Passion for God

PASSION FOR GOD

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If you own a Bible that is in the English language, then you owe some measure of debt to a man named William Tyndale. You see, William Tyndale was the first man to fully translate the New Testament from the original Greek language into English and put it into the hands of the common people. We hold our Bible in English today mostly because of William Tyndale.

He was born in 1494 in a country that was shrouded in spiritual darkness, although many churches existed and most people went to church. The reason England was in such darkness was because the common people spoke English, but all their Bibles were in Latin. Even the church services were all conducted in Latin leaving people completely in the dark about what was going on and what God was saying. This completely baffled Tyndale. If we wanted people to get saved, and to know God more, and grow in holiness, how could we do this if we don’t know or understand what God says?

The reason no one had brought the Bible into English before was because it was a crime in England. Even teaching the Bible unauthorized was a crime, a capital crime at that. Seven Reformers were burned at the stake just for teaching their children the Lord’s Prayer in English! This shows the spiritual darkness that hovered over England at the time.

Tyndale was consumed with one singular passion: to get the Word of God into the hands of the people of England. He said he wanted a plowboy in the field to know more of the Word of God than the pope. This decision to translate the Bible into English was not easy for Tyndale because he was putting his life on the line. Tyndale spent 12 years translating, and most of it was on the run, as the church authorities conspired and attempted to catch him to kill him. He could not even do his translating work in England, for fear of safety, so he spent most of his time translating moving around through Europe. As his location was compromised, he would grab his parchments and move on to another location.

He finished the New Testament and had begun the Old Testament when he was betrayed by a friend and arrested. Tyndale was sentenced to death for the heinous crime of translating God’s Word into English so people could read it. On October 6, 1536 Tyndale was brought to the place of execution. He was strangled with an iron chain and then his body was burned at the stake. His final words were, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.”

What makes a person so focused and so determined to go to these great lengths? I think it really has to do with passion. Tyndale was a gifted linguist, but it was his one desire in life to get the Word of God into the hands of the common people. He had a passion for the Word of God and that passion led him to a life on the run and eventual martyrdom. 

As I look around Christianity, I see anything but passion. I see apathy, indifference, an overall attitude of ‘good enough.’ This Voice article is not just a history lesson but a call to action, a call to passion. What are you passionate about? It could be all kinds of things, but is there any passion at all for God and His kingdom? Too often we spend our time seeking after the things of this world in order to ‘make it’ when Jesus said to seek His kingdom first and all those things shall be added unto you.

Some may look at the life of William Tyndale and think of him as a fool. He spent all his time on that translating work and look where it left him. I see a servant of God, with a passion for God, who God used mightily and influenced the entire world. Find something about the Lord that you are passionate about and go after it with 100% and God will honor that. As another Reformer once said, “I’d rather wear out than rust out.”

-Pastor Mark Scialabba

Who Will Replace You?

Who Will Replace You?

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For a while now I have been putting off changing the batteries in my TV remote control. I know the batteries are getting low because sometimes pressing a button does nothing. They will eventually run out, but I don’t know when. The same is true when it comes to our place of ministry in the local church. We are like God’s batteries. He has us in a particular ministry or area of service for an amount of time that He designates. We don’t know the day or year when that time will come but we know it will eventually come. Maybe we will have to move, or maybe our age will make it too difficult to continue, or maybe it will just be our time to pass away. We have seen examples of all three in our local church here. Whatever the reason, we know that we won’t be serving or ministering where we are at forever.

So what do we need to do? We need to come to the realization that we are replaceable in God’s eyes and that we need someone else to step in our place when our time of ministry is over. We have to be engaged in the process of passing the baton to someone else. Paul outlined this process in 2 Timothy 2:2. He said, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Paul knew he wouldn’t be ministering forever and so he brought along a young protégé named Timothy to follow him around, learn from him, and gain experience. Now, Paul tells Timothy to do the same thing to other men. The task is to duplicate yourself. Find someone who is capable and interested in taking over for you when the time comes for the Lord to move you on to something else.

Think about it. Is there an area of ministry that you are in charge of? Who will take over if the Lord moves you to something else? Is there something you do for the church better than anybody else? What will happen when the Lord switches you to something else? In most cases that area of ministry or service will simply come to an end if there is no one ready to step in and take the baton from the previous person. We don’t want to see that happen. We want ministry to continue for generations.

Of course we all know that we should be involved in some ministry in the local church, but one of the ways you can truly serve your church in the long-term is to invest in the next generation. Prepare someone else to take over for you when your area of ministry comes to an end. Find that person who is capable and interested, show them what to do, teach them, so that the ministry can eventually be turned over and it can continue. That’s surely better than just seeing the ministry come to an end. Pass the baton. 

This will take a lot of humility and the swallowing of pride because if you commit to passing the baton to someone else you are entrusting them to run the way they run, not the way you run. By turning over your ministry to someone else you are acknowledging that they may do it a little bit differently, and you’re ok with that, because the ministry continues. We have to come to grips with the realization that we are not the only ones who can do x, y, or z. Other people can do it too, but they will do it their way. However, without someone to pass the baton to, the ministry will simply die out.

This is not going to be a quick fix either. We are not talking about a few minutes of instruction one day. We are talking about life discipleship with another person. Bring somebody alongside of you in your ministry and show them how to do what you do. We are not irreplaceable to God. In fact, like a battery, we don’t know when our time of ministry in our current location is going to run out. Let’s pass the baton to the next generation and see them do the same.

-Pastor Mark Scialabba

Good Deeds

Good Deeds

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In our day and age, when someone says, “I’m a Christian,” many thoughts come to the mind of those who hear. Some may think that means “I’m anti-gay,” or “I’m anti-abortion,” or “I’m a Republican.” When we tell someone we are a Christian, what should come to mind? What should those people be thinking? Is it some political stance or some ancient way of life taken from some old book? What should Christians be known for? I’ll tell you what Christians should be known for: good deeds. A Christian should be someone whose life is full of good deeds that benefit others. That is what should come to mind when people hear us say we follow Christ. People should think, “Oh, you’re a Christian, then you are one of those people always doing good deeds for others.” That is what they should think.

Paul mentions the need for Christians to engage in good deeds over and over again in his instructions to Titus. He tells Titus to teach young men to be “an example of good deeds” (2:7). He says Jesus is purifying a people (us) who are “zealous for good deeds (2:14). He says we should be “ready for every good deed (3:1). He says “be careful to engage in good deeds” (3:8) and that the people must also learn to “engage in good deeds” (3:14). Lastly, it is a false Christian who professes to know God but really deny Him by his/her “deeds” (1:16). Christians should be known for their good deeds.

To sum up Paul’s instructions to Titus about this issue we could say the following: Christians should set the example of those who do good deeds, we should be excited and passionate about doing good deeds, we should be ready at any time to do good deeds, we should be careful and compassionate in how we do good deeds, and lastly we need to actually get out there and do the good deeds.

Now, what exactly are the “good deeds?” Can it be something like baking a cake for a friend? Or does it have to be something more ‘spiritual’ like sharing the gospel or inviting someone to church. I think it can really be all of the above. Jesus talked about giving food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, inviting in strangers, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and going to see those in prison (Matt 25:35-36). What do all of those have in common? They all reveal an overall attitude of help and service to those who cannot repay you. It is really about doing something for others without expecting anything in return. If you bake a cake for a friend, not expecting one in return, then that would be a good deed. If you share the gospel with a co-worker because you love them and want to see them saved, then that would be a good deed. 

Paul’s instructions to Titus clarify what a good deed is when he says, “These things are good and profitable for all men” (3:8). The key word there is “profitable.” Do your deeds bring profit to the other individual? Of course we are not talking about financial profit, but simply the actions that would better them in some way. Giving them a cake to brighten their day could profit them. Seeing someone saved is definitely a profit to them. Are the deeds we are performing bringing profit to others? That is the definition of a good deed.

It seems today that the word ‘Christian’ has a negative connotation to it. People look upon Christians in a bad light. Now, some of that is because the world is in opposition to God. Jesus was the greatest man who ever lived and they crucified Him! Just because we behave like Jesus doesn’t mean the world will love us. But, if you look at the behavior and actions of Jesus, they were filled with good deeds. He was always bringing profit to others in a gracious way, not expecting anything in return. Let us take up that model and engage in good deeds.

-Pastor Mark

It's a Boy...Or a Girl

IT'S A BOY...OR A GIRL

PART II

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    This month’s article is a continuation of last month’s article dealing with the issue transgenderism in our culture. Last time, we discussed what a transgender person is and two reasons why it cannot be accepted. First, it screams of subjectivity, even rejecting the scientific biological evidence. Second, God makes it very clear that He assigns gender, and it is not up for discussion (Gen 1:27; Deut 22:5). 
    Let us take a moment to discuss a third reason why transgenderism cannot be condoned or accepted. I would call the third reason one large jump down the slippery slope. Where does the subjectivity of the human spirit end? Today, it is people rejecting their biological gender. Tomorrow, its people rejecting that they are even people! And it’s happening. I recently read a story about men who dress up in dog costumes and like to act like dogs, because they ‘identify’ with that way of life. Is that wrong? How can you say either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ if subjectivity reigns? There was also a news story of a woman who worked for the NAACP who was white, but said she identified as an African American because she is transracial. At the height of hypocrisy, the national public went nuts. This woman was ridiculed and insulted for how she dared to claim to be something biologically she wasn’t. But why is transgender ok and transracial isn’t? What’s next? Transfinancial (a rich person trapped in a poor person’s body), transmoral (any or no morals), transethnic (Italian but identify as Mexican), etc. The leap down the slippery slope has already happened.
    So, where does something like transgenderism come from? There is one simple word that explains the entire idea and movement. The word is sin. The root of sin is simply not following a list of things that God said to do or not do. The root of sin is rebellion. It is revolt and mutiny against God. Sin is willful defiance against God as the Sovereign one who has the ultimate authority to tell us what to do, what not to do, and what gender we are. Man, in his sin, hates the idea that God is in control, and that He has all authority to command us and punish disobedience. The rebellion against God can be seen in atheism, which is the refusal to acknowledge the Sovereign One even exists. The rebellion against God can be seen in homosexuality, where man refuses to allow God to tell him what he can/cannot do with his body. The rebellion against God can be seen in our redefining of morality and right/wrong. Now, there are no clear black and whites concerning morality at all. If you have to lie, then lie. And, the rebellion against God can also be seen in refusing to acknowledge that God can even determine your gender. What a shocking evidence of pride to tell the Creator, “I am not what you made me. I know what I truly am, you don’t.” Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4) and you can see that sin evidenced in the blatant refusal of acknowledging God’s sovereignty. Who is ultimately in charge of our lives, our bodies? Is it us, or is it God?
    But what is the big deal? Why do Christians care? Isn’t it a personal issue? Christians are not trying to pick a fight with a select group of sinners. Transgendered people are not worse sinners than others, but transgenderism is still sin. When the culture demands that a Christian redefine what is right/wrong, or refuse to accept God’s opinion on a matter, then Christians must disagree. A wrong does not become a right because the culture says so. An abomination does not become a beautiful thing because the majority says so. God has spoken clearly on such matters, and that stands as the Christian’s authority, nothing else. The culture is not asking us if we will accept transgenderism as a reality, the culture is demanding we endorse transgenderism as righteous. Our conscience, informed from the Word of God, cannot do so.

-Pastor Mark Scialabba

June 2016

IT'S A BOY......OR A GIRL

PART I

Imagine this scenario with me for a minute. A married couple is about to have their first child and they have decided to keep the gender of the baby a secret because they want to be surprised. At the time of delivery the baby comes out and they ask the doctor if it is a boy or a girl. Then the doctor tells them, “We’ll have to wait a few years for the child to decide which gender he/she chooses to be.” Seems a bit ridiculous doesn’t it? The biology of the baby decides its gender, not anything else. Although, this is not what we hear in our society today. Gender is now a personal decision regardless of the physical biology of the person. These people call themselves ‘transgender.’ 

This issue has come to the forefront of the American dialogue most notably because of Target corporation’s decision to let their shoppers choose any bathroom they more ‘identify’ with. It has become a hot talking point and a big social issue, but in reality, transgender people are only .3% of the population. Now of course some people might be too embarrassed to admit they are transgender, but even so, does that take the percentage up to 1%? And this issue is not as simple as we may think. The reality of gender and gender identification has now become so obfuscated that there are 50 different gender choices on Facebook! How do we as Christians think about this issue Biblically? 

First things first, for a culture who demands scientific evidence and empirical research to prove anything, the issue of transgenderism is very bizarre, simply because there is no science behind it whatsoever. I used to think that a transgender person was someone not born with specified male/female genitalia. However, after investigating the issue, the definition of a transgender person is simply a person who was assigned a gender at birth that they do not feel is accurate. It screams of subjectivity. It defies biology. What other biology or empirical evidence can we reject or affirm in the future, simply because we don’t feel it is accurate. Can I claim to identify as an alien or a canine, regardless of my biology, simply because I feel like it?

Second, the Bible makes it very clear that there are not 50 different gender choices. There are only 2. Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Man is a created being by the Sovereign being. Man doesn’t get to create a third or fiftieth type of gender. Men and women are fashioned in the womb by God and they are designated either a male or a female by the Creator. Is the Bible in error in this teaching? Does God make mistakes when He assigns a person their gender as seen in their biology? Of course not.

What about people who simply want to dress or act like the opposite sex? Men who want to dress like women and women who want to dress like men? Well, God calls it an ‘abomination’ for men to dress like women and women to dress like men (Deut 22:5). In the famous passage about head coverings in I Corinthians 11:2-12, the real issue isn’t about a covering for the head. The real issue is about men who are refusing to look like men, and women who are trying to look like men. It is sinful for a person to try and alter or confuse the gender they were given by God. 

I’m running out of space and much more needs to be said so I am going to finish this article next month. This is Part I. Because I still want to answer the nagging question: why do Christians care? What’s the big deal? And, what is the underlying issue behind transgenderism? Is it really as simple as choosing a gender to identify with? You’ll have to check back next month to find out!

Pastor Mark Scialabba

May 2016

Strength in weakness

There is an old saying that gives the key to evaluating a real estate property: Location, location, location. Well, the key to understanding Bible verses is: Context, context, context. The context is the surrounding circumstances and words that lead to a particular statement or idea. The Bible is not a series of loosely connected phrases and ‘religious’ statements (like the Koran) to be plucked out and quoted when the timing seems right. Instead, the Bible is mostly narrative, or epistles, that were written with specific aims and purposes in mind; and have a consistent flow of thought throughout. To pull a verse out of it’s context and apply it in a way that the author did not intend, is the cardinal sin of Biblical interpretation.

One of the most misused verses in all the Bible is Philippians 4:13. It says, “I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens me.” This verse has become the mantra of personal goal setting, individual achievement, and self-confidence. People quote this verse as they try and lift a new record at the gym, or make their monthly sales goals, or try to improve their own self-esteem by believing that they can do anything (with  God’s help of course). However, when you analyze the surrounding context, this verse actually teaches the opposite of self-achievement.

In verse 11 Paul says he has learned to be content in whatever circumstances he is in. The flow of his argument is about contentment regarding his situations. What situations? Verse 12 says he has learned how to get along with humble means and prosperity, being filled and going hungry, and having an abundance and suffering need. Sometimes things were great for Paul and sometimes things were really bad for Paul; to the extent of not having food! But in all those circumstances he was learning to be content in them. Then comes v 13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

The message of this passage of Scripture is that God will give you all types of circumstances, and we must learn to be content in whatever those circumstances are, but He will always help us through those difficult circumstances. I’m amazed that the Apostle Paul, arguably the greatest Christian ever to live, had times when he literally didn’t have food. But he was learning to be content in those times because God was strengthening him through those periods of hardship. That is a far cry from being a statement of personal achievement and goal setting. In fact, it is really the opposite of such conclusions.

Other passages of Scripture help us to see this as well. In 2 Corinthians 12:10, Paul says he is content in his weaknesses because God helps him when he is at his weakest. He says in v 7 that God gave him a thorn in the flesh to prevent him from exalting himself! Even when Paul asked for it to be removed, God said ‘no,’ because His power is perfected in weakness (v 9). Paul is then glad to boast about his weaknesses so that the power of God will come upon him (v 9).

What do these verses all have in common? They teach the exact opposite of self-exaltation, self-congratulation, and self-achievement. The lesson is to not depend on yourself, but depend on God. When have you ever heard of someone boasting of their weaknesses? Or being content in times of need? Paul did, because that was when God showed up the most. It was God, all God, who aided Paul in all his circumstances. Paul was not afraid to be honest with his weaknesses because that is where God puts on display His own strength.

Let us remember to see the meaning of verses in context, because if they are used outside of their immediate context, the meaning changes drastically… sometimes even into the exact opposite of what the author is trying to say.

                                                                                                                       Pastor Mark Scialabba

April 2016

When I moved to Southern California from Northern California to attend college, I wanted to attend a Bible teaching church (even though I wasn’t saved). I asked some well-respected churches if they could recommend a church near me. Out of the few recommendations the church I decided to try was called Westside Bible Church in Inglewood, CA. Not being from L.A. I had no idea where Inglewood was or what the ‘Westside’ in Westside Bible Church was about. I called the church, the pastor told me when the service was at, and I went to visit the next Sunday morning.

When I first walked in I immediately stopped in my tracks. Westside Bible Church was a ‘black church.’ That means, it was a predominantly African American congregation. Now, I don’t have anything wrong with going to church with African Americans, but I knew right away I stuck out. It was very awkward. However, immediately people came up to me and greeted me, hugged me even, and made me feel like a part of the family. Although my skin color was different, I never felt different being there. It was my home.

Churches almost instinctively gravitate toward a particular demographic. It’s just the way we are wired; we want to go to a place where we feel we will belong. We want to be at a place with others who share our same look and values. We don’t want to be the one person sticking out. That’s why we see ‘black churches’ and Hispanic churches, and even white churches. Some churches even specify their demographic by the church’s name (ex: Chinese Christian Church). Whether it is on purpose or not, I think we miss out when our church is so demographically narrow, and let me give you a few reasons why.

First, the gospel is for everyone, not simply a specific demographic. The good news of Jesus Christ is not for a certain people group, but for all people. It doesn’t matter if a person is old or young, male or female, black or white, poor or rich, the gospel message is for them! They can be saved and have their sins forgiven and that is why it is good news! We need to make sure churches reflect this, and conversely, do not reflect the idea that this specific church is for the salvation of only one certain group and if you are not a part of that group, find your salvation elsewhere.

Second, God has always been a multiethnic God. Let me explain. Even in the Old Testament, in the time of Israel God brought people from outside the people of Israel to live with the people of Israel. Think of people like Rahab and Ruth for example. They were not Israel but God brought them in. Then look at the New Testament and its churches. Christian churches were formed all over the Roman Empire, in all types of cities, and they frequently had a consistency of both Jew and Gentile together. You never saw the First Jewish Church of Corinth or others like that.

Third, the gathering of the saints to worship is supposed to give us a taste of what heaven is going to be like and heaven is going to be a place of unbelievable diversity! In fact, Revelation 5:9 says there are people from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” I definitely do not believe we are going to be segregated and split up based on our demographics. Like we get to heaven, fill out a form, check the appropriate boxes, and then are dispersed to our respective demographic area. No, you will be worshiping in heaven right next to someone from another people group, another nation, and probably another tongue. And we will all be worshiping the same God together! Shouldn’t our churches reflect that same diversity here on earth?

I was amazed at how obviously different I was, and yet how lovingly and joyously I was welcomed into the flock of Westside Bible Church. I challenge us to do the same when someone of different background, different race, or different status comes to our church. Let’s embrace a diverse congregation andnot fear one.

                                                                                                                       Pastor Mark Scialabba

March 2016

We would all admit that our prayer life could use some work. Even for those who pray regularly, sometimes the prayer time can feel stale and boring. It seems that we are saying the same things over and over again. Well, this month I’d like to offer some suggestions to give that prayer life a little shot in the arm. I call it: praying ‘dangerous prayers.’ I’m not saying to change your physical posture during prayer so that you are dangling over a cliff or something like that. When I say ‘dangerous prayers’ I mean prayers that we are sure God will hear and answer, but may cause life to get a little rough for us and get us out of our comfort zone.

The first dangerous prayer you can pray is to pray for humility. We all would admit that humility is a necessary Christian virtue and we should be working on being more humble. 1 Peter 5:5 ends with the statement, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” So, He is inclined to those who are humble. Also, in order to be humble, we must admit that we are not humble. As soon as one says, “I’m humble,” they aren’t anymore. But why is this a dangerous prayer? The answer is: for God to teach you humility, He will humble you. God will send you to a situation where you might feel embarrassed, or ashamed, or guilty of something. Sometimes pastors can feel a little puffed up because we think we are preaching God’s Word so the church needs us and we are important. And then God humbles us by some dear saint in the church reminding us we didn’t call them back as we said we would, or we forgot that appointment we had scheduled. Being taught humility is a humbling experience.

The second dangerous prayer we can pray is to ask for opportunities to share the gospel. Most people are terrified to share their faith, let alone approach a stranger about it. But Paul continually prayed for opportunities to share the gospel (Col 4:3). And we know that it is God’s desire to save everybody (1 Tim 2:3-4), so if you pray for God to give you opportunities, He will answer. But this is a dangerous prayer for us because that means someone will probably engage us in conversation, ask us about our church, or tell us of the hardships of their life; which gives us the opportunity to share our faith, and that is the one thing we are most scared of. God is good to shake us up a little bit and get us out of our comfort zone. If we won’t approach a stranger, God will bring someone to us. Pray this prayer if you want to see yourself share the gospel more.

The third dangerous prayer you can pray is for God to give you a trial. Some of you reading this may think I’m crazy and that we should never ask for a trial. In fact, we probably do everything in our power to get out of a trial and avoid trials, not ask for one! But the Bible says that we will encounter trials and we should not be surprised when we encounter trials. Jesus said we would have tribulation in this life. So, if we are not in a trial right now, what’s going on? Is God’s Word just not true for me? While I do not think the Lord wants us in a trial every moment of every day, it is important to remember the words of James 1:2-4. “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Trials produce the endurance necessary for our faith, which makes us complete. Like a rubber band our faith is stretched out during a trial. We all want greater faith right? Well, that comes through trials. Pray for God to give you a trial to strengthen your faith and God will provide you with an answer to that prayer.

Of course I use the phrase ‘dangerous prayers’ tongue in cheek. Those are actually good prayers to pray. They are only ‘dangerous’ in the sense that they will stir us in our walk with the Lord. If you are feeling unsatisfied in your walk with the Lord, pray these prayers to challenge you a little bit. After all, there is nothing dangerous about that.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

February 2016

In the summer of 2008, Angela and I were blessed to be able to go on a short term missions trip to England. We visited a missionary located in central England who was trying to find men to come pastor churches in the same region. England was going through a very bizarre situation in regards to Christianity. The country had churches, not a lot, but some. However, these churches did not have pastors leading them. In fact, over 200 churches at that time, regularly met and carried on as a normal church, just without any pastor. A bizarre situation indeed. The problem only compounded as many traveling ‘preachers’ went from church to church teaching for one week and then moving on to do the same somewhere else the next week. These speakers were booked months in advance, and none of them interested in staying at one of these churches and pastoring it.

What were the causes of this lack of pastoral leadership? Some think it was due to the embracing of liberal Christianity as a whole, in England. Many cardinal doctrines of the faith are rejected or just not taught anymore. Some think it is the heavy immigration and influence of Muslims into the country. While we can guess at what the causes are, we do not have to guess on what the Bible says to do to prevent this situation since it is covered clearly in the book of 2 Timothy.

In 2 Timothy 2:2, the apostle Paul says this, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” This is the antidote for the problem of pastorless churches and it was written before the problem even existed! Paul is instructing Timothy, who was taught along with many others, to pass on what he learned to other men who would be able to teach.

The first thing Timothy needs to do is find ‘faithful men.’ He is not talking about faithfulness to their wives (but that is still required). He is speaking of men who are trustworthy, men who are already serving, men who seem to be headed on the path toward spiritual leadership anyway. Men who will take what they are taught and use it appropriately by teaching others.

The second thing Timothy is supposed to do when he finds these faithful men is to entrust these men with the things he has learned. Clearly, Paul is talking about theology, the character of God, the Word of God, etc. It is probably assumed that this would take a long time, but once Timothy has found the faithful men, he must begin teaching them.

Paul even lays out the purpose and the goal of this instruction: so they “will be able to teach others also.” There is a domino effect and a multi-generational effect here. Timothy teaches men, who teach men, who then teach other men, and down the line it goes. There really is no excuse for a church or churches to be left without any pastor. Part of the pastor’s job is to be committed to this responsibility. It’s not just about preaching and leading, it’s about passing on what he has learned to other men who can pass it along to other men too. This is how we accomplish real leadership development in the church.     

Pastor Mark Scialabba

January 2016

As many of you know, the new Star Wars movie came out at the end of December. Of course, for me, I was super excited to see it and actually saw it twice on opening day! But I was not alone. Millions of fans had been anxiously awaiting the release ever since they announced it was going to be made over two years ago. The internet went crazy when the planning of the film was announced. The internet went crazy again when the producers published a photo of the entire cast doing a read through. Then the internet went crazy again when the first preview came out. And, when presale tickets finally went on sale, fans crashed the ticket website because there was such high demand. Clearly, many people were overly excited to see Star Wars when it finally came out.

I think back to how excited I was for the movie to come out and it caused me to reflect on one spiritual issue. The Bible tells us to be really excited for another big event: the 2nd coming of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:7 says, “so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Now when I think about how I felt leading up to Star Wars, I was definitely ‘awaiting eagerly.’ But when I think about Jesus coming back, am I waiting with that type of eagerness?

Of course we admit that we are excited for Jesus to come back. But do we look for it eagerly? Are we awaiting His return, or does it not really cross our mind? Probably the reason we do not eagerly await the coming of our Lord is that we are a bit too attached to this world here. There are many things that bring us joy and pleasure here in this world, and a lot of them are good gifts from our Heavenly Father to enjoy. But many entertainments and pleasures really have no eternal value, really don’t help us grow spiritually, and really offer no redeeming purpose whatsoever. And those are the hardest things for us to let go of. If Jesus gave Christians a spoiler and told us the day He was coming back and it was the day before the Super Bowl, or the day before our birthday, or right before we were going on a big family vacation, would we be ‘eagerly awaiting?’ How we answer that question reveals where our heart is.

One way that we can work on ‘awaiting eagerly’ the return of our Lord is to go back to that verse found in 1 Corinthians. It calls the coming of Christ His ‘revelation.’ That means when Jesus comes back He will be fully revealed. There will be no more hidden Christ. No more Jesus as a helpless baby. No more Jesus as the man being tortured and murdered. He will be revealed as God Almighty. (For a sneak peek read Revelation 19). Right now Jesus is mocked, laughed at, ridiculed, and scorned. When He comes back, all of that ends. The curtain is revealed and Jesus will receive the glory and worship He so rightly deserves. Now that is a reason to ‘await eagerly’ the coming of Christ. It’s not about us having to leave all of our stuff behind. It’s about Jesus getting the full recognition that He deserves.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

December 2015

In the summer of 2008, Angela and I were blessed to be able to go on a short term missions trip to England. We visited a missionary located in central England who was trying to find men to come pastor churches in the same region. England was going through a very bizarre situation in regards to Christianity. The country had churches, not a lot, but some. However, these churches did not have pastors leading them. In fact, over 200 churches at that time, regularly met and carried on as a normal church, just without any pastor. A bizarre situation indeed. The problem only compounded as many traveling ‘preachers’ went from church to church teaching for one week and then moving on to do the same somewhere else the next week. These speakers were booked months in advance, and none of them interested in staying at one of these churches and pastoring it.

What were the causes of this lack of pastoral leadership? Some think it was due to the embracing of liberal Christianity as a whole, in England. Many cardinal doctrines of the faith are rejected or just not taught anymore. Some think it is the heavy immigration and influence of Muslims into the country. While we can guess at what the causes are, we do not have to guess on what the Bible says to do to prevent this situation since it is covered clearly in the book of 2 Timothy.

In 2 Timothy 2:2, the apostle Paul says this, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” This is the antidote for the problem of pastorless churches and it was written before the problem even existed! Paul is instructing Timothy, who was taught along with many others, to pass on what he learned to other men who would be able to teach.

The first thing Timothy needs to do is find ‘faithful men.’ He is not talking about faithfulness to their wives (but that is still required). He is speaking of men who are trustworthy, men who are already serving, men who seem to be headed on the path toward spiritual leadership anyway. Men who will take what they are taught and use it appropriately by teaching others.

The second thing Timothy is supposed to do when he finds these faithful men is to entrust these men with the things he has learned. Clearly, Paul is talking about theology, the character of God, the Word of God, etc. It is probably assumed that this would take a long time, but once Timothy has found the faithful men, he must begin teaching them.

Paul even lays out the purpose and the goal of this instruction: so they “will be able to teach others also.” There is a domino effect and a multi-generational effect here. Timothy teaches men, who teach men, who then teach other men, and down the line it goes. There really is no excuse for a church or churches to be left without any pastor. Part of the pastor’s job is to be committed to this responsibility. It’s not just about preaching and leading, it’s about passing on what he has learned to other men who can pass it along to other men too. This is how we accomplish real leadership development in the church.     

Pastor Mark Scialabba

November 2015

We have all heard the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and most of us would agree that is a good principle. The way people look or the things they support are not necessarily the best judge of their character as people.

This principle is actually from Scripture though. In the book of James it says, “If a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?” (James 2:2-4). Clearly the issue here is treating the man in fine clothes with much more respect and honor just because he is dressed in fine clothes. The message to the poor man is actually really insulting. To sit down by one’s footstool was a tremendous insult in that culture. Some chairs that were reserved for important people had a smaller pedestal to put their feet on, almost like an ottoman. Notice these people didn’t say you could sit on my footstool, but that you can sit on the ground ‘by my footstool.’ In essence, you can sit lower than my feet. A decision that was made simply because of the way he looked.

I know we all admit that judging by appearance is wrong, but we all need to admit that we do it too. Recently, I was confronted by this in my own heart. There is a house here in Shafter that is known as the Halloween house. Maybe you have seen it in the days leading up to Halloween. The front of the house is decorated for Halloween that makes all other decorated house seem lame! This person goes over the top to make his house ready for Halloween. And, I always assumed that the person who owns that house was probably not a Christian, probably was fascinated with death and macabre, and we should avoid that place and getting to know him.

However, since I have been involved in planning this big concert coming up on November 12th, I have had the privilege of meeting and working with different people from the community. One such person is a man who is a wonderful loving Christian. He is joyful all the time, he is passionate about reaching youth in our community, he comes to every meeting, and he is excited about helping out in any way he can. Oh, and he is the owner of the Halloween house.

When he invited me over to see his Halloween house I could feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit right away. I knew what I had assumed about the people living there and I felt ashamed about it. That passage in the book of James came flooding into my memory. I had even assumed that person was not even a Christian just because of the way he decorated his house! What a lesson in judging I received from the Lord.

I write this article just by way of reminder. Every once in a while we need to hear again that which we already know. We can’t assume that we know people simply by seeing what they look like, or even what their house looks like! As a young person, don’t assume that an older person cannot have any advice or help to offer you. As an older person, don’t assume that a teenager is living a rebellious lifestyle just because their clothes look a little odd. Let’s hold off judgment until we get to know people.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

September 2015

It seems like Christians are being called out in the news for their hypocrisy more and more. Ever since the fight against gay marriage, opponents of Christianity enjoy pointing out how Christians are the ones damaging marriage through the adultery and divorce of those who claim faith. Case in point: one of the sons of the Duggar family (a Christian family on TV) was found out to have cheated on his spouse through a website that endorses and aids adultery. Gay marriage supporters and opponents of Christianity are having a field day with this, claiming it’s Christians who are ruining marriage not them. Let me respond with a few thoughts.

First, I agree with the opponents of Christianity to an extent. Actions like adultery are a horrible blight against marriage and destroy families. No one disagrees with that, and Josh Duggar should not get a free pass just because he is a Christian and we are Christians. He should be called out for his hypocrisy and his sin, which by the way, he has come out and admitted and asked forgiveness.

Second, we have forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ, but that is not a license to go out and continue to sin blatantly. Opponents of Christianity see us as hypocrites with an easy escape plan because we sin whenever/however we want to, and simply say “forgiven” when caught. Now, of course an unbeliever will not understand God’s forgiving grace and how He forgives and cleanses us dozens of times every day! But they do have a point. The Bible says that Christians are “dead to sin” (Rom 6:2) and that we are no longer slaves to sin (Rom 6:17). So, should we go out and continue in sin so that we can get more of God’s grace (Rom 6:15)? Paul, says “may it never be!” Furthermore, we are called to be slaves of righteousness (Rom 6:18). Those Christians who casually continue in sin, knowing that they are forgiven, should be ashamed. They are not living the way the Lord wants and are part of this problem of Christianity being insulted.

Third, there will always be some measure of hypocrisy in the Christian life. We are declared to be forgiven, righteous, holy, and saints; but we know that is not always how we behave. What God has declared about us we will never live up to in this life. Is that a license to continue in sin? No. Should we continue to work hard at holiness? Yes. But if the Bible says to not lie, and I’m a Christian, will I still lie? Probably. Am I going to live my walk for the Lord perfectly? Of course not. Does that stop us from pursuing holiness or fighting against sin? Certainly not. But just know, that there will always be some level of hypocrisy in the Christian life.

Lastly, there is also the reality that not everyone who professes faith in Christ, is really a believer in Christ. I’m not saying anything about the faith of Josh Duggar, but I am saying that the Bible teaches not everyone who says they are a Christian are really a Christian. Jesus says in Matt 7:21 that not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. And in the next verse he says that there will be many who perform deeds for Him that are told that Jesus ‘never knew them.’ In James 2:14, James says there are those who say they have faith but their life does not back up their claim. And James ends his discussion by saying faith without any righteous works is ‘dead’ (James 2:17). Clearly, there is a segment of people who will say they know the Lord, but really don’t. We don’t know who these people are or how many there are, but the possibility is there. Those who continue in sin with no concern and those who live with no righteousness should look seriously at their own life and analyze whether or not they are in this group of professing Christians.

Is Christianity always going to be attacked and slandered? Of course it is. But we can help reduce the amount of slander by calling out sin when we see it, by not sinning casually without any concern or repentance, and continuing to work hard at righteousness even when we know we will sometimes fall short.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

August 2015

We just came back from taking 5 high school students to summer camp at Hartland Camp in the Sequoias. At a camp like this we expect there to be a significant difference in churches, theologies, and even methodologies. The same is true for who the camp gets as it’s speaker. This year the speaker was significantly different than what our high school students were used to, but I was proud how they responded and I think it leaves us all with a good example on how to treat sermons and messages we hear.

Let me explain a little about what I mean about the speaker. Of course he was a solid, evangelical, Christian man who upheld all of the significant Christian doctrines. However, he did talk in one message for a while about demons and demon possession; even describing how he had cast demons out of a person. Now, let me just say right off the bat that I completely believe in the reality of demons and that is clear from Scripture. But, I do not think that Christians should engage in any type of demon exorcism since the Bible never tells us to do that and the Bible never explains how to do that. For that believer who wants to cast out a demon, how does he/she even know it is being done the right way? That’s too big of a chance for me to engage in such an action.

The speaker also explained how these were genuine Christian people who were demon possessed that he helped. I flatly reject this idea. As a Christian you are indwelt by God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christ lives inside of us, we are united to Him, and the human body is called a temple of the Holy Spirit. How in the world does a demon indwell that kind of person? How can a demon indwell a person that is united with Christ? How could demonic power and divine power occupy the same place? I think this is completely false teaching.

But now put yourself in the position of a camper. You are at camp hearing this message from a person who seems to truly believe it, he is an authority figure, and his experience seems to validate what he is saying. I think many campers probably just heard the message and didn’t bat an eye. However, our high school students seemed a bit skeptical and were looking at me as they heard this. We were able to talk about this after the message and I was able to explain what the Scripture says, but they already seemed locked on.

I think this reveals a very healthy aspect of the Christian life called ‘discernment.’ As Christians we are called upon to “examine everything carefully” (1 Thess 5:21). I think that is what these students were doing, and in so doing, were exercising discernment. Listening critically, and comparing to the Scripture is what discernment is all about. Discernment is not a license to stop listening, or an excuse to question the integrity of a speaker, or just a reason to be an unteachable jerk. It’s actually a healthy aspect of the Christian life and I applaud these students for looking seriously at what they were hearing and comparing it to what they know of the Scripture.

Discernment is almost a lost art in Christianity today. We have been fed the line “don’t judge people” and that has excused all kinds of false teaching. Anything that slaps a ‘Christian’ title to it people just completely accept without any examination whatsoever. While we cannot judge the character or motives of the speaker/writer, we are instructed to judge the content of what they are saying to make sure it keeps in line with Scripture. Without discernment we become tossed here and there by the waves of different doctrines (Eph 4:14) unable to distinguish true from false.

The next time you pick up a ‘Christian’ book or listen to a speaker, be ready to listen with discernment. Is this person teaching the Bible (in context!) or their own thoughts and opinions? Are verses cited and explained? What people recommended the book/speaker? Ask yourself these questions before and during your listening/reading to be careful to glean only that which is profitable, and not that which is error.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

July 2015

Caitlin Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, has been in the news a lot recently and it is not because of the success of Keeping up with the Kardashians. It is because of his well-publicized switch from being a male to a woman. Jenner has been the headline of a Diane Sawyer interview, a new reality show has been green lighted with him as the star, and he is now a coveted speaker at many transgender events (where he charges a mighty fee I might add; $40,000 per appearance at last check). I will refer to him as a ‘he’ throughout this article, since his biological DNA will always define him as a male no matter what physical changes he makes to himself. How should Christians think about this transgender movement? I will try to tackle this issue in this month’s article.

First, we must make it very clear that God defines gender, not people. He created them male and female (Gen 1:27) and He forms individuals in the womb (Jer 1:5). Defining what gender a person is is not up to the subjective feelings of the person, but up to the God who wrote the person’s DNA. What is so surprising about this transgender movement happening nowadays is that it is all housed in the realm of subjectivity. If a man ‘feels’ like using the women’s restroom, because he identifies as a female that day, he goes ahead. If a woman ‘feels’ like a man, she should think of herself as such, the transgender supporters will say. This is so bizarre since most of the transgender supporters would probably be those who don’t believe in God because of the lack of ‘hard’ evidence. Yet, they support transgenders even without any scientific proof that the person is another gender. The inherent contradiction of this world view is found in that Jenner is celebrated as a hero, yet the white woman who pretended to be black was mocked and joked about. What separates the two? They both define themselves subjectively. How can the public accept one and not the other?

We can’t live in the realm of subjectivity, we must live in a world of objective truth. What if I didn’t ‘feel’ like going to work? Or if I didn’t ‘feel’ like paying my mortgage? There would be serious consequences! Yet with gender, somehow we have allowed subjective feelings to be the determiner of truth. This is a dangerous and conflicting worldview to uphold.

Second, God condemns any type of gender switching in His Word. Deuteronomy 22:5 says, “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.” I don’t know how much clearer that could be. “But isn’t that the Old Testament?”, some people may ask. Ok, look at 1 Cor 6:9 where ‘effeminate’ males are grouped as those not inheriting the kingdom of God. An effeminate male is a male trying to imitate a woman or act like a woman; just like Bruce Jenner. Even in all the passages about character traits of women and men it is never even hinted that a confusion between male/female is possible or encouraged.

It is no surprise that our culture has accepted the transgender movement, even to the point of celebrating it. Jenner is up for an award at the ESPY’s. The Bible says the “whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19) so if God says it is wrong then the world will say that it is right. That is nothing but the plan of Satan: to malign, destroy, confuse what God has said. Transgenders are told to “be what they truly are” yet at least one study suggests transgenders are more depressed and more suicidal AFTER gender transition than they were before. Once again, we cannot live in the realm of subjectivity.

What should Christians do? First, we need to recognize this is where our culture is heading. The things that God says are wrong the world will say is right. Second, embrace how God made you, and encourage others to do the same. He created them male and female, there is no third category. Lastly, remember transgenders are people who are entangled by the deceitfulness of sin. They need Christ and they need mercy, not ridicule and scorn. But the truth of Christ must be proclaimed to set them free.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

June 2015

There has been a lot of hype over a recent survey that was conducted on religious affiliation in our country. The study showed that the number of Americans who identify themselves as Christian is at the lowest it has ever been. Percentages have dropped from 78% of the population to 71%. The biggest decline was in the age group of 18-33 year olds. Now, only about half of that age group identify themselves as Christian. Conversely, the share of Americans who say they have no religious belief increased sharply. What do these numbers mean? Should we panic? Abandon our Biblical foundation? Uproot the status quo? Well, I’d like to give some reasons why these numbers are definitely bad news, but also why these numbers can actually be good news too.

First, the bad news. It is no secret that atheism and agnosticism are becoming the latest ‘fad’ in our country. I think Christians are too scared to try and evangelize these people because the secularists are touted as the “brightest, smartest, and clearest thinkers.” The reality is simple: we as Christians are not evangelizing, and part of the reason why is that we are intimidated. The church will not grow if Christians do not evangelize, it’s as simple as that.

Also, this is bad news because it shows us that we are not reaching our younger generation. I know young people can be loud, they can do things differently, and they also have different likes/dislikes. But, if we don’t face the facts, Christianity in this country will literally die off. As the older generation passes on, the younger generation is not being reached to replace them.

Now, I would like to move on to the good news, and I really think there is good news in this report. The first piece of good news is that this report reveals ‘cultural Christianity’ is being reduced (and that’s a good thing). When I say ‘cultural Christianity’ I mean people who identify as Christian simply because they live in America. To the world, America is seen as ‘Christian’ and many people who probably have no idea about Christ or have ever gone to church would probably call themselves a Christian simply because they live in America. A Christian, according to the Bible, is someone who has been born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3), has believed upon Christ as his/her personal Savior, and has been saved from the penalty of their sins. As we clearly identify what a Christian really is, the false idea of what Christianity is goes away. We don’t want people deluding themselves into thinking they are a Christian simply because they checked a box on a survey.

Another reason this study presents some good news is that it proves that the Bible is true! Let me explain. The Bible predicts that as the last days approach, and the return of Christ draws near, people will turn away from the faith in greater numbers (Rom 1:18-32; 2 Tim 3:1-5; 2 Pet 3:3-7). So, as this study seems bad for Christianity, it actually shows that the Bible’s predictions of people’s actions are coming true! I read the literature of atheists who rejoice in the findings of the study and exclaim “it’s about time!” And, little do they know, their own philosophical mindset’s growth is actually proof against them as it really shows the Bible is getting it right and the return of Christ is drawing nearer. If you have ever read the book of Revelation and wondered how the world could possibly get so evil, the fast track is the abandonment of God and Christ! This shift in ideology in our nation has begun to pave the road towards the end times.

Now, it should not bring a Christian joy to think of the inevitable judgment that is coming upon this world, but it should give us confidence that the religious trends in our country are actually confirming the Bible we hold so dearly.

In summary I would say a few things. First, don’t stop evangelizing. Ever. Second, let’s not abandon convictions and beliefs for attendance numbers to increase. Third, believe your Bible because it is being fulfilled in front of your very eyes!

Pastor Mark Scialabba

May 2015

A well-known Christian blogger and speaker began a search looking for teenagers who wanted to be one of his interns. He asked teens from all over the world to fill out a written questionnaire, and then submit a 3 minute video sharing how they came to know the Lord. In one of his blogs he shared the findings. He watched 100 of the video testimonies and here is what he found.

Nearly every single one of the teenagers could adequately and clearly present their salvation testimony, not just speak Christian things. They were able to explain who they were before salvation, what Christ did to them, and who they are now (the essential elements to a testimony). This is encouraging to me as a pastor. This means that all the sermons, Bible studies, and devotionals are getting through and we should keep going! Again, we are not saying this is true for all teens, but when God gets a hold of someone, He does an amazing work! We need to keep teaching and preaching the wonderful things of God and let Him handle the results.

Another interesting find was that half of the respondents were home-school educated, and of the other half, was split between public school children and Christian school children. There was no discernible difference between one group and another in how they spoke of Jesus Christ. This was also true of what church they came from. It could be a big, well-known church, or the church down the street, but the blogger couldn’t spot any real difference in how they explained the things of Christ. This is encouraging as well because this means God does not only do His work in big churches!

A find that brought him some concern was that over 90% of the teenagers were Caucasian. Now, this could be because that is the demographic that follows this particular blogger. But it could also be that churches are being a little too narrow in their growth and evangelism. Are we (consciously/unconsciously) speaking the gospel to, or inviting only Caucasian people to our churches? It is something to think about.

Another concern that was brought up was how many of these teenagers said they made a profession of faith at a very young age (5 or 6 years old) but then realized they weren’t really converted until their teen years because their faith became independent of their parent’s wishes. We need to remember if a child gives a profession of faith at 5 or 6, he/she may just be doing that to please the parents and not because they have truly been regenerated. Keep giving your children the gospel and challenge them in their faith but don’t tell them they are Christians because they said so back when they were younger.

The last concern was the most serious. Very few of these teens could speak of an older believer or mentor who was instrumental in their life. Almost all said it was a parent or a pastor. This trend concerns me as well and I think we need to change it. The model for discipleship in the church is for older believers to mentor/shepherd younger believers, and it seems that this isn’t happening as much as it should be.

I think all are to blame in this final concern. Pastors think they are the only ones who can shepherd and influence. Older believers don’t actively seek out teens to shepherd and mentor. And, teenagers tend to stick to their own youth group and aren’t being an active part of the church as a whole. All of us need to look carefully at our life and see how we can better disciple young people. As a pastor, I need to ask myself “Am I trusting the believers in the church to disciple?” As an older believer, are you seeking out a teenager to mentor and shepherd? And as a teenager, are you a ‘youth group only’ part of the church?

The future of the church is bright and God is doing a mighty work amongst teenagers but let us continue, striving to improve and grow, instead of just accepting the status quo.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

April 2015

As a pastor working with young people primarily, nothing warms my heart more than seeing and hearing a young person stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ in a public setting. I got to see this first hand at the Distinguished Young Women’s event at the high school on March 20th.

There were only eleven girls participating, but the majority of them are active participants in local church youth groups. There was a moment where each girl had to answer a question into the microphone for all to hear. The question was, “What is the one thing you are most sure of?” It was amazing to hear at least 4 of the girls speak of the knowledge of God, or at least referencing some truth about God was the one thing they were sure of. Even one girl proclaimed the gospel by telling the audience she was most sure of the fact that “God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.” This is a big step of faith for two reasons.

The first reason is how it reflects spiritual maturity. In a platform such as Distinguished Young Women, the temptation is to flaunt yourself. Your makeup has to be perfect, your routine: flawless, your smile: continuous, and your public speaking answer: concise and clear. You are basically trying to present yourself in the best possible light. So, to use the occasion of a public speaking answer to deflect attention away from yourself, and towards God, is spiritually mature. It reflects a heart that is pointed toward glorifying God, a desire to exalt God, and a willingness to deny self. What if the judges don’t appreciate ‘god’ answers, or what if they don’t believe in God? The girls would be taking a big risk…and they did for the glory of God. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase, and I must decrease” (John 3:30).

The second reason speaking about God is a big step of faith is because of the possible repercussions from their classmates. I understand in our small community there are a lot of Christian students at Shafter High, but do not be fooled, there are many who are just as antagonistic toward God and the gospel as anywhere else. I wonder if these girls considered the backlash they might face at school on Monday after DYW. Would their classmates laugh at them for talking about ‘god?’ Or maybe those classmates would snicker and laugh behind their back embarrassing them from afar? I think these girls didn’t really mind those possibilities. This shows maturity in the area of fearing God and not fearing man. Fearing man is caring more about what people think than what God thinks, but fearing God is caring more about what God thinks than what people think. These girls showed the fear of God.

I think we could all learn something from these girls. Are we spiritually mature enough when we are praised or tempted to exalt ourselves, to deflect all honor to God knowing that He has blessed us with every good thing we have? Or, are we spiritually mature enough to not fear the thoughts and words of our peers because we care more about what God thinks of us than what they think?

Some might say the DYW event was not the time or place to talk about God. In return I ask, when is it going to be the right time or place? We keep telling ourselves that and pretty soon we have never spoken about God to others. We are forever looking for the ‘right time.’ If you are looking for the right time, now is the right time. If God has given us the voice to speak, the words to say, and the listener to hear, then now is the time to speak of the things of God.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

March 2015

We have all had this scary moment: we are driving down the road in our car and the “Check Engine” light comes on. Some of us ignore it, some of us panic, some of us wonder if there is something wrong with that particular light. Those lights on the dashboard of our car are called “Warning Lights” because they are to warn us of any impending danger.

Well, God has wired every individual with an internal warning device to alert us to sin, and that warning device is called a ‘conscience.’ That is the purpose of the conscience; to produce guilt or concern to allow us to confront sin. Some people ignore their conscience, like the check engine light, and have no concern over indwelling sin. Some panic when their conscience accuses them of wrongdoing and they begin a spiral of doubt, depression, and sorrow. It is to these people that this article is directed.

The book of 1 John was written to believers to examine themselves to see if they were truly in the faith. If they examined themselves and found that they passed the test, then they would be blessed with assurance. John says, “these things I have written…that you may know that you have eternal life.” This book is to be the soothing balm to those with a hyper-sensitive conscience. Instead of driving us to despair when we sin, the book of 1 John is to give us assurance and confidence that we really do know the Lord.

In chapter 3 verse 19 it says, “We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him.” What is the ‘this?’ It primarily refers to his message about loving others (3:14-18), but also in the broader context, it refers to practicing righteousness (3:4-10). So, if we are loving others in the way Scripture says to, and if we are living a life of righteousness, then that is how assurance can come to us. Of course there are always times when we are not perfectly loving others, and we don’t always live righteously, but where is the general direction of our life? If the habits of our life are pointed towards love and righteousness, then we can have assurance. If you are on a long road trip, you will have to pull off the freeway to make stops. Sometimes you may even have to drive a mile or two away from the freeway to find gas or food. But the overall direction of your journey is toward your destination, even if there are turnoffs along the way. The same is true in our spiritual life.

John also says in 3:21 that we can have ‘confidence’ before God. I’m sure there are some reading this with an overly sensitive conscience who might balk at this statement. But if we have been forgiven by God, justified by God, redeemed by God, born again by God, then we can have confidence before God. The next verse (v 22) tells us that he is speaking about prayer. We can confidently approach God in prayer, and ask what we want according to His will, and He will answer. What a tremendous privilege!

Now, in no way am I advocating a flippant or loose lifestyle that just casually ignores the warnings of the conscience. Like a pendulum, we never want to swing completely to one side. Sometimes our conscience warns us of serious sin we didn’t know of before, and we must listen and repent. But as believers, we do not need to live in a constant state of spiritual dryness, of sorrow, of feeling unworthy. Guess what? We all are unworthy! That is what grace is all about; giving blessings to the unworthy! Look at your life, are you headed toward the direction of loving others and practicing righteousness? Then, be assured and be confident when you approach our holy God. He has qualified you to be able to do such things.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

February 2015

February is the month of love. Valentine’s Day is huge business and most couples take this special day to express their love for their spouse (or boyfriend/girlfriend). I think if you are in a relationship where you are in love, you would probably characterize it as ‘strong’ or ‘good.’ I’ve never heard anyone in a relationship of love describe that love as ‘all right’ or ‘weak.’ We tend to think that we are loving very strongly and very passionately, and there is nothing wrong with that.

          But in this article I want to share a love that no human love can even come close to. I’m talking about the love of God for His children. If we think our love is strong and passionate, that only elevates God’s love to even higher heights. I’ve heard some old fantastic hymns that discuss the love of God. Songs like “Amazing Love” or “The Love of God” are amazing hymns that try to put into words the awesome love of God. I have to say, in my opinion, modern day song writing about the love of God falls woefully short. But those wonderful hymns cannot even appropriately capture with words, the deep love of God.

          I want to draw your attention to a verse in a chapter in the Bible that is not about love. In fact, it is about death and sorrow. It is Isaiah 53. This chapter is famously known as the most clear, concise, accurate prediction of the suffering of the Messiah in all the Old Testament. It is graphic, violent, and can point to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.  But as I said, this chapter is not about love, it is about the suffering of the Messiah. I don’t have to go into all the details; you can read Isaiah 53 on your own time. But I would like to draw your attention to a part of a verse in chapter 53. The beginning of verse 10 says this, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief.” There are two people mentioned here: The Lord and Him. The ‘Him’ is referring to the suffering servant of God that Isaiah is talking about, and we know Him to be the Lord Jesus Christ. Then the only question is, who is the ‘Lord’? It must be God the Father. So here is my translation of that verse: God the Father was pleased to crush His Son Jesus Christ.

You may be wondering how this shows the love of God. Well, let me explain. It was not just the physical sufferings of Christ that were significant. As He died on the cross it was our transgressions and iniquities that were dumped upon Him (v 5). And, verse 12 says that “He Himself bore the sins of many.” The death of Christ was not simply about giving us a good example of how to handle unfair treatment. It was a legal transaction on our behalf. Christ was bearing our sins, our iniquities, and our transgressions as He died on the cross. He was punished as if He committed those sins, when in fact He hadn’t. Here is where the love of God comes in: the Father was pleased to do this to His Son for our salvation/justification.

Now, let me be clear, Christ was in no way an unwilling participant in this. He clearly stated that He was laying down His life on His own initiative, no one was making Him do it (John 10:17-18). So, Jesus’ love is just as grand as the Father’s. But, as verse 10 said in Isaiah 53, the Father was pleased to crush Him. God would happily crush His own Son, treat Him as a sinner, and punish Him accordingly…for us. That is amazing love. That is unbelievable love. That is awesome love. This love is higher than any other love in existence.

While we think of our romantic love as wonderful and without end, this love cannot even compare. Would we willingly crush someone in our family, treat them unfairly and unjustly, for the eternal blessing of someone who is our enemy? I sincerely doubt it. But that is what God did. He crushed His own Son, His beloved Son, and allowed Him to be treated in the most unfair of ways, so that His enemies (us) could receive salvation and eternal life. That is love.

I’m not trying to rain on the parade of Valentine’s Day. I encourage you to spend joyful time with your spouse, tell him/her of your love, and cultivate that relationship. But as you do, be humbled because of the vastly superior love of God displayed upon you and I.  

Pastor Mark Scialabba