, I find a sufficiency of satisfaction in my own heart, through the grace of Christ that is in me.  Though I have not outward comforts and worldly conveniences to supply my necessities, yet I have a sufficient portion between Christ and my soul abundantly to satisfy me in every condition. – Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, pg. 18

Pick up a book, or three, and enjoy the summer!

Who do you think has the most God-given authority and responsibility to teach and train children to love and treasure Jesus above all things?  Many of you will think this is a simple question.  Most Christians would agree that parents are, or at least should be, the primary disciplers of their children; however, in practice this is typically not the case.  Somewhere along the way we have created a church culture that plays itself out in professionalism.  We hire people who have more degrees than a thermometer to train and teach our children the ways of God.  This is certainly not a criticism of children or youth ministries.  This also does not mean that such things as church activities or Christian school education are forbidden.  It does however mean that these ministries should be supplements to the loving, biblical instruction of Christian parents.  Mark Driscoll, Christian pastor and author writes, “Because parents love their children the deepest, know them the best, and are with them the most, they are best suited to be a child’s primary pastor who evangelizes them, teaches them, loves them, prays for and with them, and reads Scripture to them.”[i] 

Today there are unparalleled statistics showing the extent to which children crave attention and instruction from their parents:[ii]

• An extensive study of 272,400 teenagers conducted by USA today Weekend Magazine found that 70 percent of teens identified their parents as the most important influence in their lives.  Twenty-one percent said that about their friends (peers), and only 8 percent named the media.
• In a national survey, 1,129 middle school students were asked what the greatest influence in their life was, and parents topped the list.  The results were: parents – 37 percent, friends – 22 percent, church – 11 percent, youth pastor – 7 percent, and music – 5 percent.  Adult volunteers, schoolteachers, culture, and the Internet each scored 2 percent or less.  A national survey of 923 high school students yielded very similar results.
• MTV and the Associated Press released a study on influence of parents that said, “So you’re between the ages of 13 and 24.  What makes you happy?  A worried, weary parent might imagine the answer to sound something like this: Sex, drugs, and a little rock ‘n’ roll.  Maybe some cash, or at least the car keys.  Turns out the real answer is quite different.  Spending time with family was the top answer to that open-ended question…Parents are seen as an overwhelmingly positive influence in the lives of most young people.  Remarkably, nearly half of teens mention at least one of their parents as a hero.”
• An Anheuser-Busch Web site supports this logic, saying, “Studies have shown that parents are the primary influence on their children’s choices and decisions…and that is why we’re proud to offer help to parents.”

Keep in mind that this is secular research pointing to the importance and influence of parents.  Although you need to look no farther than Scripture to see the responsibility that parents have.  God has spoken this truth to parents for thousands of years in His Word.  Steve Wright argues, “If God knew that we (parents) had no influence on our kids, the Bible would have no reason to tell us parents to spend time teaching our children.”[iii]  Here is a sample of what the Bible says[iv]:

• “And that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” (Exodus 10:2)
• “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 11:19)
• “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
• “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
• “Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

Parents cannot buy the lie any longer that their children do not listen to them.  God has given parents an incredible blessing and responsibility to train up their children to love and treasure Jesus above all things. 

While every Christian parent would likely agree with this research and most assuredly would resonate with the principles in Scripture, most parents would also admit they struggle to know how to make this happen practically.  Some parents feel inadequate for this task for several reasons.  Perhaps you are fearful that your child will ask something about God or the Bible that you will not know how to answer.  Maybe you are afraid that your child will see inconsistencies in your life when juxtaposed to Scripture.  Whatever your fears may be, there is overwhelming hope.  Your hope is the gospel.  While you will never be a perfect parent and you will make mistakes, Jesus, specifically his perfect life, sin-bearing death, and sin-conquering resurrection, offers you access to the Father, our perfect parent.  As you raise your children remember that it is Christ in you that enables you to teach, love, and raise your children to treasure Christ above all things.  So as a pastor, and as a soon-to-be-parent, I want to offer you some suggestions on how to practically teach the Bible to your children at home.  I have learned most of these suggestions from wiser and more experienced pastors and fathers.  I claim no originality.  In fact, I have really never had an original thought in my life, but I digress.  Onto some practical tips:

• Pray to God that the Holy Spirit would give you an ongoing commitment to pastor your own children in love.[v]
• Continually read good books that help shape a biblical view of parenting.  Some suggestions are: Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp, ApParent Privilege by Steve Wright, Raising Children God’s Way by D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, and Hints For Parents by Gardiner Spring.[vi]
• Develop relationships with other Christian families so that there is mutual learning about God, marriage, parenting, and the like in community.[vii]
• Develop biblical habits with your children, such as praying, reading Scripture, and attending church together.[viii]
• Eat dinner together as a family and include Bible teaching around the dinner table.
• Develop a consistent time of family worship that includes Bible reading, Bible application, prayer, and singing.

I want to close with a great quote from Steve Wright:

I am concerned that we forget the privilege we have.  We overlook the unparalleled influence of parenting.  God has given us a place to affect our children for eternity.  A personal hero of mine, John Angell James, a pastor from the mid-1800s, said, “Recollect what a solemn thing it is to be a parent, and what a weighty responsibility attaches to those who have the immortal souls of their children committed to their care!”  We cannot neglect the lasting things for the temporary.  We cannot focus our efforts on passing things that the world says will offer soul satisfaction, or our children will find what Solomon found in Ecclesiastes as he discovered pursuing the things of the world is simply “striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:17).  We cannot help our children gain the whole world and yet forfeit their souls (Matthew 16:26).  Your children are listening to you.  You know the words of life they need to hear.  Don’t miss out on this apparent privilege of being a parent.[ix]

I pray that God will give us a passion to train up a mighty army of children that know, love, serve, and treasure Jesus above all things. 

[ii] The following statistics are taken from: Steve Wright, Apparent Privilege, (Wake Forest: Inquest Ministries), 18-20.              

[iii]  Ibid., 21.  

[iv]  All Scripture taken from: The Holy Bible: English Standard Version

[v] Driscoll, 67.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Ibid.

[viii] Ibid.

[ix] Wright, 26.

Someone has said, “books are to the believer what tools are to the carpenter: the essentials of the trade.”  Growing up I was often told that learning is a life-long job.  At the time, I was more than skeptical of that statement.  In fact, my goal was to finish school as quick as possible so I could get a job, make some money, and live the “good life.”  Looking back on that attitude I realize how foolish I was.  Learning indeed is a life-long job.  You should be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord until you meet Him face to face.  As the apostle Paul faced his impending death in a Roman prison cell, he still remained a student, requesting of Timothy that he bring the books when he came to visit Paul in prison (2 Timothy 4:13).  Paul’s example is more than enough to encourage me to continue reading and learning.  Lest we need to be reminded that this is Paul we’re talking about, the great missionary who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned two-thirds of the New Testament.  I hope you caught that.  He wrote under the guidance of God and yet he still wanted Timothy to bring the books so he could read and write from prison.  We should follow this example and    dedicate ourselves to being lifetime students of the Word.  I know many people will argue that there is only one book we need to read.  While I do agree that the Bible should be preeminent in our reading and study, I also believe that we should welcome the grace offered to us in other biblically and theologically rich books.  While these books are neither inspired nor inerrant, they are helpful tools for the trade.  All of this is to encourage you to read.  Perhaps our greatest motivation is found in Matthew 22:37 as Jesus teaches us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  God has graciously given us a mind and we are instructed to love Him with all of it.  Do not let your intellect go to waste.  Immerse yourself in the study of the Word first and foremost and then begin to build a good theological library of your own.  At this point, others will say, “Why not simply borrow books from another source?”  My answer to this question is more practical than anything else.  Bottom line: having your own personal library is  more convenient than borrowing.  You are free to mark your books as you please.  Your books are constantly at your own disposal.  Perhaps even more significantly, you are now free to lend good books to others when they ask you for recommendations.  So what are you waiting for?  Start investing in good books that will enable you to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.  “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Recommended titles to add to your theological library.  Categories will be in parenthesis:

• English Standard Version Study Bible (Study Bible with excellent notes and articles)
• How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart (Bible Interpretation)
• The Message of the Old Testament: Mark Dever (Old Testament Survey)
• The Message of the New Testament: Mark Dever (New Testament Survey)
• A Theology for the Church: ed. Daniel Akin (Systematic Theology)
• Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know: Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology)
• Systematic Theology: Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology)
• Knowing God: J.I. Packer (Theology Proper)
• The Knowledge of the Holy: A.W. Tozer (Theology Proper)
• Desiring God: John Piper (Theology Proper)
• Don’t Waste Your Life: John Piper (Christian Living)
• When I Don’t Desire God: John Piper (Christian Living)
• The Gospel for Real Life: Jerry Bridges (Christian Living)
• The Discipline of Grace: Jerry Bridges (Christian Living)
• The Pursuit of Holiness: Jerry Bridges (Christian Living)
• The Cross of Christ: John Stott (Christology)
• Living the Cross Centered Life: C.J. Mahaney (Christian Living)
• Humility:C.J. Mahaney (Christian Living)
• Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God: J.I. Packer (Evangelism & Missions)
• The Reason for God: Tim Keller (Apologetics)
• Prodigal God: Tim Keller (Christian Living)
• Mere Christianity: C.S. Lewis (Apologetics)
• What is a Healthy Church: Mark Dever (Ecclesiology)
• Stop Dating the Church: Joshua Harris (Ecclesiology)

I’ve used the ESV (English Standard Version) for about five years.  If ever asked which translation I recommend, I always refer people to the ESV.  It is a reliable, essentially literal translation, and extraordinarily readable translation stemming from the King James translation line.  You can watch this video to find out more.  Also, you should definitely buy a copy of the new ESV Study Bible.  The notes and articles are invaluable resources.

As evangelicals we hear much about being “pro-life.”  I’ve struggled to understand exactly what that means.  Does it mean that we are simply anti-abortion, or does it mean something more?  Yes, I take a firm stand against abortion, but that cannot be the extent of holding the pro-life position.  Not only must we stand against abortion, we must stand for adoption.  My wife and I have talked much about adoption and pray that we will be able to, Lord willing, adopt a child in the future.  How can we as believers, especially Gentile Christians, not have a heart for adoption?  Need we be reminded of the fact that we who were once far off have now been brought near by the blood of Christ?  The Scriptures are replete with reminders that we have been adopted into the family of God (Romans 8,  Galatians 4:1-7, Ephesians 1:5).  Adoption is one of the many beautiful facets of the gospel.  Thus, the gospel is our motivation for adoption.  We see ourselves as the child without a father, having no hope.  That is who we once were and would still be, if not for the shed blood of Christ as He stood in our place for our sin.  With this understanding, along with clear commands to care for orphans (James 1:27), we must lead the way in adoption.  Only then can we claim the title of ”pro-life.”

I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, but Russell Moore’s book, Adopted for Life, has gotten great reviews.

Also, check out the ministry, Together for Adoption, for more information on the subject.

I’m reading Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon by Bryan Chapell.  Here are two great quotes I read yesterday, one on a pastor’s prayer/intimacy with Christ and the other on preaching Christ from ALL of Scripture.

Public ministry true to God’s purposes requires devoted private prayer.  We should not expect our words to acquaint others with the power of the Spirit if we have not met with him.  Faithful preachers plead for God to work as well as for their own accuracy, integrity, and skill in proclaiming his Word.  Success in the pulpit can be the force that leads a preacher from prayerful dependence on the Spirit.  Congregational accolades for pulpit excellence may tempt one to put too much confidence in personal gifts, acquired skills, or a particular method of preaching.  Succumbing to such a temptation is evidenced not so much by a change in belief as by a change in practice.  Neglect of prayer signals serious deficiencies in a ministry even if other signs of success have not diminished.  We must always remember that popular acclaim is not necessarily the same as spiritual effectiveness.

Without a redemptive focus, we may believe we have exegeted Scripture when in fact we have simply translated its parts and parsed its pieces without reference to the role they have in God’s eternal plan.  John Calvin said, “God has ordained his Word as the instrument by which Jesus Christ, with all His graces, is dispensed to us.”  No such process occurs when passages of the Word are ripped from their redemptive context and are seen as mere moral examples and behavioral guidelines. (emphasis mine)

Every pastor and preacher of the Word should take these quotes to heart.  I was especially encouraged by the reminder that grace will not be dispensed to our listeners when we rip passages of the Word “from their redemptive context” and see them ”as mere moral examples and behavioral guidelines.”  Jesus is the key to all of Scripture.  It is a book about Him and His redemptive purposes.  Jesus himself knew this.  (Luke 24:25-27, 44-49)  When we treat the Bible like a “blueprint for living,” we are missing the point altogether.  Does Scripture instruct us how we ought to live?  Certainly.  But, if that is all we preach, we have not dispensed the grace of Christ to our listeners.  Preach the gospel!  (Even when you’re preaching from the Old Testament!!)

Here are two good books to help you preach Jesus from all of Scripture:

Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture- Graeme Goldsworthy

Preaching Christ in All of Scripture- Edmund P. Clowney

If you have iTunes, check out this lecture series from Tim Keller and Edmund Clowney.  It is well worth your time!  If you don’t have iTunes, go download it and then download the lecture series.

I have many heros of the faith. Men such as John Piper, C.J. Mahaney, Tim Keller, Billy Graham, Danny Akin, and Jerry Bridges have impacted my life greatly through their preaching and writing ministries. Another man I admire is Mark Driscoll. There has been much recent debate about Driscoll in my demonimation. To that end, here’s a video interview between Mark Driscoll and Dr. David Nelson from SEBTS. Hopefully, this will show you Mark’s heart and the reason I deeply respect him as a pastor, church planter, theologian, husband, and father.  Click here to watch the interview.

I have greatly struggled how to apply New Testament principles to our current political system.  To that end, here is a great quote from Tim Keller’s Ministries of Mercies: The Call of the Jericho Road:

Love cannot be only expressed through talk, but through word and deed (1 John 3:17).  While accomplishing that task, Francis Schaeffer said, Christians may be at times, “cobelligerents” with the Left or the Right, but never allies.  “If there is social injustice, say there is social injustice.  If we need order, say we need order…But do not align yourself as though you are in either of these camps: You are an ally of neither.  The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is different from either-totally different.”

The ideology of the Left believes big government and social reform will solve social ills, while the Right believes big business and economic growth will do it.  The Left expects a citizen to be held legally accountable for the use of wealth, but totally autonomous in other areas, such as sexual morality.  The Right expects a citizen to be held legally accountable in areas of personal morality, but totally autonomous in the use of wealth.  The North American “idol” – radical individualism – lies beneath both ideologies.  A Christian sees either “solution” as fundamentally humanistic and simplistic.

The causes of our worsening social problems are far more complex than either the secularists of the Right or the Left understand.  We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with powers and principalities!  We have seen there is great social injustice – racial prejudice, greed, avarice – by those with the greatest wealth in the country (and sadly, within the evangelical church itself).  At the same time, there is a general breakdown of order – of the family and the morals of the nation.  There is more premarital sex (and thus there is more unwed mothers), more divorce, child neglect and abuse, more crime.  Neither a simple redistribution of wealth nor simple economic growth and prosperity can mend broken families; nor can they turn low-skilled mothers into engineers or technicians.

Only the ministry of the church of Jesus Christ, and the millions of “mini-churches” (Christian homes) throughout the country can attack the roots of social problems.  Only the church can minister to the whole person.  Only the gospel understands that sin has ruined us both individually and socially.  We cannot be viewed individualistically (as the capitalists do) or collectivistically (as the Communists do) but as related to God.  Only Christians, armed with the Word and Spirit, planning and working to spread the kingdom and righteousness of Christ, can transform a nation as well as a neighborhood as well as a broken heart.

Last weekend, I attended the 20/20 Conference (go here for a blog re-cap of the conference) at SEBTS.  To be honest, this was probably the best $35 I’ve ever spent.  The conference was called “The Gospel comes to Life.”  Key note speakers included Mark Driscoll, C.J. Mahaney, Bill Brown (president of Cedarville University), and Danny Akin (president of SEBTS).  Not only were the large group sessions amazing, but the break-out sessions were well worth $35 in and of themselves.  One session was particularly beneficial: “The Bible Comes to Life: How Scripture Memory Transforms One’s Life,” led by Andy Davis, pastor of FBC Durham, NC.  The main point of the breakout: memorizing entire books of the Bible are better than memorizing individual verses.  Why you ask?  Memorizing individual verses tends to miss intervening verses that the individual does not feel are as significant.  Furthermore, most of Scripture is written to make a case.  There is a flow of argumentation that is missed if individual verses are memorized.  There is also a greater likelihood of taking verses out of context by focusing on individual verses.  I left this session convicted that I have not been meditating on and memorizing the Word as I ought.  I was also encouraged by the Spirit to begin to memorize entire books of Scripture.  I personally made the commitment before God to invest time in Scripture memorization by beginning to memorize the book of Ephesians.  Below is the process that I am using to accomplish this goal (taken from Dr. Andy Davis’ “An Approach to Extended Memorization of Scripture”)

Daily Procedures:

1. Priority of reviewing old verses: Always give priority in your mind to the retaining of old verses even over the learning of new ones.

2. Repetition over time: Saying a verse 100 times in one day is not as helpful as saying it for 100 days.

3. Memorizing the verse numbers: An important note is that it is well-worth the extra effort to memorize the verse numbers as if they were part of each verse.

4. Photographing the verses with your eyes: Memorization is partly visual.  Read each new verse ten times, covering each word as though photographing it with your eyes.

Sample Daily Procedure:

1. Day one: Read Ephesians 1:1 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes.  Be sure to include the verse number.  Then cover the page and recite it ten times.  You’re done for the day.

2. Day two: Recite yesterday’s verse, Ephesians 1:1 ten times, being sure to include the verse number.  Now, do your new verse.  Read Ephesians 1:2 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes.  Be sure to include the verse number.  Then cover the page and recite it ten times.

3. Day three: Recite yesterday’s verse, Ephesians 1:2 ten times, being sure to include the verse number.  Recite Ephesians 1:1-2 together once, being sure to include the verse numbers.  Now do your new verse.  Read Ephesians 1:3 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes.  Be sure to include the verse number.  Then cover the page and recite it ten times.

This cycle would continue through the entire book.  The “old verses together” stage will soon swell to take the most time of all.  The entire book of Ephesians can be read at a reasonable rate in less than fifteen minutes.  Therefore, the “old verses together” stage of your review should not take longer than that on any given day.  Do it with the Bible ready at hand, in case you draw a blank or get stuck.  There’s no shame in looking and it actually helps you nail down troublesome verses so they will never be trouble again.

Assuming you continue this procedure in Ephesians with no missed days (other than your one day off per week), you should be done with the whole book in 26 weeks.  When you have learned the whole book, you should stop to celebrate!  Get on your knees and give thanks to God for His goodness to you.  After your celebration is done, you should recite the entire book from memory for 100 consecutive days.

When I first heard Dr. Davis talk about this I was quite intimidated.  But after prayer, I felt so encouraged by the Spirit to jump right in.  I’ve started to memorize Ephesians.  I follow the above procedure six days a week, Mon-Sat.  Lord willing, I will finish the book of Ephesians on August 8, 2009.  My wife and I are planning a celebration when I finish.  Hopefully it will include her famous cheese enchiladas and some of her amazing oatmeal-raisin cookies.

I’ll leave you with a few verses that encouraged me when I made the commitment to memorize Ephesians.  I hope that some of you will take this challenge as well:

Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:9-11, John 15:7-8